Once we got back from Christmas Vacation the play-offs started that same week, piling everything on my already stressed mind. I must say, I was anything but prepared for the week ahead. We made it to the finals that weekend, having a game on Monday, one on Wednesday and the finals on Saturday, so between practice, skating, homework and school I had zero time to myself to do anything. It just made my life harder with the competition that weekend too. My figure skating championship was that Sunday so I was doubly nervous and stressed out at the same time for both. Fulton sat next to me on the bench that night at the game, occasionally taking my hand as we watched the game play out in front of us. I smiled; he was the only one that seemed to keep my mind in perspective of what had to be done. With everything else in my life going crazy, he kept me on task.
"This is so cool." I had just leaned over to say when Adam, our star player, got knocked out by one of the Hawks. Fulton was immediately out of his seat and telling the coach he'd take care of them. Wouldn't you know Fulton had waned to kick their butt since the beginning of the season.
"No, we're better than that!" He said, "It's time to play smart hockey, Duck hockey." He said sternly before sending Fulton out on the ice. I watched as he skated around the ice for a few seconds before getting the puck and nailing the goalie, knocking him into the net with the puck. I guess he had to get his frustrations out in some way. My mouth hung open for a minute before I started to scream with excitement. I was still screaming as he skated back over, hugging Coach Bombay before grabbing me, practically picked me up out of the box and onto the ice. I laughed out of joy before the coach called us to come in for another play.
"Alright, they're not going to let us get another shot in that easy again." He said, looking at Tommy and me. For a minute I thought he was going to start yelling at us and I was fully prepared to blame Tommy.
"Tammy, Tommy, let's show them something different." He murmured, mapping out a plan to score a goal. Fulton gave me a look of concern before I skated out unto the ice,
"Be careful." He said before I smiled at him,
"I'll be fine." I reassured him still smiling as I skated away. I moved in front of the net before Tommy could get the puck. I did a spin to get the other players attention as Tommy got the puck, my mind raced as to if this would work or not but my concentration was broke when Tommy yelled out.
"Now!" His voice sounded in my ear as I stopped, getting the puck and shooting it in. The team screamed as the buzzer sounded and we tied up with them. Everyone was going crazy and I even hugged Tommy before the rest of the team on the ice. Fulton cheering from the stands and I started to make my way back. The ice moved gently beneath my skates and I remembered just how much I loved the ice. I spun around happily, going to Fulton when McGill came out of nowhere, knocking me off my feet to the hard surface below. I slammed the ice in frustration, trying to stand. Before I could get up, Fulton was at the other bench, throwing McGill over the railing and picking a fight with the whole team. Connie was at my side leading me back to the bench as Fulton got thrown out.
"Are you okay?" She asked.
"Where's Fulton?" My voice filled with worry.
"He got thrown out, he'll go to the locker room." She told me as my ankle twinged in pain.
"I think I twisted it." I said rubbing at my leg to keep my mind off the feeling that was shooting through my ankle.
"Just rest." She told me going back out on the ice to finish the game.
We won the game, of course, that's how we became the Miracle Mighty Ducks and everyone started talking about us. Fulton came running back out on the ice after the game ended and hugged me and the rest of the team. We looked at each other for an intense moment. The team was shouting and Guy and Connie were kissing just a few feet away from us, we went to lean in, our eyes connecting. Our lips were centimeters apart when the rest of the team started to turn for the committee to bring the trophy over. I turned quickly with them, leaving Fulton confused at the situation. Fulton sighed deeply, pretending not to care. I bit my lower lip nervously as a chant broke out and we all started yelling, "Ducks." Connie had grabbed my hand after the chant died down, to head to the locker room for our stuff to get ready for the dance.
"I can't believe he kissed me." Connie gloated, beaming from ear to ear as we grabbed our stuff quickly, moving through the arena to my Mom's van. I laughed, catching a sideward glance of Fulton as we passed the rest of the team.
