Allison Moreau had a strong slap.
I stared at the spot that she had been previously standing. I couldn't even feel my face after her hit. The slap had me so out of it, I didn't even realize that I was being slammed up against the wall, until I felt a sharp pain in my back.
I looked at the face in front of me, and was surprised when I saw Jesse.
"Jesse...what?"
"What the hell man!?" He yelled.
I glanced behind him, and saw the rest of them, Bombay and Ms McKay looking at me. I turned my attention back to Jesse when he pushed my further into the wall.
"What the hell is wrong with you!?"
"Jesse-"
"Bring up Peter was low. But saying that!?"
I had never seen Jesse so mad before. I couldn't bring myself to say anything. What was I supposed to say?
"Look, I didn't mean it—"
Jesse scoffed, glaring at me. "Cause that makes it so much better!"
"Just get off me, man!"
Jesse shook his head at me, but let go. "Fine. You want to ruin everything? Go ahead. But don't come crying to me like you always do when she won't even look at you."
He gave me another shove, before storming off. I stared after him, looked around at the team before walking out.
{}~{}~{}~{}
Allison Moreau seemed happy.
Today was the championship game, and I was extremely nervous, when Allison burst into the locker room with excitement written all over her face.
"Coach!" She exclaimed. "I woke up, and the pain was gone."
To prove this, she rotated her wrist around. We all smiled and cheered for her, but Coach's smile dropped.
"Allison, I'm sorry, but we already have a full roster."
Allison's face dropped. I watched Russ go to take his jersey off, but Charlie stopped him.
"She can have my spot. It's what I can do for the team."
Bombay smiled at him, patting him in the shoulder as he said, "Charlie, I need you on the bench right beside me coaching."
Allison still let me tie her skates.
She shuffled up to me, softly asking if I could tie her skates, so I did.
"I'm sorry." I mumbled.
"I know." She mumbled. "And I forgive you."
I could have cried. I didn't expect her to forgive me at all, let alone this easily. I stood up with a smile, and pulled her to her feet.
"Are you ready?" I asked her.
"Not at all."
I gave her another smile and we all headed out to the bench.
"Now, the two teams gather at their respective benches. In their last meeting Iceland crushed Team U.S.A. 12-1."
"Heads high! Stand tall! Fly straight! U.S.A.—"
"All the way!" We finished together.
I took a deep breath as I skated out onto the ice.
"We're ready for the opening face-off in tonight's championship game. Team U.S.A. against Iceland. Lester Averman will move in to take the draw. Oh! Averman gets knocked down. Iceland physically dominated the first game between the two teams, and they're trying to do it again tonight."
I got the puck and tried to pass it to Kenny. But ended up getting flipped over. I groaned in pain, but shoved myself up anyway.
Iceland scored, making me curse under my breath.
"Iceland in the lead 2-0 is really throwing everything they have at Team U.S.A. Team U.S.A. has to find a way to get back into this game."
I sat on the bench with Averman, listening to him as he complained. "We can't beat them. Iceland is bigger, stronger, and they have more facial hair."
I snorted a bit. Coach walked over to us and said, "Allison, you're on."
She stood up, and before she could go out onto the ice, I grabbed her wrist. "Be careful out there."
She smiled through her helmet. "I always am."
Allison got the puck, and she shot it in. We all cheered, but it was cut short when an Iceland player smashing her wrist with his stick.
"Hey, Ref, Why don't you call something!?" Bombay screamed. "He almost took her arm off!"
"Two minutes." The ref said.
The Iceland player smiled cruelly and said, "Two minutes well worth it."
Allison skated over to the bench, and took her glove off. "Coach, I'm okay, really. It just hit the padding."
Coach didn't look like he believed her. I don't think any of us did. Not after she hid the last injury.
"Coach, I'm fine. I promise."
Bombay stared at her for a moment longer, before nodding.
"Team U.S.A. up to center ice. Connie Moreau to the blue line. Drops it back to Mendoza. Ducks under a check. Robertson now with it for U.S.A. he's got great moves with the puck. Robertson till with it. Portman calling for it behind the net. Robertson knocked down from behind. Iceland takes it."
"Get him, Luis!"
Luis skated after him, but when he caught up to him, instead of getting the puck, he ended up knocking him into the net. The buzzer went off and I helped Luis stand up.
"Nice going." I hissed.
Luis glared at me, shoving my shoulder as he skated by me. "As if you could do better."
I clenched my jaw as we got ready.
"Show me the Flying V!" Coach called.
We did so, but got knocked down. Allison, who was put back in, got the puck, and Connie skated and I next to her. All three of us skated close together with Portman in front of us, knocking Iceland players out of the way. Me, Allison and Connie wrapped around the net, and then instead of Allison having the puck, it was in Connie's possession.
"Here comes Allison and Connie Moreau, as well as Guy Germaine. Dean Portman in front knocking Iceland players out of the way. Allison Moreau in possession. The Moreau sisters and Germaine wrap around the net—where did the puck go? Connie Moreau has it, she passes it to Germaine, Germaine shoots, he scores! The score is now 3-2."
We all cheered excitedly.
"Nice play!" Averman complemented.
Connie, Allison and I smiled at each other. Allison and I were pulled out and I was glad for a bit of a break. I watched as we got thrown around and cheered when 74's goal got blocked by Goldberg. Kenny got the puck, and shot it in.
"You want a piece of me?" He asked the Iceland player. "Alright, come on!"
Kenny pulled the move that James taught him, making us all cheer.
"Wha did I do?" He asked innocently as the ref skated over to him.
"That'll be minutes, son."
Kenny got brought to the box, and as he did, and stared straight at Stansson as he said, "Two minutes well worth it."
"I like this Kenny." Allison laughed.
I smiled at her and listened to Fulton and Portman as they cheered excitedly.
"That's our little bash bro!"
"Way to go little bash brother!"
"Let's here it for the three Bash Bro's for entertaining the crowd.
Coach patted mine and Allison's shoulders and said, "All right, guys, let's play some hockey."
Dean and Fulton got thrown in the penalty box along with Kenny.
"Connie, Allison, be careful. They're gunning for you." Charlie worried.
"We'll be fine, Charlie."
"Iceland on attack again. Uberjavik fires the puck into the corner. Connie Moreau over to get it. Sanderson has her lined up."
"Connie get out of there!" Allison yelled.
She skated over to try and help, but Uberjavik checked her hard into the wall a few ways away from Connie.
"Yee-haw!" I heard Dwayne shout.
"Dwayne, no!"
"I'm coming Connie!" He called.
I watched in shock and amusement as he grabbed a rope, and lassoed Sanderson.
"Where I come from, we treat ladies with respect!" He snapped.
"Thank you, Dwayne. But I'm no lady, I'm a duck!"
Connie shoved him over, and skated over to Allison, helping her up.
I heard Coach scoff in disbelief and amusement from beside me.
"This isn't a hockey game, this is a circus."