~*~
I bit my lip nervously. She said she would come. Maybe I should have gone to her dorms to pick her up.
"Banksie." Russ' smile dropped off his face as he saw the worried expression on mine. "Whoa. Hold on. Ducks! Ducks! Banksie is broken!"
A bunch of the guys swarmed me. "I'm not broken guys. " I said as I swatted off a few hands. "I'm waiting for someone."
"Who?" Dwayne whispered, trying to be inconspicuous.
I smiled. Dwayne was so oblivious sometimes. "Josie. I wanted her to come and I was going to sneak her on the bus."
Connie patted my shoulder. "What happened to the patented Cake-eater game face?"
"Pardon?" I asked looking around at all the guys.
"You don't know?" Charlie asked laughing.
I looked everyone quickly in the eyes. "I don't know what?"
"You know, you get this look before a game, as if you were a starved crazy Chihuahua dog and the other team is holding a pork chop." Goldberg explained. Leave it to Goldberg to compare me to a Chihuahua and the win to a pork chop."
I rolled my eyes. "I do not."
The team nodded silently, snickering at the comparison Goldberg used.
Coach Orion leaned out of the door of the bus. "Everybody on! We don't want to be late!"
I sighed as I climbed the stairs, trying to ignore the pats on the shoulder trying to comfort me when I didn't need to be comforted.
I quickly sat in an empty seat and put on a pair of headphones. Everyone knew not to bother me before a game. I need to zone out and leave all of my distractions behind. I only needed to concentrate on hockey. I closed my eyes, visualizing. My skates; the blades; the edges sliding across the ice, gaining speed as I go.
Someone pulled my headphones off, unplugging them from my CD player and hiding in the seat behind me.
"Averman!" I yelled as I reached back.
Averman turned back from the front of the bus, sitting with Goldberg. "What? I didn't do anything to your CD this time!"
My expression softened as knelt on the seat I was sitting on and looked behind me. Someone was hiding under a black winter coat.
I turned around and counted everyone on the bus. Everyone who was on our hockey team was here, so who was that? I grabbed the coat and pulled it off of the body.
"Josie?" I hissed looking down at her, huddled up in fetal position clutching my headphones, wearing a cocky smile.
"I figured if you didn't know I was on the bus, no one would know I was on the bus." She whispered giggling as she grabbed onto my shirt and pulled me over the seat.
"Banks? What are you doing?" I heard Charlie ask.
I popped my head looking up from him. "I slipped."
He nodded unconvinced and quickly moved to take the seat I was in before. I threw the coat back over Josie, playing innocent.
"Adam, what's going on?" he asked quietly as the rest of the team ignored us.
I shrugged and smiled. "Nothing."
He noticed the coat beside me and frowned. "Whose is that?"
"Mine!" I yelped slamming my hand onto Josie.
"Ow!" she yelped from beneath it, slightly muffled.
Charlie frowned and pulled the coat off of Josie and laughed. "You don't need to hide your girlfriend from us."
Josie shot a look at him. "I am NOT his girlfriend."
Charlie rolled his eyes. "Yeah, anyways. The guys won't mind, I'm sure."
"Orion will." I replied pulling the coat back over her.
Charlie smirked. "We could say she is our little good luck charm and we all need to rub her before a game."
Josie sat up angrily gripping his shirt in a tight fist. They were almost nose to nose. "One more reference like that and. . ."
"Conaway!" Coach yelled from the front of the bus. "What do you think you are doing?"
Charlie swallowed and spun around. "Nothing; just talking to Banksie."
"Fine. No leaning over the seats, I don't need our Captain to be injured before he touches the ice." Coach said with his stern face, that everyone knew it really meant that he was worried, gesturing that Charlie should sit down. Everyone knew that his daughter was injured in a car, so messing around while on the bus was a major don't.
I glanced over at Josie nervously. "How are you planning on getting off the bus?"
She scoffed. "The same way I got on the bus." She pulled out a pair of Twix chocolate bars and snickered. "The bus driver loves them, just check out the little garbage can by his feet."