"Wow." I said still distracted and not knowing really what to say. I suddenly was regretting not kissing Fulton.
The celebration dance for peewee hockey was that night. We went back to my house to get ready. Connie took over my room so I showering quickly and dressing in my favorite red dress in the bathroom don the hall. When I returned, Connie was sitting at my mirror applying make-up to her already painted face.
"Wow." She said smiling at the sight of me. I looked down embarrassed at my choice of dress.
"What, did I over do it?" I asked smoothing the dress to my stomach.
"No, Fulton's going to faint." She laughed. I playfully slapped her arm and sat down on my bed to put on my shoes. I thought about what she said and smiled,
"Cons..." I asked as she looked over at me from the mirror, "Do you really think so?" I asked as she began to smile.
"Yeah, you ready to tell me what's going on with you two, since you've both been so secretive?" She was still smiling. I blushed, standing to get used to my shoes while I mulled over her question.
"Connie, I wasn't keeping anything from you... I still don't know what's going on with us." That was the truth, I told myself, picking out some jewelry.
"Have you kissed him?" She asked; a hint of mischief in her voice.
"No." I said a little embarrassed. "Look who's talking! You didn't kiss Guy until tonight." I said trying to cover up my embarrassment. Connie just sighed.
"Yes, I did." she said turning back to the mirror to put more make-up on. I laughed a little.
"Connie, what should I do?... I think I really like him." I said sitting again.
"Just tell him, let him decide what to do." Connie said finishing up her make-up and standing to smooth out her baby-blue dress. "You never know until you ask.." She reminded me, moving to leave the room as I followed, switching off the light. Tommy was waiting for us in the hall as we made our way down the stairs.
"Come on, Tammy, the dance is going to be over before we get there.'" He commented with distain. We ran out the front door, Mom close behind us to drive. The dance started at 7:30 and it was a quarter past 8 already, so we were late but Connie blamed it on wanting to make an entrance.
"10 o'clock right?" Mom asked as she dropped us off. "Yep." I said shutting the door and running for the school where we were having the dance. I had fully intended on being early to talk to Fulton before the dance started but that wasn't going to happen now, I thought entering the school. The lights were dimmed for the strobe lights to work against the dark atmosphere. Tommy ran off as usual as I scanned the room for the guy I was looking for. I saw Connie being dragged onto the dance floor by Guy, not a surprise. Charlie was telling his championship story to some girls by the snack table and there he was, standing in the corner by himself. He hadn't changed from his earlier clothes, probably not going home in-between at all. He was wearing the jacket I had brought him. I smiled widely walking towards him on shaky legs. What was I going to say to him? 'Thanks, that was cool, why'd you do it?' I thought getting closer to him with every step I took. My leg shook a little with nervousness. He finally saw me coming and stood up a little straighter. I thought I saw him smile as he looked at me and my heart fluttered in my chest with anticipation.
"Fulton...I..." I started but was drowned out by the music.
"I can't hear you..." He stepping closer and turning his ear to me.
"Fulton...I...do you want to dance?" I asked as he stepped back to look at me. He smiled a little and took my hand as a new song started.
Every time our eyes meet, this feeling inside me is almost more than I can take
And baby when you touch me, I can feel how much you love me
And it just blows me away.
I've never been this close to anyone or anything
I can hear your thoughts; I can see your dreams
I don't know how you do what you do,
I'm so in love with you, it just keeps getting better.
I wanna spend the rest of my life
With you by my side
Forever and ever
Every little thing that you do,
Baby, I'm amazed by you
I was losing my nerve to tell him how I was feeling. I looked up at him as the song played in my ears. We'd spent so much time together, how could he say no, how could he say anything but yes... I looked up at his eyes again. His soul showed through them and showed me how much he cared about me. His eyes had always spoke for him and I hoped mine were telling him the same thing.
