Banksiebabe99- Lol, don't worry too much. Lol, I'm glad I could shock you
in such a profound way! ^_^
Sophie, My Little Blue Bunny- Lol Charlie, IS so worth a conspiracy! ^_^ Lol, you'll just have to see. I would hate to ruin anything, but I'm a sucker for happy endings too...*hangs head* I'm afraid the ending will be without any major trauma. But have no fear! I am FAR from the end...it won't be coming anytime soon. Poor you...I am suffering through Pre-AP World Geography...*shudders with you* It isn't pleasant. I've never read that before. But I had to read 'To Kill a Mockingbird' and "Of Mice and Men' for summer reading which wasn't very fun...but I have never read 'The Mayor of Casterbridge' before...not that I'm complaining. ^_^ No kidding. Everyone seems OBSESSED with Charlie/Adam slash...frankly, it is frightening me. Aw, thanks! *hugs Sophie for the compliment* NO!!!! UPDATE SOON! *cries* You must update or I will surely die! *sniff*...
Liz- Ah, I see you are on our collaborated account. It confused me for a second and then I'm like, "OH YEAH! That's Liz's account too!" ^_^ I am eating a Kit-Kat and it is good...yum yum...NO! A PIECE FELL ON THE FLOOR!!!! NOOOOOOO!!!!! *scrambles to save it*...*looks at it dejectedly before tossing it in the trash* Oh well...I hate it when that happens! Thanks for tryin' again. ^_^ Oh yuck...I had a Geography essay test two days ago and it is NOT fun...I had to answer like 5 essays too...*shudders* Geog. Should. Die...yeah, she is...^_^ And yes, Charlie was good with the little girl. ^_^ He would make a good daddy, in my opinion. I'm glad you haven't read these yet too...now you can be in suspense with everyone else! ^_^ Lol, it's shocking, isn't it? But what can I say? He so totally is...and I'm finally admitting it too myself. It's scaring me a bit. ^_^ *whispers* Just don't tell Cam or I will totally deny it! ^_^ Lol, you will drown in drool! ^_^ But yes, discussing Charlie's hotness could be fun. ^_^ Oh yes, I very much appreciate it! ^_^ That would be AWESOME! You should do that! ^_^
Kate- Yay! It's you again! ^_^ Sorry for confusing you. We had Homecoming, I just couldn't go to it because I was out of town on a Church Retreat. GO PIRATES! ^_^ YOU SHOULD FEEL LOVED! It took me a long to time to answer your reviews. ^_^ Not that I am complaining...It was time well spent.
Kate...Answer to the Review Answer 1- Heeheehee! Katespeak does rock muchly. *joins you in laughter at the thought of Charlie beaming with pride at being the Friendly Trees* We seriously do need lives. Good point, trees DON'T have teeth...or arms...or legs...*shakes head* Anyway, onto Charlie's massive hotness. *giggles* A hunk of burnin' hotness. How very poetic of you! *claps* I AGREE WITH THAT STATEMENT! Lol. I trust you will be positively evil to Charlie...and I am very thankful ^_^ Ooo, good point...Charlie IS center...youssa SO THMART! ^_^ Oh funness...I bet you love having snow shoved down your shirt by older brothers and snowballs chunked in your face. Okay, I'll send you the site through email...I can't figure out why it won't show up...oh well...
Kate...Answer to the Review Answer 2- Oops...*blushes* That was supposed to say "I go back and FIX it in my fic"...o.O...oops...lol. Yes, I am sneaky. Lol. I have a younger cousin named Reese...he lives in Oklahoma and has the funniest accent...I have to struggle not to laugh anytime his family visits. It's sad. I never think of myself as having a strong accent...but I probably do. I probably sound like the biggest hick and I just don't know it. ^_^ Oh well. Yes, LOTS of bubble-wrap and foam...we can't dispose of the sadism, so we must press on with our evil ways. Lol...as long as I can understand your 'applese,' I don't mind. ^_^ Lol, Charlie-pie can just suffer on cuz NO ONE is taking my angst-spurring-tools-of-wrath! ^_^ *laughs as Kate dances in confetti*...Weird...numb fingers aren't usually good. Aw, but procrastinating is so fun! Lol, that's a great quote! I'm putting that in my Profile. Have fun at basketball practice! That IS sad...lol, anyway. *smiles* Life is good...
