Chapter 4

Meeting the new

Outfit: malina_meeting_new_ducks/set?id=84096235

***************************************Malina's POV**************************************

We were driving.

Singing some song playing on the radio, we were having fun.
Dee was sitting in the back, mom was driving and I got to sit in the passenger seat.

We were laughing, 'cause truth be told none of us could sing that well.
We stopped at a red signal and we waited.
The light turned green and we drove on.

We reached the middle of the crossing, when something came towards us with full force.

My sister, my little sister, was screaming in the backseat, she saw it too.

The car was about to hit us and I scream, I scream as loud as I can.

I sit up and my bed, trying to get my heartbeat under control. ''It was only a dream'' I whisper over and over again. Someone opens my door quietly and I lift my head from looking at my legs to look at the person who just stepped inside my room.

Les.

Somehow he has always been there when I wake up and he comforts me every time.

''Are you okay, Lina?'' he asks softly. He sits next to me on the bed, I rest my head on his shoulder and he puts an arm around me. ''Yeah I'm fine, just a bad dream'' I say not wanting him to know more. It's one thing to know that you're aunt and cousin died, but knowing how? That's one thing he could live without. Knowing how they screamed and how Dee cried? He is better off without knowing it.

''Do you want to talk about it?'' Les asks concern weaved into each and every word he says. I shake my head, unable to speak. My thoughts jumbled up and all over the place. We sit for a bit just sitting. His arm around my shoulders, my head on his shoulder and his head on mine. We sit in silence until he breaks it ''It's already 9:40 so really no point in going back to sleep?'' I look out the window and sure enough the sun is shinning.
''Why can't we go back to sleep?'' I yawn and my question comes out a bit distorted. ''We're going to the hockey rink in an hour'' He says and looks at me, waiting for a reply. I rub my eyes before glaring at him ''why?'' I say you can hear on my voice that I don't really want to go ''we are getting some new players today and you are going to meet them'' his voice is suddenly very cheery and he stands up, heading for the door. I think he realizes that I'm not following him, 'cause he turns around and gives me this look that says ''you better get up now or I'll go get a bucket full of ice water'' and yeah there is a look that says that.

I hurry out of bed; no matter how tired I am it isn't worth getting a bucket of ice water thrown over me.

Les and I went downstairs to the kitchen. He did most of the talking, wondering about who the new players might be. I wonder mostly about if I will be bored or really bored.

''So…'' Les says to catch my attention while he finds two bowls, two spoons, milk and cereal from the kitchen cupboards, which I still need to learn my way around.

''So?'' I ask him while I pour a bit cereal in my bowl. I'm not really hungry in the morning so I just pour enough for about seven spoonful in my bowl.

''Guy and I talked about asking coach if you can go with us to L.A.'' Les mumbles the last part, but I hear it anyway. I don't know if I meant to or if it was a subconscious reaction, but I straighten a bit, once I realize what he just said. I thought about it yesterday, but it seems impossible.

''Is that possible?'' I ask looking down in my bowl, pushing the last three cornflakes around in the milk. Les' eyes light up, when my words settle in the air ''you want to come?'' he asks as if he can't believe it. As if the possibility for me to actually want to come is impossible.

''Yes of course'' I respond quickly, hope seeping through in my voice.

''We'll talk to – oh shit we have to go'' Les grabbed my arm and literally dragged me outside. I laughed at his panic, when he drops one of his skates down on his foot.

He hops around on one foot for a bit, before he calms down. ''Come on'' he yells once he is ready with his skates and helmet.

The trip to the skating rink passed in a blur and now I am standing in front of it, waiting to go in, waiting to meet the new ones. I don't like meeting new people.

I don't like not knowing the people that I stand beside or across from, because I don't know what to expect from them. I don't know anything. And that is why I am still standing here.

Les went inside about five minutes ago.

I draw in a big breath and walk inside, at the same time entering Les' other life.
I'm about to meet Lester Averman, the hockey player, and not Les my cousin. I find the ice rink easily and I arrive only to find them on the ice already. They are skating around the rink and even though they aren't really playing I can see the excitement in their eyes. Their eyes are shining like stars and you can see the laughter in them. I smile to myself, knowing exactly why they feel that way.

A whistle breaks through the atmosphere. The sound of it wakes me from my trance.

I look up to see that they are all standing around center ice. The new ones skate onto the ice at the same time coach says ''tell me about my new kids''
I don't want to admit it, but I tune the rest out. Until a new voice breaks through and I look up from the floor (which I have been staring at for the last few minutes) and I look up to see a boy throwing a cowboy hat off to the side.

I meet his eyes quickly before I look down again.
I don't pay attention too much after that really.

I brought a book with me and I have been in a trance since I picked it up.

So when Les smacks his hand on the glass in front of me I catch myself in fighting a scream.
''Verdammt Les'' I say once I've gotten over the worst shock. ''Practice is over'' he says with a grin ''so?'' my voice clearly shows how tired I am. ''We have to talk to Coach'' He says and starts to skate towards the other side of the rink, leaving me to run around the rink to get to his coach.

