So the next chapter. As for the last question: You know I don't really know the answer but I guess most people figure it would be against the rules to or something.

For the 29th time I do not own the ducks or Eden Hall I just like to play around with them for the entertainment of others.

Chapter 29: I'm Making Oatmeal

The first period went by slowly and we were at a dead even 0-0 score. That was mainly due to Julie's quick glove work that they hadn't scored yet and our teams lack of faith or something that we hadn't. I couldn't put my finger on what it was exactly but I knew they were really off tonight. I could also tell Orion was getting agitated. A quarter of the way into the second period he called for a time out.

"What is going on out there? You're playing like you're back in the peewees again." Orion yelled.

"We're doing the best we can coach." Charlie answered.

"This isn't your best Charlie." Orion snapped.

"I haven't seen them play this bad since the impromptu game after Bombay left." I muttered to Goldberg who nodded.

"I don't know what it is Coach." Charlie said.

"Of course you do Charlie. You suck because you and the rest of this team ain't putting your hearts and souls into it because you think you need me on the ice. That's the only way you can play Charlie, it's the only way to play. You taught me that, remember. Remember what you told me? 'Play every game like it's your last, put your heart and soul into it because only then can you say you played your best.' Remember that Charlie?" I snapped. He hung his head because he knew I was right. I glanced up at the clock and back at Charlie.

"So what do we do?" Fulton asked.

"Like Jacobs said put your heart into this game and act like you actually know how to play or I'll make sure you learn all those lessons over again."

"Come on guys I ain't looking forward to blue collar hockey tomorrow. I actually have other things I want to do." The guys nodded and I saw the spark renewed in their eyes.

"Alright hands in. Go Ducks on three." We put our hands in. "1...2...3..."

"GO DUCKS." We cried some more enthusiastic than the rest.

The game continued but with very little change. "Reed, change it." Orion called. Dean came off and Fulton went on as Dean sat down next to me.

"Hey babe." He said after downing some water.

"Hey. This sucks, I feel like I could be doing the same thing in the stands."

"Crowd watching?"

"Yeah this is the first time in 6 years I haven't started a game when I played."

"Come on Baby, he'll put you in soon enough." He said kissing my cheek. I rolled my eyes but said nothing. Orion huffed, clenched his clipboard, and glanced at me. When he turned back to the ice I smirked at Dean and raised my eyebrows. Dean smiled and nodded.

Orion heaved a sigh and sat down next to me. "Are you ready?" He asked.

"Who are you taking off the ice?" I asked.

"That's not what I asked."

"I know but it's important."

"Tyler." I looked out and smiled. If you swapped me and Russ it would put me on the ice with Fulton, Charlie, Averman, and Guy.

"Of course Coach, I was born ready." I said I just hoped they would remain in the game for a while. I drug a few plays out of the moth balls in the back of my mind and knew that I would use them shortly.

"Good." Orion said standing.

"You're planning something." Goldberg said.

"Just watch." I answered.

"What?"

"Downtown, Statue of Liberty, Monster Truck, x's and o's, and a few others." Goldberg smiled.

"Have fun." Goldberg said as I jumped the wall.

"What's Orion doing?" I heard Josh ask as I took my spot on the ice. "It looks like Orion is pulling one of his star shooters for...who is this number 69? I wonder who this is."

"Like Josh said Coach Orion is putting in his newest player number 69 Lizzy Jacobs. Lizzy came onto the team to take over Adam Banks's spot." Jennifer Simmons answered.

"Well let's hope Orion knows what he's doing." Hockey just came to me so easily that it wasn't hard for me to concentrate on the game and pay attention to the announcers at the same time.

"Although Lizzy was brought to Eden Hall to play baseball and hasn't skated in five years she was once nominated MVP for her peewee team the Ducks only to be beaten out by her teammate Adam Banks. That's right folks the very same Ducks she skates with tonight were her peewee teammates five years ago under Gordon Bombay."

"You're kidding right?"

"Nope, let's sit back and see if she still has it shall we?" A little bit later I was getting irritated with Orion's plays that the Pirates had a defense for. The five of us gathered near Julie's net.

