OT: WE are the Champions

[CTR]

if you feel like geting mad at me go ahead. but my friend and I would like some feed back


Chapter 1

Courtney Robertson plopped herself into a chair in her kitchen. With all the tests she had been given that day, all she wanted to do was sit back and relax. However, she couldn't. Now, she had to convince her mom to let her play hockey, too! Courtney had wanted to play ever since her boyfriend, Guy, had asked her to come to one of his games. When Courtney told Guy she was interested in playing, he mentioned that there was an opening spot on the team. There were only two things stopping her: her mom and the fact that she couldn’t skate all that well. Learning to skate better would be easy, but persuading her mom to let her play would be tough. Courtney was just starting to unpack her book bag when her mother walked into the room.
“Hello Courtney, how was your day?”
“Uh…. Great mom,” Courtney replied, assembling the courage to ask her mom about the team.
“That’s great hon. Tell me, how were all those tests today? Oh, Guy called for you a few minutes ago. He wanted to know if you wanted to go to a movie tonight with him and a couple of friends. I told him you’d call him back.”
“Thanks mom. So, can I go? I don’t have any homework, and it is a weekend,” Courtney pleaded.
“Sure,” Her mother responded. “But I need to talk to you about something first.” Mrs. Robertson spun around and gave her daughter a this-is-serious appearance. “I got a call from someone named Gordon Bombay today. Does that name ring a bell?” Courtney thought for a moment. At first, the name didn’t have any significance, but she suddenly remembered that Gordon Bombay was the hockey coach for the Ducks!
Courtney groaned. This was bad! If he called he might’ve said something to her mom about her wanting to play. However, on the other hand he might’ve talked her mother into letting her play.
“Well, the name does sound a little familiar to me,” Courtney said, quietly.
“Apparently he’s the hockey coach for a team called the Ducks. Isn’t that the team Guy plays on?” her mother asked, curiously.
“Yes, it is,” Courtney replied, quietly.
“He asked me if you would be interested in playing for them. Did you say something to him? Or did Guy mention you might want to play?”
Courtney couldn’t believe it! Her mother still didn’t know she wanted to play hockey. So she wasn’t in any trouble at all! Courtney quickly thought of a reply.
“I was joking around with Guy at one of their games and said it might be cool to play. Maybe Coach Bombay took me seriously.”
“Ok,” her mother answered. Evidently, this answer seemed good enough for her. She turned back to the dishes she had been doing in the sink. Courtney let out a breath of air that she hadn’t realized she’d been holding in.
“But you have to admit, hockey would be fun to play,” Courtney uttered. As the words left her mouth, she wished she hadn’t said them.
Her mother cringed and circled to face her. “Hockey is very dangerous,” she whispered. “You’ve gotten hurt skating before, imagine what hockey would do to you.”
“Mom, Guy plays hockey and he’s never gotten seriously hurt,” Courtney argued.
“Guy us a good player. There are a lot of hockey players that have been hurt badly.”
“Mom, only people in the majors get hurt like that. At this level the worst that could happen is your knee gets scraped! And besides, if you make it to the majors it’s no big deal if you get hurt because your body has built up stamina to protect itself!”
“That doesn’t even make sense, Courtney! And why are you protecting the sport?”
“I’m not I just think that you don’t give hockey players enough credit. And not everyone is half-witted enough to get out there and do something insane! Really Mom, there aren’t that many injuries in hockey!” Courtney stormed out of the room.
“Where are you going?” her mother asked, in a more pleasant tone.
“To call Guy!” Courtney shouted.
“It was awful Guy, she’ll never let me play,” Courtney whined.
“Look, do you think if I talked to her she’d let you?” Guy asked.
“I dunno, Guy. She doesn’t seem too thrilled about the game. You should’ve heard her! You should’ve seen her reaction to when I said, “You have to admit hockey would be fun,” she jumped on me like a pack of wolves does meat!” Courtney was glad that at least Guy understood her. She wondered if everyone on his team was like him. “How many girls are on your team?” she asked, curiously.
“One girl. Poor Connie stuck with all us guys. Do you know her?” Guy asked.
“Connie Moreau?”
“Yeah!” Guy cried. “I can’t believe you know her!”
“Yeah, we’re lab partners! She never told me she played hockey! Hey, sorry to change the subject, but didn’t you wanna go to a movie?” Courtney questioned.
“Oh, yeah. Umm…Connie’s going, Charlie’s going, Adam’s going, Fulton’s going, and I think Jesse’s going. They’re all on the team. Do you know any of ‘em?”
“I don’t think so. I might know Charlie… So what movie is it anyway?”
“I know you wanted to see this. “Darkness Falls!” Isn’t that great?”
“AWESOME GUY! That’s great! What time?”
“It starts at seven, so we’re gonna meet in the snack lobby at six fifteen, that way I can introduce you and stuff, ok?”
“Sure. I’ll see ya’ later. Bye!” Courtney hung up the phone and laid on her bed thinking. How was she ever going to be able to convince her mother that she wouldn’t get hurt? Courtney wanted to play so bad! Moreover, after she met some members of the team, would she want to play even more?
At six o’clock, Courtney went downstairs. “Mom, I’m leaving to meet Guy at the movies, ok?”
“Hold on Courtney. How long is it?” Her mother urged.
“I’ll probably be back around ten. The movie doesn’t start until seven and we’ll probably get something to eat after that. Some people from Guy’s team are going and yes mom, if I’m out later than I think I will be I’ll call you,” Courtney went through the routine of questions her mother always wanted answers to.
Courtney’s mother always figured that Courtney got around by her bike, and most of the time she did. However, a lot of the time, Courtney just used her sister’s old roller blades. Her sister was away at college anyway, how could she use them? Courtney grabbed the neon purple skates from a hiding place in their garage. She quickly tied them and took off.
Courtney got to the theater five minutes later. After all, she only lived three blocks from it. She sat down in the lobby and a few moments later Guy arrived with a tall boy who had sandy hair. He seemed vaguely familiar to her.
“Hey, Courtney. This is Adam Banks,” Guy introduced them.
“Hi,” Courtney replied, quietly. She felt herself blush and hoped that neither of them would notice. She couldn’t help but think that Adam was cute. The three of them began to talk and Courtney’s nerves seemed to die away. Next, three boys and Connie showed up. All of them had also skated over. The taller boy with dark hair was Fulton Reed. Guy introduced the second boy as Jesse Hall. Jesse was black and almost as tall as Fulton was. The third boy, who was shorter than the others and had brown hair, was Charlie Conway. Courtney knew Charlie from two years earlier. They had been assigned a project together.
Adam told Courtney all about Fulton’s shot as they stood in line for Popcorn.
“It actually went through the net!?” Courtney shouted.
“Yeah!” Adam laughed.
“Whoa! Has he ever been stopped?” Courtney asked, amazed.
“Never! It’s amazing!” Adam cried.
“Hey-I’ve heard you’re pretty awesome too! In the paper it said you were the star of the team,” Courtney remarked.
“Nah not re-”
“He is…Adam’s just too modest,” Charlie cut in.
“So-do you play?” Charlie asked Courtney.
“Only in school. My mom’s not too crazy about hockey, if you know what I mean?” Courtney mumbled.
“Yeah, I understand. My mom didn’t want me to play either. I think I bugged her so much she just…. Gave in!” Charlie replied.
“Hey what do you want?” Adam asked Courtney. They were up to the cash register already.
“Oh. Whoppers and a Coke.” Courtney told the cashier.
“Eight dollars and forty-five cents sir,” the Cashier told Adam. Adam started to pull out money from his pocket.
“You don’t have to pay for mine. I’ll get it,” Courtney said politely.
“No. I insist, let me get it,” Adam responded.
“No, really I’ll get. It’s no problem,” Courtney began to pull out her money but Adam quickly pushed it back into her pocket.
“Please, let me pay for it. Next time we all get together and go to the movies, then you can pay,” Adam exclaimed.
“Fine,” Courtney sighed.
All seven of them sat in the very middle of the fourth row. Connie complained that it was too close. Adam and Courtney were happy to sit there. Guy thought it was a great place because you got to hear better and see it better too.
“Think of it this way, Connie. It’s a close up!” Charlie remarked.
“Haha, real funny!” Connie replied.
Courtney sat between Guy and Adam. She was particularly fond of this seating arrangement. Jesse started a conversation about the team having an opening and everyone spun to look at Courtney.
“Are you interested in playing?” Fulton asked her.
“Yeah, and Coach Bombay called my mom, but she doesn’t want me playing. She says hockey is too dangerous.” Courtney mocked.
“Maybe if one us talked to her about it, she’d give in,” Connie suggested.
“I wish. It probably wouldn’t work, though,” Courtney mumbled in reply.
“Well it wouldn’t hurt to try. I’ve seen you play in gym and you’re really good. I’ve seen some of your field hockey games too,” Adam persuaded.
“Yeah, come on. It wouldn’t hurt to try,” Jesse whined.
“Hey guys, lay off, alright? We’re working on it!” Guy exclaimed.
“Oh-shhhh!!!! The movie’s starting!” Adam remarked. Everyone got very quiet.
Everything went great during the movie until one of the scariest parts took place. At this point, Courtney made a big mistake. Thankfully, no one noticed, at least she thought no one noticed. As the music introduced the part, a shadow crept up behind the boy when he was left alone in the darkness. Fire swirled around him. Then the shadow grabbed him and the boy let out a spine-tingling cry...and Courtney grabbed Adam’s hand.
Adam peered at Courtney through the darkness. Their eyes met at once. Courtney looked away, her hand still tightly in his. She didn’t want him to let go. But if Guy saw that they were holding hands, it would destroy him. Although it hurt her, she never let go of Adam’s hand during the whole movie. It made her feel safe, secure, and protected in a way she’d never felt with Guy. When the movie was over and the lights flickered back on, Courtney took her hand from Adam’s. Guy looked over at Courtney pleased.
