"I'll call you some time." I say kissing the cheek of my latest on a long list of conquests. All the while thinking 'But don't wait by the phone.' I know I sound like a real prick, right? Yeah I know and in all honesty, when it comes to dating I have a tendency to be. I don't mean to, it's just, I don't know how to explain it.
It's like one day I woke up and realized that if everyone is so certain I'm the original Latin lover, I may as well not disappoint them. So as I stand at the door of Darcy Hunt, I fore fill what everybody thinks of me. So goes the life of Luis Mendoza.
"Hey Luis, how'd your date go, did ya'll have a good time?" My roommate asks cheerily from his bed, where he's watching the PBR on our small color TV. It is times like this I wish I'd been given anyone else as a buck buddy. The instate Ducks have swindled themselves dorm rooms this year and I'm sure no one else on the team would even care enough to ask how my night was. Why oh why couldn't I be given someone who doesn't care what's going on with anyone else? Like Adam, he's quiet enough or Guy, though I think he's still a little sore at me for scamming on Connie during the Goodwill Games, the boy sure can hold a grudge.
"Don't ask Dwayne." I grumble flopping onto my bed
"Aww, come on now, it couldn't be that bad." He says with a smile
"It wasn't the good trust me." I sigh
"It'll happen for you pal, there's someone out there for everybody." Words of wisdom from the kid that thinks Walker Texas Ranger, should've been Emmy nominated. Oh well, Dwayne Robertson may not be the brightest bulb on the tree, in fact he's like the one bulb that made the whole strand go out, but he's also the nicest guy I know.
"Thanks Dwayne, hey I'm goin' to sleep, I wanna hit the gym before practice tomorrow." I pull off my jeans and sweater, crawling into bed clad only in boxers and a wife beater.
"Alright, g'night partner." And Dwayne shuts off the light
"Sixty-one, sixty-two, sixty-three." I count out loud the next morning as I do leg lifts in student's fitness area at school. When the team found out I planned on working out before practice that morning a lot of them decided to join me. Banks is using the rowing machine, Charlie and Guy are running laps on the indoor track, Connie doing the treadmill thing and Portman, Fulton and Julie are trying to see to who could do more reps with the dumbbells. My money's on Julie.
"Will you be done with that machine soon slick?" A mildly annoyed voice comes from above me
"Wait your turn." I snap before looking up to put a face to the voice, who ever it was hadn't made me want to share by calling me slick.
"Damn hockey players think you own the school." The person shoots back at me
That went up my butt side ways. I'm so sick of people saying stuff like that. The rest of the Ducks and I work damn hard to stay at the preppy overrun school and everyone makes it out like we ask for to much. It's not our fault that this is a hockey school.
"Listen girl, we're not the ones that walk around here like our shit don't stink." I retort snapping my head up. I try my hardest not to swear in front of girls and especially not too them, but that chick just rubbed me the wrong way.
"Don't get huffy with me Mendoza, I just want a chance at the equipment." She crosses her arms and narrows her eyes. Icy blue eyes almost clear, that look out of place on her perspiring and flushed face. The hair in her sweat soaked ponytail is really dark brown, not yet black, but dark brown and her skins an olive color, those eyes just don't go.
"How do you know my last name?" Now I'm curious
"The same way I know you're on the hockey team, I have ears. It's common knowledge. Just like I also know, you're from Miami, are a great speedster, but spend more time crashing into the boards then you do standing up, oh and you're a real ladies man. At least that's the buzz on the walls in the girls bathroom. But from what I see, you're not much of anything."
I'm about to open my mouth again, when Charlie comes over and reminds me of practice.
"Let's go Luis, wouldn't want Wilson to blow a gasket." He says to me
"Yeah coming, looks like you get to use the machine after all."
"How chivalrous of you." The girl groans as I follow our captain out
An Hour Later
"Luis if you can't figure out how to put the brakes on, you're gonna be on the bench until you can." Wilson yells from where he's standing off to the side of the ice. Tomorrow's the first day of Junior year and he'll be posting the positions at the end of that afternoon's practice.
