"Duck Hockey Starts with a W...and So Does Detention"
Fortunately for the three Eden Hall students who received detention on their first day of school, hockey practice wasn't until 5:00 for the JV team. Varsity had seniority, so they had the ice from 3 to 5. And when I say fortunately, I mean fortunately for Maurae and Fulton; they wouldn't be missing practice.
Maurae walked in to find Shayne already there, feet propped up on a desk, glaring at her. "I still maintain that it is your fault I'm wasting my afternoon," she said firmly.
Maurae, whose eye was as dark as her cousin's blue-black hair, only scowled, an expression not often seen on her face. "I'm really not in the mood to banter with you, Shayne," she said, dropping into a seat wearily. "It's bad enough you're the only one I have to share detention with."
Of course, Fulton chose that moment to saunter in, a grin on his face. "What about me?" She looked up and the scowl immediately faded.
"Thank heavens," she replied. "What're you in for?"
"Throwing frog brains at Madigan in biology this morning." Both girls stared. "Yeah, I know it's immature and all, but I couldn't help it. They were squishy." Maurae, who knew her friend could handle dirt but not slimy things, grinned. Fulton spotted the black RHCP shirt Shayne was wearing and actually looked at her. "Hey."
Maurae's eyebrows rose slightly as something occurred to her. "Fult, this is my cousin Shayne. Shayne, this is my friend Fulton. He's on the team with me," she added wickedly. "The hockey team." Shayne's eyes widened as she looked him over.
"You play hockey?" Her tone was incredulous.
"Yeah. I'm a defenseman. Good for knocking people down." He offered a hand, which she shook. Maurae bit her lip to keep from laughing aloud. "Nice shirt, by the way. I've got one just like it at home." He wrinkled his forehead in a mockery of deep thought. "Or maybe it's here."
"Oh, please!" Maurae exclaimed. "Will you two stop flirting already!" She huffed and yanked a notebook out of her bag as Shayne raised an eyebrow and Fulton flushed, dropping the hand he'd still been holding.
"Don't worry," Shayne said, still looking at Maurae. "She accuses everyone of flirting."
"Ro, did you write down the biology assignment?" he asked, trying to change the subject.
"Uhm," she replied noncommittally. Then she absently reached into her bag and pulled out a small book, tossing it to him without looking. "Third page."
"Thanks." She waved her hand at him and pretended to ignore both of them.
"How long have you known Maurae?" she heard Shayne ask.
"For about a year and a half, maybe a bit more. We played on the team together in the Junior Goodwill Games. Have you ever seen her skate?"
"I used to go to her games, back before she went and got all famous. Back before my hair was blue-black." Shayne shrugged. "She was pretty good, I guess." Seeing his look, she quickly clarified. "Not that I'm all that great a judge of things like that. I can't ice skate; she can't skateboard. It's an even trade."
"You any good on a skateboard?"
"Let's just say that she is to a skateboard as I am to ice skates," Maurae said without looking at either of them, still pretending to read. Shayne made a face.
"If you're going to butt in on other people's conversations, Maurae Nicole, you should at least look at them," she snapped, taunting her by using her middle name, and a tone of voice reminiscent of Maurae's mother.
"If I wanted to look at you, Shayne Elizabeth, I would," Maurae shot back evenly. Fulton followed the exchange, highly amused. "It so happens that I don't."
"I am not going to deal with this for two whole hours," Shayne muttered rebelliously as a teacher poked his head in to make sure they were there.
"Maurae Grabeklis, Shayne Kimble and Fulton Reed, right?" The three teens nodded. "Good. You'll be dismissed at 4:30." He disappeared and Maurae turned her back on her cousin and Fulton and traded her notebook for the history text she had to start reading. She heard Fulton and Shayne start an intense discussion on music, the merits of certain bands and eras.
This made her roll her eyes. She and Fulton never agreed on music. Of course, she and Fulton never agreed on much except hockey, their friendship with each other, their friendship with the team, and that they both missed Portman but were angry with him.