Allie- Thanks for reviewing! ^_^ And also thanks for re-posting 'Smiling Again.' I'm glad you're working on it again. ^_^ Anyway, thanks bunches! ^_^
DodgerMcClure.aka.Drama-Queen- Lol...thanks for reviewing! ;)
KShyne99- Yeah, his dad is a jerk. Lol. I take complete responsibility. ^_^ Yeah, but his dad is incapable of being nice unless it suits him. Lol, you can beat Charlie's dad up once I'm done with him. How does that sound? ^_^ Lol, I'm glad you liked her. Lol, thanks for reviewing! ^_^
Disclaimer- I don't own the Mighty Ducks.
-Chapter 19-
Charlie heaved a sigh as he slipped the large bag on his shoulders. He had never been on a Varsity team before and to say he was nervous would be the understatement of the century. But to say he wasn't at least a little excited would also be untrue.
Was that how Adam had felt?
Charlie felt a wave of guilt wash over him as the hurtful words and spiteful remarks he had shot at Adam all came back to him. It hadn't been his fault.
The former Duck was just glad for once that he didn't have any friends to abandon.
He trudged slowly into the locker room, bracing himself for the onslaught he was bound to receive. It was inevitable.
He swung upon the door to the locker room. He saw a bunch of Juniors and Seniors changing into hockey gear. They were huge, as all classic Varsity/Enemies were.
One looked up at Charlie with a cocked eyebrow.
"Did you get lost, little Fish?" one asked, shoving past Charlie.
Charlie's eyes narrowed. He wasn't a Fish...he was a Duck...hmph...
He bit back a retort as he slung his bag onto a bench and began taking out his gear.
He was using all his strength to just ignore them. He didn't want, nor need, these guys as friends. Especially if they were going to be total jerks.
"Excuse me, Fish, we were talking to you." the guy snapped when Charlie ignored him.
The teen in question turned to them with a seething glare. "Look, I have a name and no, I'm not lost!" Charlie spat, venom lacing his words.
"You're not, huh? Well that's funny. You see, lowly Fish such as yourself don't BELONG here. All of THEM had practice earlier." The guy replied in a taunting tone.
Charlie bit his lip again, still glaring daggers at the older teenagers. He was vastly outnumbered but has that ever stopped him before?
"First of all, how do you know for sure that I'm a Freshman? Second of all, I am where I'm supposed to be so you can just screw off!" Charlie spat bitterly as he finished putting on his gear, refusing to make definite eye contact. He was already having a horrible day and was in no mood to deal with the preppy snots.
"You just SCREAM Freshman. And do to your responses, I could easily confirm it." One said in replied in a disparaging tone.
However, the original speaker didn't let Charlie's remark slip by. "You talk pretty big for a Fish-" one of the enforcers said as he stepped forward threateningly.
"-Ah! Conway, you're here. My nephew told me you would be. Your jersey is right here. It's a pleasure to have you join us. Boys, this is Charlie Conway. Make him feel welcome." The man said. He had graying hair and didn't look to unbelievably scary. A definite contrast to Coach Orion and Coach Wilson at Eden Hall.
The guys just continued glaring at Charlie, not even PRETENDING to listen to their coach.
Charlie looked at his jersey. They were the Royal Orchard Squirrels? HE WAS GOING TO BE A FREAKING SQUIRREL?!
The coach looked between the brunette boy and his team. "Alright...then...on the ice in five minutes!" the coach said after a moment of awkward silence.
He then departed from the room, leaving Charlie and the Varsity team alone again. While most of them stormed out, the reigning Captain and some of his cronies cornered Charlie. The leader grabbed Charlie by the scruff of his new jersey and slammed him back against the lockers.
"You better watch out." He said in a threatening tone.
Charlie just hardened his glare, refusing to budge an inch.
After a few seconds, the larger boy slammed Charlie against the lockers again before making an exit, pausing only a second to give Charlie one last warning glance.
Charlie's eyes narrowed into slits. He didn't like these guys. Who did they think they were, threatening him like that? He wasn't scared of them...
Slamming the stick in his hands down and grabbing his helmet, he zipped his bag closed. He then shoved his helmet over his head and grabbed the aforementioned stick before storming out of the room to get on the ice. He could tell this wouldn't be the most pleasant practice in the world.
~~~*~~~
He skated in a circle three times before stopping. There was no way Charlie Conway was going to let these punks push him around. Just because they were bigger didn't mean they had the right to threaten him.