“Did you like it?” he asked.
“Yeah, it was great. Way better than I expected. We should go to the movies like this more often,” Courtney muttered.
“Is something wrong?” Guy asked her curiously.
“Oh, no. I’m fine. Just a little hungry, that’s all,” Courtney lied.
“Then let’s go eat!” Jesse bellowed.
Finally, everyone agreed on eating at a Taco Bell/Pizza Hut that was just down the road. Courtney skated a little ways behind everyone. It startled her when she looked to her right and saw Charlie gazing at her.
“Hey Charlie, is there something you wanna tell me?” she asked.
“Nah, well…. Sort of. I actually kind of wanna tell you something I saw,” Charlie whispered. Oh no! Courtney thought. Did he see? Her body froze instantly. “Courtney-I saw you holding Adam’s hand in the Movie Theater. Just tell me if y’all are having some thing behind Guy’s back or if-“
“Never! I’m not having some secret relationship behind anyone’s back!” Courtney exclaimed.
“Then was it an accident? Because I noticed that you didn’t let go the whole time.” Charlie remarked.
“It was during the scary part and I just happened to grab whoever’s hand was there and I didn’t let go because when all the other scary parts came up, I’d already be holding a hand and I wouldn’t have to keep grabbing his over and over,” Courtney lied.
“That’s not the truth, Courtney. Come on, you can tell me if you like Adam. I swear I won’t tell anyone else!” Charlie gave her the boy scouts honor sign.
“Ok, I do kind of like Adam,” she said as quiet as she could. “But you promised NOT to tell!” Courtney cried.
“Guys what are you talking about?” Fulton shouted back to them.
“Just Mrs. Doughtery!” Charlie lied.
“Oh I hate her!” Fulton replied. “Come on-we’re almost there!” Charlie stopped and looked at Courtney “I promise not a word to anyone,” he said, seriously.
Courtney ended up ordering a bean burrito, no onions, and a chocolate chip cookie dough pie slice. Of course, she also ended up paying for Adam’s food. She felt like she had too because he had paid for hers in the theater. Courtney told Guy that she was going to sit with Charlie because she had to talk to him about a problem with a friend. Guy understood and didn’t mind. Charlie and Courtney found a booth to themselves and sat down.
“What do I do, Charlie?” Courtney asked, solemnly.
“I really don’t know,” Charlie told her. “Give it some time. You might just think you like…ya' know…but you really don’t. That’s all I can tell you,”
“Thanks Charlie,” Courtney replied, depressed.
“Hey how do you like Mr. Gridfog?” Charlie asked with a grin.
“Umm-No!” Courtney replied. “He gives too much homework. And his name’s too weird. Not to mention-“
“He’s fat!” Charlie interrupted, laughing
“Yeah I know!” Courtney grinned.
Around nine forty-five Courtney got up to leave. She walked over to Guy’s table. “Hey, I’ve gotta go. I’ll see you tomorrow, okay?”
“I’m really sorry, but I can’t walk you home tonight. I was supposed to be home five minutes ago. I’m really gonna have to work to get back soon. But I hope you had fun?” Guy explained holding her hand. It was the opposite hand from which Adam had held. Courtney felt guilty, but deep inside she also felt excitement. She couldn’t understand why.
“I had a great time!” Courtney cried. “Thanks so much Guy,” Guy gave her a kiss on the cheek and rushed out the door.
“One of us could walk you home?” Jesse suggested.
“Yeah,” Charlie chimed in.
“Sure,” Courtney replied. “Do any of you live near Fordisk Drive?”
“Yeah!” Adam shouted. “I live on Hennipen Avenue!”
“Okay, Charlie do you wanna come?” Courtney asked. She thought it might make conversation easier between them. Courtney was afraid if she walked home with Adam alone he would ask her about the movies. It wasn’t that she was scared about it, but she wasn’t certain what her answer would be.
“No thank you. I’ve got to get home too,” Charlie answered.
“Well then, let’s go,” Courtney said, nervously.
She and Adam skated out the door and started for their houses, slowly.
It was quiet for the first few seconds, but Adam broke the silence.
“Look, I don’t want to make you feel uncomfortable or anything, but I really want to know what happened during the movie,” he asked, curiously. Courtney nervously looked around the street trying to avoid the question. She pretended she didn’t hear him and kept going.
“Courtney!” Adam practically shouted. He grabbed her arm and she stopped abruptly.
“What?” Courtney asked.
“I said I don’t want to make you uncomfortable but I want to know what happened during the movie?” Adam repeated patiently.
“Adam,” she sighed. “I really don’t know what to tell you. I was scared and I just grabbed someone’s hand. It calmed me down a little bit. That’s all, though,” Courtney whispered.
“Oh,” Adam said, disappointed. “So you just grabbed whatever was closest?” Courtney didn’t say anything she just shrugged. She wasn’t sure why she had grabbed his hand. At that moment, she wasn’t too sure of anything. “If you want to, a couple of the guys from the team are getting together tomorrow to play street hockey. Think you can come? I think Guy meant to ask you, but he forgot to,” Adam said, changing the subject.
“That’d be great,” Courtney replied. Adam was glad to see that Courtney was much happier, now. She didn’t seem to feel too uncomfortable around him anymore.
“It was really awesome meeting you,” Adam exclaimed.
“Yeah it was cool meeting you too. You have got some awesome team members. I think it’d be so cool to play hockey with you but it’ll never happen,” Courtney said sadly.
“Sure it will, you’ll find someway,” Adam responded. Courtney stopped and looked back. She had passed her house!
“Adam, we have to go back a little. I passed my house!” she grinned. Adam doubled over in laughter. Adam and Courtney skated back toward her house. “Thanks for skating with me,” Courtney said, feeling herself blush again. Thankfully, it was dark out and he wouldn’t be able to tell.
“It was nothing,” Adam replied. “Hey-it was nice meeting you,” he said as he skated back down the driveway.
“Adam!” Courtney screamed. She jumped back in surprise. Had she just screamed his name? He turned around, surprised.
“Yeah?” he asked, in suspicion.
“I need to tell you something!” Courtney heard herself yell.
“What is it?” he asked, as he skated toward her.
“Thank you,” she said, as she hugged him. Courtney wasn’t sure what had made her do that. But as she embraced him, he hugged her back. He smelled like a mixture of fruits and cotton candy. As she pulled away, Adam gave her a huge grin, but didn’t ask her about why she had hugged him.
Courtney quickly undid her skates and stuffed them in her secret spot. Luckily, her mother didn’t notice.
“So did you have fun?” Courtney’s mother asked as she walked in the door.
“It was great, mom! I had a lot of fun. After the movie we went to the Taco Bell/Pizza Hut and sat around for a few minutes and just talked.” Courtney replied, walking happily up the stairs.
“Who was that that you were with out there? It wasn’t Guy,” her mother remarked.
“You’re right it wasn’t. Guy had too rush home, so he couldn’t walk home with me. Adam Banks, who’s on his team, lives on Hennipen Avenue so he walked me home instead.” Courtney hummed. Mrs. Robertson smiled at her daughter. Obviously, she had had a wonderful evening.
“So is he nice?” She asked. Courtney turned to her mother.
“Of course he’s nice. If he wasn’t, he wouldn’t have walked me home!” Courtney laughed.
“I guess you’re right. Well, I’m going to bed. Don’t stay up too late!” As Courtney’s mother started to retreat to her bedroom, there was a light tapping on the door. Courtney slowly opened it. It was Adam.
“Hi,” she said, surprised. “What do you need?” she asked. She was going to say ‘what are you doing here?’, but decided that ‘what do you need?’ sounded a lot nicer.
“You left your jacket,” Adam responded, handing her the green, purple, and silver jacket.
“Thank you!” Courtney cried. That was her favorite jacket and she couldn’t understand how she could’ve left it anywhere.
“You’re welcome,” Adam said, spinning around to leave. Courtney thought for a moment. Her mother wouldn’t be in bed yet. It would be perfect.
“Adam, would you like to come in? Or do you need to get home?” Courtney questioned.
“Thank you. No, I don’t have to be home until eleven,” Adam replied.
“Mother! I want you to meet one of Guy’s teammates!” Courtney yelled to her mother. Mrs. Robertson, who wasn’t ready for bed yet, walked into entrance hall. She smiled at Adam.
“Hello,” she greeted him. She noted that it was the same boy who had walked her daughter home. “You must be Adam,” she cried, cheerfully. “Would you like something to drink?”
“That would be nice, thank you very much,” Adam responded, accepting her invitation. They moved to the living room and sat down on the coach.
“Do you like playing hockey?” was the first thing Mrs. Robertson asked.
“Oh-yes I do very much, ma’am. We have a great coach too, he makes everything fun for us,” Adam said, slowly.
“Good. Have you ever gotten hurt playing?” Mrs. Robertson asked, stiffly.
“Once, and that was because the other team was a cheating team who wanted to get back at me because I had to switch teams. They didn’t have a very coach, either. I just injured my head a little,” Adam exclaimed, rubbing the back of his head, remembering his injury. Courtney’s mother looked at her daughter with a defiant grin. Great, Courtney thought. Someone got hurt; there goes my chance. Courtney’s mother talked to Adam for about thirty more minutes when he finally had to leave.
“Thank you very much Mrs. Robertson,” he smiled. “Oh… if you would, uh, our team is getting together tomorrow to just hang out, do you think it’d be all right with you if Courtney came along? Guy wanted me to ask,” Adam smiled at Courtney. They both knew it was a lie, but Courtney’s mother fell for it.
“Of course she can go. What time?” Mrs. Robertson asked.
“Two o’clock sharp,” Adam replied. Mrs. Robertson nodded and headed back in and left Courtney and Adam alone.
“Smooth,” Courtney said, impressed.
“Thank you,” Adam said, bowing.
“Well…it’s late. I’ll see ya' tomorrow!” Courtney told him as he left her driveway.
Courtney was too excited about the next day. She had never really played street hockey before. She just hoped that she didn’t get hurt. Then she would have to admit to her mother that she had played. She wasn’t too worried, though. She was an excellent roller bladder, but not too efficient on the ice. Eventually, Courtney fell into a peaceful sleep.