For that matter, she and Portman never agreed on anything but hockey and their friendship with Fulton. He was often loud and boisterous, while she preferred quiet and alone. He tended to hog the spotlight, and she wanted nothing better than to let others have it. Of course, he was a good friend, and quite attractive besides...
Her feet hit the floor with a thud and she almost fell out of her chair. No, Portman was not attractive. He was an overbearing goon. Satisfied that her subconscious would not insert any more thought not her own, she lifted her legs once more onto the desk, crossing her ankles. She ignored the stares from Shayne and Fulton before they resumed their conversation.
She re-emerged when Fulton laughed at something Shayne had said. This time, her feigned ignorance of the comment was genuine. "What's so funny?" she asked, setting the book down and stretching her shoulders. Shayne looked at her for a moment and shook her head.
"Nothing."
"Right. Like I haven't heard that before, and at my expense, too."
"Consider it a joke at your expense, then, if it makes you feel better," Shayne shot back. Fulton broke in then.
"For two people who are related, you two sure fight a lot."
Maurae looked thoughtful, and Shayne slightly guilty. "We grew up together, true enough. I guess we were friends before...even though I had hockey, we got along pretty well, though we did – and still do! – disagree on several key things."
"But when she was picked for the national team, and even a bit before that, when my family moved, we grew apart so rapidly it was staggering. I cut my hair and dyed it, she let hers grow and lost weight. I got more and more...rebellious and anarchic, while she got quieter and more...I dunno, peacemaker-ish? I got darker, she got lighter."
"But most of this is banter and bluster, Fult. We're so different now that we...I guess we're still getting used to the new people we are. Of course, we used to taunt each other all the time back when. I never hit her, though." Her smile was teasing, and Shayne let it go.
"Maybe we still are friends. Who knows? But I'm not a good little girl anymore, and she just doesn't have it in her to be a bad girl." Maurae shrugged away the comment, though it stung. She knew it was true and she wasn't going to try and pretend it wasn't. Though being a little rebellious could be fun.
'Maybe that's why Portman appeals to me so much,' she thought absently. 'He's not exactly the kind of guy you can take home to meet your family. And where the heck did that thought come from?' She shook her head again, trying to chase away thoughts of Portman.
"I don't know," Fulton teased. "She's landed herself a detention on the first day of school, AND punched a fellow student. She's well on her way to getting a bad girl rep." Maurae stuck her tongue out at him.
"I lost my temper."
Shayne grinned. "I remember when we were little, and Justin used to provoke you. He'd pull your hair and scream at you. Remember when he bit your nose?" Maurae immediately flushed crimson. Fulton looked interested. "You stuck a crayon up his butt." At this, Maurae covered her flaming face in her hands as Fulton howled with laughter.
"Is detention supposed to be this funny?" asked a thoroughly bland voice from the door. The three teens turned and saw that they'd been joined by the rest of the hockey team. "Hey, Ro. Fult. We thought we'd come see if you were bored enough to try and ditch it."
Shayne turned to Maurae and raised an eyebrow. "That's the second time someone's called you 'Ro.' What's it mean?"
"Nickname they gave me the first day I met them," she replied quickly, hoping against hope that her cousin, who knew her well, wouldn't get them started on her other nicknames.
When the manic grin spread across Shayne's face, she knew that she had no such luck. "Nicknames, huh? Have you told them any of your other nicknames?"
"Oh, no. Please, Shayne, don't!" This, of course, piqued their interest. "Please, I will do anything! Absolutely anything!"
"Or, instead of nicknames, I could tell them stories about you." Her voice was thoughtful, but Maurae wasn't fooled. Her eyes narrowed dangerously.
"And you could do both, but you know what I have on YOU." Her own grin was wicked now, and her friends were watching the exchange with amusement. "You don't tell them about the nicknames or about Fred, and I won't tell them your little secret. Deal?" She held out her hand, knowing Shayne would go for it.
"Deal."
"Stories?" Les asked comically. "I like stories."
A heavy sigh, and Maurae rolled her eyes. "Shayne, the rest of the team. Guys, my cousin Shayne."