A shrill sound echoed through the rink as the coach blew the whistle. "SCRIMMAGE!"
Charlie was front line center. It was his normal position so he felt comfortable playing it. However, it apparently wasn't something their NORMAL front line center was used to.
The larger teen slammed into Charlie, knocking him clear off his feet. Conway quickly got back up and skated after the puck. He stole the puck and skated down the other way, shooting it in with his infamous triple deke.
The goalie glared. Who did this kid think he was? Just prancing in and taking over like he belonged there...
"Nice shot Conway!" the coach said after seeing the fourteen-year-old make the shot. He really was good.
Charlie skated backwards for a few seconds, avoiding eye contact with anyone on the ice. He seriously needed the Ducks. At least THEN he wouldn't be quite so outnumbered. It was making him profoundly uncomfortable...
When the coach was turned the other direction, one of the guys on his own "team" slammed into him, nearly knocking him over. Charlie shoved him back. He could only take so much of this.
Just when the guy whipped around at Charlie's retaliation, the coach blew the whistle again.
"Alright boys, that's enough for today. 10 laps and you can go home." The coach shouted before walking into his office to finish up some papers, only looking up on occasion.
They all nodded and started on their laps.
Charlie bit his lip, let out a sigh, and began skating his laps as well. He hadn't made a single friend since he had arrived. It figured he would only make enemies. It really figured...
It wasn't long before Charlie was walking down the sidewalk, hockey gear in his bag and a glum expression on his face. Today had just been flat-out horrible. First he got in trouble for the whole 'redecorating the kitchen walls with breakfast foods', then he had to go to school, the Varsity practice. His whole life was just totally, utterly, and just flat-out bad.
He pulled his backpack over his shoulder again, continued on his journey home. He knew his dad was going to be angry when he got home so the teenage boy was in no hurry.
He was dragging his feet as he flung the door open, dropped his bags by the door and trudged up the stairs, punishment looming over his head.
Maybe his dad had forgotten...
SMASH!
Or...not...
He slowly raised his head upward to face a VERY angry George Conway with a broken glass bottle shaking in his hand...
Charlie gulped.
This was bad...
REAL bad...
His dad was looking more and more like a psychotic serial killer in serious need of psychiatric evaluation...
"Hey...dad." Charlie said weakly. Any self-assured confidence he could have POSSIBLY had just flew out the window. Maybe the image of his dad slaughtering his mother and then stabbing him in his sleep might have done it.
He involuntarily shuddered.
Surprisingly, Charlie's father just continued his heated stare before turning around and walking away. Charlie blinked and let out the breath he didn't know he had been holding. He wasn't sure what that had been about. As glad as Charlie was nothing bad had happened, the feeling his father left behind was...unsettling. He almost wished he knew what to expect.
Charlie then looked at the broken shards of glass on the small wooden table against the wall. A few pieces had also fallen to the carpeted floor. He wasn't sure what the bottle had been before it was broken but frankly, he didn't care at the moment. He was just glad it was the table endured the blow. Better the table than his head.
The teenage boy strolled up the stairs; occasionally sending looks back over his shoulder to make sure his dad wouldn't sneak up on him.
It was then that he noticed how deafeningly silent it was.
He looked down the hall, expecting to see Alyssa pop out of nowhere and tell him to run. Agatha would be close behind. The old hag would chase them through the house, scolding them for their immature behavior that morning.
But Alyssa never came.
There was no yelling.
Only silence.
He crept down the hall, looking into a few rooms. They were all the same as he had left them that morning. Most people wouldn't be able to tell that it hadn't been cleaned that day, but Charlie could. He had grown used to the pine-fresh smell of the cleaners used relentlessly by the women.
There was no fresh smell. It smelled almost stale to Charlie. Something in the air just didn't feel right.
He then began to wonder WHY the rooms hadn't been cleaned. Agatha was always strict on the others to clean EVERY room THOROUGHLY EVERY day.
He then got a sick feeling in his stomach as his spirits dramatically dropped.
The boy turned and back down the stairs, not caring that he had recently decided his father was a stark-raving-mad serial killer psychopath who would surely stab him in his sleep if given ample opportunity.
"DAD!" Charlie yelled at the top of his lungs as he skidded to a stop on the wooden flooring. More proof that no cleaning-frenzied woman had mopped that day. If they had, he would have slipped and fallen to his doom for sure.