"I've had it." I said. "I'm done, I can't do this anymore."

"What? Lizzy don't leave." Fulton begged.

"Huh? Oh not like that Fulton. I'm done playing by his rules. Look at the Pirates; they have a defense for all of his plays. It's time we play by my rules and plays."

"Lizzy, the last plays we used that were yours were in the peewees. They won't work here." Guy tried pointing out.

"Yes they will. We're using the plays that they won't think we'll use. They've seen the Flying V they'll figure a way around it but the rest that Bombay rarely used in front of the world they haven't seen before. Not to mention Matt still uses all but two of them. Set up for Statue and then use Downtown." I barked.

"ER what are you doing?" Julie asked.

"Don't worry about it Jules just do your job."

"Are you sure Downtown will work?" Averman asked.

"Pretty sure just do it. Just remember, act like you've scored before." The guys nodded and we played.

With a minute left in the period, I decided to pull out my secret weapon. A play I knew would work. "Monster Truck." I called to my teammates. They glanced at me but did as I asked. Basically it was a play that rotated all five of us in the shape of a truck with one person in the box. The original player would end up back in the center at the end and shoot for the goal. The puck sailed straight into the net just like it did every time.

As the buzzer went off I scanned the crowd found Matt, Seth, and my dad cheering proudly and Alicia looking on mildly amused. Further scanning revealed Chris and Ben sitting about six rows down and a quarter of the stands away from them next to my aunt. A few seconds latter Russ and the rest of the out-of-state Ducks were pushing me into the boys' locker staring at me with wide eyes.

"What?" I asked.

"What the heck kind of plays were those?" Russ asked.

"Ah you liked that did you?" I answered.

"Eeep creepy déjà vu, don't do that again." Averman cried. I cocked an eyebrow.

"Fulton said that when he saw Russ's knuckle puck for the first time." Charlie clarified.

"So where'd you learn that stuff? It looked seriously professional." Dean said.

"The first set-up was called Statue of Liberty, and Gordon Bombay created that when we were in peewees. The rest of them are over-simplified Waves, now Redwings, plays. Matt made up all but the last one. That was his specialty in high school and college, Geometry; basically all hockey is is Geometry."

"The last play?"

"Yeah the one right before the buzzer that rotated the five of us was one of my favorites."

"Really?" Dwayne asked.

"Yeah I made it up when I was seven. Um...I call it Monster Truck, because that's what it looked like to me but Matt calls it square peg." I smiled as the locker room door slammed open.

"Jacobs." Orion hollered.

"Yes Coach?" I asked innocently when the door clicked shut.

"What do you think you're doing?"

"Getting yelled at?"

"You know what I mean."

"Making oatmeal?" I asked sarcastically.

Charlie muttered, "Here we go again."

"I was out there playing Hockey Orion. Something you haven't done in four years. Last time I checked we were five points up, one period away from winning this game, and the team is having fun. I used your plays Coach and they honestly weren't working so I switched to plays I knew would work. Every time I've used one of my brother's plays we've scored."

"We won state with those plays last year."

"And I respect that but the Pirates have seen those plays. They've seen them and found ways to stop them. Rarely can you face the same team with the same plays it doesn't work. You know you have to change it up or you get too predictable and you give your opponent the advantage over you." I stared him down and eventually he broke.

"Jacobs I want you and Conway on the ice for the rest of the game. I don't want them to score do you understand?"

"Yes sir." I smirked. I gathered the team around the chalkboard and showed them a few of my favorites. We went back out to the ice and played. The Pirates didn't score for the rest of the game.

Right before the game ended I was slammed into the boards by three of their guys and was awarded a penalty shot. I smirked lining it up and taking it. Of course I made it and scanned the stands again this time making eye contact with Matt. Keeping the eye contact I raised my stick with both hands and pointed straight at him. I put my hand on the blade and sheathed the stick like a sword. Matt smiled and nodded knowing the penalty shot had been for him. (Reference: Fulton's shot at the end of D2.)

I was picked up off my skates and spun around. "You did it again Lizzy." I heard Charlie shout as he put me back down and turned me to face him. He lifted my mask and smiled.

