I was one of the first out on the ice, Orian was skating around, reading notes off of a clip board, but when he saw me, he stopped what he was doing, and skated over to say something to me.
"Banks." He nodded.
"Hi Coach."
"Nice to see you out here. Excited about the year?"
"Yes sir." I nodded.
"Good, good."
Later, after everyone was out on the ice, he told us all to take a knee before beginning his speech.
"Some of you will make the team today, some of you won't." He began. "But for those of you who do, you should know that it's going to take real will to do well this year. Most of you know that you have a big reputation to live up to, as members of the Eden Hall JV Mighty Ducks. I expect you to meet the standard that has been set for you, and surpass it. Today, we're going to find out which of you can cut it, so lets get going, thirty laps!"
I sighed, and started out on the laps, trying to get them over with as quickly as possible. Right behind me there was this kid who kept falling down, no way was he going to make the team.
After everyone was done with the laps, Coach Orian divided us up into teams, and told us to scrimmage, he put me at center, I tried to argue, but decided that it would be best to keep my mouth shut. Even though I hadn't played center since peewees.
I felt awkward in the position. I would have give anything to have played wing, but again, I kept my mouth shut for the rest of the practice, and sucked it up. When we were done, we all hit the locker room, without a word, and waited for Orian to come in with the list of who made the team. I hadn't been nervous, but while I took of my gear, I listened to all the other guys talking about how bad they thought they did, or what they could have done better, and that started to make me nervous. Had I had any missed opportunities? I couldn't really think of anything. I shook myself, and mentally told myself to calm down, I'd make the team, there was no way for me not to.
I was looking down to take off my skates when I noticed that the room had suddenly become hushed, and tension filled. When I looked up, Orian was making his way over to the bulletin board. "If your name is highlighted, you made the team, and I'm going to need to see you in the rink, during lunch tomorrow for a quick meeting, where I'll hand out a schedule."
Orian had barley set foot out of the room, before everyone scrambled to bulletin board to check for their names. I was nearly run over by a rather large defense-man, and decided that it was best to wait a few minuets. After the crowd had mostly cleared, I walked over the list. My name was close to the top, and highlighted, next to it, my name read 'First Line, Center' I sighed. "He made me a center." I grumbled. This was...unacceptable. Quickly, I gathered my things, and escaped the crowded locker room.
I found my dad's car sitting outside the rink.
"So how'd you do?" He asked, as I slid into the passenger's side.
"He made me a center." I grumbled.
"Starting?" My dad asked.
I looked at him. I couldn't believe that he had just asked me that, was that all he cared about? I nodded in reply. He just didn't get it. Nobody did. They all looked at me as this awesome hockey player, you know, the youngest Banks brother. I would never get out of Adam's shadow at this rate. And yet, he was probably the only person that could understand. I decided that I would call him later that night.
When I got home and told my mother about hockey tryouts, she was delighted, and told me that she would cook my favorite dinner that night, pot roast. I took a shower, and picked at my dinner, and then excused myself to go upstairs and call Adam.
I dialed the number to hid dorm room, that was written on a scrap of paper by my bedside. He picked up on the third ring.
"Hello?"
"Hey, Adam."
"Hey, little bro, what's up?"
"I hate Orian, that's all."
Adam laughed. "What'd he do to you?"
"He mad me a center."
"Are you kidding?" Adam asked, I could sense confusion in his voice.
"Your so much better at wing!"
"He wouldn't know." I spat. "He never gave me a chance, he just threw me in at center, becuase it's your position. That's all I got all day long too, 'oh, your Adam's brother, right?' 'Adam was so great', and my personal favorite, 'you have a lot to live up to young man.'"
"Sorry. I can't help it."
"I know." I sighed. "It's just that....I don't know. I feel like I'm never going to get out of your shadow."
"Talk to Orian." Adam suggested. "See if he'll give you a chance at wing."
"Maybe." I sighed. Hey, it was worth a shot....
AN: sorry...short chapter, but I had to add something, I hadn't updated in FOREVER....I know it sucks, but I'll try to make the next chapter better lol. feel free to flame me *sob* I know I deserve it! :o\
"Banks." He nodded.