His father looked up from his place at the table. It seemed as if he had been contemplating something profound before Charlie's grand entrance and wasn't thrilled at the interruption.
Charlie didn't even stop for breath. "Where's Alyssa? And Agatha? April? Karen?" he stuttered out, catching his breath.
"I wouldn't know." He replied stiffly as he went back to whatever he was doing.
"Why not?" he asked, almost afraid of the answer.
"Because I fired them." He replied simply, taking a sip from his coffee mug.
But Charlie was too upset to even contemplate WHO would drink coffee in the middle of the day.
"WHAT?!" Charlie nearly screeched as it fully sunk in. He had suspected it but he didn't really think his dad had done it. "WHY?!"
"Because I didn't feel they were fulfilling their duties. And they weren't doing enough to deserve the pay they were receiving anyway." George said, shrugging it off.
"That's not FAIR!" Charlie cried out in horror. "You can't do that!"
"Yes I can." The elder Conway replied coolly, taking another sip from his coffee mug.
"But what if they needed those jobs?" Charlie asked, wondering if they were all okay.
"They can find others. This is the real world, Charlie. People lose jobs and people get new ones. It's just the way it works. It was their time to go and that's just the way it is." George said, waving his son off. "Now go on. I'm busy."
"NO!" Charlie screamed. He stalked over so he was standing directly beside his father.
His dad scooted back the chair and stood, towering several inches over his fourteen-year-old son. "I have something important to do, now go." George said warningly.
"No!" Charlie protested again, crossing his arms across his chest.
"When I say to DO something, you DO it!" his father yelled, slamming the chair down to the floor, sending the wooden piece of furniture hurdling to the ground in a loud crash.
"Maybe I WOULD if you would respect what *I* WANTED every now and then!" Charlie yelled, his fury building by the moment.
"What YOU want? You think I CARE what YOU want?! You have no say in this! You are still a child and you are in my custody, therefore YOU do EXACTLY as *I* say!" His father said threateningly.
"What if I don't WANT to be in your custody? Huh?! I never WANTED to live here! It was by force!" Charlie screamed, throwing his hands down by his sides. His eyes were burning and his anger made it hard to think clearly.
His father grabbed him roughly by the upper arms and slammed him up against the wall. "Don't you YELL at me, BOY! For some reason my instructions aren't REGISTERING in your BRAIN! I said, GET OUT!" He ordered vehemently, roughly holding Charlie an inch or so above the ground.
"If you would LET GO OF ME, maybe I WOULD!" Charlie said, trying to struggle out of the older man's grasp.
Charlie was kicking and flailing like a fish out of water. Where were other people when you really needed them?!
"Stop moving!" George Conway screamed when he narrowly missed a strong kick in the leg.
"WHY SHOULD I?!" Charlie asked, looking his father in the eye for the first time since the beginning of the argument. His father didn't look stable so he decided he wanted nothing more then to be out of that house. His father was looking at him creepy again.
George did nothing more then hold Charlie's heated glare for a moment in a threatening manner. He then dropped Charlie back on the ground and sat in another chair, pulling over his coffee, totally ignoring the shattered chair next to him. But he didn't bother to hide the excess anger this time so Charlie bolted out of the house as quickly as he could.
Charlie ran until he was out of breath. He stumbled over to a bench. He was in the park again but this time, it was nearing dusk.
Once he caught his breath, he tentatively took off his plaid over shirt to look at his upper arms. He had a bruises forming on each arm from where his father had grabbed him. That was the second time that day someone had decided to slam him up against a wall. He wondered if he hadn't gotten the memo...
He looked over to see April sitting on a far bench, her face buried in her hands.
He got up and timidly walked over to the older woman.
"Mind if I sit here?" he asked quietly, as to not startle her.
She jumped slightly but nodded when she saw who it was.
They sat in silence before April noticed the two bruises on Charlie's arms.
"Sweetie? What happened to your arms?" she asked, generally concerned.
Charlie looked up at her as confusion flashed across his eyes for a brief moment. Then he remembered he hadn't put his plaid over shirt back on over his white t-shirt yet.
"Um, some of the kids on the hockey team got a little rough. It's nothing." He lied. Well, it wasn't a complete lie. The guys on his hockey team WERE rough and they HAD done the same thing as his father. And for some strange, sick reason Charlie felt the need to protect his father. He was trying to convince himself it was an accident. Like last time.
She bought it.
"Ah, that's horrible. Are you sure you're okay?" she asked.