I sigh and push myself back up. It's not like I'm trying to crash, I've got the bruises to prove it's not an enjoyable experience. Ambling over to the bench, I come to the conclusion that Wilson is right though, I defiantly need to learn to stop. Wouldn't want to give people like that girl some more ammo. I'll make a mental note to fit in some extra rink time, maybe after lunch today, before school tomorrow and prior to tomorrows scrimmage. Hopefully three more bonus practice will keep me from being third line or worse, benched.
AFTER LUIS'S POST LUNCH PRACTICE
Why is it every time I just want to crawl into bed and sleep for the next three days, Dwayne is doing something to prevent it? Just my damn luck, I just walked into our room and his girlfriend Alicia Summers is sitting on his bed crying. I know if I ask him nicely he'd take her some where else, that's just the type of guy he is. But I won't, I'll just sit here and stare into space, maybe eavesdrop a little and see what's going on.
"Luis, glad you're back, could ya gimme a hand? I gotta get Ali's things outa her room. Her new roommates bein' awful mean. Julie and Connie are gonna let her bunk in there till the office can find her another place to go." Dwayne explains, untangling himself from the tiny blonde in his lap. Alicia's roommate must've been really bad to make her cry like that. Her green eyes were so puffy it reminded me of the day Charlie accidentally ate an almond candy bar.
"Sure." I sigh again and get up from my bed and follow cowboy and Alicia
Twenty minutes later I'm alone in Alicia's room trying to gather up the pieces of her stereo, while her boyfriend helps her unpack in Connie and Julie's room.
"What the hell are you doing in my room?" No wonder Alicia can't stand to stay in this room. I recognize that voice.
"Helping move Ali out, you scared her off." I whirl around and wind up staring into the same frozen eyes as earlier.
"Hmmm, it usually takes a week or so for me to chase a roommate off. This must be a record or something." She shrugs, her dark ponytail bobbing up and down. She's actually sort of cute when she's not all clammy and gross. Her jeans fit nice and tight, but not to the point they don't fit, her skins clear of all the red blotches from working out, she's tall, I'd say about 5'10 and she's got nicely toned arms. Still she has those icicle ices, there's something unsettling about them.
"You must be proud." I mutter sarcastically bending down to pick up a speaker
"Actually I am. Well don't let the door hit in ya in the ass." The girl gave me a dismissing wave and turned her back to me, revealing the writing on the back of the football jersey she was wearing.
I had acknowledged the green and blue as a Blake jersey and assumed she was a transfer student when she first came in. I know I'm an Eden Hall student, but I won't deny Blake has best football team in the state. Honestly I even watch some of the games on the high school sports network some time. The back of her shirt reads Lyons 64, I know the star quarterback's name is TJ Lyons and I wonder if she knows him. He's the best QB I've ever seen in high school ball, something like 96.6 percent completed passes.
"Lyons, huh? Do you know TJ?"
"Yeah, really well." She answers, a smile yearning to come out
"Is he like you're boyfriend or something?" I have no idea why I'm so curious, I think maybe because I'm such a fan.
"No." She shakes her head, the smile threatening a little more
"Oh, thought maybe you could introduce us."
"Sure." That was what she was waiting for, as she pops off her bed she extends her hand with a Cheshire cat grin.
I look at her confused and shake my head
"I don't get it."
"Tricia-Jean Lyons, or TJ on the field." She declares
"You're TJ Lyons?" I look at her skeptically
"Yeah." She nods
"But, you're a girl." Could I be anymore stupid? I mean girls can play contact sports, hell Connie and Julie are tougher then some of us at times.
"Gee ya know, that's why I've been going into the bathroom with the stick figure wearing a dress, my whole life. Thanks for telling me Mendoza, I woulda never guessed. I was wondering why one week a month I get really bitchy and have the desire to consume the worlds chocolate supply." Okay she's starting to get moody again. I'm out of here.
Later that night
Ali's all moved into her new room. I think being with Con and Jules is safer then sharing a room with Tricia-Jean Lyons. She's one scary girl. I'm alone in my room finally, Dwayne took Alicia out for an ice cream. As I lay her in bed there's one thing I can't wrap my mind around. TJ Lyons is not only a girl, but a frigid one at that. What is the world coming too? But then, I guess that clarifies why she hates us hockey players. At Blake football's the biggest thing, here nobody really gives a rat behind about the sport. Something tells me there's going to be trouble.
