Today's our game against the Cardinals and for a warm up right before the game we're throwing footballs back and forth in our pairs. Why? I have no clue.
"Every time you get the puck, you're the quarterback. Make eye contact with the receiver. Talk to 'em, let them know its comin'." Coach instructs. "Come on guys, this isn't a library. Talk to each other."
After a few minutes Coach brings Fulton onto the ice for him to practise his 'Slapshot'. "This better be legit." Jesse says from beside me and I nod in agreement.
Fulton begins to pelt the pucks at the goal only getting a few in but its so cool. "Holy shit!"
I look over at the Cardinals team to see more than half of them with scared faces.
<^>
The ref blows his whistle signifying the start of the match. "Alright, lets forget the past. We lost a few games, tough! That was District-Five. Now we're the Ducks"
"Yeah."
"And the Ducks are undefeated!" Bombay adds.
"Alright! Yeah!"
"Quack. Quack." Coach starts to chant and soon enough we all join in.
"Quack! Quack! Quack! Go..... Ducks!" We cheer.
<^>
Its the beginning of second period. The score is 2-0 to the Cardinals. "Delilah, you take face off."
"Really?" I ask, stunned.
"Unless you don't want to." Bombay smirks.
"Shut up you know I want to!" I smile and get on the ice.
The puck is dropped and I win it over after a bit of fighting, and send it over to Averman, who passes it to Connie, who passes it to Fulton, then to Jesse who shoot and... Scores!
"Oh my god! Yes!" I jump and tackle Jesse to the floor along with the rest of the team.
<^>
Karp is skating backwards as he watches a Cardinal player head on with the puck. "Come on Karp! Defence! Lets go!"
Karp drops on his knee just as the Cardinal plays shoots the puck but instead of going to one of his players or in the goal it hits Karp right in the forehead. Oh god...
Karp falls on his back and the crowd gasps so the whole team rushes out to see if his alright.
"I don't wanna go to school today mom." Karp groans as Charlie takes his helmet of for him.
"Karp, how many fingers am I holding up?" Coach asks and shows him four fingers.
"He wouldn't know that anyway." Peter remarks.
"Shut up Peter." Me and Coach say in sync.
"Karp, are you okay?" Coach asks.
"Look at this." Guy says and hands over the dented helmet.
"The Karp-ster used his head to stop the puck~" Averman commentates. "Mr Karp-a-lanee~"
Coach rolls his eyes at Averman, "Lets get you off the ice. Come on."
The crowd begins to cheer in support as they see Karp get dragged off the ice. "Get him on the bench Charlie."
"Alright Ducks. We've still got a chance here. Connie, Delilah, Jesse, Guy, time for the secret weapon. Okay, Fulton. Remember, just like we talked about."
"Let's do this!" I raise my arms and we all skate on the ice in positon.
Once again, I win the puck and send it straight over to Jesse. Jesse passes it to Connie, who passes it to Fulton. Fulton fakes getting ready to shoot and the whole Cardinals defence flees out the way to not get him by his slapshot, but Guy comes up behind him and steals the puck, then sails it over to where I stand next to the empty goal. I see the Cardinals goalie try get back in to save the goal so I quickly score it before he had the chance. And that's what the Ducks call The Statue of Liberty!
"Yeah!" We all cheer and huddle round each other.
Tied: 2-2!
<^>
Me and Gordon head over to see Hans and whilst they talk hockey stuff I look around.
"...you'll make the playoff." I listen to the end of what Hans said. We could make the playoffs?
Gordon sighs, "Well, we might have to play the Hawks."
"So?"
"So, they're a tough team. Nothing's changed since I played." Gordon says. He was a Hawk?
"Actually, one little thing has changed." Hans informs him. The district lines. "You wouldn't even be a Hawk now. They redrew the district lines a few years ago. The lake is not the boundary anymore. You see?"
"That's why I'm a Duck, not a Hawk." I speak up. "You'd be a Duck."
