Sophomore Year Duck Style

I lounged comfortably on my pool floatie enjoying the warm sun making my already dark skin darker. Sunglasses covered my eyes as I put sun lotion on my legs, don't need a sun burn, now do I? I relaxed in my bathing suit as the floating chair swayed gently in my pool.

A lot had happened since winning the State Championship…again. The winter came and went as did Christmas. I get some great gifts, such as new hockey equipment and other cool items. Spring came and so did the off season. Some of the Ducks joined other activities. Luis field and track, Julie the debate team, Connie the drama club, Averman the chess team, Goldberg the cooking club, the Bash Brothers wrestling, and Guy…knitting believe it or not.

We had fun ragging on him for that. But I had to say he was pretty good, he knitted all the girl Ducks a purple and green headband and we wore them proudly. He even knitted a pink hat for Connie, resembling his old green hat which we all had hoped he had forgotten about. No such luck.

We took our finals and enjoyed not having to work so hard on hockey. Even though some (Adam) were still working as hard as they did during the season. Coach had granted us full access to the ice when we wanted it so we used it frequently. We even called him up for games.

At then end of the year all of the Ducks had been ecstatic. Varsity, made mainly of seniors, graduated! Riley and Cole would never torment us again. Only Julie was bummed because Scooter was leaving her for college. They decided to make a long distance relationship work though, for he was going to Princeton.

But the happiness went away as all the out of states Ducks went home as well. So for the past two months all of us Minnesota Ducks banned together to have fun. I swear I saw at least two Minnesota Ducks everyday and I called at least one out of state Duck everyday.

We had kept ourselves busy by playing street hockey in the afternoon and watching the Junior Goodwill Games in the evenings. Yes they were back; our favorite team was Team USA hockey. We watched as they made their way through victory playing tough opponents like Russia and Canada. Their main rival this year was Germany. We all had, had a good laugh when the Iceland team left after their second game.

They had their final game coming up in a few days and all of the Ducks were planning to watch it together. Yes I mean of all of them.

Like tradition all of the out of state Ducks came back at the beginning of August to spend one month with us before school started. Julie was currently staying with me, reading in her room instead of lounging with me.

I sighed as a voice sounded.

"Hey beautiful." I smiled looking up at Adam who was standing right in front of the pool. He was dressed casually in khaki shorts and a green polo shirt, with sandals on his feet.

"Hey handsome." I paddled my floatie over to him and he helped me out of the pool. He wrapped his arms around me and leaned down tenderly kissing me on the lips. I returned it wrapping my arms around his neck.

My parents were off on some cruise for the next two weeks so that had to be the reason he was willing to kiss me. After almost two years of dating he was still afraid to kiss me in front of my parents. Oh well, that's why he's my Adam. I pulled away hugging him.

"What's up?" I felt him shrug as he answered.

"Nothing much, parents are off in Italy for the week, I was bored thought I might come over here and check on you and Jules." I nodded and smiled up at him. My smile vanished as his cell phone went off. He groaned and looked down at it.

"Charlie…figures." He muttered answering it as I mumbled.

"I swear he knows how to ruin our moments." I listened as Adam talked to Charlie.

"Now...well I'm at Su's…what could be so important…everyone else is there…yes I'll tell her and Jules…yeah bye." He shut and looked down at me.

"Charlie wants us to come over to his apartment."

"Why?" he shrugged.

"Apparently he has some big news for us. He wants me to tell you and Jules and to hurry over." I nodded.

"Just let me change and I'll grab Julie." I grabbed his hand and led him into my home. I left him at the stairs as I hurried to my room, throwing on short shorts and a tank top; I went across the hall to Julie's room.

She was sitting on her bed reading a book intently. She looked up at me as I entered.

"Charlie wants us over at his house A.S.A.P." She groaned shutting her book and standing up.

"What does he want this time?" I shrugged as we walked down stairs to find Adam down there.

"Hey Jules." He greeted her with a smile as she returned it.

"Hey Adam. How are we getting to Charlie's?" Adam grabbed his car keys from his pocket.

"We can take my car." He suggested as we rolled our eyes. Adam always wanted to take his brand new two month old Ford Explorer out to drive. It was his birthday present from his parents when he turned 16 two months ago.

"Sure why not." I said as we hurried from my house and over to Adam's. He sat in the driver's seat as I called shotgun and Julie sat in the back.

"What do you think Charlie has planned?" Julie asked as Adam pulled out of his driveway. I shrugged placing my hair in a messy ponytail.

"I don't know but if it's just to watch another hockey game I'm gonna kick his butt to Canada." Adam and Julie laughed as we soon made it to Charlie's apartment complex. Adam parked the car as we walked up to the Conway resident. We walked up the stairs to the third level where their apartment was.

Adam knocked on the door as Charlie's muffled voice rang through it.

"Come on in!" Julie opened the door as we walked into the small apartment. The Ducks were crowded into the living room as they all yelled out a greeting to us.

"Hey." We said at the same time as a very familiar person emerged from the kitchen.

