Author's Note: I think a disclaimer in the previous chapter has alerted you to the fact that the only characters I own are my own.

Chapter 2: Gaining New Friends and Finding an Old One

The boys stopped laughing as they leveled with Charlie and Kelsey, who had a look of disgust upon her usually pleasant oval-shaped face.

" Hey, it's the babe who was snappin' at me earlier." the tallest of the boys supplied.

Kelsey looked sharply at the toned young man, noting that if he was not such a pig-headed jerk, he would be quite handsome. His brown hair was held back with a blue bandanna, which paired with his muscular body and leather jacket, just screamed bad boy. She also couldn't help but think that he looked rather familiar, but wasn't going to dwell on that.

She locked her piercing blue eyes with his vibrant brown ones, holding a silent staring contest.

" Portman, knock it off." Charlie said as they continue staring one another down, before turning to the rest of the team. " This is Kelsey, everyone. She's going for tryouts."

A stout girl with a long blond ponytail spoke up first. " Hi, Kelsey. I'm Julie Gaffney, the goalie for the Ducks."

So everyone went down the line saying his or her name and offering up the position they played. As soon as everyone had finished greeting the new recruit, they rushed to the locker room, leaving Charlie and Kelsey alone on the bench.

" They all seem nice enough." she offered in the uncomfortable silence.

" Yeah." Charlie conceded as the rest of the team joined them again, dressed in their gear.

" So, we only have one student who wants to try out?" Coach Orion called from the door of the arena.

He sounded a little agitated, but this was nothing new.

" I guess." Charlie muttered, before he could stop himself.

An audible sigh was given from the rest of the team because they knew what would be coming now.

" You just earned everyone, even the new girl, twenty-five laps. Well, get going!" Coach Orion barked.

An half hour after everyone had finished, the team made their way onto the bench to listen to their coach's plans for the practice. They all pretty much were in agreement that Kelsey would be made a member of the team, even if Orion had yet to see her play.

" Well, I have decided that Conway, Averman, Banks, and Paris will take Center; Gaffney and Goldberg are Goalies; Moreau, Wu, Reed, and Portman will play Defense; Mendoza, Germaine, Tyler, and Robertson will play Offense. Now, let's scrimmage."

So in the end, Kelsey had Julie, Connie, Fulton, Luis, Adam, and Russ on her team. On the opposing team, Charlie had Averman, Goldberg, Ken, Portman, Guy, and Dwayne.

" On my whistle." Coach Orion said as he began lowering the puck down to the ice between Averman and Kelsey.

" Good luck." Averman quipped as the puck landed between them.

Kelsey nodded as the whistle was blown, before scooping the puck away from the stunned redhead.

By the time the hour and half long practice was over, Kelsey's team beat Charlie's 4-3. After a short speech from Orion that concluded with him welcoming Kelsey as the newest member of the team, the sweaty teenagers all made their way into the Ducks' locker room to change out of the sweltering uniforms. Everyone was exhausted, but thoroughly happy with the strenuous workout.

" Geez, Kelsey, you sure are fast." Dwayne drawled as he untied his laces.

Kelsey flashed him a smile, grateful for the workout. Her mood had improved drastically the moment she touched her skates onto the smooth ice of the rink.

" Yeah, I mean, I can't even skate that fast." Goldberg added, getting a roaring laugh from the team.

" Goldberg, you can barely skate." Fulton said while rolling his eyes.

" I can skate, thank you very much." Goldberg said matter-of-factly, puffing out his chest with a wink to Kelsey.

" You cannot." Charlie argued light-heartedly. " Last year, you nearly killed both of us when you went over that hill."

Noting the look of intrigue upon Kelsey's face, Charlie launched into the story of what happened on their way to Eden Hall on their first day of school. When he finished the entertaining story, everyone was howling with laughter. After the laughter subsided, the girls went into the shower room to shower off and get back into their clothes as the guys respectfully changed in the locker room.

" Oh, no. I have to get home." Kelsey said dreadfully as she looked at her watch as she emerged a few minutes later.

" Why the rush?" Russ asked, everyone's eyes darting over to her.

" Yeah, we're all going to stop by the Goldbergs' diner to get dinner." Fulton added, the rest of the guys nodding their heads fervently, thinking of the delicious food that awaited them.

" My stepmother takes issue with me being tardy." she said while rolling her eyes.

She placed all of her gear quickly into her locker, and picked up her messenger bag.

" Are you sure? My mom's food is the best in all of Minnesota." Goldberg boasted.

" Sorry." Kelsey said with a genuine frown. " But, I'll definitely join you guys next time." she promised as she headed out of the arena.

