Mattie's POV
In the locker room, everyone was super excited. No one could contain their excitement and joy, they showed it to the others, which had spread around. I was really happy myself, I was ready to play hockey with this team again. Yeah, I'm mad that Britt left us, but she didn't leave because she hated us or anything, it was because she wanted to try something new and I need to understand that and not blame her for just ditching me here.
After getting changed, I headed out on to the ice where I did a few laps before the rest came out. Charlie, being captain, had told everyone what to do. I wasn't too sure on this, and nor were many others. He wanted everyone to warm, by doing Dwayne's roping exercise or what ever. I was afraid that the Coach wouldn't like this at all.
I stood in the middle of the rink while everyone else had skated around. Upon seeing the Coach skate on to the ice, I remained still as Charlie slipped and fell. Sliding on his stomach and stopping in front of Coach as he stopped too. Dwayne tucked the rope away behind his back and everyone gathered in a circle at center ice. Averman pulled up next to me, and Dwayne to my left.
"My name is Coach Orion. You can call me Coach or Coach Orion," The Coach said, standing in front of the group with his hands on his hips.
Charlie stands up from being flat on the ice and goes to give him a hand. "Well, you can call me Charlie,"
"That must be what that "C" on your jersey stands for, hun? It sure doesn't stand for Captain," I kinda felt bad for Charlie. He had been giving the title of Captain by Coach Bombay after the Games, it means a lot, considering hockey is pretty much all he has. He doesn't have a dad, he doesn't have siblings, his mother works, and I guess hockey is what is left for him. But I stayed quiet, meanwhile Goldberg spoke up.
"Sorry Coach, we were just messin' with you, you know?"
"Hey, Bombay gave him that "C","
"And I respect that, but that's the past," He said, skating around in front of us. Making his way up and down the line of players that stood before him. "This is my team now. And I'll be selecting the Captain,"
"You got be kidding me, right?" Charlie sassed. "I mean, you're the rookie here. We've all been together for four years,"
"Yeah," Everyone, except for myself, had chanted.
"Okay, Charlie, laps," Orion said, looking distinctively at Charlie, who seemed to have an upset yet mad expression plastered to his face. I knew he didn't like this all, I knew that expression. I knew it all too well. He had it when my dad left for LA, and when Britt left too. And he has it now. "Right now,"
"How many, Coach Orion?" He spat. And at that moment I wanted to skate up and pull him back. But Charlie had gotten himself into that mess, not me. I have learnt to deal with my anger and sadness, whereas he and the team just don't seem to be taking this good at all. I've had my years of pain and put downs. And I don't want them to feel the same, but maybe they'll learn something from this, just like I did.
Honestly, I liked Coach Orion. He seems mean and all, but I mean, it can't be that bad. I had Coach Jack Reilly for half of my life. I think I can deal with this. Plus, he was right. This is his team, and Captains can change year to year and time to time. I know Charlie hates it, but that's what happens. He's a great player, he just now needs to learn to take up his leadership role, even if his precious "C" is taken away.
"I don't recall saying,"
Charlie rolls his eyes and spins off, skating towards the outer loop of the arena and starts his laps. The rest sigh. "Now listen up, and listen up good. We are here for one reason and one reason only, do you know why? It starts with a "W"," He asked, skating over to Averman, Dwayne, Russ, and I.
"To win! Coach Orion, sir!" Averman said, full of cheer. he seemed proud, yet a Suck Up. I hated those kinds of kids, but Averman didn't know any better. He's probably never had a Coach like this before.
"No!" He responds.
"To work, Coach Orion," I replied softly, being the angel I am. Just kidding, I knew the answer.
He turns to me and looks at me, impressed. "Your Bombay's kid, aren't you?" I nodded. He smirked. "Told me you'd be a hassle, though you'd keep everyone in check,"
He skated back to the far end, speaking up once again about why we're here. "-very hard work. And it all begins with defense. I've seen your tapes. You can score goals. I just don't know if you can stop them," Skating back to our end of the line from being at Julie and Guy's end.
Goldberg chuckles a laugh. Yet he's no better. "Hey!" Realising what he said, and that he didn't want to do laps, he apologised. "Sorry Coach, Orion,"
"You're not kids or little Ducks anymore, so I'm not gonna treat you that way. You're gonna learn to play two-way hockey," Some of the other snickered, wondering what two way hockey was. "Bombay, what is two-way hockey?"