It's like one day I woke up and realized that if everyone is so certain I'm the original Latin lover, I may as well not disappoint them. So as I stand at the door of Darcy Hunt, I fore fill what everybody thinks of me. So goes the life of Luis Mendoza.
"Hey Luis, how'd your date go, did ya'll have a good time?" My roommate asks cheerily from his bed, where he's watching the PBR on our small color TV. It is times like this I wish I'd been given anyone else as a buck buddy. The instate Ducks have swindled themselves dorm rooms this year and I'm sure no one else on the team would even care enough to ask how my night was. Why oh why couldn't I be given someone who doesn't care what's going on with anyone else? Like Adam, he's quiet enough or Guy, though I think he's still a little sore at me for scamming on Connie during the Goodwill Games, the boy sure can hold a grudge.
"Don't ask Dwayne." I grumble flopping onto my bed
"Aww, come on now, it couldn't be that bad." He says with a smile
"It wasn't the good trust me." I sigh
"It'll happen for you pal, there's someone out there for everybody." Words of wisdom from the kid that thinks Walker Texas Ranger, should've been Emmy nominated. Oh well, Dwayne Robertson may not be the brightest bulb on the tree, in fact he's like the one bulb that made the whole strand go out, but he's also the nicest guy I know.
"Thanks Dwayne, hey I'm goin' to sleep, I wanna hit the gym before practice tomorrow." I pull off my jeans and sweater, crawling into bed clad only in boxers and a wife beater.
"Alright, g'night partner." And Dwayne shuts off the light
"Sixty-one, sixty-two, sixty-three." I count out loud the next morning as I do leg lifts in student's fitness area at school. When the team found out I planned on working out before practice that morning a lot of them decided to join me. Banks is using the rowing machine, Charlie and Guy are running laps on the indoor track, Connie doing the treadmill thing and Portman, Fulton and Julie are trying to see to who could do more reps with the dumbbells. My money's on Julie.
"Will you be done with that machine soon slick?" A mildly annoyed voice comes from above me
"Wait your turn." I snap before looking up to put a face to the voice, who ever it was hadn't made me want to share by calling me slick.
"Damn hockey players think you own the school." The person shoots back at me
That went up my butt side ways. I'm so sick of people saying stuff like that. The rest of the Ducks and I work damn hard to stay at the preppy overrun school and everyone makes it out like we ask for to much. It's not our fault that this is a hockey school.
"Listen girl, we're not the ones that walk around here like our shit don't stink." I retort snapping my head up. I try my hardest not to swear in front of girls and especially not too them, but that chick just rubbed me the wrong way.
"Don't get huffy with me Mendoza, I just want a chance at the equipment." She crosses her arms and narrows her eyes. Icy blue eyes almost clear, that look out of place on her perspiring and flushed face. The hair in her sweat soaked ponytail is really dark brown, not yet black, but dark brown and her skins an olive color, those eyes just don't go.
"How do you know my last name?" Now I'm curious
"The same way I know you're on the hockey team, I have ears. It's common knowledge. Just like I also know, you're from Miami, are a great speedster, but spend more time crashing into the boards then you do standing up, oh and you're a real ladies man. At least that's the buzz on the walls in the girls bathroom. But from what I see, you're not much of anything."
I'm about to open my mouth again, when Charlie comes over and reminds me of practice.
"Let's go Luis, wouldn't want Wilson to blow a gasket." He says to me
"Yeah coming, looks like you get to use the machine after all."
"How chivalrous of you." The girl groans as I follow our captain out
An Hour Later
"Luis if you can't figure out how to put the brakes on, you're gonna be on the bench until you can." Wilson yells from where he's standing off to the side of the ice. Tomorrow's the first day of Junior year and he'll be posting the positions at the end of that afternoon's practice.
I sigh and push myself back up. It's not like I'm trying to crash, I've got the bruises to prove it's not an enjoyable experience. Ambling over to the bench, I come to the conclusion that Wilson is right though, I defiantly need to learn to stop. Wouldn't want to give people like that girl some more ammo. I'll make a mental note to fit in some extra rink time, maybe after lunch today, before school tomorrow and prior to tomorrows scrimmage. Hopefully three more bonus practice will keep me from being third line or worse, benched.