My jaw dropped. "You bribed him with chocolate?"
She shook her head. "I do no bribe, I persuaded him with the best chocolate bar on the planet, Mr. Big Shot. Besides, shouldn't you be focusing on hockey right now?"
"I was; you stole my headphones."
She rolled her eyes. "Well, you wouldn't pay attention to me."
~*~
I stepped out onto the ice. I breathed the icy air that seemed to freeze in my lungs. For some reason it felt like it was my first game ever all over again. My knees shook nervously as looked up at the crowd. The crowd seemed to be a huge blur of colors and noise. I screamed at myself. Snap out of it Adam! This is not your first game. Focus. Focus. God damn it! I said focus!
I began to do my laps. Stretch my legs. Warm up. My eyes drifted to the other team. They looked good. Tough. This was going to be a long game. I took another breath, not realizing I was holding it. Then I saw her; her smiling face, smirking knowingly at me. I skated faster, as my confidence built. I remembered her last words to be before I left the bus.
**
"Adam! Wait!" Josie yelped grabbing onto the sleeve of my coat. "I wanted to tell you something."
I bit my lip nervously. "Ok, but I got to get to the change room."
She smiled. "Every time before a big competition I would get really nervous and I don't know if you do but I figure I should pass on the little bit of advice Peter would always say to me before we stepped onto the ice."
I frowned not understanding where exactly she was going with this.
She leaned forward and placed her cool cheek on mine. "The greatest mistake you can make in life is to continually fear you will make one." I felt her arms slip over my shoulders and around my neck.
I closed my eyes breathing in her scent; her warmth.
**
My eyes shot open as I took a harsh breath of icy air. I wasn't on the bus with Josie, I was on the rink. Hell I wasn't even on the bench. I was at center ice during the face off. I was staring into the face of some pimply guy who at least out-weighted me by twenty pounds. How did my feet get me here? Oh my God. I'm going to mess up so bad.
Her voice began to ring in my ears. 'The greatest mistake you can make is to continually fear you will make one.' It clicked. She believed in me. My eyes moved from the oaf in front of me to Josie, who smiled from her seat in the arena.
The ref looked at us both. "I want a clean game."
I blinked, my eyes locked in a war of threats with the oaf, his eyes shooting daggers. I licked my lips. I wanted the win. It was mine.
~*~
I took a deep breath as we all hit the change rooms. It wasn't over yet. One more period and we still need a score. Both teams have nothing, and I know I'm not the only person in the Ducks who is dead tired.
The coach smiles as he walks in the door. "I'm proud of you guys. You're playing good defense. Gaffney, good job on your last save, that was a hard one I know." The Coach walked amongst us as we rested on the hard benches, passing out compliments and constructive criticism as he went.
Charlie who sat beside me panted slightly, his dark bouncy curls that usually matched his playful mood were plastered to his forehead from the sweat that dripped down everyone's face. "That one shot at net you took was a good try." He said bumping my elbow with his glove.
I would have said something back but the Coach knelt down in front of us. "Guys This period I need a goal. You two are my best scorers; you still have it in you?"
I felt a smile creep across my lips as I nodded. I looked over at Charlie who was doing the same thing.
A knowing smile crept across the Coach's lips matching ours. "Good. Portman! Reed! You watch our Captain and Cake-eater's backs you got that?"
A pair of evil sadistic smirks lit up their drained faces as they turned to look at each other. "Bash Brother time!" They yelled in response getting up and high-fiving each other.
Coach Orion snorted. "Save it for the ice guys."
I took a deep breath as we filed out of the room. I began to visualize everything, feel of my stick in my hand as I slid down the ice gaining speed as I got closer and closer to the net. I pull my stick back and . . ."
"Adam!"
I jumped. No one ever interrupts me when I'm focusing during a game. No one but. . .
"Adam! I want to see a goal out there."
I look up to from where I was standing to see my father's face staring down at me. I immediately stopped in my tracks. "Dad?"
He smiled. "I want a goal Adam. No mistakes. There is no room for mistakes."
