After Team Iceland left the ice in shame, the only two who had their heads held high were Gunnar and Olaf. They both knew deep down inside that Stansson was gonna kick the shit out of them but they knew it was all worth it.
The team skated around on the ice together, with red, white, and blue lights dancing on the ice. Adam was given an American flag, he skated up to Charlie, stopping. The two smiled at each other. Adam gave Charlie the flag, slapping each other on the arms before Charlie started waving the flag around, running towards the team with Adam closely behind. He then gave the flag to Dean who held it high and proud in the air while skating around the rink. Then the press came out on to the ice to snap some pictures of us.
After our pictures with the press, we were all given our medals, even I was awarded a medal since they saw that I was a player and not a coach. The medal ceremony was probably my favorite because it was just so amazing. I didn't know what to do. It was like all time stood still when the crowd roared and chanted our names from their seats which made me cry.
When walking out of the rink, the same guys from before opened the gates so we could all go into the tunnel, back to the locker room. Adam and I lingered behind to take everything in together as we stood in the middle of the rink.
"OH MY GOD! THERE HE IS!" A girl screamed in a Welsh accent, making our heads look over to where the screaming came from. The girl with the Welsh accent was pointing at us with a bigger group of girls behind her. They were also screaming.
"COME ON, COME ON!" An older girl waved her hand as she hopped the railing of the stands and ran out on to the ice. She had wavy brunette hair that was covered by a red, white, and blue beanie with a fluffy pom-pom at the top.
Then the rest of the girls hopped the railing and ran out to us, smiling and screaming like maniacs. They were all different ethnicities, ages, and heights, all beautiful girls. I linked my arm with him as we met in the middle with the group of girls.
"Oh my fucking God, I can't believe we're meeting you guys!" One girl screamed, she had black glasses with her hair in a messy bun.
One girl stepped forward from the group, she almost reminded me of Kat from Casper. Italian, long dark brunette hair and thick eyebrows with glowing skin, "Hi, we're sorry for screaming and making a scene but we're the Banksy Babes!" The group of girls went silent, all smiling widely while nodding their heads as the Italian girl introduced the group.
"See I told ya you'd have fangirls." I winked at Adam.
"We're not just fangirls! We love everything Ducks and Adam Banks!" A girl with wavy brunette hair with pink highlights and a round face smiled.
Adam beamed at the group of girls, "Well it's nice to meet you, beautiful ladies."
"What are your names?" I smiled, looking at the group.
"I'm Katherine, but people call me Kat." The Italian girl waved.
"Matilda." The girl with the pink highlights and round face beamed.
"Bailey." A girl with a smaller face and brunette hair spoke out.
"Brianna, but you can call me Bri." The older girl name Bri waved and fixed her beanie on her head.
A redhead with long lashes and lots of makeup stood on her tiptoes in the back of the group, raising her hand, "Vaeh."
"Shannon, but call me Shan. I'm from Wales." The Welsh girl smiled, twirling a piece of hair in her finger, oogling Adam, popped the gum in her mouth she was chewing.
"Aali." A darker skin girl with matching dark hair waved, shoving her hands on her coat pockets.
"I'm Addy." Another darker-skinned girl spoke out, pushing up her retro framed glasses on her nose, smiling at the two of us.
"I'm Chloe, but call me Chlo." A curly brunette girl smiled. She had her hair half up in a high pony with a Team USA scrunchie in her hair.
"Hi, I'm Kylee. I go by Ky and I think I might tip over now." The girl with the black glasses and messy bun from before gestured to the ground almost falling over if it weren't for the Welsh girl, Shan, for catching her.
"And I'm the other Shannon." A brunette hair girl with transparent glasses and thick eyebrows grinned happily and jumped slightly while waving.
"It's nice to meet all of you dedicated fangirls, as Vicki so calls you." Adam laughed which made all of us laugh. Ky, the Welsh Shan, Kat, and Bri all tipped over, fainting, probably from his laugh, making loud slapping thuds on the ice.
"Can we get autographs and photos?" Matilda smiled, taking out a photo of Adam from her backpack purse and a sharpie.
Then all the rest of the girls did the same, crowding us.
Adam smiled and kindly signed all of their photos of him. Some of the girls even asked if I could sign a separate picture of me for them.
I wrote 'With Much Love From Vicki "The Spirit" Reed #20' on each of them with hearts on the pictures.
Some of the girls even brought disposable cameras to take group and individual photos.
"We wish the rest of the girls could have made it but they couldn't." Kylee frowned.
"Why how many Banksy Babes are there?" I asked, in a sad voice, I was also upset about not meeting everyone.
I saw Bri count on her fingers, "18?" She said with a hint of questioning in her voice looking at the rest of the girls for clarification.
"Well, Syd, Jocelyn, Angela, Madison, Amani, Kay, and Kristina are all missing," Addy responded.
"Well, that's sad that we couldn't meet everyone." Adam nodded.
"Ya it is, I definitely know Syd would have loved to meet you." Bri nodded.
"Yeah, they all would have," Shannon added.
"But there is one thing I really want to ask of you, Adam," Shan spoke out, stepping forward. "Can we give you a kiss?" She fluttered her lashes.
