Notes: This takes place after the Junior Goodwill Games. They are a bit young to go straight to Eden Hall in the fall so they are in Junior High. This takes place the last day of eighth grade. The only hockey they played since the Junior Goodwill Games was schoolyard puck.

Prelude to Test of Friendship

Jesse's locker was right next to mine. "Finally. No more Junior High." Jesse said to me as he dumped the last bit of papers out of his locker into the garbage.

"Yep. And then there's Eden Hall next year. My brother went there. He said it's a good school. He said the hockey team is the important sport at the school. Nice to see a school that values hockey more then football."

"Yeah." Jesse said looking at the ground. "Banks I'm not going to Eden Hall next year."

I looked at him in shock. He didn't just tell me that. I must be hearing things. "What do you mean you aren't? We just got the scholarships last week. I thought we all agreed to go."

"We did. I changed my mind. I want to take a break from hockey."

I wouldn't believe it. Jesse wasn't leaving us. My best friend wasn't ditching the school and me. "But…"

"I'll probably still go to the school sometime Cake eater. Don't get too depressed about it. Someone's got to make sure you don't get too preppy." Jesse said trying to lighten the situation.

"It won't be the same without you. The ducks without Jesse just doesn't sound right." And it doesn't.

"Well it'll have to do. I need to take some time off or I probably will burn out. Schoolyard puck almost every day this year was like being on a team again. But I'll be back you can guarantee it."

"You better be or I'll drag you into the school myself."

We walked out of the school. "Hey just don't forget we'll always be friends. Let's drop this until September. We've got all summer to look forward to." Jesse suggested. I agreed. School didn't start for two and a half months. He wasn't leaving now.

"How bad could freshmen year be?" I asked.

If only I knew how prophetic those words would be.

***

*Sniff* the end. As you know, the fic is continued in The Test of Friendship and its prologue The Forgotten Duck. Thank you for coming on this bumpy ride with me. Now I've got to get back to schoolwork. Yuck!