I felt completely frozen to my spot, staring up at him blankly. One of the few times I felt completely and utterly stupid.
"Banksie come on! Game time!" Guy said pushing me along, jump starting me and pushing me onto the ice, however my eyes stay locked on my father's. "Banksie?" Guy asks shoving my shoulder.
I shake my head and bite my lip and look over at Germaine. "No mistakes." I mumble as I skate over to the bench.
The coach looks at us all and frowns when his eyes fall upon me. Maybe it's the expression I'm wearing, but I can't tell. "Banks, Reed, Portman; you're on first. Conway, I'll send you on if Banks needs help." I can't help but tune everything else out. It's all mumbling in gibberish or something.
"Banks?" The coach says grabbing onto my arm before I skate off to the center.
"Yeah?" I say in response, even though I doubt I will even hear what he's saying.
Orion frowns. "You're acting funny since you came out of the change room."
I shake my head. "It's nothing. I'm trying to focus."
He blinks and I can see him swallowing. He doesn't believe me but sends me off anyways.
Face-off. I take a deep breath as the puck is dropped to the ice. I jerk my hockey stick and quickly and pass it off to Mendoza who speeds off down the ice like a bat out of hell. He passes it back to me. I skate off as quickly as I can accept the puck back from him. I take a shot at net, which is blocked by the goalie who is staring me down like a piece of meat.
"Damn it!" I curse as it is given to the Cougars in a flash of red and yellow. I knew I would mess that up.
I push myself to the edge as I speed off down the ice to #13, the oaf from before. I try to remember the coach's words of defense, but before I can even think he's taken a shot on net which is immediately intercepted by Julie, who's looking at me confused. I see her mouth, 'What the hell?' to me. Am I acting that weird?
The coach calls me over. "Banks on the bench; Conaway take over."
Charlie eyes me suspiciously as he takes my place. I shake my head. I can't seem to get my father's voice out of my head. All those years of him yelling at me when I missed and when I fell, has ground his words into my brain. He's become the little voice in my head telling me I'm not good enough, and that I'm not trying hard enough.
Orion frowns as he leans over my shoulder. "Something is up with you. What is it?" I can hear the worry in his voice.
I shake my head. For some reason I have lost all use of my mouth and vocal cords.
Averman elbows me hard in the side. "Banksie, there is a girl over there for you."
I look over to where he's pointing and hop over the bench watching the Coach nervously. Josie is frowning and beckoning me over to her, as she stood on the boards holding onto the glass.
"Banks, what's wrong?" She blinks. "You're different from the first two periods."
I lick my lips sigh. "My dad. . ." I start looking over to where he's standing. I see him eying me questioningly. I'm quite sure he is disapproving of me talking to some girl instead of focusing on the game. I'm also sure he's not too pleased with the fact I have been pulled and Charlie has replaced me. I stare at my skates. "He. . ."
I feel something hit my helmet with a little force. I look up and Josie is shaking her head. "This isn't about him. It's about you and hockey. It's about you doing what you love no matter what."
I smile. "You hit me."
She scoffed. "Glad we established that. I'm sure we can have this conversation when your coach isn't threatening me with his eyes." She waves at Coach Orion and looks back down at me. "You're great. Let yourself be it."
My jaw dropped as she walked away from the glass. Why the hell do I let her do that?
The Coach tapped my shoulder making me spin around quickly. "Now that you had a pep talk from Miss Best, do you think you could play hockey?"
"Of course, Coach." I said in response with a grin, prepared to get back onto the ice.
The coach nodded. "Moreau!" He called to Connie. "Get out there Banks."
~*~
I smiled as I walked out of the change room. I didn't make the winning goal. Kenny did, which surprised the hell out of everyone. A few quick majestic maneuvers past the Cougars, Fulton and Portman watching his back, and within a few seconds he was at the net. I saw the excitement on his face. It was amazing.
The coach was extremely pleased with our performance. "Shutout! Reminds me of last year!"
I couldn't help but feel good about hockey. It wasn't a job, or a responsibility. I wasn't afraid.