"Why the hell not!" Adam laughed, which made me laugh.
The girls all squeaked and got in line, Shan kissed Adam on the cheek and trotted off. Next was Ky, then Bri, and Kat, Matilda, Aali, Addy, Shannon, Chloe, Vaeh, and Bailey.
They were all squealing and squeaking like fangirls before saying their goodbyes and running off the ice feeling like a million bucks that they met Adam Banks.
After our encounter with the Banksy Babes, we all got showered and went back to the dorms. Coach told us on the way back got the dorms that we were all invited to a party at the coliseum tonight and our hard work paid off. Coach let us sleep the rest of the day up until two hours before we were expected to be at the party but Jules, Con, and I were up and three hours before so we could all get ready.
I was just steaming my dress when a knock came from our door, "I'll get it." Trotting to the door, opening it, Adam was right outside, still in his pajamas. We smiled widely at each other when we locked eyes.
"Hey, I um, brought you these. For the party tonight. It's your late birthday gift from me." Adam held up a black dress bag, giving it to me.
"Aww, thanks Banksie. Your too cute."
"I hope you like it. I know I liked it while picking everything out for you," He then coughed to clear his throat. "But I know it will look better on you."
"Thanks." Smiling, I pecked his lips before he walked across the hallway to his room.
Closing the door, Jules and Con were watching us talk the entire time. Their hair was all done and makeup put on but they were still in their pajamas.
"I wanna see!" Jules groaned, practically begging for me to open the bag.
"Ok, ok, ok fine! I'll open it nosy!" Giggling, I trotted over to our bathroom door to hang the hook from the top.
I then unzipped the bag to reveal a black lace strapless dress with a long matching black skirt with see-through material on the outside and the inside was satin. There was also a box at the bottom of the bag with a yellow sticky not on the lid.
"The love of my life,
Even though you are not my wife,
I wanted to spoil you anyway with these gifts.
You will be the Belle of the ball,
My beautiful Vicki.
Love Adam." I read aloud, making the three of us squeak like maniacs. Dogs could probably hear our squeaks because they were so high pitched.
Opening the box, there was a pair of black circular close toe heels with red bottoms to match my dress.
"Oh my God!" Con ripped the box from my grasp, taking a heel out and looking at the bottom of the shoe. "These are Christian Louboutin heels!"
"No way!" Jules took the other heel from out of the box, flipping it over to the bottom.
Connie flipped the show she had in her hand over to the bottom to show me, "Oh my God!" I shrieked. "I have always wanted Louboutin heels!" I then snatched the heels from their hands, ripping off my socks to try them on.
Picking my leg up, I slipped the red bottom heels on from behind, also doing the same with my other foot. I slowly walked around the room before giving it my all and strutting around, making the two girls laugh.
Con threw her hands in the air, "Oh my God! You look like a model, Vicki!"
"I second that," Jules said, biting her whole lip while examining my heels.
"Ugh, the feel so comfy too." I groaned before taking them off, putting them in the box.
After getting them back in the box, I put back my old dress and Connie forced me to sit on the toilet seat in the bathroom so she could do my makeup. She wanted to really be the Belle of the ball. Jules came into the bathroom with my pearl necklace, which she hooked around my neck before spinning it to the front. Connie used her curling iron to curl up the ends of my hair, even though my hair already had that natural springy curl at the ends, she made them stick out even more. The three of us all slipped into our dresses. Connie and Jules agreed that I looked better than they did, but I disagreed with them.
The three of us all walked arm and arm, linked with each other, to the coliseum. As Gunnar and Olaf said before, they were here with the whole Iceland team and the rest of the victors and finalists for the other events.
I broke away from the girls to go visit with the two Icelandic boys. Their eyes went wide when I approached them.
"Wow." The two said in unison, looking me up and down.
"You are so beautiful, Vicki." Gunnar smiled widely.
Looking down at the ground, I slightly picked up the skirt of my dress spinning slightly in it, "Oh, thanks, Adam got these for me as a gift," Looking back up at the two boys, I took some of my hair, putting it behind my ear. "Do you mind if we talk?"
"Nei, not at all," Olaf answered for Gunnar as the two boys walked by my sides, off away from the party.
"How's Adam's wrist? I didn't accidentally hit him in the wrong spot, did I?" Olaf asked, in a worried voice.
"Wait what?"
"Ja, I hit him in the spot where there was the most padding and he would be least affected by the pain."
"You planned that?" I raised my brow at the tall bruiting blond.
"Ja, same with Gunnar and doing that slap shot."
"Wait, you lost for on purpose? For me?!" I stopped dead in my tracks in front of the two.
"I didn't just loose for you, I wanted Stansson to get a taste of his own medicine. Losing doesn't feel so well, take it from me-"
"I thought you won every game you played?" Cutting Gunnar off, I scrunched my face slightly.
"Nei, I only said how many games I won, not how many games I played, Vicki." Gunnar shoved his hands into the pockets of his black slacks.
I stood there, nodding my head, processing what I was hearing before the three of us continued to walk around the coliseum.