[CTR]

Chapter2
Courtney didn’t sleep peacefully for long. She woke up, frequently, from the same dream over and over. She dreamed that her mother allowed her to play hockey, but came to the game with a gun. For a very strange reason, her mother always shot Adam during halftime. Courtney couldn’t grasp what the dream meant. All she could get from it was the feeling of loss after Adam had been shot. Around seven forty-five, Courtney just got up and stayed up.
Mrs. Robertson trudged down the stairs to see her daughter gazing mindlessly at the television screen. She blocked Courtney’s view and snapped it off. “Courtney, why don’t you go outside for awhile?” Her mother sighed.
“I’ll be outside later, remember?” Courtney whined. Mrs. Robertson stared at her daughter. “Fine,” she eventually mumbled. Courtney switched the TV back on just as the phone rang. Courtney reluctantly got up to answer it.
“Hello?” she asked, politely.
“Hey Courtney,” It was Guy. Courtney got a very uneasy feeling in her stomach. She was expecting the worse. She knew she could trust Charlie with her secret, and Guy had nothing to be suspicious about, but suppose he did know? He could just be calling about later today? Yeah, that’s it, Courtney thought.
“Hey, wassup?” she asked, calmly.
“Just watching some TV. Listen, is your mom near you?”
“No, she’s in the kitchen,” Courtney replied.
“Ok, Adam told me he told your mom about today, well, sort of told her about today. I wanted to tell you that you don’t have to bring gear, Connie’s got some extra gear. I knew you couldn’t sneak it out of your house so I asked her if you could borrow it. What time did Adam tell you?” Guy asked.
“Two o’clock, but where? Adam might’ve told me or not.” Courtney whispered into the phone. She didn’t want her mom hearing. She listened for any type of movement in the kitchen. She heard her mother clanking plates around.
“Um...we’re gonna play at the court near where Jesse lives,”
“Guy, in case you forgot, I don’t know where Jesse lives!” Courtney snapped, sarcastically.
“Oh-sorry, I forgot. Do you know where Glaze Road is?” Guy questioned.
“Yeah, I do. Thanks. So, is your whole team gonna be there?”
“Everyone but Fulton,” Guy responded. “He can’t go because he has to help his mom with some things around the house. In other words spring cleaning,” Guy moaned
“Oh no! My mom will want me to help her as soon as I get home!” Courtney whined.
“My mom too. Oh man! I gotta go, I’ve got to help my little brother get dressed!” Guy whined. “Well, see ya’ later today!”
“Okay, bye,” Courtney laughed.
Courtney stepped out into her backyard. It was such a beautiful day. It wasn’t too hot and it wasn’t too cold. She ran up to her room and picked out a pair of white shorts and a tight blue tank top. She hurried back outside and laid down a blanket. She stared up at the cloudless blue sky above her. She wished there were at least a few clouds so that she could make shapes out of them. She was almost asleep when her mother called for her from the house. She sat up and stared through the screen door. “What do you need?” she asked.
“The phone is for you!” her mother yelled to her. Courtney hadn’t even heard the phone ring. She had gotten caught in the silence around her; thinking about situations she had been through in life and the problem that she now faced.
Courtney pulled herself from her thoughts and ran into the house to grab the portable phone. “Hello?” she asked, curiously.
“Hi, Courtney? This is Connie. What are you doing?” She asked, hurriedly.
“Not much. What about you?” Courtney replied.
“Um….same. I was thinking, do you wanna come over? Until around 1:30, I mean. 'Cause remember the team was going to get together and-”
“Yeah, I remember. Let me see if it’s cool with my mom,” Courtney exclaimed.
Mrs. Robertson was cleaning out the hallway closet. Oh no! Courtney thought. She’ll want me to help clean! “Mom,” Courtney said sweetly.
“Yes?” she mother responded her head still in the closet.
“That’s Connie on the phone, she wants to know if I can come over, then we can go over to Jesse’s house with the rest of the team?” Courtney mumbled.
“Sure dear, how long will you be at Jesse’s?” she asked. I dunno. How bout I call you around 4:45 and see, okay?” Courtney asked.
“That’s good,” her mother replied. Courtney rushed back to the phone.
“Hey Connie, it’s cool with her, so I’ll see you in a couple of minutes?” Courtney exclaimed.
“Yeah, awesome!” Connie said.
Once again, Courtney pulled out her sister’s skates and rushed to put them on. She quickly skated out of her mother’s sight, down the driveway right into Charlie.
“Oomph!” Charlie squealed. She had knocked him down in her hurry.
“Oh my gosh!” she cried. She helped Charlie up and was glad to see that he was okay.
“I am so sorry!” she shouted.
“No, it’s okay. I’m fine.” Charlie insisted. “So where are you going?” he asked. Courtney looked down at her skates. For a brief moment, she had forgotten that she was going anywhere. “Oh, just over to Connie’s, then we’re gonna go over to Jesse’s,” she sighed. “Sorry for leaving you with Adam last night, but I really had to get home,” Charlie apologized. At the sound of Adam’s name, her stomach did a flip. “It’s okay. I understand,” Courtney mumbled.
“It wasn’t too awkward, was it?” Charlie asked, half-afraid of the answer.
“No, not really. It was actually okay,” Courtney told him about it on the way to Connie’s.
When they arrived at Connie’s house, the three of them just sat around in the air-conditioning watching TV. Connie’s mom was very nice and made them Ice Cream sundaes and brought each of them fresh lemonade. At 1:45, they all got up, reluctantly, from sitting in front of the air-conditioning and the TV. “I actually don’t wanna go,” Charlie whined. “It’s too hot out there.”
“Come on, Charlie, don’t be a baby,” Courtney teased.
“Yeah, yeah, whatever. I’m goin',” Charlie muttered.
Connie and Courtney practically had to push Charlie out of the door. He was very stubborn. Finally, Charlie left with them. Connie and Charlie promised that Courtney would love the rest of them team. Her nerves returned, just as they had at the movies the previous night. She kept glancing nervously at the two of them. What if the rest of the team didn’t like her? What if they thought she was too much of a girlie girl and that was the real reason she didn’t play?
Courtney nervously skated behind Charlie and Connie when they got to Jesse’s house. There was a group of people in a huge circle in the driveway that she had never seen before. None of them had been at the movies, except Jesse.
“Hey,” he greeted her. “Glad you could come. Wasn’t sure if your mom would let you,”
“My mom doesn’t know I’m here to play to hockey, she just knows that I’m with your team,” Courtney grinned. The group behind Jesse stared at Courtney, apprehensively.
“Oh,” Jesse yelled. “This is Dwayne Robertson,” Jesse said, pointing to a tall boy with reddish hair.
“Howdy,” Dwayne said back. Courtney nodded her head in a way to say hello back. Charlie gave Courtney a weird look.
“No relation,” Courtney stated, confirming Charlie’s thoughts. Jesse went down the line introducing everyone.
“Greg Goldberg, Les Averman, Ken Wu, Luis Mendoza, and Russ Tyler.” They all nodded to Courtney.
“Hey Jesse! I wanna play too!” A small boy shouted from the garage.
“Oh yeah, and this is my little bro, Terry, he’s not on the team, though.” Terry grinned up at Courtney.
“Hi,” she said sweetly. Terry grinned and hid his face behind Jesse.
“Where are Adam, Guy, and Fulton?” Charlie asked.
“Well, there’s Adam, Guy’s gonna be a little late, he got stuck helping his mom with cleaning, and Fulton has to clean all day,” Jesse laughed.
“What’s so funny?” Adam asked, as he skated up to Jesse.
“Nothin' Cake-eater, lets play some puck!” Jesse bellowed.
Everyone skated to the court that was just down the road. Jesse’s dad followed to be a referee. They split up into teams and Courtney was put playing against Adam for the face off. She groaned.
“Just try your hardest. Don’t go easy on him, okay? If you try harder and beat him, he might like you more than if you just give him the puck, got it?” Charlie whispered to her. She nodded. Jesse’s dad dropped the puck and Courtney and Adam both dived for it. She felt victory as she swept the puck right out from Adam’s feet. She passed it to Dwayne, who played around with it a little bit, and then passed it back to Courtney, who shot it right through Goldberg’s fingers. Her team cheered and even people from the other team gave her high fives. “Now that’s what I’m talking bout!” Charlie yelled to her from the sides. She was proud of herself and couldn’t help grinning.