"Adam!" my father stood ahead of me. He wasn't smiling; he wasn't as pleased as the coach. He walked to me with the expression on his face that reminded me of the days of the Hawks, when I was barely a preteen, when I didn't score, or I missed the shot, which was barely ever, but it happens. But today I stood tall and stared my father in the eyes. I was going to refuse to let him look down upon me, mentally and physically.
I grinned. "Good game wasn't it?"
His expression dropped slightly. "What have I told you? Go for every shot, no matter what."
I smiled. "We won Dad. It was a shutout. It was a great game."
He shook his head. "What is that Coach teaching you?" He asked looking over my shoulder in hopes of finding Coach Orion. He should have came a few minutes earlier, Coach was probably already on the bus checking off who was already there.
"Two way hockey."
My father ignored me completely, giving me the chance to look over his shoulder. There was Fulton and Portman making there way to bus nodding at the other team who was dead tired, much like us. Guy and Connie weren't too far behind them, Guy had his hands full with both hockey bags, which was rather amusing watching him stumble towards the exit. And then just a little further down stood Josie, waiting for me.
"Excuse me." I mumbled as I walked past my father who turned to watch me walk away from him. A first for me. I could hear him call me, his voice questioning at first and slowly getting angrier by the second.
Josie shook her head. "Your dad looks fairly angry."
My eyes drifted back to him. By now he had stopped calling me, his mouth hanging open wearing a floored expression. "A little."
She nodded as we began to walk towards the exit.
I stopped. "How are you getting back on the bus? Orion is already there."
She pouted. "You don't think he could be persuaded by candy?"
~
*
~
*
A/N: I don't think this is the end because that would mean that this was really short and I would be extremely upset because I like this story WAY too much. : ( I've become attached to Adam! I don't want to let him go! Not yet! *sigh* However, if you guys think this is the end say so. I don't think I could do a sequel though because I suck at them. I could continue though! *grins and nods!* You know the drill.
REVIEW!
~Toodles!
I bit my lip nervously. She said she would come. Maybe I should have gone to her dorms to pick her up.
"Banksie." Russ' smile dropped off his face as he saw the worried expression on mine. "Whoa. Hold on. Ducks! Ducks! Banksie is broken!"
A bunch of the guys swarmed me. "I'm not broken guys. " I said as I swatted off a few hands. "I'm waiting for someone."
"Who?" Dwayne whispered, trying to be inconspicuous.
I smiled. Dwayne was so oblivious sometimes. "Josie. I wanted her to come and I was going to sneak her on the bus."
Connie patted my shoulder. "What happened to the patented Cake-eater game face?"
"Pardon?" I asked looking around at all the guys.
"You don't know?" Charlie asked laughing.
I looked everyone quickly in the eyes. "I don't know what?"
"You know, you get this look before a game, as if you were a starved crazy Chihuahua dog and the other team is holding a pork chop." Goldberg explained. Leave it to Goldberg to compare me to a Chihuahua and the win to a pork chop."
I rolled my eyes. "I do not."
The team nodded silently, snickering at the comparison Goldberg used.
Coach Orion leaned out of the door of the bus. "Everybody on! We don't want to be late!"
I sighed as I climbed the stairs, trying to ignore the pats on the shoulder trying to comfort me when I didn't need to be comforted.
I quickly sat in an empty seat and put on a pair of headphones. Everyone knew not to bother me before a game. I need to zone out and leave all of my distractions behind. I only needed to concentrate on hockey. I closed my eyes, visualizing. My skates; the blades; the edges sliding across the ice, gaining speed as I go.
Someone pulled my headphones off, unplugging them from my CD player and hiding in the seat behind me.
"Averman!" I yelled as I reached back.
Averman turned back from the front of the bus, sitting with Goldberg. "What? I didn't do anything to your CD this time!"
My expression softened as knelt on the seat I was sitting on and looked behind me. Someone was hiding under a black winter coat.
