"Come on, one step at a time." I coaxed her as her feet stepped onto the
ice and she wobbled uneasily for a few seconds.
She rolled her eyes and shook my hand off her shoulder. "Banks, I have been skating since early kindergarten. I just have taken a break and I need to get my leg back so give me a little space."
I nodded and dropped my hands to my sides. "I'll go warm up. You should too."
She looked at me curiously. "How exactly do hockey players warm up?"
"You're kidding right?" I laughed.
She shook her head seriously and began to gracefully push away from me. Her leg straight as an arrow and her toe pointed like the tip, never using the tiny metal picks at the tip toe of her skates.
I shrugged. "Laps, maybe a few drills, stretching. What about you?"
She smiled playfully. "Is this before I hit the ice or while I'm on the ice?"
I smiled at her. "On the ice I guess."
She nodded and quickly turned backwards in one swift and beautiful motion. "Laps, major stretching, start with low jumps, then spins, then lifts, then pairs spins or jumps."
"Are you going to show me something from that list?" I asked curiously. I never had really been on the ice with a figure skater like her. Like there was Tammy Duncan when we were District 5, but after that season she quit and went back to figure skating. And of course Kenny, but he never showed off to us even though we all knew he was an amazing skater. I had a feeling if Josie and him met, they would hit it off.
She shrugged and began to stretch her arms as she lapped me, not that I was trying all that hard. "Maybe; it depends on how I feel."
"And how do you feel?" I said catching up to her and lightly pulling the dark ponytail she had pulled her hair into.
She sped up. "Good! Strong!" She yelled playfully as she made a large circle, going backwards around the middle gaining speed.
I stopped near the nets and watched as she leaned on her edge, bent her knees and jumped pulling her arms tight to her body and coming down on her edge and falling over.
"Shit!" I heard her curse as I raced over to her.
I slid on my knees over to her. "Jesus! Josie! Are you ok? You weren't even wearing pads or anything!"
She cracked up at my worry for her. Her eyes filled with glee and happiness even though at that speed and that force to the ice, it should have killed.
"Stop laughing! Why are you laughing?" I asked half angry half relieved that she was ok.
"Aw Adam!" She chuckled. "I've fallen worse than that before. Sure it hurt, but it's no biggie. I'll have a bruise and I'll be good." She rose up onto her knees and pushed herself up.
I swallowed. "It was good other than that crash landing. What was that?"
"Double loop. But I guess I should stick to singles until I getting my legs back right?"
I nodded nervously. I didn't want to see her fall like that again. She looked like if she fell she would shatter into a million pieces and I wanted to protect her from that. I wanted to take any unneeded pain away from her.
"Adam!" She skating from behind me and grabbing my hand, lacing her fingers through the large hockey mitts that I wore. "Come on. Skate with me."
~*~
I collapsed on the TV couch after skating with her, Josie. I didn't know if I had a goofy smile on my face but I honestly didn't care.
"Banksie!" Portman and Fulton yelped jumping over the back of the couch and landing beside me, one pulling me into a headlock and the other rubbing his knuckles into my scalp. I slammed my fist into their bodies without doing anything and soon I was let go from my surprise attack.
I mumbled an "Ow," as I flattened my hair and straightened my collar.
Portman grinned as he looked over at me. "So. . . how did it go?"
I played dumb knowing they would believe me. "What?"
Fulton rolled his eyes. "You came into the dorm saying you were the only one who was going to skate, right?" I nodded. That was what I said. "Well, Portman, Goldberg and I went down to the arena to join you and show Josie what the team was all about. However we got there and you weren't alone. You were with her sitting on the ice."
"So I'll ask my question again. How did it go Banksie?" Portman asked smirking.
"It was no big deal." I shrugged.
Fulton nodded. "You should have seen the look on your face when she fell; I wonder if he makes that face when one of us guys fall."
Portman laughed as he got off the couch and ruffled my hair.
I sighed and looked up at the ceiling. My moment of glory and a bunch of the guys had to see.
"Hey Cake-eater."
I looked behind me and smiled. "Hey Charlie."
"You know Guy and Connie are looking for you. They said they wanted to plan another double date with you and your girlfriend." Charlie said dropping his bag and collapsing into a leather chair across from me. "I didn't know you have a girlfriend."