As soon as she was off of campus, she broke out into a run and did not stop until she made it to the apartment her dad was renting for the year that was ten blocks away. She stood out on the front stoop, gasping for breath as she looked up at the gray apartment building. The yellow daisies and purple pansies in the flower boxes outside the front windows were the only objects giving the building some color. Kelsey smoothed down her hair and tugged her blue button down shirt to remove the wrinkles and braced herself as she opened the heavy black door.

Marion Paris, glared icily at her stepdaughter from her perch on the white sofa. " I told you to be home an hour ago."

" I'm really sorry. I didn't mean to stay at practice so long." Kelsey looked down at her black flat covered feet.

She was not entirely upset that she was late for "quality time" with her stepmother, but more worried about how this would cause another argument between the older woman and her father.

" I don't care. This is the first time in months that I have been home, and you're busy doing only God knows what." Marion screeched as she waved her right hand in the air.

" I'm sorry, Marion, I really am. I didn't know what time it was until I checked my watch." the teenager said in a small voice, as her normally composed stepmother jumped up from the comfortable sofa, her stylishly cut brown hair swaying about.

" I don't care. You were always ungrateful." she groused as she stamped a heel clad foot onto the ground, causing her black pleated skirt to bounce. " Since the time you started playing hockey instead of going to your figure skating lessons, I knew that you would never be grateful of me."

Marion crossed her arms over top of her white blouse, giving Kelsey a look not unlike a pouting child.

" Oh, for crying out loud! You tell me this every time I see you." the younger one exasperatedly stated, throwing her hands up in defeat.

" Get out of here, you little brat!"

" Fine."

Kelsey turned on her heel and walked the two steps out of the apartment, and slammed the door. She started back towards the school, hoping to cool off without getting lost.

' I can't stand that horrible woman.' she thought angrily, as she came upon one of her relatively new teammates. ' Well, I wonder what he's up to.'

" Hi, Portman." she greeted him as she caught up with him.

Apparently, he had not noticed she was behind him, because he spun around really quickly with a menacing look on his face.

" Oh, hi." he returned, softening his expression somewhat. " What are you doing out this late on your own?"

Kelsey rolled her striking eyes, thinking to herself that it was barely even six. " Just enjoying the sights and sounds of Minnesota. So what's up with you? I thought everyone was going out to eat?"

They continued walking down the block before Portman offered an answer. " I'm tired of stickin' around the dorm or the diner, listenin' to everyone complain about me bailing out on them for most of last season."

Kelsey offered a sympathetic look, not knowing the full story. " I'm sure they'll eventually get over it."

He shrugged as they walked a little farther, stopping when they came to a small park that was situated between the school and the neighborhood Kelsey lived in. " So, why are you really out here tonight? Surely Minnesota is not as thrilling as New York."

Kelsey sat down upon a bench, crossing her ankles. " My stepmother thinks I'm an ungrateful heathen because I don't want to spend epic amounts of time with her."

" Ah, the delightful wench your dad married. How is dear Marion?" Portman sighed as he sat next to her.

Kelsey's frown deepened, not expecting to confront her mother's death. " Same as always."

She toed the ground beneath her feet, not wanting to look up at her companion.

" I'm sorry. I shouldn't have mentioned it." Portman said somberly. " I just-"

" It's okay, we were just four at the time." Kelsey interrupted, not wanting to talk about the past any longer. "So, speaking of the past, why were you a complete jerk to me today? I know we haven't seen one another since we were in grade school, but that don't mean you can treat me like a complete stranger."

She playfully punched him on his left shoulder.

Portman briefly looked taken aback before recovering with a smirk. " Well, I didn't recognize you, until Charlie said your name. And, to be fair, you definitely weren't that built when we were eight."

He winked, causing Kelsey to softly swat him. " I would thank you kindly to not be checking me out anymore."

" Sorry, babe. I can't resist."

" I saw you at the Jr. Goodwill games." she stated. " I can't believe you didn't notice me, there."

" You were there?" he asked with a look of surprise.

" Duh." she rolled her eyes. " I played for the Norwegian team since I had been living there for three years. Of course, we sucked and got eliminated in round two, but I went to all of Team USA's games while we were there."

" What were you doing in Norway?" he asked with a puzzled look upon his handsome face.

Kelsey watched a man throw a Frisbee for his dog to catch before answering. " Dad wanted me to stay with my mom's parents while he traveled around Asia, so I ended up living with them for about three years. Then, one year we lived in Nordland just because he has always wanted to live there. And, the year of the games and before we left, we lived in Oslo."

" Where else have you been?"

The old friends talked for close to an hour, catching one another up on their lives. Kelsey noticed the sun had started setting, sighing because she knew she would inevitably have to go home.

" Well, though I hate to say it, babe, you ought to go home."

An awkward silence followed, during which Kelsey nervously twirled her wavy hair, while Portman stretched his arms.

" Yes, I suppose you are right." she murmured as she reluctantly got up from the bench. "Want to come with me?"