I turned around and counted everyone on the bus. Everyone who was on our hockey team was here, so who was that? I grabbed the coat and pulled it off of the body.
"Josie?" I hissed looking down at her, huddled up in fetal position clutching my headphones, wearing a cocky smile.
"I figured if you didn't know I was on the bus, no one would know I was on the bus." She whispered giggling as she grabbed onto my shirt and pulled me over the seat.
"Banks? What are you doing?" I heard Charlie ask.
I popped my head looking up from him. "I slipped."
He nodded unconvinced and quickly moved to take the seat I was in before. I threw the coat back over Josie, playing innocent.
"Adam, what's going on?" he asked quietly as the rest of the team ignored us.
I shrugged and smiled. "Nothing."
He noticed the coat beside me and frowned. "Whose is that?"
"Mine!" I yelped slamming my hand onto Josie.
"Ow!" she yelped from beneath it, slightly muffled.
Charlie frowned and pulled the coat off of Josie and laughed. "You don't need to hide your girlfriend from us."
Josie shot a look at him. "I am NOT his girlfriend."
Charlie rolled his eyes. "Yeah, anyways. The guys won't mind, I'm sure."
"Orion will." I replied pulling the coat back over her.
Charlie smirked. "We could say she is our little good luck charm and we all need to rub her before a game."
Josie sat up angrily gripping his shirt in a tight fist. They were almost nose to nose. "One more reference like that and. . ."
"Conaway!" Coach yelled from the front of the bus. "What do you think you are doing?"
Charlie swallowed and spun around. "Nothing; just talking to Banksie."
"Fine. No leaning over the seats, I don't need our Captain to be injured before he touches the ice." Coach said with his stern face, that everyone knew it really meant that he was worried, gesturing that Charlie should sit down. Everyone knew that his daughter was injured in a car, so messing around while on the bus was a major don't.
I glanced over at Josie nervously. "How are you planning on getting off the bus?"
She scoffed. "The same way I got on the bus." She pulled out a pair of Twix chocolate bars and snickered. "The bus driver loves them, just check out the little garbage can by his feet."
My jaw dropped. "You bribed him with chocolate?"
She shook her head. "I do no bribe, I persuaded him with the best chocolate bar on the planet, Mr. Big Shot. Besides, shouldn't you be focusing on hockey right now?"
"I was; you stole my headphones."
She rolled her eyes. "Well, you wouldn't pay attention to me."
~*~
I stepped out onto the ice. I breathed the icy air that seemed to freeze in my lungs. For some reason it felt like it was my first game ever all over again. My knees shook nervously as looked up at the crowd. The crowd seemed to be a huge blur of colors and noise. I screamed at myself. Snap out of it Adam! This is not your first game. Focus. Focus. God damn it! I said focus!
I began to do my laps. Stretch my legs. Warm up. My eyes drifted to the other team. They looked good. Tough. This was going to be a long game. I took another breath, not realizing I was holding it. Then I saw her; her smiling face, smirking knowingly at me. I skated faster, as my confidence built. I remembered her last words to be before I left the bus.
**
"Adam! Wait!" Josie yelped grabbing onto the sleeve of my coat. "I wanted to tell you something."
I bit my lip nervously. "Ok, but I got to get to the change room."
She smiled. "Every time before a big competition I would get really nervous and I don't know if you do but I figure I should pass on the little bit of advice Peter would always say to me before we stepped onto the ice."
I frowned not understanding where exactly she was going with this.
She leaned forward and placed her cool cheek on mine. "The greatest mistake you can make in life is to continually fear you will make one." I felt her arms slip over my shoulders and around my neck.
I closed my eyes breathing in her scent; her warmth.
**
My eyes shot open as I took a harsh breath of icy air. I wasn't on the bus with Josie, I was on the rink. Hell I wasn't even on the bench. I was at center ice during the face off. I was staring into the face of some pimply guy who at least out-weighted me by twenty pounds. How did my feet get me here? Oh my God. I'm going to mess up so bad.