He nodded.
Maybe she could tell him exactly what was going on.
Sophie, My Little Blue Bunny- Lol Charlie, IS so worth a conspiracy! ^_^ Lol, you'll just have to see. I would hate to ruin anything, but I'm a sucker for happy endings too...*hangs head* I'm afraid the ending will be without any major trauma. But have no fear! I am FAR from the end...it won't be coming anytime soon. Poor you...I am suffering through Pre-AP World Geography...*shudders with you* It isn't pleasant. I've never read that before. But I had to read 'To Kill a Mockingbird' and "Of Mice and Men' for summer reading which wasn't very fun...but I have never read 'The Mayor of Casterbridge' before...not that I'm complaining. ^_^ No kidding. Everyone seems OBSESSED with Charlie/Adam slash...frankly, it is frightening me. Aw, thanks! *hugs Sophie for the compliment* NO!!!! UPDATE SOON! *cries* You must update or I will surely die! *sniff*...
Liz- Ah, I see you are on our collaborated account. It confused me for a second and then I'm like, "OH YEAH! That's Liz's account too!" ^_^ I am eating a Kit-Kat and it is good...yum yum...NO! A PIECE FELL ON THE FLOOR!!!! NOOOOOOO!!!!! *scrambles to save it*...*looks at it dejectedly before tossing it in the trash* Oh well...I hate it when that happens! Thanks for tryin' again. ^_^ Oh yuck...I had a Geography essay test two days ago and it is NOT fun...I had to answer like 5 essays too...*shudders* Geog. Should. Die...yeah, she is...^_^ And yes, Charlie was good with the little girl. ^_^ He would make a good daddy, in my opinion. I'm glad you haven't read these yet too...now you can be in suspense with everyone else! ^_^ Lol, it's shocking, isn't it? But what can I say? He so totally is...and I'm finally admitting it too myself. It's scaring me a bit. ^_^ *whispers* Just don't tell Cam or I will totally deny it! ^_^ Lol, you will drown in drool! ^_^ But yes, discussing Charlie's hotness could be fun. ^_^ Oh yes, I very much appreciate it! ^_^ That would be AWESOME! You should do that! ^_^
Kate- Yay! It's you again! ^_^ Sorry for confusing you. We had Homecoming, I just couldn't go to it because I was out of town on a Church Retreat. GO PIRATES! ^_^ YOU SHOULD FEEL LOVED! It took me a long to time to answer your reviews. ^_^ Not that I am complaining...It was time well spent.
Kate...Answer to the Review Answer 1- Heeheehee! Katespeak does rock muchly. *joins you in laughter at the thought of Charlie beaming with pride at being the Friendly Trees* We seriously do need lives. Good point, trees DON'T have teeth...or arms...or legs...*shakes head* Anyway, onto Charlie's massive hotness. *giggles* A hunk of burnin' hotness. How very poetic of you! *claps* I AGREE WITH THAT STATEMENT! Lol. I trust you will be positively evil to Charlie...and I am very thankful ^_^ Ooo, good point...Charlie IS center...youssa SO THMART! ^_^ Oh funness...I bet you love having snow shoved down your shirt by older brothers and snowballs chunked in your face. Okay, I'll send you the site through email...I can't figure out why it won't show up...oh well...
Kate...Answer to the Review Answer 2- Oops...*blushes* That was supposed to say "I go back and FIX it in my fic"...o.O...oops...lol. Yes, I am sneaky. Lol. I have a younger cousin named Reese...he lives in Oklahoma and has the funniest accent...I have to struggle not to laugh anytime his family visits. It's sad. I never think of myself as having a strong accent...but I probably do. I probably sound like the biggest hick and I just don't know it. ^_^ Oh well. Yes, LOTS of bubble-wrap and foam...we can't dispose of the sadism, so we must press on with our evil ways. Lol...as long as I can understand your 'applese,' I don't mind. ^_^ Lol, Charlie-pie can just suffer on cuz NO ONE is taking my angst-spurring-tools-of-wrath! ^_^ *laughs as Kate dances in confetti*...Weird...numb fingers aren't usually good. Aw, but procrastinating is so fun! Lol, that's a great quote! I'm putting that in my Profile. Have fun at basketball practice! That IS sad...lol, anyway. *smiles* Life is good...