I shook my head. "I don't."
Charlie nodded. "Oh. Well that's good because I would think she would have been pretty pissed off once she found out you went to Wisconsin with Josie."
"Guy and Connie think my girlfriend is Josie."
"Oh." Charlie replied. "Well then you wouldn't have to worry then."
I laughed. "No Charlie I guess not."
Charlie snapped his fingers and sat up straight. "I know the perfect girl for you! You like her too!"
I rolled my eyes. "Charlie, I don't really think. . ."
"Julie! I know she's looking for a guy since Scooter graduated and went to college." Charlie stated in a sing song voice, ignoring me.
"Charlie, I kind of like someone. . ."
"You guys would be perfect!" Charlie continued.
"CHARLIE! Seriously stop. I like someone else. Besides I wouldn't go out with a Duck. It would be weird if we broke up or something." I explained snapping Charlie out of 'the Sound of Music' and back into reality.
Charlie jumped. "Oh sorry man. So. . . would this mystery girl have dark hair and made you break a rule?"
I rolled my eyes. "Why ask questions that you already know the answer to?"
He shrugged. "Its fun to see the expression on your face. Like when you get really angry, your face goes all red and your eyes go all squinty. Lots of fun." He quickly got up from his chair and looked down at me. "You really like her don't you?"
"I guess."
Charlie shook his head as he left the room. "There is no grey area when it comes to girls. You either like her or you don't."
~*~
I woke up the next morning completely refreshed. It was like a new me was breathed into my body. I was excited to get to breakfast.
"Hey guys." I smiled as I reached the table.
The girls avoided my look and the rest nodded quietly.
"Um, why is everyone so quiet? You're acting as if someone's dog was run over." I said as I took my regular seat between Guy and Luis.
Julie got up and grabbed my wrist whispering a quick and quiet, "Banks, we have to talk."
I swallowed nervously as she pulled me out of the dining hall to the deserted hallways. "Jules, what's going on?"
She stopped abruptly and bit her lip. "Adam, we kind of saw Josie."
"Can we make this a little less vague?"
"Connie and I kind of saw Josie packing." She explained.
My eyes widened. "But I got her skating. She was on the ice."
Julie nodded. "Oh. Well, maybe you should go see her. I don't know when she is leaving, but she was packing fairly quickly."
I burst out into a run, through the courtyard past all the dorms and to hers; up the cement stairs and past the teacher on duty, ignoring her screams to stop.
"Josie!" I yelled as I reached her floor and skidded to a stop at her door.
She looked up from the box she was going through and smiled. "Hey Banks."
I looked around her room. "Aren't you going to tell me?"
She looked at me and shook her head as if I were crazy. "Banks what are you blabbering about?"
"You're moving."
She nodded nonchalantly. "Yeah so?"
My jaw dropped. "You weren't going to say goodbye?"
Her head jerked toward me. "Banks! I'm not going anywhere! I have to move some stuff into my dad's house and then I'm moving dorm rooms. Where are you getting your information?" She demanded, her hands angrily settling on her hips angrily.
I blushed.
She shook her head. "God Adam." She scoffed as she turned towards the box she was packing.
"So I'll see you in class?" I smiled as I turned towards the door.
"Sorry. In school suspension; I'm not to go to any classes. No, instead I get to sit in the principal's office." She scoffed rolling her eyes. "See you after school."
I smiled as I looked back into her room. "Uh, the Ducks have a game against our rivals, the St. Paul Cougars tonight. Well, you would have to take a bus to get there, but I'm sure I could sneak you on, if we got you in a cheerleading uniform."
She rolled her eyes. "In your dreams Banks."
I smiled. "Is that a yes?"
She walked over to me and smiled. "Maybe, if we took out the cheerleading thing."
"Consider it done."
"Then yes."
I nodded and began walking back to the dining hall, with slightly more spring in my step then earlier this morning.
~
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A/N: Oops, I kind of forgot that because the Ducks are a hockey team, they kind of need games, so that's what next chapter is going to be. A game. I'm not sure how well that is going to turn out because a) I have never played hockey in my life, I have always been a figure skater (which is why Josie is one, I know the sport) and b) I have never written about a hockey game, in my life. I might have to ask some of my friends. So please, don't blame me if the next chapter seriously sucks.