Her voice began to ring in my ears. 'The greatest mistake you can make is to continually fear you will make one.' It clicked. She believed in me. My eyes moved from the oaf in front of me to Josie, who smiled from her seat in the arena.
The ref looked at us both. "I want a clean game."
I blinked, my eyes locked in a war of threats with the oaf, his eyes shooting daggers. I licked my lips. I wanted the win. It was mine.
~*~
I took a deep breath as we all hit the change rooms. It wasn't over yet. One more period and we still need a score. Both teams have nothing, and I know I'm not the only person in the Ducks who is dead tired.
The coach smiles as he walks in the door. "I'm proud of you guys. You're playing good defense. Gaffney, good job on your last save, that was a hard one I know." The Coach walked amongst us as we rested on the hard benches, passing out compliments and constructive criticism as he went.
Charlie who sat beside me panted slightly, his dark bouncy curls that usually matched his playful mood were plastered to his forehead from the sweat that dripped down everyone's face. "That one shot at net you took was a good try." He said bumping my elbow with his glove.
I would have said something back but the Coach knelt down in front of us. "Guys This period I need a goal. You two are my best scorers; you still have it in you?"
I felt a smile creep across my lips as I nodded. I looked over at Charlie who was doing the same thing.
A knowing smile crept across the Coach's lips matching ours. "Good. Portman! Reed! You watch our Captain and Cake-eater's backs you got that?"
A pair of evil sadistic smirks lit up their drained faces as they turned to look at each other. "Bash Brother time!" They yelled in response getting up and high-fiving each other.
Coach Orion snorted. "Save it for the ice guys."
I took a deep breath as we filed out of the room. I began to visualize everything, feel of my stick in my hand as I slid down the ice gaining speed as I got closer and closer to the net. I pull my stick back and . . ."
"Adam!"
I jumped. No one ever interrupts me when I'm focusing during a game. No one but. . .
"Adam! I want to see a goal out there."
I look up to from where I was standing to see my father's face staring down at me. I immediately stopped in my tracks. "Dad?"
He smiled. "I want a goal Adam. No mistakes. There is no room for mistakes."
I felt completely frozen to my spot, staring up at him blankly. One of the few times I felt completely and utterly stupid.
"Banksie come on! Game time!" Guy said pushing me along, jump starting me and pushing me onto the ice, however my eyes stay locked on my father's. "Banksie?" Guy asks shoving my shoulder.
I shake my head and bite my lip and look over at Germaine. "No mistakes." I mumble as I skate over to the bench.
The coach looks at us all and frowns when his eyes fall upon me. Maybe it's the expression I'm wearing, but I can't tell. "Banks, Reed, Portman; you're on first. Conway, I'll send you on if Banks needs help." I can't help but tune everything else out. It's all mumbling in gibberish or something.
"Banks?" The coach says grabbing onto my arm before I skate off to the center.
"Yeah?" I say in response, even though I doubt I will even hear what he's saying.
Orion frowns. "You're acting funny since you came out of the change room."
I shake my head. "It's nothing. I'm trying to focus."
He blinks and I can see him swallowing. He doesn't believe me but sends me off anyways.
Face-off. I take a deep breath as the puck is dropped to the ice. I jerk my hockey stick and quickly and pass it off to Mendoza who speeds off down the ice like a bat out of hell. He passes it back to me. I skate off as quickly as I can accept the puck back from him. I take a shot at net, which is blocked by the goalie who is staring me down like a piece of meat.
"Damn it!" I curse as it is given to the Cougars in a flash of red and yellow. I knew I would mess that up.
I push myself to the edge as I speed off down the ice to #13, the oaf from before. I try to remember the coach's words of defense, but before I can even think he's taken a shot on net which is immediately intercepted by Julie, who's looking at me confused. I see her mouth, 'What the hell?' to me. Am I acting that weird?
The coach calls me over. "Banks on the bench; Conaway take over."
Charlie eyes me suspiciously as he takes my place. I shake my head. I can't seem to get my father's voice out of my head. All those years of him yelling at me when I missed and when I fell, has ground his words into my brain. He's become the little voice in my head telling me I'm not good enough, and that I'm not trying hard enough.