Allie- Thanks for reviewing! ^_^ And also thanks for re-posting 'Smiling Again.' I'm glad you're working on it again. ^_^ Anyway, thanks bunches! ^_^
DodgerMcClure.aka.Drama-Queen- Lol...thanks for reviewing! ;)
KShyne99- Yeah, his dad is a jerk. Lol. I take complete responsibility. ^_^ Yeah, but his dad is incapable of being nice unless it suits him. Lol, you can beat Charlie's dad up once I'm done with him. How does that sound? ^_^ Lol, I'm glad you liked her. Lol, thanks for reviewing! ^_^
Disclaimer- I don't own the Mighty Ducks.
-Chapter 19-
Charlie heaved a sigh as he slipped the large bag on his shoulders. He had never been on a Varsity team before and to say he was nervous would be the understatement of the century. But to say he wasn't at least a little excited would also be untrue.
Was that how Adam had felt?
Charlie felt a wave of guilt wash over him as the hurtful words and spiteful remarks he had shot at Adam all came back to him. It hadn't been his fault.
The former Duck was just glad for once that he didn't have any friends to abandon.
He trudged slowly into the locker room, bracing himself for the onslaught he was bound to receive. It was inevitable.
He swung upon the door to the locker room. He saw a bunch of Juniors and Seniors changing into hockey gear. They were huge, as all classic Varsity/Enemies were.
One looked up at Charlie with a cocked eyebrow.
"Did you get lost, little Fish?" one asked, shoving past Charlie.
Charlie's eyes narrowed. He wasn't a Fish...he was a Duck...hmph...
He bit back a retort as he slung his bag onto a bench and began taking out his gear.
He was using all his strength to just ignore them. He didn't want, nor need, these guys as friends. Especially if they were going to be total jerks.
"Excuse me, Fish, we were talking to you." the guy snapped when Charlie ignored him.
The teen in question turned to them with a seething glare. "Look, I have a name and no, I'm not lost!" Charlie spat, venom lacing his words.
"You're not, huh? Well that's funny. You see, lowly Fish such as yourself don't BELONG here. All of THEM had practice earlier." The guy replied in a taunting tone.
Charlie bit his lip again, still glaring daggers at the older teenagers. He was vastly outnumbered but has that ever stopped him before?
"First of all, how do you know for sure that I'm a Freshman? Second of all, I am where I'm supposed to be so you can just screw off!" Charlie spat bitterly as he finished putting on his gear, refusing to make definite eye contact. He was already having a horrible day and was in no mood to deal with the preppy snots.
"You just SCREAM Freshman. And do to your responses, I could easily confirm it." One said in replied in a disparaging tone.
However, the original speaker didn't let Charlie's remark slip by. "You talk pretty big for a Fish-" one of the enforcers said as he stepped forward threateningly.
"-Ah! Conway, you're here. My nephew told me you would be. Your jersey is right here. It's a pleasure to have you join us. Boys, this is Charlie Conway. Make him feel welcome." The man said. He had graying hair and didn't look to unbelievably scary. A definite contrast to Coach Orion and Coach Wilson at Eden Hall.
The guys just continued glaring at Charlie, not even PRETENDING to listen to their coach.
Charlie looked at his jersey. They were the Royal Orchard Squirrels? HE WAS GOING TO BE A FREAKING SQUIRREL?!
The coach looked between the brunette boy and his team. "Alright...then...on the ice in five minutes!" the coach said after a moment of awkward silence.
He then departed from the room, leaving Charlie and the Varsity team alone again. While most of them stormed out, the reigning Captain and some of his cronies cornered Charlie. The leader grabbed Charlie by the scruff of his new jersey and slammed him back against the lockers.
"You better watch out." He said in a threatening tone.
Charlie just hardened his glare, refusing to budge an inch.
After a few seconds, the larger boy slammed Charlie against the lockers again before making an exit, pausing only a second to give Charlie one last warning glance.
Charlie's eyes narrowed into slits. He didn't like these guys. Who did they think they were, threatening him like that? He wasn't scared of them...
Slamming the stick in his hands down and grabbing his helmet, he zipped his bag closed. He then shoved his helmet over his head and grabbed the aforementioned stick before storming out of the room to get on the ice. He could tell this wouldn't be the most pleasant practice in the world.
~~~*~~~
He skated in a circle three times before stopping. There was no way Charlie Conway was going to let these punks push him around. Just because they were bigger didn't mean they had the right to threaten him.
A shrill sound echoed through the rink as the coach blew the whistle. "SCRIMMAGE!"