Once again they all lined up, but Adam got possession of the puck. Courtney raced down the side of the court trying to catch up. Averman swooped in from the left, but wasn’t able to get the puck. Finally, Adam shot. SCORE! Now the other side cheered. The game went on like that. The score ended up being Courtney’s team 5 and Adam’s team 4. At the end of the game, Courtney was too happy to realize how tired she was. She didn’t realize until the end of the game that Guy never showed up. Must have had to stay all day, she decided.
Everyone congratulated Courtney on how well she had played. Courtney was just glad that she hadn’t messed up. After everyone had left, Mr. Hall strolled up to her.
“That was some great playing, Courtney,” Jesse’s dad grinned.
“Thank you, sir. I sure had a lot of fun out there. That usually makes you play better. If you have fun doing something, then you’re going to do well at it,” Courtney exclaimed.
“Those are some very wise words, Courtney. If you enjoy playing so much, how come you don’t play on a team?” Mr. Hall asked, curiously.
“My mom,” Courtney grumbled in reply.
“What about her? He asked.
“She doesn’t like the idea of me playing hockey,” Courtney shrugged. Mr. Hall nodded.
“I understand,” he whispered to himself, as he walked away.
Courtney hurried to catch up with everyone.
“Hey, Charlie!” she screamed. Charlie turned to see who had called his name. He stopped and waited for her to catch up.
“Yeah?” he asked. Charlie grinned at her from underneath his helmet. He was proud of her. She played like a real duck.
“How did I do?” Courtney asked.
“You did great,” Charlie shouted. “It’s too bad you can’t play.”
“Yeah, I know,” She mumbled. “I didn’t let Adam get the puck.”
“I know. You did really great today, Courtney,” Charlie said seriously.
“Charlie,” Courtney hesitated. “Is it bad that I didn’t even realize that Guy wasn’t here, and I didn’t miss him?” Charlie looked at her, surprised. He had realized Guy wasn’t there from the beginning. He didn’t want to make her feel bad, so he lied.
“No, you just had other things to on your mind. Don’t let that bother you,” Courtney smiled.
“Thanks!” she replied.
Jesse invited everyone inside for a drink. At four forty-five, Courtney called her mother. She asked her mom if she could stay until eight o’clock because they were all going to watch a few movies at Jesse’s. Her mother said yes. Before she hung up, Courtney’s mother reminded her that her father would be home in a few weeks and to not forget a welcome home present. She agreed to go shopping with her mom the next day. Courtney decided anything was better than cleaning the house.
Everyone gathered around in sofas, armchairs, or on the floor in Jesse’s den. Courtney got a very comfortable space on the coach. Connie was on one side and Averman on the other. Courtney got to know Averman a little better and enjoyed his comments throughout the movies, though everyone else found it annoying. Averman was a tall, skinny boy with red hair and glasses. When Connie had to leave early, Dwayne took her spot. Courtney didn’t know whether to be happy about this or not. Dwayne seemed like more of the quiet type. However, she was wrong. Averman started to talk about an old western movie he had seen and that got Dwayne going. After that, no one could get him to shut up! Courtney found it enjoyable to just listen to the conversations around her. Sometimes, questions would come up for her, but not very often.
After the first movie, “Pleasantville”, was over, Courtney went to the kitchen to get more chips. Of course, she had only gotten up after Averman and Dwayne had promised to keep her seat. Jesse was also in the kitchen.
“Hey,” he said.
“Hey. Just getting some more chips,” Courtney replied.
“What about your seat?” Jesse asked.
“They promised to keep it for me.”
“They won’t. They never do. But hey, it’s my house and I’ll make ‘em move!” Jesse laughed. Courtney stared down at the bag of chips she held in her hand. These people, that she didn’t even know, were so kind to her. Her she was in their house, eating their food, sitting on their coach, and watching their movies.
“Jesse, thanks for everything. All of you guys are great,” Courtney whispered. “I mean, I don’t even know you that well and you treat me like I’m one of you!”
“Well, you may not be on our team, but you’ve got the heart of a duck, so it’s kind of like you are one of us,” Jesse explained. “Now, I’ve got a question for ya’. Do you like Charlie or somethin’?”
“What!?” Courtney shouted. “Charlie and I are just really good friends. Where did you ever get an idea like that?”
“Well, it seems like you’re always talking with him.”
“I do talk to him a lot, but that’s because I can trust him with things, ya’ know?”
“Yeah, I get it. So-can you trust me?” he asked.
“I guess. Why do you ask that?” she questioned him curiously.
“No reason,” he answered.
Courtney walked back into the den and found that her spot on the coach was still there. She wondered if everyone else considered her as one of them just like Jesse. As she sat down, Averman called to Adam, who was sitting with his legs over the arms of a chair.
“Banks, wanna switch? I can’t see over here.”
“That’s what glasses are for,” Luis said, sarcastically.
“I know, but I need a new prescription,” Averman snapped.
“Okay, I’ll switch with you,” Adam responded. Averman quickly got up and switched with Adam. As he did so, Ken grabbed a pillow that was near him and threw it at his head. Perfect aim. The pillow hit Averman’s head with a soft plump!
“Hey!” Dwayne shouted. He picked up his pillow and through it at Ken. Charlie gave Dwayne a dirty look and picked up his pillow. He threw it at Dwayne, but missed.
“Charlie!” Courtney shouted. She picked up her pillow and slammed it against Charlie’s head. Then, Jesse threw a pillow at her, which resulted in Adam throwing a pillow at him. In less than a minute, feathers were flying everywhere. Everyone was laughing so hard people were gasping for air.
At the end of “The Sixth Sense”, Courtney started on her way to the door. Everyone told her good-bye and that they hoped they would see her again soon. Adam met her at the door and sat down beside her as she put on her skates.
“I’m really sorry about last night. I shouldn’t have pressured you into telling me anything. I’m very sorry if I made you feel weird around me. I hope we can still be friends?”
“Of course we can Adam!” she shouted in disbelief. “You did make me feel a little uncomfortable at first last night, but I got over it. We’re cool.” she hesitated a moment. She wasn’t sure what she should say next. “But let’s keep what happened just between us, okay? Oh, but Charlie knows, he saw it,” Courtney apologized.
“Actually, I figured he knew anyway. He has this weird way of knowing things like that,” Adam shrugged. He and Courtney sat in silence, neither of them knowing what to say next.
“Beautiful sunset, isn’t it?” Courtney asked, looking for anything to talk about.
“Yeah. My dad and I used to watch it a lot together. Then he got a new job that required more time. So, he’s not home a lot. Most of the time it’s just my mom and I,” Adam replied, quietly.
“Me too. My dad’s away on business right now. So it’s just my mom and I.” Courtney agreed. “Hey, what’s your IM or your phone number and I’ll call you later,” Courtney suggested.
“Oh, hold on.” Courtney waited on the front porch while Adam went to look for pen and paper inside. Despite the warmth of the day, she shivered. There was something special about Adam. However, there was also something special about Guy. She could either keeping denying her feelings for Adam, or choose one.
“Maybe Charlie’s right. I’ll give it a few days,” she muttered to herself.
“Here you go,” Adam announced, handing her the paper. Courtney held onto the paper, folding the edges and not really concentrating on what it said.
“I’ve got to get going. I’ll see ya' later,” Courtney said as she left Jesse’s house.
Courtney didn’t actually look at the paper until she was getting ready for bed later that evening. “379-2813,” she read aloud. It was very similar to hers.
“379-2876,” she read her phone number aloud too. Then, she concentrated on his screen name. “Hockey_shooter_01,” she whispered. She loved it. She said to herself all night long. Her mother must have thought she was crazy.