REVIEW!
~Toodles!
She rolled her eyes and shook my hand off her shoulder. "Banks, I have been skating since early kindergarten. I just have taken a break and I need to get my leg back so give me a little space."
I nodded and dropped my hands to my sides. "I'll go warm up. You should too."
She looked at me curiously. "How exactly do hockey players warm up?"
"You're kidding right?" I laughed.
She shook her head seriously and began to gracefully push away from me. Her leg straight as an arrow and her toe pointed like the tip, never using the tiny metal picks at the tip toe of her skates.
I shrugged. "Laps, maybe a few drills, stretching. What about you?"
She smiled playfully. "Is this before I hit the ice or while I'm on the ice?"
I smiled at her. "On the ice I guess."
She nodded and quickly turned backwards in one swift and beautiful motion. "Laps, major stretching, start with low jumps, then spins, then lifts, then pairs spins or jumps."
"Are you going to show me something from that list?" I asked curiously. I never had really been on the ice with a figure skater like her. Like there was Tammy Duncan when we were District 5, but after that season she quit and went back to figure skating. And of course Kenny, but he never showed off to us even though we all knew he was an amazing skater. I had a feeling if Josie and him met, they would hit it off.
She shrugged and began to stretch her arms as she lapped me, not that I was trying all that hard. "Maybe; it depends on how I feel."
"And how do you feel?" I said catching up to her and lightly pulling the dark ponytail she had pulled her hair into.
She sped up. "Good! Strong!" She yelled playfully as she made a large circle, going backwards around the middle gaining speed.
I stopped near the nets and watched as she leaned on her edge, bent her knees and jumped pulling her arms tight to her body and coming down on her edge and falling over.
"Shit!" I heard her curse as I raced over to her.
I slid on my knees over to her. "Jesus! Josie! Are you ok? You weren't even wearing pads or anything!"
She cracked up at my worry for her. Her eyes filled with glee and happiness even though at that speed and that force to the ice, it should have killed.
"Stop laughing! Why are you laughing?" I asked half angry half relieved that she was ok.
"Aw Adam!" She chuckled. "I've fallen worse than that before. Sure it hurt, but it's no biggie. I'll have a bruise and I'll be good." She rose up onto her knees and pushed herself up.
I swallowed. "It was good other than that crash landing. What was that?"
"Double loop. But I guess I should stick to singles until I getting my legs back right?"
I nodded nervously. I didn't want to see her fall like that again. She looked like if she fell she would shatter into a million pieces and I wanted to protect her from that. I wanted to take any unneeded pain away from her.
"Adam!" She skating from behind me and grabbing my hand, lacing her fingers through the large hockey mitts that I wore. "Come on. Skate with me."
~*~
I collapsed on the TV couch after skating with her, Josie. I didn't know if I had a goofy smile on my face but I honestly didn't care.
"Banksie!" Portman and Fulton yelped jumping over the back of the couch and landing beside me, one pulling me into a headlock and the other rubbing his knuckles into my scalp. I slammed my fist into their bodies without doing anything and soon I was let go from my surprise attack.
I mumbled an "Ow," as I flattened my hair and straightened my collar.
Portman grinned as he looked over at me. "So. . . how did it go?"
I played dumb knowing they would believe me. "What?"
Fulton rolled his eyes. "You came into the dorm saying you were the only one who was going to skate, right?" I nodded. That was what I said. "Well, Portman, Goldberg and I went down to the arena to join you and show Josie what the team was all about. However we got there and you weren't alone. You were with her sitting on the ice."
"So I'll ask my question again. How did it go Banksie?" Portman asked smirking.
"It was no big deal." I shrugged.
Fulton nodded. "You should have seen the look on your face when she fell; I wonder if he makes that face when one of us guys fall."
Portman laughed as he got off the couch and ruffled my hair.
I sighed and looked up at the ceiling. My moment of glory and a bunch of the guys had to see.
"Hey Cake-eater."
I looked behind me and smiled. "Hey Charlie."
"You know Guy and Connie are looking for you. They said they wanted to plan another double date with you and your girlfriend." Charlie said dropping his bag and collapsing into a leather chair across from me. "I didn't know you have a girlfriend."
I shook my head. "I don't."