Charlie was front line center. It was his normal position so he felt comfortable playing it. However, it apparently wasn't something their NORMAL front line center was used to.
The larger teen slammed into Charlie, knocking him clear off his feet. Conway quickly got back up and skated after the puck. He stole the puck and skated down the other way, shooting it in with his infamous triple deke.
The goalie glared. Who did this kid think he was? Just prancing in and taking over like he belonged there...
"Nice shot Conway!" the coach said after seeing the fourteen-year-old make the shot. He really was good.
Charlie skated backwards for a few seconds, avoiding eye contact with anyone on the ice. He seriously needed the Ducks. At least THEN he wouldn't be quite so outnumbered. It was making him profoundly uncomfortable...
When the coach was turned the other direction, one of the guys on his own "team" slammed into him, nearly knocking him over. Charlie shoved him back. He could only take so much of this.
Just when the guy whipped around at Charlie's retaliation, the coach blew the whistle again.
"Alright boys, that's enough for today. 10 laps and you can go home." The coach shouted before walking into his office to finish up some papers, only looking up on occasion.
They all nodded and started on their laps.
Charlie bit his lip, let out a sigh, and began skating his laps as well. He hadn't made a single friend since he had arrived. It figured he would only make enemies. It really figured...
It wasn't long before Charlie was walking down the sidewalk, hockey gear in his bag and a glum expression on his face. Today had just been flat-out horrible. First he got in trouble for the whole 'redecorating the kitchen walls with breakfast foods', then he had to go to school, the Varsity practice. His whole life was just totally, utterly, and just flat-out bad.
He pulled his backpack over his shoulder again, continued on his journey home. He knew his dad was going to be angry when he got home so the teenage boy was in no hurry.
He was dragging his feet as he flung the door open, dropped his bags by the door and trudged up the stairs, punishment looming over his head.
Maybe his dad had forgotten...
SMASH!
Or...not...
He slowly raised his head upward to face a VERY angry George Conway with a broken glass bottle shaking in his hand...
Charlie gulped.
This was bad...
REAL bad...
His dad was looking more and more like a psychotic serial killer in serious need of psychiatric evaluation...
"Hey...dad." Charlie said weakly. Any self-assured confidence he could have POSSIBLY had just flew out the window. Maybe the image of his dad slaughtering his mother and then stabbing him in his sleep might have done it.
He involuntarily shuddered.
Surprisingly, Charlie's father just continued his heated stare before turning around and walking away. Charlie blinked and let out the breath he didn't know he had been holding. He wasn't sure what that had been about. As glad as Charlie was nothing bad had happened, the feeling his father left behind was...unsettling. He almost wished he knew what to expect.
Charlie then looked at the broken shards of glass on the small wooden table against the wall. A few pieces had also fallen to the carpeted floor. He wasn't sure what the bottle had been before it was broken but frankly, he didn't care at the moment. He was just glad it was the table endured the blow. Better the table than his head.
The teenage boy strolled up the stairs; occasionally sending looks back over his shoulder to make sure his dad wouldn't sneak up on him.
It was then that he noticed how deafeningly silent it was.
He looked down the hall, expecting to see Alyssa pop out of nowhere and tell him to run. Agatha would be close behind. The old hag would chase them through the house, scolding them for their immature behavior that morning.
But Alyssa never came.
There was no yelling.
Only silence.
He crept down the hall, looking into a few rooms. They were all the same as he had left them that morning. Most people wouldn't be able to tell that it hadn't been cleaned that day, but Charlie could. He had grown used to the pine-fresh smell of the cleaners used relentlessly by the women.
There was no fresh smell. It smelled almost stale to Charlie. Something in the air just didn't feel right.
He then began to wonder WHY the rooms hadn't been cleaned. Agatha was always strict on the others to clean EVERY room THOROUGHLY EVERY day.
He then got a sick feeling in his stomach as his spirits dramatically dropped.
The boy turned and back down the stairs, not caring that he had recently decided his father was a stark-raving-mad serial killer psychopath who would surely stab him in his sleep if given ample opportunity.
"DAD!" Charlie yelled at the top of his lungs as he skidded to a stop on the wooden flooring. More proof that no cleaning-frenzied woman had mopped that day. If they had, he would have slipped and fallen to his doom for sure.
His father looked up from his place at the table. It seemed as if he had been contemplating something profound before Charlie's grand entrance and wasn't thrilled at the interruption.