Orion frowns as he leans over my shoulder. "Something is up with you. What is it?" I can hear the worry in his voice.
I shake my head. For some reason I have lost all use of my mouth and vocal cords.
Averman elbows me hard in the side. "Banksie, there is a girl over there for you."
I look over to where he's pointing and hop over the bench watching the Coach nervously. Josie is frowning and beckoning me over to her, as she stood on the boards holding onto the glass.
"Banks, what's wrong?" She blinks. "You're different from the first two periods."
I lick my lips sigh. "My dad. . ." I start looking over to where he's standing. I see him eying me questioningly. I'm quite sure he is disapproving of me talking to some girl instead of focusing on the game. I'm also sure he's not too pleased with the fact I have been pulled and Charlie has replaced me. I stare at my skates. "He. . ."
I feel something hit my helmet with a little force. I look up and Josie is shaking her head. "This isn't about him. It's about you and hockey. It's about you doing what you love no matter what."
I smile. "You hit me."
She scoffed. "Glad we established that. I'm sure we can have this conversation when your coach isn't threatening me with his eyes." She waves at Coach Orion and looks back down at me. "You're great. Let yourself be it."
My jaw dropped as she walked away from the glass. Why the hell do I let her do that?
The Coach tapped my shoulder making me spin around quickly. "Now that you had a pep talk from Miss Best, do you think you could play hockey?"
"Of course, Coach." I said in response with a grin, prepared to get back onto the ice.
The coach nodded. "Moreau!" He called to Connie. "Get out there Banks."
~*~
I smiled as I walked out of the change room. I didn't make the winning goal. Kenny did, which surprised the hell out of everyone. A few quick majestic maneuvers past the Cougars, Fulton and Portman watching his back, and within a few seconds he was at the net. I saw the excitement on his face. It was amazing.
The coach was extremely pleased with our performance. "Shutout! Reminds me of last year!"
I couldn't help but feel good about hockey. It wasn't a job, or a responsibility. I wasn't afraid.
"Adam!" my father stood ahead of me. He wasn't smiling; he wasn't as pleased as the coach. He walked to me with the expression on his face that reminded me of the days of the Hawks, when I was barely a preteen, when I didn't score, or I missed the shot, which was barely ever, but it happens. But today I stood tall and stared my father in the eyes. I was going to refuse to let him look down upon me, mentally and physically.
I grinned. "Good game wasn't it?"
His expression dropped slightly. "What have I told you? Go for every shot, no matter what."
I smiled. "We won Dad. It was a shutout. It was a great game."
He shook his head. "What is that Coach teaching you?" He asked looking over my shoulder in hopes of finding Coach Orion. He should have came a few minutes earlier, Coach was probably already on the bus checking off who was already there.
"Two way hockey."
My father ignored me completely, giving me the chance to look over his shoulder. There was Fulton and Portman making there way to bus nodding at the other team who was dead tired, much like us. Guy and Connie weren't too far behind them, Guy had his hands full with both hockey bags, which was rather amusing watching him stumble towards the exit. And then just a little further down stood Josie, waiting for me.
"Excuse me." I mumbled as I walked past my father who turned to watch me walk away from him. A first for me. I could hear him call me, his voice questioning at first and slowly getting angrier by the second.
Josie shook her head. "Your dad looks fairly angry."
My eyes drifted back to him. By now he had stopped calling me, his mouth hanging open wearing a floored expression. "A little."
She nodded as we began to walk towards the exit.
I stopped. "How are you getting back on the bus? Orion is already there."
She pouted. "You don't think he could be persuaded by candy?"
~
*
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A/N: I don't think this is the end because that would mean that this was really short and I would be extremely upset because I like this story WAY too much. : ( I've become attached to Adam! I don't want to let him go! Not yet! *sigh* However, if you guys think this is the end say so. I don't think I could do a sequel though because I suck at them. I could continue though! *grins and nods!* You know the drill.
REVIEW!
~Toodles!