reconnect • charlie conway

adjusting

tibbles still hadn't come to, and fulton stood behind me, looking nervous and guilty.

i sighed, turning and looking up at him, "fulton, i wish you would have gotten a chance to to play with us on team usa, but i think your time in prison for manslaughter is gonna mess all that up."

charlie nudged me, not wanting me to worry the already nerve wracked boy,"danica, stop worrying him," he shot a reassuring smile at fulton, "don't worry, tibbles is still alive."

i nodded, muttering eerily,"for now."

"danica!" fulton exclaimed, causing me to laugh.

coach held something under tibbles nose, i would assume it was some sort of smelling salt, and don was brought out of his borderline comatose state.

i let out a breath,"whew, close one, huh fulton?"

fulton simply rolled his eyes, tired of my joke, as tibbles muttered,"yes, i'll have the cheeseburger and fries. and a milkshake."

the woman who was with him smiled,"i think he'll be okay. we'll keep an eye on him," she stood up and smiled politely at coach,"he didn't have a chance to introduce us. i'm michele mackay, their tutor."

they shook hands,"i'm coach bombay, their coach."

adam scoffed,"who said we need a tutor?"

"oh, i specifically asked for one in my contract," i replied, but everyone knew full well that i was just kidding,"i think we could all use some structural learning."

charlie chuckled lightly, shaking his head, as dean sneered,"i don't need no school."

i knit my brows, feeling like that wasn't completely true, but i didn't say anything.

goldberg attempted to use his natural charm to persuade the woman, slugging his arm around her,"ms. mackay, we're america's team here. shouldn't we just be concentrating on hockey? may i suggest optional attendance?"

we all let out various chirps of agreement, deciding that was the best idea any of us could have come up with with.

ms. mackay nodded slowly, seeming to take in his words,"well, that's not a bad idea." she looked to him, waiting for him to tell her his name.

"call me goldberg." he replied, shrugging casually.

"goldberg," mackay repeated,"yes, school will be optional," we broke out into cheers, but it seemed to be much too soon, as she quickly crushed our dreams,"however, however! should you not attend, you will not be eligible to play."

"can she do that?" jesse asked, not sure she had the authority.

i shrugged,"looks like it."

•

after tibbles decided he was fine, coach thought it was the right time to call the first practice over.

i walked out of the locker room with jesse and guy, with plans to go to the mall, but they were quickly squashed when we found an uninhabited zamboni.

jesse looked to us,"should we-"

i nodded immediately, feeling excitement bubble inside of me,"yes, yes, a thousand times yes, we should do that now."

jesse laughed, while him and guy hopped on. guy quickly extended a hand to me, and i grabbed it, as he pulled me onto the huge machine.

jesse started the machine, and it became abundantly clear that we had no idea how to steer it.