"Tell us a story!" Les exclaimed, sitting on a desk and watching Shayne with mock-innocent eyes. Shayne laughed and her smile turned evil.
"I know just which one to tell you," she said, shooting a look at Maurae.
"Just tell me which one so I can decide whether to run away or just end my misery completely by sticking a pen through my eye," she drawled, feigning unconcern. Shayne grinned.
"I was going to tell them about you and Jamison, in first grade."
"That's not a bad story," she retorted. "I would have figured you'd tell them something really embarrassing."
"Oh, I'll get there, don't worry. Or should I tell them about the time I saw you with George after that game."
Maurae's eyes widened. "You saw that? I didn't know you'd seen that! I thought nobody had seen that!"
"Well, I did. I could trash your good girl rep thoroughly for you, if you'd like."
"Shut up. I only told Leon about that. And for the record, it wasn't that bad." Shayne only snorted.
"I'm dying from curiosity here," Russ said, breaking up the argument. "Are you going to tell us a story or not?"
"I suppose." Then Shayne proceeded to tell a truly embarrassing story that had Maurae's face in flames, her hands over her ears, and her head buried in her arms on the desk. When the laughter died down, Adam reached over to tap her shoulder.
"Go away," she mumbled. He tapped her again. "Adam Banks, I swear, if you touch me once more before my skin is normal-colored again, I'll slap you."
"How'd you know it was me?"
"I always know who it is," she shrugged, lifting her face off her hands. "You know," she said mock-thoughtfully. "I have some pretty...interesting stories about Shayne." To her surprise, Shayne went pale.
"No! You wouldn't!"
"One thing you obviously forgot, Shay," Maurae grinned, her face still red. "I give as good as I get, and better." She didn't get the opportunity to tell her story, however, because the teacher stuck his head in the room. He blinked.
"You can go. It's almost five." The team got up and started a mad rush for the ice rink. Maurae and Shayne stayed behind a few extra seconds to glare at each other.
"This is so not over," Maurae commented as she picked up her bag and stuck the history book into it. Then she swept out, leaving Shayne behind to glare and wonder if she would really tell the story she thought was the one. At last she shrugged and dismissed it.
They changed all in one locker room like they were used to. Despite entering high school and dealing with their growing hormones, none of the boys would look at the girls – the knowledge that any of the three could beat any of them up kept them discreet – or the girls at the boys.
For Maurae, she was floating. She just wanted to play hockey with her team once more. She missed it terribly. They all crowded through the doors into the rink and breathed their awe. "Wow, this place is great!" Guy exclaimed. Someone whistled in awe. Charlie led the whole group forward to stand practically with their noses to the glass.
"This is a nice rink," he commented, looking around critically. A flurry of exclamations greeted his words.
"You know, I bet they even have a snack bar here," Goldberg commented, making several people snort.
"Big deal," Adam replied absently, staring at the Varsity team already on the ice. Seeing his eyes, Ken grinned.
"They look pretty good," he said quietly.
"They've sure won a lot of championships," Julie added, indicating the banner-hung rafters.
"They're huge!" Averman exclaimed.
"They're not so hot," Charlie insisted.
"Yeah. Come on, guys. We could skate out there," Connie agreed encouragingly. She and Charlie led the whole team around the rink to the gate and opened it, only to be met by the Varsity team in force.
"Well, if it isn't Captain Duckie," commented Riley. Fulton reached past Charlie's shoulder and shoved him back a foot into Cole.
"Get your hands off him," he growled.
Cole sneered stupidly. "Ooh, look! A Bash Brother! I'm so scared." Julie rolled her eyes at Adam, standing next to her, who covered his mouth to hide a smile at the not-so-intelligent comeback.
Fortunately, before a fight really could break out, Wilson skated over and started to push at some of his players. "Break it up! Come on, men, let's go!" The Ducks stood and watched until Varsity had left before stepping onto the churned ice and starting to skate a circuit.
Charlie glanced back at Dwayne, just behind him. "How 'bout it, cowboy? Round-up?"
"Hey, Charlie. Shouldn't we wait for the new coach before we mess around?" Connie pointed out.