"You look beautiful tonight." He said smiling and pulling me closer to him, making our bodies connect at every possible point.
"Why did you help me tonight?" I asked, getting my nerve back up. Okay, so the question didn't come out the exact way I had intended but I could still feel the shake in my voice as I spoke.
"Because I don't like to see you hurt." He said holding my hand to his chest.
"I'm fine though. He just shoved me." I sounded stronger than I was feeling.
"I know, I'm just never going to let anyone hurt you." I felt that familiar flutter in my chest again.
"Fulton, I feel like we've been growing so close lately... I don't want to lose our friendship." I said, as the music got loud again.
"Why would you lose our friendship?" He asked, confusion marked on his face.
"Tammy, I'm sorry if I've been, you know, bothering you by coming over every night. I just wanted to see you." He said looking down at me. I smiled.
"No, Fulton, I wanted to see you too. I'd rather you were with me than at your house. That's not what I meant...I just want to protect you from all that." I said reaching up to touch his face.
"That's all I was trying to do tonight." He said rubbing my back with his thumb.
"You always make me feel safe." I said looking into his eyes.
"You're the first person to tell me that." He said smiling. I rubbed his cheek lightly.
"Fulton, I like having you around. I can't imagine you not being there." I said nervously.
He smiled without saying anything and knew what to do next. I felt his breathe on my cheek as he leaned down and before I knew it, he lips were on mine. It was an awkward kiss at first but once I realized what was going on, I met his lips and pressed mine to his in a more passionate embrace. He smiled against my lips as my arms went around his neck.
Everything little thing at you do, I'm so in love with you
It just keeps getting better...
I wanna spend the rest of my life with you by my side.
Forever and Ever
Every little thing that you do.
Every little thing that you do
Baby I'm amazed by you
We parted and looked at each other smiling like idiots as the last notes played of the song. My first real kiss, I thought to myself as he touched my face with his rough hand.
"I've been wanting to do that for a while." He admitted, a goofy grin still playing on his lips.
"I think I'm in love with you, Fulton Reed..." I said hoping he wouldn't freak out. Instead he smiled.
"I think I am in love with you too..." He said leaning in to kiss me again. That kiss wasn't nearly as awkward as the first.
LATER THAT NIGHT
I sat up in my bed waiting for Fulton to come to my window that night. He had promised he would. The clock on my night table read, 1:34 am but I wasn't sleeping until he got there, I had decided. I got up walking to the window to look out, hoping I'd catch sight of him climbing the tree out front. It was a dark night and I really couldn't see anything as I squinted to look. Then I saw him, standing in my front yard looking up at my window. I looked down at him and his face was expressionless. Worry crossed my face and I quickly grabbed my robe, running out of my room quietly and opened the front door. I ran out to him, down the front steps, almost slipping as my bare feet hit the wet gravel. It was raining hard and he just stood there, not running to meet me or anything. I reached him and grabbed his shoulders. He winced at me, so I let go quickly,
"Fulton...what happened?" I asked looking up at him with worried eyes.
"My Father...He saw the jacket you bought me. I was so happy we...I forgot to leave it with you." He started as I lead him in out of the rain. He groaned with pain as I lead him up the stairs to my room and helped him out of his jacket, grabbing a towel to dry him off a little. He pulled at his shirt as I unbuttoned it and slowly pulled it off, seeing the bruises that were forming on his back...I'd seen the work of his Father before but never this bad, I thought as he laid down on my bed on his stomach, facing away from me. I didn't know what to do, so I crawled in next to him. It started small but I heard a little hiccup of pain and then I realized he was crying. I wrapped an arm around his shoulders and held him as he let it all out; I closed my eyes making sure he knew I was there, with a kiss on the shoulder. I began to cry for him too as his crying stopped. He had cried himself to sleep. I held onto him for a few minutes before turning the light off behind us as not to wake him and snuggled to him, holding him as I fell asleep too.