"I'd be a Duck." Gordon whispers to himself.
"Hey Gordo, there's something I need to tell you that I found out about the Hawks." I admit.
"What is it Delilah?"
<^>
My dad dragged me along with him and a district advisor to go tell Coach Reilly that Adam can't be a hawk anymore, just before the Hawks had a game.
"Excuse me, Coach Reilly?" The district guy approaches the man in question with me and my dad trailing behind him.
"Why did I have to tag along?" I hiss to Gordon.
"I wanted to see what he'd say to you." Gordon whispers back. "You think I'd let this jerk get away with trying to steal my daughter from her team?"
"Banks! Over here!" Coach Reilly's yell stops our conversation and I shrink back behind Gordon when Adam skates over to us. "This had gotta be a joke, right?"
"I'm afraid its not a joke."
Another man steps into the Hawk box, looking slightly annoyed and asks. "Is there a problem, Coach Reilly?"
"Oh no no no. Its just a mistake, Mr Banks." Coach Reilly insists. Mr Banks?!
"Are you this boy's father?" The district guy asks and I catch a glimpse of Adam who is squinting trying to figure out who's hiding behind Gordon, a look of realization floods his face when he sees me.
"Delilah...?" He whispers and I look down.
"450 North Hennipen Avenue, is that your current address?" The district guy reads off some papers in his hands.
"Yes." Mr Banks nods.
"Then I'm afraid there's no mistake. This boy is playing for the wrong team." The district guy announces. Let's call him Barry for now.
"What?" Adam asks.
"According to league rules, Adam Banks should be playing for District-Five." Barry informs them.
"My son is a Hawk, not a Duck." He spits Duck out like its venom.
"Listen dude, clearly you're not very good at listening." I speak up. "This man has clearly stated many times that your kids a Duck, why can't you accept that?"
"Of course you've got something to do with this." Coach Reilly says through gritted teeth.
"You got a problem with my daughter Jack?" My dad steps in front of me. "I expect to see him at our next game. We'll have a uniform waiting for ya."
"No way!" Adam declines. Now I see why he fits in so well on the Hawks. Jerk!
"My son would rather not play than play for your team." Mr Banks says, matter of fact. I look at Adam and know he doesn't agree with his dad by the look on your face.
"You sure that's what your kid wants? Look at his face." I motion towards him with my head. "Its up to Banks not you."
"Bombay teach your kid some manners!" Mr Banks snaps.
"Why? All she's saying is the truth." Gordon laughs but when he sees the rest of their annoyed glares, two of them directed at me as well he decides, "Delilah, go get your gear on ready for our game."
"Fine." I sigh and walk off to the changing room.
"Dee, where's your dad?" Charlie asks.
"Having it out with Coach Reilly." I say but don't look at him.
"Cool." Jesse and Peter run out to go eavesdrop.
I walk over to Connie, "Hey Con, I need to tell you something."
"What?" She asks, copying my hushed tone.
"You know Banks?" She nods. "He might be joining our team."
"What?!" Everyone looks at us for a minute before getting bored and carrying on.
"Shut up." I hiss.
"Sorry. What?" She asks quieter.
"I know. The district lines mean he needs to be on our team. Its either he joins or he can't play." I inform her.
"My god." She says shocked. "Well, how do you feel?"
"I-I don't know. I thought I'd be alright with it ish when coach said he was gonna get him on the right team but when I saw him find out he was a Duck... he hated the thought and just basically screamed jerk and I regretted finding out." I admit. "What about you?"
"I don't know Dee, I don't even know him, except for the fact that he and his buddies always go after our team." She states.
"I don't know him either." I tell her. "I don't even know his middle name!"
"You don't know his middle name?!" She asks shocked. "But you always find out they're middle name in like, the first conversation."
I have this weird obsession where I have to find out the persons middle name when I meet them and if I don't ask you your middle name it probably means I don't ever wanna talk to you again. I know the whole teams middle name but only a few of them know mine because I hate it. Maybe that's why I like to know everyone else's so much? But yeah, I always find out people's middle names unless its like someone's parent cos I just think that's weird.
