"Hey Ella, guess what?" Charlie poked his head around my locker door and grinned at me. We had just finished another eventful practice; the last one before we faced Russia.
"What, Charlie?"
"I'm gonna get Russ on the team."
My eyes widened. "Russ? Like knucklepuck Russ?"
"That's him! Wanna come with me to talk to Coach?"
I laughed and shook my head. It was just like Charlie to recruit new team members. He was practically a mini Coach. "Sure, I'll tag along."
"Great!"
When we got to Coach Bombay's office, Charlie stopped us outside. "Alright you wait right here Russ. I'll call you in when we're ready."
He nodded and flashed me a big smile. I smiled back and followed Charlie inside.
When we walked in, Charlie didn't waste a second. "Coach, I know with Banks out, we got a roster slot open."
"Yeah?"
"You know how I always told you I'd make a better coach than a player? I did some scouting for us." He leaned towards the door. "Come on in!"
Russ walked in and Charlie slung his arm around him. "Russ Tyler. Coach Bombay."
"Hiya Coach!"
Coach sighed and leaned back in his chair. "Russ Tyler, huh?" Maybe he remembered Russ as the loudmouth kid that had taunted Jesse and I, only a few days earlier. "Well Russ, what can you do for the team?"
Russ shook his head. "You've never heard of my knucklepuck?"
This seemed to peak Coach's interest. "Knucklepuck? No." He leaned forward and looked at me.
"Ella what do you think about all of this?"
I rubbed my lips together and glanced at the two eager boys. "I think Charlie is right. Russ will be a great addition to this team."
"Well alright then."
Charlie and Russ high fived me and ran out cheering.
We had just gotten a new teammate.
_
Russ was right about his knucklepuck. In our game against Russia he was able to bump us ahead, with a goal in the second half.
After we had won, Coach gathered us into the locker room for a surprise.
"I told him no visitors, but hewanted to congratulate you anyway." Coach moved out of the way and a tall man walked in. I couldn't believe my eyes.
"That's Wayne Gretzky!"
"Can I shake your hand?"
"How ya doin'?"
Everyone reached out to touch the world famous player.
"This is The Great One!" Charlie exclaimed.
"Wayne's fine." Everyone laughed and a photographer waved his hand, motioning us to scoot closer together.
"Say hockey!
"Hockey!"
_
That night, Coach told us all to meet in the practice rink.
"I wonder what we're all doing here?" Connie asked, as we skated towards center rink.
"I'm not sure." It wasn't uncommon for us to have a light practice the night before a game, but Coach told us not to bring our gear, which was strange.
As if he read my mind, Luis asked "Coach shouldn't we have our hockey gear on?" Everyone else nodded and murmured.
"Guys, this is our last team practice which means-"
"The return of Captain Blood?" Averman interrupted and everyone laughed.
"No... it means, let's have some fun!" He reached to the bench and pulled out a beach ball.
He tossed it onto the ice and we all followed it, laughing and cheering.
I wasn't huge on sports that involved kicking or catching but I played along. I was at the corner of the rink with Julie and Connie when suddenly the rest of my team got quiet. When I saw what they had stopped for, I understood why.
Standing across from us, looking mean as ever, was the Iceland team. They had all of their gear on and stared coldly at us. The three of us skated over to join the others.
Iceland's coach picked up our beach ball and slowly crushed it in his hands before throwing it aside. "Playtime is over. We have the ice now. You and your little rink rats must leave."
"We're right here Coach." Dean piped up. The rest of my team nodded in agreement.
"The only thing little is your career in the pros." The Ducks all laughed in support of our Coach, but I grimaced and shook my head. I silently begged him not to pick a fight.
Ms. McKay was thinking like me and grabbed Coach's arm. "Gordon no, let's go."
"At least I had a shot." Iceland's coach fired back and smirked. "I was there."
"You were a disgrace." The two men glared at each other. The tension was so thick you could've cut it with a knife.
After a few long moments, Coach turned and faced us. "Alright team,we're outta here." We all glanced unsurely at him. "Let's go I said! Come on!" We started to move when Coach Stansson's voice stopped us.
"Can you still move on the ice?Well, please,play a little with me." He continued to taunt Coach for a bit before throwing him a hockey stick.
He cradled the stick in his hand for a few moments before excepting the challenge.
The two coaches lined up with a puck in between them.
Both teams stood near each other on the sidelines. I glanced over at the Iceland players and one of them shot me a wink. I shuddered and Dean put his arm around me protectively. Thank goodness for him.
The game began and almost immediately the two were shoving each other around like feuding teenagers. Coach Stansson was the first to hit a bar and my team groaned.
Soon though, Coach had pulled ahead and only needed one more hit to win. He started to taunt Stansson which I thought was not a good idea.
I watched Coach skate towards the goal with Stansson on his heels. Before anyone knew what was happening, Coach was on the floor, clutching his leg. Stansson had hit him.
We all rushed to his side and helped him to his feet.
"Get your coach off the ice. We have to practice now."
I gritted my teeth. I hated that man.
We all slowly walked out of the rink and into the dark night. I met up with Julie and Connie as we made our way back to the hotel.
"Wow. I can't believe that just happened." Connie breathed and shook her head.
"I know." Julie agreed. "I really don't like those guys. But, that means it will only feel sweeter when we crush them at tomorrow's game."
I laughed. "They might actually, physically, crush us."
"At this time tomorrow we'll be done. It's our last time playing at the Junior Goodwill Games." Connie looked at us. "I don't know if I'm sad or happy to be honest."
I bit my lip. "It's been such a fun experience, but I feel like I'm going home a completely different person than when we came here, you know?"
They both nodded.
"I know exactly what you mean. I got to meet you guys, which has totally changed me for the better." Julie smiled and pulled our room key out of her pocket. She scanned it and we walked in.
"I for one, am excited to see my dog again." Connie giggled.
"Me too!" Julie and I exclaimed at the same time. We all gushed about our pets for the next few minutes as we got ready for bed.
I reached onto my nightstand and grabbed the clock. "Alarm for 8 tomorrow, to begin game prep?"
"Sounds right to me." Connie yawned and pulled a mask over her eyes.
I set the clock down and flipped off the lamp.
Ready for game day.
_
i hope you're all doing well! i've realized as i keep writing this book how much i hate having ella and adam fight so i definitely want them to make up fast. however i have a plan where they make up in the third book already annnnnd this has been a great opportunity for ella to get closer to people like dean and fulton so idk. please help me and comment your thoughts. should they make up sooner or later? anyways i luv you and stay safe!!