Charlie didn't even stop for breath. "Where's Alyssa? And Agatha? April? Karen?" he stuttered out, catching his breath.
"I wouldn't know." He replied stiffly as he went back to whatever he was doing.
"Why not?" he asked, almost afraid of the answer.
"Because I fired them." He replied simply, taking a sip from his coffee mug.
But Charlie was too upset to even contemplate WHO would drink coffee in the middle of the day.
"WHAT?!" Charlie nearly screeched as it fully sunk in. He had suspected it but he didn't really think his dad had done it. "WHY?!"
"Because I didn't feel they were fulfilling their duties. And they weren't doing enough to deserve the pay they were receiving anyway." George said, shrugging it off.
"That's not FAIR!" Charlie cried out in horror. "You can't do that!"
"Yes I can." The elder Conway replied coolly, taking another sip from his coffee mug.
"But what if they needed those jobs?" Charlie asked, wondering if they were all okay.
"They can find others. This is the real world, Charlie. People lose jobs and people get new ones. It's just the way it works. It was their time to go and that's just the way it is." George said, waving his son off. "Now go on. I'm busy."
"NO!" Charlie screamed. He stalked over so he was standing directly beside his father.
His dad scooted back the chair and stood, towering several inches over his fourteen-year-old son. "I have something important to do, now go." George said warningly.
"No!" Charlie protested again, crossing his arms across his chest.
"When I say to DO something, you DO it!" his father yelled, slamming the chair down to the floor, sending the wooden piece of furniture hurdling to the ground in a loud crash.
"Maybe I WOULD if you would respect what *I* WANTED every now and then!" Charlie yelled, his fury building by the moment.
"What YOU want? You think I CARE what YOU want?! You have no say in this! You are still a child and you are in my custody, therefore YOU do EXACTLY as *I* say!" His father said threateningly.
"What if I don't WANT to be in your custody? Huh?! I never WANTED to live here! It was by force!" Charlie screamed, throwing his hands down by his sides. His eyes were burning and his anger made it hard to think clearly.
His father grabbed him roughly by the upper arms and slammed him up against the wall. "Don't you YELL at me, BOY! For some reason my instructions aren't REGISTERING in your BRAIN! I said, GET OUT!" He ordered vehemently, roughly holding Charlie an inch or so above the ground.
"If you would LET GO OF ME, maybe I WOULD!" Charlie said, trying to struggle out of the older man's grasp.
Charlie was kicking and flailing like a fish out of water. Where were other people when you really needed them?!
"Stop moving!" George Conway screamed when he narrowly missed a strong kick in the leg.
"WHY SHOULD I?!" Charlie asked, looking his father in the eye for the first time since the beginning of the argument. His father didn't look stable so he decided he wanted nothing more then to be out of that house. His father was looking at him creepy again.
George did nothing more then hold Charlie's heated glare for a moment in a threatening manner. He then dropped Charlie back on the ground and sat in another chair, pulling over his coffee, totally ignoring the shattered chair next to him. But he didn't bother to hide the excess anger this time so Charlie bolted out of the house as quickly as he could.
Charlie ran until he was out of breath. He stumbled over to a bench. He was in the park again but this time, it was nearing dusk.
Once he caught his breath, he tentatively took off his plaid over shirt to look at his upper arms. He had a bruises forming on each arm from where his father had grabbed him. That was the second time that day someone had decided to slam him up against a wall. He wondered if he hadn't gotten the memo...
He looked over to see April sitting on a far bench, her face buried in her hands.
He got up and timidly walked over to the older woman.
"Mind if I sit here?" he asked quietly, as to not startle her.
She jumped slightly but nodded when she saw who it was.
They sat in silence before April noticed the two bruises on Charlie's arms.
"Sweetie? What happened to your arms?" she asked, generally concerned.
Charlie looked up at her as confusion flashed across his eyes for a brief moment. Then he remembered he hadn't put his plaid over shirt back on over his white t-shirt yet.
"Um, some of the kids on the hockey team got a little rough. It's nothing." He lied. Well, it wasn't a complete lie. The guys on his hockey team WERE rough and they HAD done the same thing as his father. And for some strange, sick reason Charlie felt the need to protect his father. He was trying to convince himself it was an accident. Like last time.
She bought it.
"Ah, that's horrible. Are you sure you're okay?" she asked.
He nodded.
Maybe she could tell him exactly what was going on.