"This is how we practice," he retorted. "Duck hockey, Connie? He'll have to get used to it sooner or later." She shrugged agreeably and Charlie turned back to Dwayne. "Well, come on, Cowboy. Hit it!"
Dwayne grinned and looked around at his team. "Yee haw! Round 'em up, doggies!" With a cheer, the team split up as Dwayne swung the lasso around his head. Julie, Connie, and Maurae formed a chain of three, holding onto each other's waists as they skated around the rink. At the opposite end, Maurae let go, intending to skate on her own for a while.
BOOM! She hit the boards with a thud that actually echoed, despite the noise from her teammates. Embarrassed, burning red, she got slowly to her feet and skated leisurely around the rink, watching as Dwayne caught Adam and then Averman. She grinned when Adam skated towards her.
"Feel better?" he asked. "Nice fall, by the way." Her face flushed and she gently punched his arm.
"Why did you have to say anything?" she groaned. "Isn't it bad enough that I fell?" He grinned his boyish grin.
"What kind of best friend would I be if I didn't remind you of your faults?" he teased.
"The kind that lives until old age," she growled playfully. Then she tackled him and they both fell, just as the lasso fell across them. "And if I'm going to keep falling, you're coming down with me," she added, getting up and skating fast away from the approaching Dwayne.
Adam grinned, shook his head, and ducked as the lasso flew over his head again, this time capturing Fulton. Grinning, Dwayne found Charlie and started to swing the lasso again. Charlie took off as fast as he could, trying to outrace the lasso already flying after him.
It slipped over his head and shoulders just as he tripped. Sliding on his belly for a few feet, he suddenly went silent with the rest of the team as a whistle blasted shrilly. They all looked as a very angry-looking man skated towards them, a scowl on his face. He stopped precisely a foot in front of Charlie's face.
The captain looked up, eyes dancing madly, and slowly got to his feet. "My name is Coach Orion," the man said, his voice firm. "You can call me Coach, or Coach Orion." Charlie smirked and held out a hand.
"You can call me Charlie."
"That must be what that 'C' on your jersey stands for, unh? Sure doesn't stand for 'Captain,'" Orion responded, wiping the smiles off half the gathered faces.
"Sorry, Coach. We're just messin' with you," Russ spoke up.
"Hey, Bombay gave him that 'C,'" Goldberg pointed out.
"And I respect that, but that's the past," Orion said, eyes flinty. "This is my team, now, and I'll be selecting the captain." Charlie's face was incredulous.
"You gotta be kidding me, right? I mean, you're the rookie here. We've all been together for four years!" Maurae winced. He was digging himself a nice big hole.
"Okay, Charlie. Laps. Right now."
"How many, Coach Orion?" he asked, pulling the rope over his head, face stubborn.
"I don't recall saying." Charlie shook his head mutinously and skated off, arms pumping. "Now you listen up, and you listen up good. We are here for one reason and one reason only. You know what that is?" He skated sideways in front of Averman. "Starts with a W."
"To win, Coach Orion, sir!" Averman responded cheerfully.
"No. Tow work," he corrected, making Averman sag. "High school hockey is very hard work. And it all begins with defense. I've seen your tapes. I know you can score goals. I just don't know if you can stop them."
"Hey!" Goldberg interjected. He looked around for support, found none, and faded. "Uh, sorry, sir."
"You're not kids, or little Ducks anymore, so I'm not going to treat you that way. You're going to learn to play two-way hockey: offense and defense. It's going to take one thing." Once again, he was standing in front of Averman, who tried to give it another shot.
He snapped to attention. "To work, Coach Orion, sir!" he shouted, military- esque. Russ smacked his arm.
"Wrong," Orion replied, again making Averman wilt. "Will. It's going to take real will, if you want to play in my barn." He looked at them all, to make sure they'd gotten it. "All right. Count off, let's climb the ladder."
Slowly, they obeyed. Maurae sighed and pulled on her helmet. 'This is going to be a long year,' she thought to herself, retrieving her stick and shooting a look down the rink at their stubborn captain.
