At the ice rink…
"I really want to connect with you guys by learning how to play hockey," Mr. Mark declares.
"Sure, we can teach you," Kendall replies enthusiastically.
"Wait, we will?" James, Carlos, and Logan exchange puzzled glances, still trying to grasp his sudden decision.
"Absolutely," Kendall beams at them, but Logan can't shake the feeling that there's more to this. "Kenny, can we talk for a second?" He pulls Kendall aside. "What's going on? Just a moment ago, you were venting to your mom about Mr. Mark in the Palm Woods parking lot, and now you're inviting him to skate with us?"
"It's all a test," Kendall reveals.
"A test?" Logan raises an eyebrow, bewildered. "What do you mean?"
"If Mr. Mark genuinely cares about us, my mom, and Katie, he'll need to show it through effort. We both know from experience that hockey isn't easy to pick up. The first hurdle is mastering ice skating. We have no idea if he can even do that. He needs to be steady on his feet and able to handle the stick and puck. It's a lot of movement, and he doesn't exactly seem like the athletic type. If he can manage to stay upright and keep trying during our time here, then we can start to trust him more," Kendall explains.
"A significant part of that plan just doesn't sit right with me. There are numerous gaps in it, but I have faith in you. I've believed in you since the very beginning of our friendship, and I'm on board with this strange scheme of yours," Logan states.
"Me too," James replies, grinning.
"Count me in!" Carlos exclaims with enthusiasm.
They all gear up for hockey, handing Mr. Mark some extra equipment stored in a nearby locker.
Mr. Mark wobbles as he makes his way onto the ice rink.
Watching him struggle, Kendall feels a secret amusement but keeps a straight face. "You know, Mr. Mark, the best way to start ice skating is to let go of the wall," he advises.
"I know, but it feels so safe to hold on," Mr. Mark responds, still gripping the wall tightly.
"You can't join us in the game if you're stuck over there clinging to the wall. Come on out to the center of the rink," Kendall encourages.
"I don't think so, Kendall. I'm barely managing to stay upright as it is," Mr. Mark replies.
"Once you get out there and experience the thrill, you'll be just fine and in the zone," Kendall assures him.
Cautiously, Mr. Mark follows Kendall to the center of the rink, struggling to maintain his balance.
"Are you alright, Mr. Mark?" Logan inquires.
"Yes, I think so. I'm just so accustomed to watching sports rather than actually participating," Mr. Mark admits.
"Have you ever tried ice skating before?" James asks.
"Not since I was a child, years ago," Mr. Mark replies. "Even back then, I wasn't very good."
"It must be challenging to pick it up again at your age. Fifty-five is a tough age to stay active," James comments.
"Fifty-five?" Mr. Mark exclaims, taken aback by the assumption. "You really think I'm that old?"
"Yeah, aren't you in your fifties?" James asks, puzzled.
"I'm 35," Mr. Mark clarifies.
"We had no idea," Carlos says. "He just assumed you were older than you look. Please don't be upset with him."
"I'm not upset, just surprised he thought I was that old," Mr. Mark replies.
"Mr. Mark, you might not have noticed, but throughout our entire chat, you've been remarkably steady on the ice. Not a single slip!" Logan points out.
"Wow, you're right! This is fantastic," Mr. Mark replies. "I wonder how I managed that."
"I think I have an idea. It's all in your head. If you're constantly fretting about falling, you can't concentrate on your balance. But if you trust yourself to stay upright, your confidence will help you maintain your stability," Logan explains.
"You watch a lot of Dr. Phil, don't you?" Mr. Mark teases.
"Absolutely," chime in James, Carlos, and Kendall in perfect harmony.
"I enjoy diving into psychology books," Logan admits. "When I first started playing hockey, I struggled with skating and fell frequently. I hated being the butt of jokes from my teammates. It was embarrassing, and I almost quit, but these three jokers wouldn't let me give up. They were determined to help me become a skilled ice skater and hockey player."
"Back in Minnesota, on our high school hockey team, he was one of the fastest skaters on the ice. With his sharp mind, using math and physics, he could predict when the puck would come to him and when to score," Carlos shares. "It was as if he had a cyborg-like ability to visualize everything, analyzing which moves would succeed and which wouldn't."
"Is that why you think I'm so talented?" Logan laughs.
"Absolutely, I believe that wholeheartedly," Carlos responds.
"Thanks, Carlos. I never really considered it that way," Logan says appreciatively.
"Are you ready to kick off the game, Mr. Mark? You'll be facing off against Carlos, our team's top goalie. He was also the best back in our Minnesota high school days. He's quick and tough. Do you think you can get the puck past him?" Kendall asks.
"Gee, I hope so," Mr. Mark replies, his confidence wavering.
"Awesome, good luck!" Kendall says, his voice quick and encouraging and skating away.
"Retrieve the puck, Mr. Mark! Brace yourself!" James exclaims, passing it to him.
"What am I supposed to do with it?" Mr. Mark asks.
"Shoot for the goal! Glide swiftly, keeping control of the puck with your stick," Logan instructs.
"Trying to score a touchdown, huh?" Mr. Mark inquires, met with stunned silence from the teens.
Suddenly, all four boys stop and exchange bewildered looks.
"What?" Mr. Mark queries.
"You must be joking. Touchdowns in hockey? We're on the ice, not a football field," Kendall responds, frustrated by Mr. Mark's lack of hockey knowledge.
"I apologize for my ignorance when it comes to hockey," Mr. Mark admits.
"It's all good, Mr. Mark. Just give it your best shot at scoring a goal," Kendall encourages.
With determination, Mr. Mark glides toward Carlos, sending the puck hurtling toward the net, but Carlos swiftly intercepts it.