"Hi Coach."
"Nice to see you out here. Excited about the year?"
"Yes sir." I nodded.
"Good, good."
Later, after everyone was out on the ice, he told us all to take a knee before beginning his speech.
"Some of you will make the team today, some of you won't." He began. "But for those of you who do, you should know that it's going to take real will to do well this year. Most of you know that you have a big reputation to live up to, as members of the Eden Hall JV Mighty Ducks. I expect you to meet the standard that has been set for you, and surpass it. Today, we're going to find out which of you can cut it, so lets get going, thirty laps!"
I sighed, and started out on the laps, trying to get them over with as quickly as possible. Right behind me there was this kid who kept falling down, no way was he going to make the team.
After everyone was done with the laps, Coach Orian divided us up into teams, and told us to scrimmage, he put me at center, I tried to argue, but decided that it would be best to keep my mouth shut. Even though I hadn't played center since peewees.
I felt awkward in the position. I would have give anything to have played wing, but again, I kept my mouth shut for the rest of the practice, and sucked it up. When we were done, we all hit the locker room, without a word, and waited for Orian to come in with the list of who made the team. I hadn't been nervous, but while I took of my gear, I listened to all the other guys talking about how bad they thought they did, or what they could have done better, and that started to make me nervous. Had I had any missed opportunities? I couldn't really think of anything. I shook myself, and mentally told myself to calm down, I'd make the team, there was no way for me not to.
I was looking down to take off my skates when I noticed that the room had suddenly become hushed, and tension filled. When I looked up, Orian was making his way over to the bulletin board. "If your name is highlighted, you made the team, and I'm going to need to see you in the rink, during lunch tomorrow for a quick meeting, where I'll hand out a schedule."
Orian had barley set foot out of the room, before everyone scrambled to bulletin board to check for their names. I was nearly run over by a rather large defense-man, and decided that it was best to wait a few minuets. After the crowd had mostly cleared, I walked over the list. My name was close to the top, and highlighted, next to it, my name read 'First Line, Center' I sighed. "He made me a center." I grumbled. This was...unacceptable. Quickly, I gathered my things, and escaped the crowded locker room.
I found my dad's car sitting outside the rink.
"So how'd you do?" He asked, as I slid into the passenger's side.
"He made me a center." I grumbled.
"Starting?" My dad asked.
I looked at him. I couldn't believe that he had just asked me that, was that all he cared about? I nodded in reply. He just didn't get it. Nobody did. They all looked at me as this awesome hockey player, you know, the youngest Banks brother. I would never get out of Adam's shadow at this rate. And yet, he was probably the only person that could understand. I decided that I would call him later that night.
When I got home and told my mother about hockey tryouts, she was delighted, and told me that she would cook my favorite dinner that night, pot roast. I took a shower, and picked at my dinner, and then excused myself to go upstairs and call Adam.
I dialed the number to hid dorm room, that was written on a scrap of paper by my bedside. He picked up on the third ring.
"Hello?"
"Hey, Adam."
"Hey, little bro, what's up?"
"I hate Orian, that's all."
Adam laughed. "What'd he do to you?"
"He mad me a center."
"Are you kidding?" Adam asked, I could sense confusion in his voice.
"Your so much better at wing!"
"He wouldn't know." I spat. "He never gave me a chance, he just threw me in at center, becuase it's your position. That's all I got all day long too, 'oh, your Adam's brother, right?' 'Adam was so great', and my personal favorite, 'you have a lot to live up to young man.'"
"Sorry. I can't help it."
"I know." I sighed. "It's just that....I don't know. I feel like I'm never going to get out of your shadow."
"Talk to Orian." Adam suggested. "See if he'll give you a chance at wing."
"Maybe." I sighed. Hey, it was worth a shot....
AN: sorry...short chapter, but I had to add something, I hadn't updated in FOREVER....I know it sucks, but I'll try to make the next chapter better lol. feel free to flame me *sob* I know I deserve it! :o\