[CTR]

Chapter3

The next morning, Courtney’s mother woke her up early and they spent the majority of the morning looking for the perfect gift for her father. She didn’t understand why they had to look for a gift so many weeks in advance. They went from store to store and ate lunch at Cheers.
When they finally got home it was around seven o’clock. Courtney collapsed on the sofa.
“Honey, can you check and see if we have any messages?” Mrs. Robertson yelled from the laundry room. Courtney turned her head. The small red light was blinking twice.
“Two messages, mom!” Courtney shouted. “Do you want me to listen to them?”
“Yes,” her mother replied. Courtney slowly got up and pressed the playback button.
“Hi Courtney, I was just wondering if you wanted to do something today. Call me later. Bye!” The first message was from Connie. The answering machine made its usual noises and went on to the second message.
“Hello, Mrs. Robertson. This is Mr. Hall, Jesse’s father. If you would, please call me back at 379-6824. Thank you. Have a nice day!” Courtney was horrified. Had she done something to offend Mr. Hall? Had she not acted in a way that pleased him? He didn’t sound upset. She wasn’t worried about him saying anything about the hockey game since he understood the situation with her mother.
“Who were they from?” Mrs. Robertson shouted. Courtney thought about erasing the messages. But just as she was getting ready to press the erase button, her mother came down the stairs. “Who were they from?” she repeated.
“Just listen,” Courtney said. She took a few steps slowly back toward the sofa. Her mother listened to the two messages and began to pick up the phone.
“Did you leave something at Jesse’s house?” her mother asked her, before she began to dial. She hadn’t thought of that.
“Maybe I did. I’m not sure,” Courtney heard herself reply.
Mrs. Robertson walked into the living room and dialed the Hall’s phone number. Courtney, however, quickly ran up to her bedroom and picked up the phone listening. That’s what she loved about her phone. She could have it on speakerphone listening to someone’s conversation and they’d never know it.
“Hello, this is Mrs. Robertson. May I please speak with Mr. Hall?” she heard her mother ask.
“Yes, hold on just one second.” Courtney recognized the voice as Jesse. A few moments later, she heard Mr. Hall come to the phone.
“Hello, Mrs. Robertson?”
“Yes,” Mrs. Robertson responded.
“I‘m glad you returned my call. I wanted to talk to you about Courtney.” Those few words had a big impact on Courtney. They sent a shiver down her spine.
“Ok,” Mrs. Robertson sighed.
“Your daughter has major potential. And I realize you are her mother and I can’t tell you how to raise your daughter, but please ma’am, you are keeping her from something she really wants to do and something she succeeds in.” Mr. Hall said slowly, pronouncing each syllable of each word. Courtney had a big grin on her face. She respected Mr. Hall for standing up for her. But she wasn’t sure how her mother would react. Her mother didn’t say anything for awhile.
“What are you talking about?” Mrs. Robertson asked, curiously.
“Hockey, Mrs. Robertson...Hockey,” Courtney was grinning so broadly that her face hurt. “You should see your daughter while she plays. I’ve never seen a happier person in my life. When she skates, it’s like she’s gliding, not even touching the ground. She has such control over the puck. She can score and she can sure as heck go for the gold, ma’am. Now, you just have to let her. Let her do what she loves. You should have seen her. She was amazing. When I asked her why she didn’t play, she said you didn’t like the idea of hockey,’
“That’s true. I don’t like the idea of my daughter playing hockey. Where did you see her play?” Mrs. Robertson asked, calmly. Courtney noted that her mother was not speaking in an anger tone, which she was glad of. “I saw her play at my house. When the team got together this weekend, they decided to play. They pressured her into playing although she didn’t want to because she didn’t want to go against you.” Mr. Hall exclaimed. All right! A guy who won’t tell my mom when I’m going against her! Courtney thought.
“Well, I am glad that she respects her mother’s decisions. Mr. Hall, what is your objective from this conversation?” Mrs. Robertson asked quietly.
“Well, let me ask you this. Do you want to keep your daughter from doing something she loves?”
“No, I don’t.”
“Then, my objective is for you to let your daughter play hockey for the team, just like she wants too,” Mr. Hall said defiantly. Courtney heard her mother sigh. She held her breath waiting for the phrase that would decide her fate. Come on, mom! Courtney screamed silently. Courtney just barely stopped herself from screaming, “Hurry it up already!”
“Mr. Hall, I appreciate you calling,” Courtney slumped onto her bed. It didn’t sound like her mother was going to say yes. Courtney began to cry a little. “And I would like to say that you are correct. If Courtney wants to play that bad, then she should. Thank you, I will have a talk with her tonight,” Courtney bolted up. Her mother had just said yes! She couldn’t believe it! She had to call Adam, she had to call Guy, and she had to call everyone else!
Courtney didn’t wait to hear the end of their conversation. She hung up the phone and held in a scream. She sat on her bed waiting for her mother to knock on the door. A few seconds later, she heard footsteps outside her door, then a knock. “Come in,” she said as calmly as possible. Mrs. Robertson opened the door and smiled. “I know you were listening and I thought you might want to know…. We have a meeting with your coach tomorrow afternoon at five o’clock,” Courtney jumped up and screamed. She hugged her mother tightly. “Thank you so much!” she cried.

The next afternoon at school, word had spread to everyone on the team that they had a new player. Some didn’t know it was Courtney. She took that as an invitation to mess with their heads a little. Adam walked up to Courtney after gym class was over. Remarkably, he even smelled good after PE! “I heard Jesse’s dad talked to your mom and now you’re on the team,” Adam smiled.
“Well, you heard right, because he did and she did and I am,” Courtney was trying to confuse Adam, but apparently he understood.
“That’s great! Have you told Guy? I bet he already knows, though. So will you be at practice today?” Adam asked, sincerely. Courtney’s stomach turned to butterflies.
“Adam, I have something to tell you. I can’t ice skate that well. Actually, I can’t really ice skate at all. I’m fine with roller blades on, just not ice skates. Do you think you could help me?” she whispered.
“Hey, we had a problem like this with one of the guys on our team. I bet you wouldn’t even believe me if I told you who it was,” Adam grinned.
“Who?”
“Fulton,” He was right, Courtney couldn’t believe that he had trouble skating, not with his moves or his shot. “Well, what did you do about it?” she asked.
“We taught him how to skate, that’s what we did. And we’ll teach you too,”
Adam and Courtney walked down the hallway to their Chemistry class. As soon as Courtney stepped into the room, Connie bombarded her.
“Another girl! This will be awesome!!!” Connie shrieked. Connie was hugging Courtney so tightly she could hardly breathe.
“Connie,” she choked. “Please, can you let go a little?” she panted. Connie let go immediately.
“Sorry, but I am so excited. We are going to have so much fun!”
At lunch, Charlie sat beside Courtney.
“I’m glad you’re playing on our team,” he said. Courtney smiled. Charlie had no idea how happy she was.
“I know! Isn’t it great?” she exclaimed. Courtney caught sight of Guy and yelled for him to come over. He walked through the crowd to her table. Apparently, he had heard the news. This was turning out to be one of the best days of Courtney’s life.
“I can’t believe your mom changed her mind! Although, I have to admit, Mr. Hall is very persuasive,” he grinned.
“Well, obviously he is if he got my mom to change her mind,” Courtney remarked.
“I heard you did really good at Jesse’s house. Too bad I couldn’t have been there for it. I got stuck with helping my mom clean all day,” Guy apologized.
“I understand,” Courtney replied. She still didn’t feel right about not even realizing her boyfriend hadn’t been there. Courtney picked up her sandwich and took a bite. It just wasn’t right. You’re supposed to realize when someone isn’t there that you really care about, she thought. But Charlie’s right, I was just occupied, she thought to herself.
“I’ve gotta go now. I’ll see you in math,” Guy whispered. He kissed her on the cheek and she waved good-bye to him as he hurried to catch up to his class. Courtney hated that they had to sit with their class for lunch. It wasn’t that she didn’t like her class, she just wished she could sit with Guy.
“Courtney, are you worried about something?” Charlie asked her, curiously. Courtney stared at Charlie. How was it that he was almost always right?
“Yeah,” she whispered. “I still can’t understand how I couldn’t have realized that Guy wasn’t there!” she shouted.
“It’s not that bad. I told you, you were just busy thinking about other things,” Charlie murmured. Courtney mumbled in agreement.
After school that day, Courtney’s, mother picked her up to bring her to the Ice Rink. Courtney was shaking as she entered the doors. Her mother looked at her, nervously. She’s as nervous as I am, Courtney thought. As they made their way to Coach Bombay’s office, neither spoke a word. On the very end of the hall to the left, there was a small room that they entered.
“Hello, Coach Bombay?” Mrs. Robertson asked quietly. A man turned around from his desk.
“Yes,” he confirmed. He was a skinny man with brown hair that was down to his ears, though not covering them. He looked to be a very laid back, fun-loving coach.
“I’m Mrs. Robertson and this is my daughter, Courtney,” her mother said as she pushed her forward. Courtney shook Coach Bombay’s hand.
“It’s a pleasure to meet you,” he said to her.
“Thank you. The pleasure is all mine,” Courtney responded, politely. Her mother smiled, fondly, at her.
“I’ve heard a lot about you. Mr. Hall talked to me, Charlie talked to me, Adam talked to me, Guy talked to me, Connie talked to me, Dwayne talked to me, and the list goes on. I’ve had almost every single one of my players in here about you.” Courtney was stunned. She didn’t know what to say. Instead, her mother spoke.
“Yes, Mr. Hall is the one that got her in here. He sure is a very persuading man. So, please tell me about the protective gear that she will need,” Mrs. Robertson replied.
“Well, she will need shin pads, elbow pads. Shoulder pads, neck protector, pants, and skates.” Coach Bombay went through the list. Courtney was thrilled! Halfway through the meeting, Coach Bombay suggested that Courtney go out on the ice with the team. Her heart raced.
“Okay,” she stuttered. She guessed her mother hadn’t told him she couldn’t ice skate.
Luckily for her, Charlie, Adam, and Guy were waiting for her.
“Adam told me you’re havin’ some trouble with ice skating,” Guy remarked with a grin.
“Yeah, I guess so,” Courtney barely whispered. Her throat felt dry and scratchy.
“That’s why we’re here. We’re gonna help you. Charlie, I want you to hold her left hand, Adam her right. Then, help her out onto the ice,” Guy instructed.
Guy picked out a size of skates for her and she was able to tie them. Courtney felt that her legs wouldn’t be able to support her. She felt as if they would give way any moment. She didn’t want that to happen and look like a fool when she was sprawled across the ice like an unwanted bug. Charlie nervously took hold of her hand. Courtney took a deep breath as Charlie and Adam pushed her onto the ice. She glided slowly toward Guy.
“Good,” Guy whispered to her, supportingly. This was easier than she thought it would be. She gave Charlie a goofy grin.
“I’m doing it!” she shrieked. He nodded in agreement. After about ten minutes of Charlie and Adam holding onto her and bringing her around the rink, they let go. Courtney was terrified. She felt out of control. She felt like someone jumping out of a plane with no parachute. She hastily looked around for someone or something to grasp onto. However, none of the three would allow her to hold onto them. Eventually, Courtney got the hang of it. She could freely skate around the perimeter of the rink and not hold on to anyone or fall. She also achieved being able to skate in the middle. She was afraid of the middle at first. It was so open. There was nothing to help break a fall there. Nevertheless, when Charlie threatened to tell Guy about her and Adam, she quickly skated out to center ice and did a full circle of it.
Adam, Charlie, and Guy whooped and hollered as their star-pupil skated off the ice over to them. Adam caught sight of Mrs. Robertson and Coach Bombay emerging from his office.
“She can skate!” he hollered. Coach Bombay looked up and grinned at his new player. He was amazed. The three boys had been on the ice with Courtney for half an hour and they had her skating already?!
“Great job guys!” he replied. He turned back to Mrs. Robertson. “If you’ll excuse me, I’ve got to tend to my team. They should be arriving in about fifteen minutes. Practice will be over at Eight fifteen. If you would like to stay, please feel welcome to. If not, I understand,” Coach Bombay explained. Mrs. Robertson’s eyes shifted from her daughter, who was now laughing with the three boys on the ice, and Gordon Bombay. She shifted her weight. She didn’t want to leave her daughter her alone during her first practice, but she had errands to run.
“I’ll pick her up at Eight fifteen. I have things I need to do at home,” she said, softly and she retreated to her car.