" I guess. I shouldn't let a beautiful gal such as yourself walk alone at night." he said before quickly adding, " And, it would be cool to talk to your pops. "

Kelsey ignored his previous admission and started walking as he got up from the bench and followed her. They chatted about their favorite things during the walk to her apartment. Kelsey felt a knot growing in her stomach as she placed her key into the door and allowed herself and Portman into the dimly lit living room.

" Dad?" Kelsey called as she pulled off her shoes. Portman followed suite, taking in the fact that, though the outside was pretty drab looking, the inside was meticulously furnished with very expensive and very white furniture and carpet.

" Kitchen." came his muffled reply from the adjacent room.

Kelsey padded across the plush carpet, motioning for Portman to follow her through the swinging door. The burly boy shook his head in refusal, not knowing what to expect from her dad. Kelsey just rolled her eyes and went into the next room.

The small modern kitchen smelled deliciously of pot roast. Kelsey inhaled appreciatively, noting that Marion must have left or else they would be having a dinner cooked by a caterer.

" Yes, she went to the mall." Caleb Paris said perceptively. " What happened?"

Caleb looked sympathetically at his daughter. With his sandy blond hair, pale green eyes, and tanned skin, his daughter couldn't look any less like him. He was a broad, but tall man, and looked much younger than his forty-six years.

He untied the apron around him and placed it upon the island in the kitchen as his daughter started to explain.

" I was just an hour late. I tried to explain, but she wouldn't listen. We had to spend thirty minutes doing laps because someone talked back to coach." she said exasperatedly, but her tone changed as she continued, " By the way, I brought someone here to meet you."

" You already got a boyfriend?" her dad asked, crossing his arms, trying to look stern.

" Whatever." she rolled her eyes. " No. So, you remember how we lived in Chicago until I was about eight?"

" Of course, sweetheart. It was the roughest time of our lives."

Kelsey gave a sad nod, knowing that the initial years after her beloved mother's death, she rarely gave her dad problems except for the fact that he wanted to stay in the city were her mother's life was cut short. Though Kelsey was surrounded by friends and family during that tragic time, she still felt horribly depressed about living in the same apartment, going to the same places, and doing the same things in the city she had so loved until her mother's death.

" Well, you remember mom's best friend, Gina..." she trailed off.

" Was her husband Kenny Portman?"

" Yes, dad. Well, you must remember Dean."

" As in Dean Portman?" her dad said as the names and faces clicked in his head. "He was a brute at the Games."

" Well, he's here." she said impatiently, hoping he had not ducked out of the apartment while she had not been paying attention.

"Bring him in." Caleb said, grabbing another dish and more cutlery for a third spot at the table.

Kelsey walked into the living room, finding her rebel friend sitting rather uncomfortably on the overly plush sofa. She was glad that he hadn't taken the opportunity to duck out like she thought he would.

She smiled briefly, then started blushing. "You're invited to dinner."

" Great. I'm starved." he accepted as he got up from the sofa, still looking unsure of everything.

" Hey, he's known you since you were in diapers. So, chill out." she said, hoping to cover the nervousness she was feeling.

Portman smiled as he followed her into the heavenly smelling kitchen.

Once the pot roast had been served, the trio talked about how their lives had been going during the past few years. After a small desert of apple pie, and more humorous conversation, Portman regretfully got up from the kitchen table.

" Thanks for the meal, Mr. P. It was awesome."

Caleb nodded as he cleared the table.

" I should get going," Portman said to Kelsey as they walked into the living room. " The dorms have a curfew, and I don't need to be breaking it so soon into the semester. I know I have a reputation to uphold, but I'm not in the mood to listen to my ma."

Kelsey laughed.

" I'll see ya at school tomorrow." he said as he got up from putting his shoes back on.

Kelsey could feel a blush burning onto her cheeks as she followed him to the door and opened it. " Goodbye."

She waited for him to disappear down the block before closing the door and locking it securely with all the locks and deadbolt. She then turned around and went back to the kitchen, finding her dad reading the newspaper.

" I'll do the dishes." Kelsey offered as she came into the room.

" Not a problem, dear. We have a dish washer, so you can go to bed." her father said from behind the newspaper. " But, I'll delightfully accept a rain-check."

They both laughed and Kelsey walked over to her father and planted a kiss on his cheek.

" I guess I'll be going to bed, then." she said with a yawn while stretching to her tip-toes. " Goodnight, I love you."

" Goodnight, sweetheart." Caleb said as he flipped the page. " Love you."

The tired teenager then left the kitchen and walked up the stairs in the dining room to her bedroom on the second floor. After quickly changing into her pajamas, she climbed into her soft bed and was asleep moments after resting her head upon the fluffy pillow.

Author's Note: I hope this version of Chapter Two supplies you with more of Kelsey's background than the original. Please leave a review! Any remarks, helpful criticisms, and the like are gratefully appreciated!