"Was there really any doubt? You act like I've lost a game before."

"Well there was that one time..."

"That one doesn't count because I wasn't allowed to play."

Charlie shook his head and smirked.

"Alright if you say so." He said. I turned slightly and saw my brothers, Dad, and Aunt standing at the entrance to the ice. I nudged Charlie and we skated over.

"Hey kiddo." Matt said.

"Mattie, what are you doing here?" I asked.

"Your friend called and said you were playing again and since I've never missed one of your hockey games, I had to come." Matt answered.

"Same here Lizzy." The rest answered.

"We're real proud of you, Baby." Dad said. I blushed and each hugged me.

"You've got an amazing boyfriend Lizzy, don't let him go." Seth said giving me an extra squeeze. 'That's weird Seth's never met Dean.' I thought. Then another thought hit me as I hugged Ben and Chris.

"I'll be right back." I said skating to Adam. "Tell me they didn't." I said drawing his attention from Fulton.

"Didn't do what?" Adam asked.

"Don't play dumb Ads, it doesn't suit you." I snapped.

"Please don't get mad, Lizzy-gator." Fulton said.

"Hey Mav, what do you say after the celebration at Mickey's I take you to Wendy's, then a movie?" Dean asked. I brushed off his question barely recognizing what he said.

"Come on Lizzy-gator, don't get mad." Fulton coaxed again.

"Sure Dean and it's a little too late for that, Fult." I said skating back to the group at the edge of the ice. "So did he pass?" I snapped. Out of the corner of my eye I saw Chris and Ben look at each other a bit startled and Matt and Dad looked confused. Seth looked down at his shoes. "Answer my question Seth."

"Slapshot you know..."

"Shut up and answer my question Seth Thomas."

"Yes, but you know I just wanted to protect you."

"Damn it, how much?"

"Half a mill was final but he said he'd never take any amount of money to dump you, he loves you too much." Seth answered quietly glancing at me once.

"You bastard." I spat slamming my fist into his stomach then shoving past him.

"Seth, what did you do?" My dad asked. I heard my aunt sigh but no one followed. I walked into the boys' locker room and threw my helmet across the room then buried my nose into Fulton's T-shirt.

"You know I have to wear that right?" Fulton's soft voice washed over me a few minutes later.

"Why can't they just let him be? Why do they have to do this every time?"

"They're scared you're going to end up with a jackass that's going to hurt you." I was pulled into a hug and inhaled a scent I knew to fit only one guy.

"Don't cry Kitten, it's not worth it." Dwayne said digging his nose into my hair. I relished his hug and tried not to cry.

"I know I just can't help it." I felt someone pull off my skates and then start massaging my feet.

"Eeep girl alert." I heard Averman say.

"It's just Lizzy." Guy answered as I pulled Fulton's T-shirt away from my face and lowered it into my lap.

"So you're saying I'm not a girl?" I asked not moving from Dwayne's embrace.

"No, that's not what I was saying at all, it's just that you're..." Guy started.

"I'm what?"

"I don't know, not like Connie and Julie." Russ added.

"What's that supposed to mean?"

"You're like..." Luis started.

"One of the guys Lizzy." Goldberg said.

"One of the guys?"

"Yeah I mean think about it. We can sit and talk to you about football or baseball or wrestling or sports or violent movies and you won't say how hot the main actor or player was. It takes you five minutes to get dressed in the morning, thirty if you have to shower. You also don't get all grossed out by blood or gore or violence, or worms or snakes..." Kenny said.

"Snakes are cool and completely misunderstood." I said.

"See my point exactly. You're..."

"A cool dude with long hair and..." Luis trailed off looking at Dean who was rubbing my feet.

"And a what Luis?" I asked smirking. He opened and closed his mouth a few times as if trying to decide whether or not to risk saying it.

"A smokin' ass." Dwayne said finally. I whimpered as Dean squeezed my foot too hard. He didn't let up so I jerked it out of his grasp and gently rubbed it.

"Dude lighten up, everyone in this school knows you have a hot girlfriend but sometimes they just can't help themselves." Fulton said. Dean was still glaring around the room murderously.