"So, what do ya think is gonna happen to ya when you get back to Iceland?" My worried voice popped out somewhat.
"To be honest, we have no clue. The president of Iceland is probably going to declare parliament to slaughter us."
"What?!" I laughed at Gunnar's joke.
"Ja, Olaf's probably gonna be the first to get beheaded." He pointed to his best friend on the other side of me.
Olaf's eyes went wide for a minute, "Ja, and your gonna get the firing squad or get hanged!" He laughed, pointing back at his best friend.
Rolling my eyes, "Christ Almighty." I shook my head at their friendly banter.
"Anyway, you said that you'd save me a dance, princess." Olaf stopped in front of me, holding out his hand.
"Yes I did, and I owe both of ya a dance too." I pointed between the two before, I took Olaf's hand. We ran back to the party with Gunnar trailing behind us.
Olaf brought me to the dance floor where other competitors were dancing to a slow song.
We got ourselves situated and started dancing along to the song. Every now and again he would compliment me on how beautiful I looked, he would tell me one of those cheesy funny jokes, or he would pull a dirty joke on me which always made me playfully slap his chest as he chuckled seductively.
When the song ended, Close to You came on, signaling for Gunnar to come in and take my hand in our song. We were just about to get situated when Adam came up to us.
"I'm sorry, but you don't mind if I have a dance with Vicki?" He said nicely, with a hint of jealously in his voice, but a fire burning behind his eyes.
"Nei, nei, go ahead." He smiled, nodding his head at Adam who pulled me close slowly by my lower back.
Gunnar walked off into the crowd, going over to the dinner table where food was being served.
"I figured I'd get a dance in with my girl." He whispered in my ear.
"Well, I could tell you were getting jealous when you were asking if you could take me," I whispered back in his ear.
"I was. No one else should dance with you but me." He said lowly as we danced to the song.
Adam twirled me slowly, "Mmm, is that a dark side I sense?" He then brought me back in.
"Yes it is and I want you to be my everything Vicki, I want you to be my girlfriend." His breath sent shivers down my spine in the summer night air.
"Baby, I kinda thought I already was." We stared at each other before, coming in for a kiss that was much longer than the rest. We brought our arms down, holding each other's hands.
The after-party went by like a blur in my eyes. Gunnar and Olaf gave me their emails so I could write to them while we were apart.
Our flight back home to Minnesota was tomorrow and I would be separated from our new Ducks. Coach Bombay called the team away to leave the party early. He surprised us by having all of our belongings brought to his private house in Malibu and having us spend the night there. Coach even invited Mr. Tibbles and Ms. McKay to join us to spend the evening with us before we left.
Everyone was out of their party clothes and in normal long-sleeved clothes as we all sat on driftwood logs and towels in front of a fire on the beach with blankets wrapped around our shoulders.
Connie, Julie, and I shared a towel with a big blanket wrapped around our shoulders.
My hair down, a bandana I stole from Fulton was tied off at the top as a headband with two strands of hair in the front while the rest was in the back. I had a long light grey sweater with big wood buttons. The top was left undone so you could see my necklace with my name on it. I was also wearing ripped jeans with holes going down the legs with black Birkenstocks on my feet.
The team also got me a Dairy Queen ice cream cake to celebrate my late birthday. Singing Happy Late Birthday to me and telling me how much of a great coach I am. The new members of the team all got me patches for my jacket. Dwayne got me a USA patch, a black Minnesota patch with crossed sticks in the center, and a Dallas Stars patch. Luis got me a blue heart with hockey in the middle, Snoopy playing hockey, and a flying mallard duck patch. Dean got me a black North Face patch but the words were replaced with 'Aim For The Face' and another black patch that said 'Keep Staring I Might Do A Trick'. Jules got me a 'Hello My Name Is Awesome' patch and a black patch that said 'Forgive and Forget But I Keep A List Of Names'. Last, Ken got me a Donald and Daisy Duck patch. All of them were definitely being ironed on to my jackets, half going on my Team USA jacket while the other going on my new Ducks jacket.
We were all making s'mores when Goldberg just took his marshmallow out of the fire. He realized it was on fire because his eyes went wide, "Whoa! Help me!"
Charlie gripped the stick and slammed it to the sand, "You're not supposed to light it on fire!" Charlie doused the marshmallow in water, causing us all to laugh.
Dwayne also brought along his guitar because he started playing a song.
Averman perked his head up at the familiar song,
"I've paid my dues
Time after time.
I've done my sentence
But committed no crime"
"And bad mistakes," Julie also started singing along, which made Connie and I join in.
"I've made a few.
I've had my share of sand
kicked in my face
"But I've come through
And we go on and on
and on and on!" Everyone swayed to our song in one motion and sang in one voice except Dean and Fulton, who dropped to their knees, jamming out to the song, swinging their arms around like they were playing an electric guitar.
"We are the champions my friends
And we'll keep on fighting
'Til the end.
We are the champions.
No time for losers
'Cause we are the champions
Of the world.
We are the champions
My friend
And we'll keep on fighting
'Til the end," I went full Freddie Mercury on the song while singing lightly.
"We are the champions.
No time for losers
'Cause we are the champions
Of the world."