[CTR]

Chapter4
Coach Bombay grinned and started for the locker room. The kids were all ready were hyped and ready to go.
“Okay team!” Coach Bombay shouted over them. “As most of you have already heard, we have new player! A lot of you know her too! This is Courtney Robertson, she will be filling in for the open spot!” He looked at his team. Only a few were actually paying attention. He looked at Courtney and shrugged. “Okay, get outta here! Go get on the ice!” He shouted, playfully.
The first thing they did was sprint from side to side. Then, Courtney was partners with Connie for a passing drill. At around six forty-five, Coach Bombay chose two captains for a scrimmage: Courtney and Charlie. Each one chose their players wisely. Courtney ended up with Jesse, Adam, Connie, Guy, and Averman. Charlie got Dwayne, Ken, Fulton, Goldberg, and Russ. The Coach made Luis a referee since the teams would be uneven if he played. Courtney heard him tell Russ that it was a relief that he didn’t have to play because his ankle had been hurting badly for the last week.
Mrs. Robertson was back at the rink at exactly Eight fifteen. She wasn’t going to take any chances with her daughter. Courtney was in the team locker room getting ready to leave. She and Connie sat and talked for awhile. The thought that her mother would be waiting in the parking lot didn’t occur. After about thirty minutes, Mrs. Robertson hastily got out of her car and ran inside. Horrible scenarios ran through her head like a horror movie. As she rounded the corner, she ran straight into Gordon Bombay
“Where’s Courtney?” she asked, half-afraid of the answer. Coach Bombay looked at her, confused.
“What do you mean?” he asked. Mrs. Robertson was annoyed with him.
“I’ve been waiting for thirty minutes out in my car for my daughter. Where is she!?” she screamed.
“She may still be in the locker room,” Coach Bombay said, quietly. “It’s just around the corner there,” he pointed out. Mrs. Robertson nodded her head and quickly walked to the door at which he had pointed.
She opened the door slowly and saw Courtney sitting on a small bench.
“Where have you been!” she shouted in anger. Courtney looked up in surprise. Courtney glanced down at her watch. She groaned.
“I’m sorry mom! I didn’t notice the time. I was talking to Connie about how great tonight was,” Courtney said quietly, “And that I have such a great mom,” she added. Courtney looked up at her mother, who was standing with her hands on her hips. Fortunately, she wasn’t angry.
“I’m glad you had a good time, but how about next time you have practice, you be out in the parking lot at, oh, I dunno...eight thirty. How’s that?” Mrs. Robertson smiled. Courtney grinned too.
“Thanks mom. That’d be great. Connie, I’ll call you later,” Courtney got up and left with her mother.

Courtney went through the week happily and couldn’t wait for hockey practice that weekend. However, Courtney had mixed feelings about Adam all week too. Every time she was around him, she felt great, like everything was right. But when she was near him with Guy, she felt like everything was wrong in her life. She gave up on determining what her feelings meant and devoted her time to improving her skating.
Saturday morning, Courtney rushed into the rink, already ten minutes late for practice. She flew in the locker room, put on her skates and pads and hurried out to Coach Bombay.
“I’m so sorry, coach. Our car wouldn’t start this morning,” she apologized.
“I know how that can be. I’ve had many days where my car wouldn’t start. Don’t sweat it, just get out there,” he grinned. Courtney let out a sigh and glided over to Connie.
Courtney was confused when Coach Bombay told them to take off their gear and come back to the ice with just their skates. She and Guy slowly got up and started for the locker room.
“He does this every once in awhile. Nothin’ bad, though. Listen, do you wanna do somethin’ today? I mean, later today?” Guy asked, shyly. Courtney nodded.
“That’d be great. Where did you wanna go? A movie? Dinner? Just someplace?”
“Just somewhere, ya' know. Maybe with a couple of friends or just us.”
“Where did you have in mind?” Courtney asked him.
“Well, I was thinking maybe we could go to a movie. But just us...I haven’t had much time to talk to you alone. Better yet, you could watch a movie at my house. You know I’ve got those doors you can shut to the den. Then we could watch the movie privately,” Guy explained.
“Just give me a time and movie and I will be there,” Courtney smirked.
Courtney quickly got out of her gear and raced back to the ice, where Charlie was waiting. She smiled as she skated to him. He didn’t smile back.
“Uh...hi Charlie. Is somethin’ the matter?” she asked.
“You didn’t tell him about Adam, did you?” he asked, accusingly.
“I can’t tell him! What, do you want me to break up with him for Adam?” She whispered, angrily. He looked at her, suppressing his anger. He shook his head, obviously disappointed.
“How long are you going to pretend that you have no feelings for Adam? They’re not gonna go away! You can’t keep ignoring them like this! You know you’re going to have to break up with Guy. Those feelings will make you!” He shouted to her. Luckily, no one was around to hear him. Courtney felt herself blush. Charlie had never been angry with her before. She had no reply because she knew he was right. She stared at him, defeated. She was just about to ask when she should tell Guy, but Coach Bombay and the rest of the team walked out onto the ice.
“Okay team! I’ve got awesome news for you!” Bombay shouted, excitedly. “You’re goin’ on a trip! You will be representing the United States in the Junior Goodwill games in Los Angeles! I will be calling your parents and we will have a meeting next week. Since you will be away from your homes and schools we will have a tutor travelling with us as well as a trainer who will take care of injuries and they will be someone you can just talk to, kind of like a counselor. Do you guys have any questions?” He explained, out of breath. Fulton’s hand shot into the air.
“Yeah?” Bombay asked.
“Will we be staying on the oceanfront?” he asked. All of the boys agreed with a soft, murmuring “Yeah.”
“No, you’ll be staying in the UCLA dorms,” Coach Bombay answered.
“OH!” Jesse screeched. Waving his hand, madly.
“Yeah?”
“Will we be allowed on the beaches? And, will we be allowed to...ahem...conversate with the...college ladies?” He asked, slyly.
“What’s wrong with the ladies you got now? You’ll be allowed on the beaches. But try and stay away from the college ladies,” Coach Bombay laughed, “anymore questions?” Courtney waved her hand. He nodded to her.
“How much will the trip cost or will everything be paid for?” Coach Bombay smiled proudly at her. He nodded his head.
“That’s a very good question. You will not pay anything, our sponsor, Hendrix Hockey Apparel, will be paying for it all.” Everyone cheered, excitedly. “One more thing, we will be getting a new player by the name of Dean Portman, from Chicago, Illinois. I dunno if any of you know him. Uh...for today’s practice, you guys can just...skate around, ya’ know, have a little fun! Beach balls or whatever you guys wanna play around with are in the closet. I’ll be in my office if you have any questions.”
Everyone got up and went separate ways. Guy and Courtney skated around the rink a few times holding hands.
“I wonder if Dean Portman is any good,” Courtney said thoughtfully.
“The name sounds vaguely familiar to me. I think I saw something about him on the news awhile ago. He’s supposed to be really good,” Guy stated. Courtney nodded in agreement. Courtney suggested that they go play keep away with a beach ball and Guy agreed that it might be fun. When Guy was busy talking with Goldberg, Courtney took the opportunity to talk with Charlie. Courtney’s voice shook as she began to speak.
“I decided that...well...I-I-I’m gonna…uh...w-well...ahem... break up with Guy. You were right. I have this really guilty feeling inside.” Charlie smiled, knowing that he was right. Charlie didn’t answer for a while. He just stood there with his arms crossed across his chest. Courtney hung her head. Charlie eventually cracked into a smile and hugged her.
“I’m proud. Go tell Adam,” Charlie whispered.
Courtney slowly skated to Adam. She came to a sudden stop in front of him.
“Adam, do you think we could talk? Umm...alone?” she asked, noticing Fulton edging in trying to listen.
“Sure. What’s on your mind?” he asked, pulling her towards the bathroom. Courtney was shivering as if she was cold, but she knew otherwise.
“I’ve decided that I’m going to break up with Guy and tell him that I have feelings for you.” Courtney looked up to see his reaction. He looked stunned, but impressed. He patted her on the shoulder gently.
“Good luck. I hope he doesn’t take it hard,” Adam said, quietly.
That night when Guy called Courtney, she agreed to watch a movie over at his house. Guy looked nervous as he answered the door. She made sure to say that she had something very important to tell him. Courtney tried to use the right words.
“I’ve had some of the best times of my life with you, Guy,” she started. He quickly sat down on the sofa with a frown, “but I can’t pretend that I don’t have feelings for Adam. Guy, I think, for now, that we should just be really good friends. Is that okay?” Courtney waited for a reply. When she didn’t get one, she started to pick up her coat.
“I understand. I think you’re right. All the time that you’ve been trying to deny your feelings, I’ve been doing the same,” Guy said. Courtney sighed and turned around. She threw her coat back to the corner.
“Then I guess you know what I’ve been going through!” she exclaimed. She was relieved that he felt the same way and wouldn’t hold a grudge.
“Yeah, I know. I have feelings for Connie. So, I think we both were going to do the same thing tonight. I was going to try and tell you about my feelings for Connie, but when you started talking, I thought you were gonna say something different. But, I’m glad that we agree,” Guy smiled. Courtney returned the smile and sat down on the coach to watch a movie.
When Courtney got home that night, she explained to her mother that she and Guy had broken up because they didn’t feel the same way anymore. Courtney didn’t tell her mother about Adam. Before heading up to her room, Courtney shouted to her mother that she needed to attend the meeting about the Junior Goodwill Games. Apparently, Mrs. Robertson wasn’t too fond of those words.
“Aren’t those in California?” she asked uneasily.
“Yeah,” Courtney gave her mother a slight smile. “Is that a bad thing?” Mrs. Robertson stared at Courtney.
“I don’t want you going. It’s too far from home.” Courtney was astonished.
“Mom! That’s not fair! The rest of the team gets to go!” Courtney stormed up to her room.
“Courtney! Get down here!” Mrs. Robertson shouted. However, her daughter was already up stairs with her door locked.
As soon as Courtney made sure her door was locked, she picked up her neon purple phone and dialed Adam’s number for the first time. On the third ring, Adam picked up.
“Adam here.” Courtney loved his greeting. He must have his own phone line, or caller-id, Courtney decided.
“Adam, it’s Courtney,” she said nervously.
“Hi, Courtney,” Adam replied, “how did Guy take the news?”
“He took it pretty well considering the fact that he was going through the same thing. He liked Connie,” Courtney explained.
“Oh,” Adam responded, “so what are you doing now? Do you wanna go to the Eden Hall game Wednesday night? My mom got tickets ‘cause she thought I’d be interested. And I am, but it’d be more fun with another person. And I was kind of hoping that that other person would be you?” Adam explained.
“That would be awesome! Um...are your parents letting you go to California?”
“My mom didn’t exactly want me to go at first, but I got the coach to talk to her and she says I can go now. Why, are you having a problem with your mom?” Adam asked.
“Yeah, she says it’s too far away from home.” Courtney whined.
“Is your dad’s name Daniel by any chance?” Adam asked excited.
“Yeah, that’s his name. How’d you know?” Courtney asked curiously.
“Well, we got a letter from my dad today and it mentioned a Daniel Robertson. He says they’ve become really good buddies.”
“Really? Is your dad cool with you going?” Courtney asked, suddenly having an idea.
“Yeah, my mom talked to him and he said it’s a very good opportunity,” Adam said proudly.
“Then maybe my dad will say the same!” Courtney shouted, “I’ll call you back later, okay?”
“That’s fine,” Adam said quietly, “please call me back!”
Courtney ran downstairs to her mother. Just as she thought, her mother was sitting in a chair with a letter folded up.
“Is that from dad?” Courtney asked curiously.
“Yes,” her mother replied. Mrs. Robertson stood up. “Listen, honey, I may have over reacted before. I think you should be able to attend the Junior Goodwill Games with your teammates. If you have the talent, you should be able to show that to the world. Your father also says it’s a wonderful learning experience and once in a lifetime chance. So, if he’s okay with it, I’m okay with it too.” Courtney smiled happily. She hugged her mother tightly.
“Your father also mentioned someone named Phil Banks. Is that Adam’s father?” Mrs. Robertson asked curiously.
“Yeah, mom. I was just talking to Adam and his father mentioned dad in his letter too.” Mrs. Robertson nodded her head.
“Well, I will attend the meeting. Just tell me when it is,”
“The coach said he’ll call and give us the time and place,” Courtney yawned. “I’m gonna get up to bed. See ya' in the morning!’ As Courtney walked up the stairs, Mrs. Robertson smiled proudly at the thought of her daughter being in the spotlight.