Fortunately for the three Eden Hall students who received detention on their first day of school, hockey practice wasn't until 5:00 for the JV team. Varsity had seniority, so they had the ice from 3 to 5. And when I say fortunately, I mean fortunately for Maurae and Fulton; they wouldn't be missing practice.
Maurae walked in to find Shayne already there, feet propped up on a desk, glaring at her. "I still maintain that it is your fault I'm wasting my afternoon," she said firmly.
Maurae, whose eye was as dark as her cousin's blue-black hair, only scowled, an expression not often seen on her face. "I'm really not in the mood to banter with you, Shayne," she said, dropping into a seat wearily. "It's bad enough you're the only one I have to share detention with."
Of course, Fulton chose that moment to saunter in, a grin on his face. "What about me?" She looked up and the scowl immediately faded.
"Thank heavens," she replied. "What're you in for?"
"Throwing frog brains at Madigan in biology this morning." Both girls stared. "Yeah, I know it's immature and all, but I couldn't help it. They were squishy." Maurae, who knew her friend could handle dirt but not slimy things, grinned. Fulton spotted the black RHCP shirt Shayne was wearing and actually looked at her. "Hey."
Maurae's eyebrows rose slightly as something occurred to her. "Fult, this is my cousin Shayne. Shayne, this is my friend Fulton. He's on the team with me," she added wickedly. "The hockey team." Shayne's eyes widened as she looked him over.
"You play hockey?" Her tone was incredulous.
"Yeah. I'm a defenseman. Good for knocking people down." He offered a hand, which she shook. Maurae bit her lip to keep from laughing aloud. "Nice shirt, by the way. I've got one just like it at home." He wrinkled his forehead in a mockery of deep thought. "Or maybe it's here."
"Oh, please!" Maurae exclaimed. "Will you two stop flirting already!" She huffed and yanked a notebook out of her bag as Shayne raised an eyebrow and Fulton flushed, dropping the hand he'd still been holding.
"Don't worry," Shayne said, still looking at Maurae. "She accuses everyone of flirting."
"Ro, did you write down the biology assignment?" he asked, trying to change the subject.
"Uhm," she replied noncommittally. Then she absently reached into her bag and pulled out a small book, tossing it to him without looking. "Third page."
"Thanks." She waved her hand at him and pretended to ignore both of them.
"How long have you known Maurae?" she heard Shayne ask.
"For about a year and a half, maybe a bit more. We played on the team together in the Junior Goodwill Games. Have you ever seen her skate?"
"I used to go to her games, back before she went and got all famous. Back before my hair was blue-black." Shayne shrugged. "She was pretty good, I guess." Seeing his look, she quickly clarified. "Not that I'm all that great a judge of things like that. I can't ice skate; she can't skateboard. It's an even trade."
"You any good on a skateboard?"
"Let's just say that she is to a skateboard as I am to ice skates," Maurae said without looking at either of them, still pretending to read. Shayne made a face.
"If you're going to butt in on other people's conversations, Maurae Nicole, you should at least look at them," she snapped, taunting her by using her middle name, and a tone of voice reminiscent of Maurae's mother.
"If I wanted to look at you, Shayne Elizabeth, I would," Maurae shot back evenly. Fulton followed the exchange, highly amused. "It so happens that I don't."
"I am not going to deal with this for two whole hours," Shayne muttered rebelliously as a teacher poked his head in to make sure they were there.
"Maurae Grabeklis, Shayne Kimble and Fulton Reed, right?" The three teens nodded. "Good. You'll be dismissed at 4:30." He disappeared and Maurae turned her back on her cousin and Fulton and traded her notebook for the history text she had to start reading. She heard Fulton and Shayne start an intense discussion on music, the merits of certain bands and eras.
This made her roll her eyes. She and Fulton never agreed on music. Of course, she and Fulton never agreed on much except hockey, their friendship with each other, their friendship with the team, and that they both missed Portman but were angry with him.