AFTER LUIS'S POST LUNCH PRACTICE
Why is it every time I just want to crawl into bed and sleep for the next three days, Dwayne is doing something to prevent it? Just my damn luck, I just walked into our room and his girlfriend Alicia Summers is sitting on his bed crying. I know if I ask him nicely he'd take her some where else, that's just the type of guy he is. But I won't, I'll just sit here and stare into space, maybe eavesdrop a little and see what's going on.
"Luis, glad you're back, could ya gimme a hand? I gotta get Ali's things outa her room. Her new roommates bein' awful mean. Julie and Connie are gonna let her bunk in there till the office can find her another place to go." Dwayne explains, untangling himself from the tiny blonde in his lap. Alicia's roommate must've been really bad to make her cry like that. Her green eyes were so puffy it reminded me of the day Charlie accidentally ate an almond candy bar.
"Sure." I sigh again and get up from my bed and follow cowboy and Alicia
Twenty minutes later I'm alone in Alicia's room trying to gather up the pieces of her stereo, while her boyfriend helps her unpack in Connie and Julie's room.
"What the hell are you doing in my room?" No wonder Alicia can't stand to stay in this room. I recognize that voice.
"Helping move Ali out, you scared her off." I whirl around and wind up staring into the same frozen eyes as earlier.
"Hmmm, it usually takes a week or so for me to chase a roommate off. This must be a record or something." She shrugs, her dark ponytail bobbing up and down. She's actually sort of cute when she's not all clammy and gross. Her jeans fit nice and tight, but not to the point they don't fit, her skins clear of all the red blotches from working out, she's tall, I'd say about 5'10 and she's got nicely toned arms. Still she has those icicle ices, there's something unsettling about them.
"You must be proud." I mutter sarcastically bending down to pick up a speaker
"Actually I am. Well don't let the door hit in ya in the ass." The girl gave me a dismissing wave and turned her back to me, revealing the writing on the back of the football jersey she was wearing.
I had acknowledged the green and blue as a Blake jersey and assumed she was a transfer student when she first came in. I know I'm an Eden Hall student, but I won't deny Blake has best football team in the state. Honestly I even watch some of the games on the high school sports network some time. The back of her shirt reads Lyons 64, I know the star quarterback's name is TJ Lyons and I wonder if she knows him. He's the best QB I've ever seen in high school ball, something like 96.6 percent completed passes.
"Lyons, huh? Do you know TJ?"
"Yeah, really well." She answers, a smile yearning to come out
"Is he like you're boyfriend or something?" I have no idea why I'm so curious, I think maybe because I'm such a fan.
"No." She shakes her head, the smile threatening a little more
"Oh, thought maybe you could introduce us."
"Sure." That was what she was waiting for, as she pops off her bed she extends her hand with a Cheshire cat grin.
I look at her confused and shake my head
"I don't get it."
"Tricia-Jean Lyons, or TJ on the field." She declares
"You're TJ Lyons?" I look at her skeptically
"Yeah." She nods
"But, you're a girl." Could I be anymore stupid? I mean girls can play contact sports, hell Connie and Julie are tougher then some of us at times.
"Gee ya know, that's why I've been going into the bathroom with the stick figure wearing a dress, my whole life. Thanks for telling me Mendoza, I woulda never guessed. I was wondering why one week a month I get really bitchy and have the desire to consume the worlds chocolate supply." Okay she's starting to get moody again. I'm out of here.
Later that night
Ali's all moved into her new room. I think being with Con and Jules is safer then sharing a room with Tricia-Jean Lyons. She's one scary girl. I'm alone in my room finally, Dwayne took Alicia out for an ice cream. As I lay her in bed there's one thing I can't wrap my mind around. TJ Lyons is not only a girl, but a frigid one at that. What is the world coming too? But then, I guess that clarifies why she hates us hockey players. At Blake football's the biggest thing, here nobody really gives a rat behind about the sport. Something tells me there's going to be trouble.