Courtney walked into school the next morning to find Connie waiting by her locker. She had a frown on her face.
“What’s wrong?” Courtney asked.
“I know you probably won’t believe, but please do! Last night, Guy called me. He asked me out,” Connie stared at Courtney waiting for her to start screaming, but when she Courtney acted like it was no big deal, she was astounded.
“Okay.” Courtney replied as she took her books out of her locker. Connie’s jaw dropped.
“That’s all you can say? You’re boyfriend’s cheating on you and all you can say is ‘okay’?” Courtney snickered. Of course, Connie didn’t know yet!
“Connie...last night I told Guy I didn’t have the same feelings for him as I used to. He told me that he had liked someone else for awhile now, too. So, did you tell him yes?”
“No, I told him I’d have to get back to him. I felt like telling him off, but boy am I glad I didn’t now!” Connie laughed.

When Courtney got home that night she told her mother the meeting was scheduled for later that night. Mrs. Robertson nodded and quickly made dinner.
“Now honey, I don’t want you to feel pressured, okay? You go out there and have fun!” her mother smiled.
“Thanks mom. I will go out there and have fun. If it wasn’t for you...I wouldn’t have this chance,” Courtney remarked.
Courtney and her mother scrambled into their car. A few minutes later, they pulled up in front of the school. Courtney saw Jesse getting out of his car and yelled to him.
“Hey!” Jesse shouted, “Wait up!”
“Hello, Mr. Hall! So, we meet again. Thank you again for your phone call. You were absolutely correct,” Mrs. Robertson greeted Jesse’s father.
“I am glad to be of help to you. But the look on your daughter’s face told me how much she was enjoying being out there. I had to call you.”
Coach Bombay greeted them as they walked through the wide double doors. The chattering of people filled the foyer. Courtney and Jesse were well ahead of their parents. They spotted people from the team and the kids all got together in another room to talk about the trip.
“I can’t wait!” Goldberg shouted. “Think about all the girls on the beach!” Jesse stood up.
“The Coach is right. What’s wrong with the girls we got now?” Jesse winked at Courtney and Connie. They laughed.
“Who cares. Think about all the guys, Courtney! Tons of them in Speedo’s! Can you imagine?” Connie sighed.
“Hey, you already got a man, Connie!” Goldberg shouted. “Leave us single men out of your daydream.”
“Do we even have any single girls in here?” Dwayne asked, staring straight ahead at Courtney. Courtney wasn’t sure if she and Adam were considered boyfriend and girlfriend or not. She pretended she didn’t hear the question and Dwayne didn’t bring it up again. Everyone mainly talked about what they planned on doing while they were there and some people talked about their new player, Dean Portman.
Soon enough, everyone’s parents came to retrieve their kids.
“You leave in a week. Do you think you can be ready by then?” Courtney’s mother laughed in the car.
“I was born ready!” she smiled.

[CTR]

Chapter5
Courtney was happy to hear when her mother approved of her going to the Eden Hall hockey game with Adam. Courtney was waiting out on the porch with her mother when Adam’s mother pulled up. Adam scrambled out to meet her.
“Hello, Adam,” Mrs. Robertson smiled. Adam nodded his head and turned to Courtney.
“Ready?” he asked. Courtney nodded.
“Bye, mom!” She yelled.
The stands were crowded with fans wearing red and black. Their seats were right in the center. With the face off, Eden Hall got the puck. They dominated the game after that point. Courtney hoped who ever they played wasn’t that good, but Adam assured her that the Ducks would be able to beat a team like that any day. At the end of the second period, Courtney and Adam went to get Salted Pretzels. Courtney felt squished as she made her way through the mass of people. The game ended all too soon for Courtney, with the Eden Hall Warrior’s beating the Northern Academy Wildcats six to zero. However, the ride home seemed much too short as well. Courtney slowly got of the car, hoping to buy time with Adam. Courtney gave Adam a brief hug good-bye while his mother was busy messing with something on the dashboard.
“I’ll see you soon,” he whispered. Courtney smiled and waved as they pulled out from her driveway. Her mother opened the door and called out to her.
“How was it?” she asked.
“Great,” Courtney sighed. Mrs. Robertson figured her daughter had had enough fun for one night and let her go to bed.