"You'll need to put in more effort than that to get past me," Carlos taunts.
Undeterred, Mr. Mark keeps pushing for a goal, but each attempt ends in failure, leaving him utterly drained after an hour of relentless effort.
Breathing heavily, he exclaims, "Wow, that was intense!"
"Was it too much for you?" Kendall teases.
"No, I just didn't realize how tough and physically demanding it would be," Mr. Mark replies. "I appreciate you letting me join in on your favorite sport. I know it wasn't easy for you since we don't exactly see eye to eye."
"You're right; I don't fully like you. But after watching your dedication to learning hockey today, I'm starting to warm up to you—maybe a 2 out of 10. If you want to earn my complete trust and friendship, though, you need to step up your game with Lucas and Audrey," Kendall states.
"I'll give it a shot, but I really don't see the issue. They're good kids," Mr. Mark responds.
Kendall sighs in frustration. "This was a colossal mistake. I'm never inviting you to play hockey again, and my trust in you just plummeted back to zero." Frowning, he continues, "I genuinely wanted to make my mom happy by trying to get along with you, but when it comes to your kids' behavior, you refuse to see how rude and mean they can be. Just wait; you'll soon discover the true colors of Lucas and Audrey."
As the boys loaded their hockey gear into Ms. Knight's car, Kendall slumped into the backseat, still visibly upset. "You okay?" Logan inquired, noticing his friend's mood.
Kendall sighed and met Logan's gaze. "You were right, Loganator. My plan was destined to fail. I should have taken your advice." With a resigned expression, he buckled his seatbelt.
Logan shook his head. "I won't gloat about being right. Instead, I commend you for making the effort to get along with Mr. Mark."
As the night progressed, the boys and Katie engaged in various relaxing activities to prepare for bedtime. James and Carlos were engrossed in a game of dome hockey, while Kendall entertained himself with amusing YouTube videos, and Logan focused on solving a sudoku puzzle. Meanwhile, Katie was situated on the swirly slide deck, immersed in her handheld game device, playing Castle Bashers. Suddenly, the fire alarm blared, startling everyone present.
Ms. Knight rushed out of her bedroom, exclaiming, "Come on, kids, we need to get outside!" All the residents of Palm Woods hurried to the parking lot.
"This is so ridiculous! I don't want to be out here in my pajamas! I have more self-respect than this!" James complained, visibly annoyed.
"That ship has sailed long ago," Camille remarked, chuckling at his choice of slippers.
James glanced down at his footwear and sighed. "I didn't select these monkey slippers. My mom sent them to me last month. When she called to ask if I needed anything, I casually mentioned that my slippers could use an upgrade and that it would be nice to have some that were cool enough to model. I was joking, but she took it seriously and sent me these monkey slippers. She believed they were stylish enough for modeling, but I explained that our definitions of 'cool' differ significantly. She sees it one way, while I, as a teenager, have a different perspective. I didn't want to come off as ungrateful since she took the time and expense to send them all the way from Minnesota. I truly appreciate having a mom like her," James explained.
"Aw, James. You're quite the sweetheart. Beneath that tough exterior lies a kind heart. You should reveal that side of yourself more often; it might help you get a date," Camille suggested.
"Do you really think so, Cami?" James inquired.
"Absolutely! I know that some of my co-stars from Witches of Rowdale Drive have significant crushes on you," Camille replied.
"Well, I am the most attractive member of BTR," James stated with pride.
"Would you like to say that louder, as if we're not standing right here?" Kendall interjected sarcastically, standing beside Carlos and Logan.
James sheepishly looked away.
"I'm just teasing you, man. We're not upset," Kendall chuckles.
"What kind of blaze are we dealing with?" Katie inquires.
"The fire captain will have to fill us in on that," Logan replies.
He lets out an exasperated sigh. "When will that be? I'm fed up with standing around out here," Carlos grumbles. "I'm so bored."
"Hopefully soon," Logan responds.
Just five minutes later, the fire captain emerges. "You can head back to your apartments now. The fire has been put out. It was a minor electrical fire sparked by an overworked and overheated hair dryer plugged into an outlet that was overloaded. It originated in Jett Stenson's apartment. Where is he?"
Everyone gestures toward Jett, who is engrossed in his phone. He glances up, puzzled by the disapproving looks directed at him. "What's going on?"
"The fire was your doing. You've caused this hassle for everyone living here!" Kendall exclaims. "We all know you're self-centered and arrogant, but tonight you'll realize you're a walking fire hazard!"
"I'm not a fire hazard," Jett scoffs. "You sure talk a big game for someone in a nightgown. What are you, a relic from the 1800s?" He bursts into a mocking laugh.
"My choice of sleepwear has nothing to do with the mess you created! It's not even a nightgown—just an oversized T-shirt!" Kendall shoots back, his voice rising.
"Well, it still makes you look like you just rolled out of a dumpster," Jett snaps.
"Just shut up and leave him alone! You bully!" Katie interjects, her anger flaring.
"And you're just a hideous, brainless little girl," Jett retorts sharply.
"That's it!" Katie exclaims, charging at him.
"Whoa there!" Logan intervenes, grabbing her and holding her back firmly. "No need for that."
"She's lost it!" Jett exclaims, smirking.
"You set off a fire with all your gadgets at 10:30 at night and think you're innocent? You're the one who's out of your mind," Logan replies, still restraining Katie.
"You're going to have to pay a fine, Jett," the fire captain declares.
"Ugh! My lawyer will be in touch!" Jett retorts, storming back into the Palm Woods.
"Wow, talk about a drama king!" James comments.
"Let's just head back inside. We all need some rest," Kendall suggests as they make their way indoors.