For that matter, she and Portman never agreed on anything but hockey and their friendship with Fulton. He was often loud and boisterous, while she preferred quiet and alone. He tended to hog the spotlight, and she wanted nothing better than to let others have it. Of course, he was a good friend, and quite attractive besides...
Her feet hit the floor with a thud and she almost fell out of her chair. No, Portman was not attractive. He was an overbearing goon. Satisfied that her subconscious would not insert any more thought not her own, she lifted her legs once more onto the desk, crossing her ankles. She ignored the stares from Shayne and Fulton before they resumed their conversation.
She re-emerged when Fulton laughed at something Shayne had said. This time, her feigned ignorance of the comment was genuine. "What's so funny?" she asked, setting the book down and stretching her shoulders. Shayne looked at her for a moment and shook her head.
"Nothing."
"Right. Like I haven't heard that before, and at my expense, too."
"Consider it a joke at your expense, then, if it makes you feel better," Shayne shot back. Fulton broke in then.
"For two people who are related, you two sure fight a lot."
Maurae looked thoughtful, and Shayne slightly guilty. "We grew up together, true enough. I guess we were friends before...even though I had hockey, we got along pretty well, though we did – and still do! – disagree on several key things."
"But when she was picked for the national team, and even a bit before that, when my family moved, we grew apart so rapidly it was staggering. I cut my hair and dyed it, she let hers grow and lost weight. I got more and more...rebellious and anarchic, while she got quieter and more...I dunno, peacemaker-ish? I got darker, she got lighter."
"But most of this is banter and bluster, Fult. We're so different now that we...I guess we're still getting used to the new people we are. Of course, we used to taunt each other all the time back when. I never hit her, though." Her smile was teasing, and Shayne let it go.
"Maybe we still are friends. Who knows? But I'm not a good little girl anymore, and she just doesn't have it in her to be a bad girl." Maurae shrugged away the comment, though it stung. She knew it was true and she wasn't going to try and pretend it wasn't. Though being a little rebellious could be fun.
'Maybe that's why Portman appeals to me so much,' she thought absently. 'He's not exactly the kind of guy you can take home to meet your family. And where the heck did that thought come from?' She shook her head again, trying to chase away thoughts of Portman.
"I don't know," Fulton teased. "She's landed herself a detention on the first day of school, AND punched a fellow student. She's well on her way to getting a bad girl rep." Maurae stuck her tongue out at him.
"I lost my temper."
Shayne grinned. "I remember when we were little, and Justin used to provoke you. He'd pull your hair and scream at you. Remember when he bit your nose?" Maurae immediately flushed crimson. Fulton looked interested. "You stuck a crayon up his butt." At this, Maurae covered her flaming face in her hands as Fulton howled with laughter.
"Is detention supposed to be this funny?" asked a thoroughly bland voice from the door. The three teens turned and saw that they'd been joined by the rest of the hockey team. "Hey, Ro. Fult. We thought we'd come see if you were bored enough to try and ditch it."
Shayne turned to Maurae and raised an eyebrow. "That's the second time someone's called you 'Ro.' What's it mean?"
"Nickname they gave me the first day I met them," she replied quickly, hoping against hope that her cousin, who knew her well, wouldn't get them started on her other nicknames.
When the manic grin spread across Shayne's face, she knew that she had no such luck. "Nicknames, huh? Have you told them any of your other nicknames?"
"Oh, no. Please, Shayne, don't!" This, of course, piqued their interest. "Please, I will do anything! Absolutely anything!"
"Or, instead of nicknames, I could tell them stories about you." Her voice was thoughtful, but Maurae wasn't fooled. Her eyes narrowed dangerously.
"And you could do both, but you know what I have on YOU." Her own grin was wicked now, and her friends were watching the exchange with amusement. "You don't tell them about the nicknames or about Fred, and I won't tell them your little secret. Deal?" She held out her hand, knowing Shayne would go for it.
"Deal."
"Stories?" Les asked comically. "I like stories."
A heavy sigh, and Maurae rolled her eyes. "Shayne, the rest of the team. Guys, my cousin Shayne."