''Hey Coach'' Les yells just as I reach him. His Coach turns around and he begins to walk towards us. ''What is it Averman?'' their Coach asks with a casual smile on his face. ''I'd like you to meet my cousin''

******************************* Dwayne Robertson's P.O.V **************************

The others are talking about practice, making a deal to go that diner in town to get to know each other. All that filled my mind was the girl on the stands whose eyes I caught just for a second. ''Hey guys'' I said catching the attention of the others ''who is that girl who sat on the bleachers?'' I guess no one from the new ducks, except me, noticed her. The new ducks are asking 'who is he talking about?' among them selves, I can hear them. ''Oh that, that's Malina'' one of the guys said, I think his name is Guy. ''Ok, but why was she here?'' my curiosity is peeked and I need to know more about her ''she is Averman's cousin, she just moved here from Germany a few weeks. She lives with the Avermans now.'' Guy, yeah I'm pretty sure that's his name, explained. ''Okay'' I respond and the conversation dies there. Averman walks into the changing room and nods. I think it was some sort of sign to that Guy guy, because he seems to smile upon seeing it.

''So what's the plan, of course after you meet Lina?'' Averman asks out into the room, breaking the silence, we all look up and Guy starts telling him that we are planning to go to that diner where Charlie's mom works. We finished redressing and made our way out of the dressing room. I saw her, Lina talking to our new Coach, she wasn't exact ly looking happy, but I could see just a faint shadow of a smile on her lips.

Guy, Averman and that girl from the ducks, I forgot her name, walked over to them, said a few words to Coach and then they took Lina over to us, well they almost had to drag her over to the rest of us. I wonder why? Maybe she's just shy.

''Hey guys'' Averman says loud so that even Julie and one of the blonde guys can hear it over their chattering ''I want you to meet Malina, my cousin'' he gestures to each of us 'new ducks' while saying our names ''it's nice to meet you, please call me Lina'' she says quietly I can barely make out the words. ''I'll just head back to your place'' Lina says, I noticed she didn't say home, even though she lives there now. ''No you're not, you are coming with us'' he says, laughing. Her eyes widen a bit, not enough for everyone to see. She shakes her head. Again only ever so slightly, I think it was only meant for Averman because he nods and then she sighs and whispers something to him, but he only laughs.

She rolls her eyes and looks at Connie and Guy ''so what's the plan?'' she says, a bit happy. ''Well we are all going to the diner were Charlie's mother work, just to get to know each other a bit better'' Connie says to Malina, then she turns to us ''I hope you all brought some non-ice skates because that is the fastest way to get around here'' she tells us before walking towards the exit of the rink. Luckily I did bring my skates.

I didn't really pay attention to the trip to the diner, in my mind we are just suddenly there.

We walk inside and get seated in one of the booths. I got a seat next to Dean and Adam and just across from Malina.

Malina whispered something to Connie, they started a whole conversation in whispers and none of us really got anything of it, we mostly just sat there looking at them. ''Okay, this is how we do this; We'll all write down some questions on small pieces of paper and put them in Guy's hat, then we will take turns in pulling a piece of paper out of the hat and read it out loud, sounds okay?'' everyone either nodded or shrugged, meaning they agree with her. She passes out some paper and pencils, everyone starts writing. ''Lina will go first'' Connie says, Lina doesn't react she just sits there looking at her hands, Connie shoves her with her shoulder and she sort of wakes up.

*****************************3rd person's POV***********************

''What do you do besides hockey?'' Malina read the question out loud. Everyone keeps looking at her, she didn't know whether or not to begin, but as everyone keeps looking at her she did. ''Well I don't even play hockey'' she says and in that moment she could swear that some of them look at her like she is from a different planet. Lester Averman begins to answer the questions and so the game really begins.

They laugh with each other and they truly get to know each other. Until one question silences at least two at the table. It is the 21st question to be read. ''Do you have any siblings?'' Luis read from the paper. Lina grabbed Les' hand and looks at him with pleading eyes. Les can see her worry and her pleas in her eyes.
It was almost Dwayne's turn to answer, but all he could see was she. The look in her eyes was confusing him; it was just a questions. How could she look so worried about that?

The boy next to him, Dean answered the question. Dwayne answered absentminded ''two brothers and a sister'' and the question moves on. It reaches Malina in what seems like a blink of an eye. She hesitates.
Connie doesn't know what's happening. They know she has a sister. Why can't she just tell the others?

Les wraps an arm around her shoulders ''I, um, I have a little sister'' she whispers, the tears clouded her vision, threatening to spills over and pour over her cheeks ''I-I-I'm sorry'' she runs out of the diner leaving the remaining thirteen teenagers complete and utterly confused.
''She's just missing her'' Les, the one with all the answers whispers trying to clean up this mess.