Charlie nodded. "Oh. Well that's good because I would think she would have been pretty pissed off once she found out you went to Wisconsin with Josie."
"Guy and Connie think my girlfriend is Josie."
"Oh." Charlie replied. "Well then you wouldn't have to worry then."
I laughed. "No Charlie I guess not."
Charlie snapped his fingers and sat up straight. "I know the perfect girl for you! You like her too!"
I rolled my eyes. "Charlie, I don't really think. . ."
"Julie! I know she's looking for a guy since Scooter graduated and went to college." Charlie stated in a sing song voice, ignoring me.
"Charlie, I kind of like someone. . ."
"You guys would be perfect!" Charlie continued.
"CHARLIE! Seriously stop. I like someone else. Besides I wouldn't go out with a Duck. It would be weird if we broke up or something." I explained snapping Charlie out of 'the Sound of Music' and back into reality.
Charlie jumped. "Oh sorry man. So. . . would this mystery girl have dark hair and made you break a rule?"
I rolled my eyes. "Why ask questions that you already know the answer to?"
He shrugged. "Its fun to see the expression on your face. Like when you get really angry, your face goes all red and your eyes go all squinty. Lots of fun." He quickly got up from his chair and looked down at me. "You really like her don't you?"
"I guess."
Charlie shook his head as he left the room. "There is no grey area when it comes to girls. You either like her or you don't."
~*~
I woke up the next morning completely refreshed. It was like a new me was breathed into my body. I was excited to get to breakfast.
"Hey guys." I smiled as I reached the table.
The girls avoided my look and the rest nodded quietly.
"Um, why is everyone so quiet? You're acting as if someone's dog was run over." I said as I took my regular seat between Guy and Luis.
Julie got up and grabbed my wrist whispering a quick and quiet, "Banks, we have to talk."
I swallowed nervously as she pulled me out of the dining hall to the deserted hallways. "Jules, what's going on?"
She stopped abruptly and bit her lip. "Adam, we kind of saw Josie."
"Can we make this a little less vague?"
"Connie and I kind of saw Josie packing." She explained.
My eyes widened. "But I got her skating. She was on the ice."
Julie nodded. "Oh. Well, maybe you should go see her. I don't know when she is leaving, but she was packing fairly quickly."
I burst out into a run, through the courtyard past all the dorms and to hers; up the cement stairs and past the teacher on duty, ignoring her screams to stop.
"Josie!" I yelled as I reached her floor and skidded to a stop at her door.
She looked up from the box she was going through and smiled. "Hey Banks."
I looked around her room. "Aren't you going to tell me?"
She looked at me and shook her head as if I were crazy. "Banks what are you blabbering about?"
"You're moving."
She nodded nonchalantly. "Yeah so?"
My jaw dropped. "You weren't going to say goodbye?"
Her head jerked toward me. "Banks! I'm not going anywhere! I have to move some stuff into my dad's house and then I'm moving dorm rooms. Where are you getting your information?" She demanded, her hands angrily settling on her hips angrily.
I blushed.
She shook her head. "God Adam." She scoffed as she turned towards the box she was packing.
"So I'll see you in class?" I smiled as I turned towards the door.
"Sorry. In school suspension; I'm not to go to any classes. No, instead I get to sit in the principal's office." She scoffed rolling her eyes. "See you after school."
I smiled as I looked back into her room. "Uh, the Ducks have a game against our rivals, the St. Paul Cougars tonight. Well, you would have to take a bus to get there, but I'm sure I could sneak you on, if we got you in a cheerleading uniform."
She rolled her eyes. "In your dreams Banks."
I smiled. "Is that a yes?"
She walked over to me and smiled. "Maybe, if we took out the cheerleading thing."
"Consider it done."
"Then yes."
I nodded and began walking back to the dining hall, with slightly more spring in my step then earlier this morning.
~
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*
~
*
~
*
~
*
A/N: Oops, I kind of forgot that because the Ducks are a hockey team, they kind of need games, so that's what next chapter is going to be. A game. I'm not sure how well that is going to turn out because a) I have never played hockey in my life, I have always been a figure skater (which is why Josie is one, I know the sport) and b) I have never written about a hockey game, in my life. I might have to ask some of my friends. So please, don't blame me if the next chapter seriously sucks.
REVIEW!
~Toodles!