The Ducks sit at their normal three tables in the back of Mickey's, cracking jokes, throwing food and other wise misbehaving. Kory smiled and sipped her lemonade, they certainly seemed like a great bunch of kids. So accepting of this new girl that had just waltzed into their lives the day before. She twirled her straw and laughed, forgetting for just a few minutes that she was different from everyone else.
"So Kory, do you think if we all go talk to your parents, they'll let you move in with us?" Connie queried, feeding Guy an onion ring.
"It's worth a shot, but I wouldn't count on it." Kory sighed. "My parents, especially my dad, think just because I'm deaf I'm helpless. I'm surprised they don't try to cut my meat for me still."
"A sweet little thing like you, someone's got to look out for you." Portman snorted. "Ouch!" He yelped suddenly.
Fulton knit his eyebrows at his best friend.
"What's the matter dude?"
"She kicked me." Portman pointed accusingly at Kory, who just smirked.
"Excuse me, where's the lady's room?" Kory spoke up.
"I'll show you." Julie shoved Luis hard and he fell flat on his butt, she slid out of the booth, stepped over him and led Kory to the bathroom.
Charlie watched as the two girls walked away from the table, happy that Kory was fitting in so well. He really wanted to make her feel at home in Minnesota. Being in a new place surrounded by new people can be hard enough, but doing it in Senior year, when all the cliques have been formed must have been the worst. Plus, he personally thought she was unbelievable. Her strength both physical and mental impressed him, he knew he'd never be able to deal with being hearing impaired the way she had. Kory was inspirational.
"Well, well, well, look what we found here. It's a whole flock of ducklings." A rude, snide voice declared.
The Ducks lifted their heads to see a handful of guys dressed in purple and orange lettermen's jackets. The Aspire preparatory Pirates, led by their captain Ethan Marlow. A thick necked, small brained, exchange student that had had his pride broken the past three years in a row, when his team lost to the Ducks in the State Finals.
Russ crumbled the wrapper to his straw and tossed it casually at the other team's leader.
"What are you doing here Ethan, didn't you read the sigh on the door 'No Shoes, No Shirt, No Brain, No Service'?"
"Maybe someone should read it to you." Guy suggested.
"Come up guys, you've gotta give him some credit, he figured out you have to pull the door to get it open." Julie's voice rang out as she walked back with Kory into toe.
"And who is this cutie?" Tim Daily eyed Kory, from beside his captain.
"Her name's Kory, she's Charlie neighbor." Banks answered quietly, he wasn't one for confrontation (the exception of his fist fight with Charlie freshmen year) and could tell there was going to be another.
"So are you new around here Kory?" Tim questioned with a ridiculous grin.
Kory nodded.
"Yeah, brand new."
"I'd love you show you around sometime, I'd love to show you a lot of things." Ethan winked at her.
"We'll have to get together sometime." She extended her hand, however when Ethan took it to shake, she grabbed his wrist and twisted it behind his back.
"Oh right, did we forget to mention her violent tendencies?" Averman spoke up.
The entire Pirates' starting line up went wide eyed. Their Captain was huge, he'd never been man handled by anyone, let alone a girl.
"How'd you do that?" One of the Pirates asked.
"When you can't hear, you have to learn how to protect yourself. Now my friends and I were enjoying an afternoon snack and I wouldn't recommend coming between me and food. So unless you wanna see the proper way to kill a man by breaking his nose, I suggest you leave."
The opposing team walked over to a group of other tables and Kory sat back down beside Charlie.
"Kory, have you ever considered playing hockey?" Connie inquired "I'd love to have another girl out on the ice with me, Jules is always stuck in the net."
"Sorry Connie, I don't even know how to skate. So, are we going to talk to my parents or what?" Kory clapped her hands with excitement.
The Ducks all looked at each other and smiled.
"Let's do it."
A caravan of cars parked across the Conway's lawn and anxious teens hopped out. They all followed Kory into her house timidly, knowing if she was that scary, her father must be down right bone chilling.
They didn't say a word through most of the conversation, just sat scattered on the living room floor as Kory pleaded her case. However when their fearless leader opened his mouth, they all jumped in. The debate lasted two hours, the Montels not willing to budge and Kory not about just to let the idea fall dead.
Finally she stood up, put her hands on her hips and said.
"Look, I'll be eighteen in December, if you don't let me move into the dorms now, I'll do on my birthday. But if that's how it has to be, don't be waiting for me to com visit. If you don't let me live my life now, you won't be a part of it later. I'm seventeen years old, I'm responsible, I'm intelligent, I know how to take care of myself and even if it comes to needing help I'll have thirteen friends if I need them. Some of the Ducks have been living in the dorms since they were fourteen. Why won't you just trust me?"