"Coach Bombay!" Julie, Adam and I yelled at the same time before plowing our way through the Ducks to hug him. He chuckled as he returned the hugs.

"Hey guys, wow Adam getting taller?" Adam laughed shaking his head; it was true he was around 6'2 now.

"Coach what are you doing here?" Julie asked as we took our seats in the cramped living room. Julie sat down next to Connie on the floor as Adam sat down on the couch, squished in between Charlie and Russ. He pulled me down so I was seated on his lap. I smiled leaning into him as he wrapped his arms around me.

"Well I have a surprise for all of you. How would you feel about going to California?"

--

I yawned as I stretched out of bed, making my way into the bathroom beating Connie and Julie to it. We were situated in California to watch the championship game of the Junior Goodwill Games. Today we were meeting Team USA and were going to play a little game of hockey with them. I combed my shoulder length highlighted brunette hair and placed it in a ponytail as I changed into shorts and a t-shirt, I placed my old Team USA jacket on for kicks. I emerged from the bathroom as Connie and Julie raced passed me slamming the door shut behind them.

Once everyone was ready we headed to the lobby where we grabbed a quick breakfast and several cars took us to the stadium where Team USA would be practicing.

We walked to the locker rooms and quickly changed into our practice gear and headed to the ice. We hid as we heard the coach talk to the team.

"Now team, this is your last practice before your match up against Germany and I thought you guys deserved a treat. May I present you the former Junior Goodwill Games champions the Mighty Ducks."

We skated onto the ice as the kids stared awestruck. I giggled and waved noticing a few of the boys winking at me. Boys will be boys.

"Hey guys, we're the Ducks." Charlie said introducing us in his usual Duck fashion. He named us all off but for the most part the kids would say our names leaving Charlie all pouty.

"So you think you guys can be champions?" Guy asked leaning against his stick as they all quickly nodded. I smirked skating forward and dropping a stray puck down onto the ice.

"Well here's you chance to prove it."

"You against…us." Adam said as one girl practically squealed with delight eyeing Adam a bit too much for my taste. But I wasn't jealous; the girl was like what, 12?

So we started the fun game playing easy at first. But of course we got a little competitive and started playing harder. It's a bit of a curse with us.

But we kept if fun doing Duck antics and hanging out with the kids, who really were a good bunch of kids.

A little rowdy, but hey so are the Ducks on a good day. I skated past the girl from earlier as she attempted to steal the puck from me.

"Is it true you're really dating Adam Banks?" She asked as I stopped and passed the puck to Dwayne and went down the ice. I lifted my helmet and looked down at her and nodded.

"Yeah, why?" She only blushed and looked to Adam who scored on their goalie.

"He's hot." I giggled nodding.

"That I know."

"If you every breakup can I have his number?" I quirked an eyebrow hearing giggles behind me to see Connie and Julie standing their laughing into their hands. I looked down at the girl and smiled fake.

"Sure." I mustered with fake enthusiasm. She squealed again and skated off, to gossip with the other girl on the team no doubt. I shook my head and skated to Connie and Julie.

"You should look out Su; Adam may just leave you for her." Connie said as I said sarcastically.

"Yeah because Adam will so leave me for that 12 year old ball of energy."

We continued on playing for a couple more hours, just having fun like normal.

At the end we wished Team USA luck and promised we would go to their championship game.

--

"Take that Germany!" Charlie yelled obnoxiously as Team USA scored on Germany for the 4th time that night. I rolled my eyes as Charlie continued yelling.

"Will he ever shut up?" Portman wailed in my ear for he was sitting behind me next to Fulton.

"No." All of the original Ducks said as one. We had been to enough games with Charlie to know he could go on all night.

"He might if he loses his voice, like he did at the Redwings game." Adam suggested as we all looked to Charlie.

"You think you're the bomb, well you're not!"

"Yeah I don't think that's going to happen." Averman said from next to Dwayne who was fiddling with his cowboy hat.

"He sounds like a banshee." Luis complained holding his ears as we all nodded.

Believe me we know. We've known him longer. I leaned over Adam and slapped Charlie over the back of his head. He looked at me confused.

"Su what is it? Can't you see I'm cheering for Team USA?" He asked annoyed as I rolled my eyes and responded.

"Yeah we saw…well we heard more then anything. Could you tone it done just a little bit?" He looked at all of us.

"Was I getting too loud again?"

"What do you think?" We asked back as he sat back down awkwardly.

"Sorry." He said quietly looking back to the ice. He jumped back up and started yelling.

"Come on ref call something, the guy practically just got mauled!" We all groaned and went back to watching the game putting up with Charlie yelling away like some crazy person.

I cheered as the buzzer sounded for the last time. Team USA won, 4-1. Charlie was screaming and cheering like a manic causing people to look wearily at us. I stood up and clapped as Team USA circled around the ice, the American flag been waved proudly.

I looked at all of my friends and realized how far we've come in the past four years. We still had a long way to do though, and we would, together.

Because now we're taking on junior year.

THE END…

(Please R and R! I do not own the Mighty Ducks!)