"Offense and defense," I replied quickly. Right now I seem like Coach's pet/favorite or a suck-up, but I simply know my stuff and he naturally assumes now, because of my first answer, that I know my stuff. Which I truly do.
"That's right!... It's gonna take one thing. It' starts with a "W"," He said, and skated in front of Averman.
"To work! Coach Orion, sir!" Averman said proudly,
"Wrong!" Orion replied. Russ snorted a laugh. Dwayne hits his shoulder, wanting him to smarten the hell up and grow up for once. We're not Ducks, he's right, but it's in our souls, our blood, it's unavoidable. But we can still grow up and be the Warriors we are now meant to be. "It's going to take real will, if you want to play in my barn,"
And with that, we counted off, climbing the ladder. Goldberg took the net, and everyone got in line to shoot. "Woo, all right, Banks! Let's see what you got, baby! Bring it up, come on, come on," Goldberg said. Too busy talking instead of paying attention that Adam scored easily on him.
Adam skates to the back of the line, where he stands next to me, quickly taking his helmet off. "Man, you must know your stuff, huh?"
I shrug my shoulders. "I guess so. I mean, this is High School hockey, and we need to grow up from our old antics,"
"True, but we might as well stay young while we can,"
"Bombay! Banks!" Orion called. "Quit the chit-chattin' and get to work!"
I turned on my skate, grabbing a puck and quickly bring it up, shooting on Goldberg. Once Orion realised how crappy Goldberg was, sorry Goldie. But he took him out of the net, replacing him with Julie, who suited that position much better. Because in the first place she was better, and two, she's been practicing all summer in Maine.
After lots of different drills, brought to you by Coach Orion. Practice ended, and we all walked into the locker room, single file. Walking in, I was one of the last, and had heard Goldberg asking someone to bury him right there, and hand him a shovel. Meanwhile Charlie was letting out all his anger, throwing his helmet on into his back roughly, and mimicking everything Coach Orion said.
I took my seat, eyeing him where I was. "You don't seem so happy, Matt. What's wrong, did someone take your spot as Coach's pet?" Russ laughed.
"Shut up, Russ!" I said, throwing my hockey glove at him. He ducked and it hit the wall where Coach Orion had stepped in. He looked down at the glove that hit him, and then looked at the bench to see who threw it, but we all bowed our heads or pretended as if nothing happened.
"Eden Hall Academy requires you to maintain a C average," He said, walking down the aisle and placing a sheet of paper on the pin board at the other end, which crosses off with the opening to enter the washrooms and showers.
"Cool," Someone chanted.
"Believe me, that's a bad rule. I don't want any C players, I want B or better or you're riding the pine pony. Now, you got 15 minutes after every practice to clear this locker room. You have homework to do," He said, and stopped at the door, turning around to face us. "Oh, and one more thing. Steer clear of Varsity until the JV-Varsity showdown,"
I continued and got changed while the others all whined about only having fifteen minutes. We're not in Pee Wee where we can take all the time in the world to change after practice. We're not at the Games where we arrive super early and chill, and leave when ever we wanted to, either. We're freshmen, high schoolers now, and we don't get all the time in the world anymore.
I stood up when Charlie had stood up, asking me where I was going while others whined about how Adam was now on Varsity. And how Goldberg's riding the pine pony. And how Dwayne has no idea what Captain T.B.D means. "I'm leaving. It's bad enough everyone is whining,"
"Come on, Matt, we're not,"
I crossed my arms. "What do you call doing laps for majority of the practice? Hun? Whining, Charlie, it's whining, and that's exactly what you did,"
"Matt, I didn't mean to. It's rough not having Bombay around, ya know?"
I shook my head. "No, I don't, Char. Why? Because in life you need to open doors, and some will close. This door just opened for you. Coach Orion can show you the world, show how he plays, and you will learn, I promise,"
He rolls his eyes, and I leave the locker room. Not wanting to talk in there while there's ears. He had stayed back, since he was half dressed still. Even though I had left the room, I could still hear them all. I know the team will take awhile before they get use to the new school, new people, new coach, and new hockey ways.