"I know." I agree.
"Going to playoffs! Whoo!" Charlie cheers and me and Connie laugh. "One win!"
"Yo Bombay!" I look over at Jesse, to see him, Terry and Peter not in their gear and looking at me.
"Yeah?" I ask.
"Your dad's a jerk!" Peter says.
"I'm well aware." I laugh confused, and my eyebrows knit together. "But why is here a jerk this time?"
"He said-" Peter is cut off by a sharp jab from Jesse.
"Leave her out off it man." Jesse tells him.
"Out of what? What did he say?" I ask getting annoyed. "What did he say?"
"Come on Dee, just leave it." Connie tries to stop me.
"No. What did he say, Peter?" I ask again. "Peter?"
"Dee, just leave it, okay? You're gonna find out anyway." Jesse says.
"Well if I'm gonna find out anyway, why not just tell me now, get it over with?" I shrug.
"Delilah, just let it go." Guy comes up behind me and picks me up by my waist.
"No, no! What did he do?! Peter tell me what he said?!" I raise my voice and Guy carries me away into the corner he's getting ready in. "Guy put me down right now or I swear to god!"
"Princess, chill." He whispers in my ear.
"I have a right to know." I say in a strained voice.
Guy puts me down and turns me to face him, gripping my shoulders. "Chill."
The locker room door begins to open and Jesse mutters loud enough for me to hear, "You're about to find out."
"Hey, why aren't you guys in uniform? We've got warm ups in half and hour." Gordon says as he walk in and see Jesse, Terry and Peter sulking on their own bench. "Alright everyone, listen up, I've got some good news."
"We're getting a new player: Adam Banks." Coach announces.
Everyone immediately disagrees. "What?!" "Why?!" "No!" "He's a Hawk!"
"He's a good player." Coach states earning a disgusted noise from Karp.
"Everybody hates him." Jesse speaks up.
"We don't need him." Connie adds.
"I'm the coach and I say we do need him." Coach declares. "If we make it to the playoffs he could be a big help." If?
"If? All of a sudden you don't think we're good enough?" Karp asks, reading my mind.
"No, he thinks we're losers. That's what he told Reilly." Peter reveals.
"What?" Gordon asks.
"Come on, we heard what you said." Peter scoffs. "You said we were losers and we didn't deserve to live." What?!
"What?" I ask.
"That's not what I meant." Gordon says switching his gaze between me and Peter.
"I saw that picture of you missing that goal." Peter begins, standing up. "You were a Hawk, weren't you? Guess you guys stick together till the end. You know what? I don't need your stinking equipment." He throws his jersey on the floor. "See ya around."
Peter shoulder barges coach as he exits the locker room. "Peter come back here! I'm talkin' to you son!" Son? Since when did he talk like Reilly?
"Forget it cake-eater." Jesse scoffs. "If you wanna play, play with yourself." The two of them leave.
"Where do you guys think your goin'?" Coach asks but gets ignored.
"I don't believe this." Coach mutters under his breath. "Alright, I'm going up to the bench because that's where I'm supposed to be. Anyone who wants to join me can join me. Anyone who doesn't... Well..." He walks out the changing room.
"What the hell?!" I run out after him. "Gordon wait!"
"What Delilah?" He turns back to me.
"Why couldn't you just deny it?! Why couldn't you have denied the living shit out of it to show a bit of regret?! Or even an ounce of regret at all?!" I raise my voice.
"What and lie to you all?" He fires back.
"It would've been better then nothing." I say exasperated. "How could you?!"
He sighs, "You know I didn't mean it."
"Do I?!" I ask him. "I don't even know who you are! I don't know you're middle name!"
"What's my middle name got to do with anything?!" He asks confused.
I scoffs, "That shows how much you know about me then doesn't?!"
"What?"
"God, Screw you!" I storm out.
"Delilah!"