"Chill babe, they can look but they just can't touch." I said. He narrowed his eyes and I rolled mine. I huffed and jerked out of Dwayne's grasp dropping Fulton's shirt and picking up my skates and stick. I stormed out the door but paused behind it eavesdropping a bit.

"Portman, just back off. There's something you need to know. Connie asked Lizzy for a piece of paper the other day so Lizzy handed her a notebook. Before Lizzy realized which one it was Connie flipped through it. Lizzy only has two notebooks like that, that one and another which only Connie and Lizzy have seen. Do you know what was in the notebook Connie saw the other day? Pictures, sketches, and drawings of only one person." Guy said.

"So what?" Dean asked.

"Here's the so what." Guy snapped. "The first notebook that had been filled front to back was filled with pictures dated December 12, '93 to July 27, '94."

"That's when she dated me. Well all but the first two months." Dwayne said.

"Connie says when Lizzy's crushing on a guy she starts drawing; once they start dating they become more detailed."

"Detailed?" Dean asked.

"Yeah like a true artists. She'll get everything down right down to the very last detail on his shirt and the freckles on his face. It's really amazing. Anyway the notebook she saw the other day was filled with sketches of you, the only difference is that the detailed pictures start earlier. The pictures have been dated from December 10, '97 till yesterday. She's your girlfriend and all of us know and respect that, and that she's off limits." Guy said. With that I rolled my eyes and went into the girls' locker room to take a long, hot shower. After I got out Connie and Julie were still getting dressed. I finished dressing and started blow-drying my hair. All of a sudden it shut off.

"What the hell?" I asked tapping the side of it a few times.

"Talk to us." Connie demanded. I looked up and saw her twirling the cord in her hand.

"Seth's a stupid jackass and Dean's a jealous prat, now plug it back in."

"What happened? And no." Connie demanded.

"Dean's jealous, self-explanatory, and Seth's way overprotective. Now."

"Lizzy, protective isn't a bad thing, and no." My grip on the hair dryer tightened.

"It is when he tried to pay Dean off to dump me."

"Lizzy, he just wants what's best for his only sister. And after the stuff I hear from the guys in my bio class I'd believe it." Connie said.

"What stuff?" I asked.

"Liz, after a few select cheerleaders you are the hottest girl on campus, you're definitely the hottest rebel on campus. The guys in my class all want you. It's always 'Man Portman is sooo lucky' and 'Man I wonder if Portman's slept with her yet' and 'I'd definitely hit that'. Lizzy any guy on this campus would have to be blind, stupid, gay, and dumb not to want you." Connie was definitely boosting my ego.

"Yeah I mean your self-confidence, looks, and personality draw guys too you like a flock of birds. You don't give a shit what anyone thinks of you and you make it blatantly obvious that you will get whatever you want however you can." Julie added.

"I do?" I asked.

"Of course you do and what's more is you don't even know you're doing it, which draws the sweet guys to you." Julie smiled.

"But Dean..." I stuttered.

"Port loves you for who you are and the guys know that and it's thanks to him that the other guys don't hit on you. They may say stuff about you and spread rumors far and wide, but they wouldn't dare come near you because of how protective Port is of you." Connie said.

"So you're saying Seth knows this?" I wondered.

"No...Well maybe, I'm saying he may have gotten a tip from someone here and he might just be checking to make sure that Port is protecting you when he can't and your boyfriend isn't using you for your status." Julie said. I blew the hair out of my face and growled.

"Plug the damn hair dryer back in." I spat.

"Not until I'm sure you've calmed down." Connie said.

I glared at Connie, then Julie, then threw the hair dryer at Connie. She dodged out of the way and Julie snatched it out of the air seconds before it smashed into the wall. I picked up my jacket and stormed out of the locker room heading back to my room. I only got a couple of steps before a voice spoke up behind me.

Well that's all for now. I hope you enjoyed this chapter. And the quote where Lizzy suggested she was making oatmeal was inspired by one of the first episodes of Zoey 101 where they tried to get out of gym by playing disc golf. Kudos to you if you know which episode I'm talking about. Oh yeah you're getting this today because my college is closed because of the winter storm we just got.