"Tell us a story!" Les exclaimed, sitting on a desk and watching Shayne with mock-innocent eyes. Shayne laughed and her smile turned evil.
"I know just which one to tell you," she said, shooting a look at Maurae.
"Just tell me which one so I can decide whether to run away or just end my misery completely by sticking a pen through my eye," she drawled, feigning unconcern. Shayne grinned.
"I was going to tell them about you and Jamison, in first grade."
"That's not a bad story," she retorted. "I would have figured you'd tell them something really embarrassing."
"Oh, I'll get there, don't worry. Or should I tell them about the time I saw you with George after that game."
Maurae's eyes widened. "You saw that? I didn't know you'd seen that! I thought nobody had seen that!"
"Well, I did. I could trash your good girl rep thoroughly for you, if you'd like."
"Shut up. I only told Leon about that. And for the record, it wasn't that bad." Shayne only snorted.
"I'm dying from curiosity here," Russ said, breaking up the argument. "Are you going to tell us a story or not?"
"I suppose." Then Shayne proceeded to tell a truly embarrassing story that had Maurae's face in flames, her hands over her ears, and her head buried in her arms on the desk. When the laughter died down, Adam reached over to tap her shoulder.
"Go away," she mumbled. He tapped her again. "Adam Banks, I swear, if you touch me once more before my skin is normal-colored again, I'll slap you."
"How'd you know it was me?"
"I always know who it is," she shrugged, lifting her face off her hands. "You know," she said mock-thoughtfully. "I have some pretty...interesting stories about Shayne." To her surprise, Shayne went pale.
"No! You wouldn't!"
"One thing you obviously forgot, Shay," Maurae grinned, her face still red. "I give as good as I get, and better." She didn't get the opportunity to tell her story, however, because the teacher stuck his head in the room. He blinked.
"You can go. It's almost five." The team got up and started a mad rush for the ice rink. Maurae and Shayne stayed behind a few extra seconds to glare at each other.
"This is so not over," Maurae commented as she picked up her bag and stuck the history book into it. Then she swept out, leaving Shayne behind to glare and wonder if she would really tell the story she thought was the one. At last she shrugged and dismissed it.
They changed all in one locker room like they were used to. Despite entering high school and dealing with their growing hormones, none of the boys would look at the girls – the knowledge that any of the three could beat any of them up kept them discreet – or the girls at the boys.
For Maurae, she was floating. She just wanted to play hockey with her team once more. She missed it terribly. They all crowded through the doors into the rink and breathed their awe. "Wow, this place is great!" Guy exclaimed. Someone whistled in awe. Charlie led the whole group forward to stand practically with their noses to the glass.
"This is a nice rink," he commented, looking around critically. A flurry of exclamations greeted his words.
"You know, I bet they even have a snack bar here," Goldberg commented, making several people snort.
"Big deal," Adam replied absently, staring at the Varsity team already on the ice. Seeing his eyes, Ken grinned.
"They look pretty good," he said quietly.
"They've sure won a lot of championships," Julie added, indicating the banner-hung rafters.
"They're huge!" Averman exclaimed.
"They're not so hot," Charlie insisted.
"Yeah. Come on, guys. We could skate out there," Connie agreed encouragingly. She and Charlie led the whole team around the rink to the gate and opened it, only to be met by the Varsity team in force.
"Well, if it isn't Captain Duckie," commented Riley. Fulton reached past Charlie's shoulder and shoved him back a foot into Cole.
"Get your hands off him," he growled.
Cole sneered stupidly. "Ooh, look! A Bash Brother! I'm so scared." Julie rolled her eyes at Adam, standing next to her, who covered his mouth to hide a smile at the not-so-intelligent comeback.
Fortunately, before a fight really could break out, Wilson skated over and started to push at some of his players. "Break it up! Come on, men, let's go!" The Ducks stood and watched until Varsity had left before stepping onto the churned ice and starting to skate a circuit.
Charlie glanced back at Dwayne, just behind him. "How 'bout it, cowboy? Round-up?"
"Hey, Charlie. Shouldn't we wait for the new coach before we mess around?" Connie pointed out.