By the end of the night, Kory was packing and Connie and Julie were making space in their room.
"So Kory, do you think if we all go talk to your parents, they'll let you move in with us?" Connie queried, feeding Guy an onion ring.
"It's worth a shot, but I wouldn't count on it." Kory sighed. "My parents, especially my dad, think just because I'm deaf I'm helpless. I'm surprised they don't try to cut my meat for me still."
"A sweet little thing like you, someone's got to look out for you." Portman snorted. "Ouch!" He yelped suddenly.
Fulton knit his eyebrows at his best friend.
"What's the matter dude?"
"She kicked me." Portman pointed accusingly at Kory, who just smirked.
"Excuse me, where's the lady's room?" Kory spoke up.
"I'll show you." Julie shoved Luis hard and he fell flat on his butt, she slid out of the booth, stepped over him and led Kory to the bathroom.
Charlie watched as the two girls walked away from the table, happy that Kory was fitting in so well. He really wanted to make her feel at home in Minnesota. Being in a new place surrounded by new people can be hard enough, but doing it in Senior year, when all the cliques have been formed must have been the worst. Plus, he personally thought she was unbelievable. Her strength both physical and mental impressed him, he knew he'd never be able to deal with being hearing impaired the way she had. Kory was inspirational.
"Well, well, well, look what we found here. It's a whole flock of ducklings." A rude, snide voice declared.
The Ducks lifted their heads to see a handful of guys dressed in purple and orange lettermen's jackets. The Aspire preparatory Pirates, led by their captain Ethan Marlow. A thick necked, small brained, exchange student that had had his pride broken the past three years in a row, when his team lost to the Ducks in the State Finals.
Russ crumbled the wrapper to his straw and tossed it casually at the other team's leader.
"What are you doing here Ethan, didn't you read the sigh on the door 'No Shoes, No Shirt, No Brain, No Service'?"
"Maybe someone should read it to you." Guy suggested.
"Come up guys, you've gotta give him some credit, he figured out you have to pull the door to get it open." Julie's voice rang out as she walked back with Kory into toe.
"And who is this cutie?" Tim Daily eyed Kory, from beside his captain.
"Her name's Kory, she's Charlie neighbor." Banks answered quietly, he wasn't one for confrontation (the exception of his fist fight with Charlie freshmen year) and could tell there was going to be another.
"So are you new around here Kory?" Tim questioned with a ridiculous grin.
Kory nodded.
"Yeah, brand new."
"I'd love you show you around sometime, I'd love to show you a lot of things." Ethan winked at her.
"We'll have to get together sometime." She extended her hand, however when Ethan took it to shake, she grabbed his wrist and twisted it behind his back.
"Oh right, did we forget to mention her violent tendencies?" Averman spoke up.
The entire Pirates' starting line up went wide eyed. Their Captain was huge, he'd never been man handled by anyone, let alone a girl.
"How'd you do that?" One of the Pirates asked.
"When you can't hear, you have to learn how to protect yourself. Now my friends and I were enjoying an afternoon snack and I wouldn't recommend coming between me and food. So unless you wanna see the proper way to kill a man by breaking his nose, I suggest you leave."
The opposing team walked over to a group of other tables and Kory sat back down beside Charlie.
"Kory, have you ever considered playing hockey?" Connie inquired "I'd love to have another girl out on the ice with me, Jules is always stuck in the net."
"Sorry Connie, I don't even know how to skate. So, are we going to talk to my parents or what?" Kory clapped her hands with excitement.
The Ducks all looked at each other and smiled.
"Let's do it."
A caravan of cars parked across the Conway's lawn and anxious teens hopped out. They all followed Kory into her house timidly, knowing if she was that scary, her father must be down right bone chilling.
They didn't say a word through most of the conversation, just sat scattered on the living room floor as Kory pleaded her case. However when their fearless leader opened his mouth, they all jumped in. The debate lasted two hours, the Montels not willing to budge and Kory not about just to let the idea fall dead.
Finally she stood up, put her hands on her hips and said.
"Look, I'll be eighteen in December, if you don't let me move into the dorms now, I'll do on my birthday. But if that's how it has to be, don't be waiting for me to com visit. If you don't let me live my life now, you won't be a part of it later. I'm seventeen years old, I'm responsible, I'm intelligent, I know how to take care of myself and even if it comes to needing help I'll have thirteen friends if I need them. Some of the Ducks have been living in the dorms since they were fourteen. Why won't you just trust me?"
By the end of the night, Kory was packing and Connie and Julie were making space in their room.