"This is how we practice," he retorted. "Duck hockey, Connie? He'll have to get used to it sooner or later." She shrugged agreeably and Charlie turned back to Dwayne. "Well, come on, Cowboy. Hit it!"
Dwayne grinned and looked around at his team. "Yee haw! Round 'em up, doggies!" With a cheer, the team split up as Dwayne swung the lasso around his head. Julie, Connie, and Maurae formed a chain of three, holding onto each other's waists as they skated around the rink. At the opposite end, Maurae let go, intending to skate on her own for a while.
BOOM! She hit the boards with a thud that actually echoed, despite the noise from her teammates. Embarrassed, burning red, she got slowly to her feet and skated leisurely around the rink, watching as Dwayne caught Adam and then Averman. She grinned when Adam skated towards her.
"Feel better?" he asked. "Nice fall, by the way." Her face flushed and she gently punched his arm.
"Why did you have to say anything?" she groaned. "Isn't it bad enough that I fell?" He grinned his boyish grin.
"What kind of best friend would I be if I didn't remind you of your faults?" he teased.
"The kind that lives until old age," she growled playfully. Then she tackled him and they both fell, just as the lasso fell across them. "And if I'm going to keep falling, you're coming down with me," she added, getting up and skating fast away from the approaching Dwayne.
Adam grinned, shook his head, and ducked as the lasso flew over his head again, this time capturing Fulton. Grinning, Dwayne found Charlie and started to swing the lasso again. Charlie took off as fast as he could, trying to outrace the lasso already flying after him.
It slipped over his head and shoulders just as he tripped. Sliding on his belly for a few feet, he suddenly went silent with the rest of the team as a whistle blasted shrilly. They all looked as a very angry-looking man skated towards them, a scowl on his face. He stopped precisely a foot in front of Charlie's face.
The captain looked up, eyes dancing madly, and slowly got to his feet. "My name is Coach Orion," the man said, his voice firm. "You can call me Coach, or Coach Orion." Charlie smirked and held out a hand.
"You can call me Charlie."
"That must be what that 'C' on your jersey stands for, unh? Sure doesn't stand for 'Captain,'" Orion responded, wiping the smiles off half the gathered faces.
"Sorry, Coach. We're just messin' with you," Russ spoke up.
"Hey, Bombay gave him that 'C,'" Goldberg pointed out.
"And I respect that, but that's the past," Orion said, eyes flinty. "This is my team, now, and I'll be selecting the captain." Charlie's face was incredulous.
"You gotta be kidding me, right? I mean, you're the rookie here. We've all been together for four years!" Maurae winced. He was digging himself a nice big hole.
"Okay, Charlie. Laps. Right now."
"How many, Coach Orion?" he asked, pulling the rope over his head, face stubborn.
"I don't recall saying." Charlie shook his head mutinously and skated off, arms pumping. "Now you listen up, and you listen up good. We are here for one reason and one reason only. You know what that is?" He skated sideways in front of Averman. "Starts with a W."
"To win, Coach Orion, sir!" Averman responded cheerfully.
"No. Tow work," he corrected, making Averman sag. "High school hockey is very hard work. And it all begins with defense. I've seen your tapes. I know you can score goals. I just don't know if you can stop them."
"Hey!" Goldberg interjected. He looked around for support, found none, and faded. "Uh, sorry, sir."
"You're not kids, or little Ducks anymore, so I'm not going to treat you that way. You're going to learn to play two-way hockey: offense and defense. It's going to take one thing." Once again, he was standing in front of Averman, who tried to give it another shot.
He snapped to attention. "To work, Coach Orion, sir!" he shouted, military- esque. Russ smacked his arm.
"Wrong," Orion replied, again making Averman wilt. "Will. It's going to take real will, if you want to play in my barn." He looked at them all, to make sure they'd gotten it. "All right. Count off, let's climb the ladder."
Slowly, they obeyed. Maurae sighed and pulled on her helmet. 'This is going to be a long year,' she thought to herself, retrieving her stick and shooting a look down the rink at their stubborn captain.