* * * * * *
Outside of the Chicago to Minnesota gate lounge Dean Portman, a tall black haired boy that looked about 16 was listening to his Walkman while he waited for his plane to board. He didn’t even notice that a young woman about 15 was strolling up to him, she had short bleached blond hair with bangs that were dyed jet black and her eyes were a pacific blue. She wore a sleeveless leather jacket that hung down to her thighs with a silver tank top, black baggy pants, and skateboard gloves with star studs between her top and middle knuckles
“Hey is anyone sitting here?” Portman motioned for her to sit down.
“Hi,” said Portman in a welcoming tone. “Portman, Dean Portman. What’s yours?”
“Bombay, JoAnn Bombay but you can call me Jo,” answered Jo. “Where are you headed?”
“Well I can’t get a flight to LA so I’m going to Minnesota then snagging a plane to LA, and you?”
“Remarkably, the same place except I’m not going to LA. What’s your seat number? Mine’s A1.”
“A2. Well, this is starting to get weird. What sports do you play?”
“Ice hockey and street hockey. And what about you?” asked Jo.
“I’m all about ice hockey. I played in Chicago and I’m chosen to be on Team USA for the Junior Goodwill Games. This year it’s gonna be USA getting the gold.”
“You play well. I watched all the Chicago peewee games on TV.” Just then the loud speaker announced that the flight to Minnesota was starting to board. Portman and Jo came up to the entry ramp and walked down the ramp together. They entered the plane and took their seats and waited while the plane took off. Once the plane was in flight the pilot turned on the walk around button. Portman tried to start another conversation.
“So where are you from?” asked Portman.
“Chicago but I’m moving to Minneapolis, Minnesota to live with my new father. I’ve lived on the street or in a foster home or in an orphanage my whole life but about a few years ago I got a call saying someone might want to adopt me and that’s why I’m going to Minnesota. What kind of music are you into?”
“Nirvana and stuff like that. You?”
“About the same I guess?”
“How long have you played hockey?” asked Portman.
“I played street hockey a lot when I was a kid but then they kicked me off because they said I was too violent when I played. So I tried ice hockey and the same thing happened, except they didn’t kick me off the team. They kicked some other guy off I think it was…” she put on a face that looks like the one when you just had a thought in your head but when you want to say it you cant remember it. “I can’t remember. Oh well (it was Portman but she didn’t know that). Hey do you know the names of some of your new crew? I might know some of them.”
“No sorry. My coach and some guy named Tibbles didn’t tell me much only that I had to go to LA in a few weeks. Nothin’ about the new players or coach.”
“They didn’t even tell you who your new coach is? Man, that’s bogus.” For the rest of the flight they sat in total silence until it was about time to land. “I hope you get to LA in time for the games.”
“Thanks. Hey, do you mind if I tag along with you until I gotta catch my plane?” asked Portman.
“Sure, why not,” answered Jo. They walked down the ramp to the lounge. Once they got to the lounge Jo said, “look for someone with a sign or somthin’.” They looked and looked but they didn’t see any one with a sign or something that might be targeted to them. After about fifteen minutes, they sat down in a pair of seats that gave them a decent view of the crowd. They waited and they waited until the entire crowd had gone to wherever they were going. “He bailed didn’t he?” asked Jo after about half an hour. “Maybe I should find another flight to Chicago?”
“Or you could come with me to LA?” asked Portman nervously.
“What!? Are you serious?” Portman gave her an encouraging look as if to say “I hope you will say yes” and “If you want to” but Jo didn’t know. “Okay, but let me check to see if he came by and we missed him.” They walked up to the front desk and asked if there was a Gordon Bombay waiting for her but the person only said no. “So lets get my bag and get me that ticket to LA” said Jo. They went to the front desk to ask if the flight to LA was full. “How much is a second class ticket to LA? Three hundred dollars!? Isn’t that a little over priced? I only have two hundred and thirty dollars.”
“Hey I’ll cover the rest Jo,” said Portman.
“Thanks, but I’m payin’ you back once I get the money,” answered Jo. “We cool?” Portman gave her a nod. Now, Jo turned her attention on the lady at the front desk. “One ticket to L.A.”
“Your plane leaves in one hour. Have a nice flight,” said the lady at the desk. Portman and Jo went to find their gate down the large hallway.
“So what’s your seat number? I got C1,” said Portman.
“It’s C2. This is getting weird, we have a lot in common, sat next to each other on the last plane, and now it’s the same thing, not that it’s a bad thing. Actually, I’m pretty glad it turned out this way,” answered Jo. They took seats by the entry door so they could get on the plain once it started boarding. “Are you sure that it’s ok that I come with you to LA? I can always go and cash this ticket in for Chicago.”
“No, I want you to come,” answered Portman. “I can’t leave a lady here all by herself.” Portman started to laugh at the joke. The announcement came over the loud speaker that the plane was now boarding Jo and Portman stood up. “Come on, we better get on the plane before they leave us behind.”

[CTR]

Chapter6
Once they got on the plane, Portman thought this would be a good time to tell her something.
“Jo, I thought it would be a good time to tell you that we will be in LA a week before the rest of the team. I kinda like to get used to my surroundings before I play in something as big as this. To tell you the truth this is the biggest thing I have ever been in,” said Portman. “But I do the same thing even though it’s a game in a different city I still like to get used to my surroundings.”
“Its all right I don’t mind getting to LA early. I kinda want to be early,” answered Jo. “I wish you knew some of the people on your new team I probably would have been able to give you some info on some of them.”
“Ya, me too but all I know is that I’m the only one from my team in Chicago which really sucks,” answered Portman. For the most part of the flight Portman worked out new game plans that he might be able to use. Jo, however, sat in silence thinking what her feelings for Portman where “Do I like him as a friend?” or “Should I ask him out” or “I only just met him I barley know any thing about him and I feel like I’ve known him for a long time”
All these thoughts rolled around her head wondering for the right answer. Jo finally decided to ask him out once they knew each other a little better. Most of all she was afraid of what Portman’s feelings for her were. She decided that that wasn’t important at the moment and the important thing was to get to LA and find somewhere to stay while the games were going on. “I guess I will just see if I can find a cheap motel I can stay in for a while and find a job for a few weeks” thought Jo. She decided to try to get a new song started and mentally sings her new song while she types it on her laptop.
“There's another world inside of me that you may never see.
There's secrets in this life that I can't hide.
Somewhere in this darkness there's a life that I can't find.
Maybe it's too far away or maybe I'm just blind, maybe I'm just blind.
So hold me when I'm here right me when I'm wrong.
Hold me when I'm scared and love me when I'm gone.
Everything I am and everything in me
Wants to be the one you wanted me to be.
I'll never let you down even if I could.
I'd give up everything if only for your good.
So hold me when I'm here right me when I'm wrong.
You can hold me when I'm scared but you won't always be there,
So love me when I'm gone, love me when I'm gone
When your education x-ray cannot see under my skin.
I won't tell you a damn thing that I could not tell my friends.
Now roaming through this darkness I'm alive but I'm alone.
Part of me is fighting this but part of me is gone.
So hold me when I'm here right me when I'm wrong.
Hold me when I'm scared and love me when I'm gone.
Everything I am and everything in me.
Wants to be the one you wanted me to be,
Ill never let you down even if I could.
I'd give up everything if only for your good.
So hold me when I'm here right me when I'm wrong
You can hold me when I'm scared, you won't always be there,
So love me when I'm gone.
(Maybe I'm just blind)
So hold me when I'm here right me when I'm wrong.
Hold me when I'm scared and love me when I'm gone.
Everything I am and everything in me,
Wants to be the one you wanted me to be.
I'll never let you down even if I could.
I'd give up everything if only for your good.
So hold me when I'm here right me when I'm wrong.
You can hold me when I'm scared, you won't always be there.
So love me when I'm gone, love me when I'm gone.

They were both silent the whole flight thinking about things they didn’t want to tell each other at the moment. Portman mostly thought out game plans to use during the competition and what his feelings for Jo were and what her feelings for him were. Jo mostly thought of songs that she knew for her to perform out on the street to earn money and her feelings for Portman and what his feelings for her were. Once the plane landed, Jo followed Portman out of the plane and into the lounge. Someone who worked with the committee greeted them and told them that he would be taking them to meet the rest of Team USA. They followed the guide to a van that was waiting just outside of the airport.
“Your luggage is already loaded into the car so you don’t have to worry,” said the guide. They drove to a pretty decent hotel room. “You will be moving in with your new teammates once they arrive. So this room is not the room you will be staying in while you are performing in the Junior Goodwill Games. We did not receive word that two of the players were coming early,” said the guide staring at Jo and finally taking notice of her.
“She’s with me, she’s my little sister. Our parents had to go on a trip to Australia, so I had to bring her,” answered Portman quickly not wanting Jo to get in trouble and then sent home.
“All right, but she is in your charge and you must be responsible for her,” answered the guide who obviously didn’t want to be there with them. The guide left and Jo and Portman thought it would be a good time to do some late night walking on the beach and stretch their legs since they had been in a plain for countless hours, it was already nine ten, with no stop to refuel the plane. They left the hotel and decided to roller blade to the beach to get there quicker. On the way there, they passed a group of kids playing street hockey and decided to watch them for a little while. Much to Portman’s surprise they were actually pretty good. Once the game ended Jo and Portman bladed to the beach. They reached the beach at around ten fifteen. They took off their blades and walked on the beach bare foot letting the waves lap against their feet. By the time they had finished their walk it was five after midnight.
“It’s late and I’m drained,” said Jo. “Do you want to head back to the hotel room?”
“We could or we could rest here for awhile. I brought a blanket in my backpack, since it was so late and I didn’t know how tired you were,” answered Portman.
“Um…okay that sounds pretty good,” said Jo a little unsure. Portman unzipped his backpack and brought out two medium sized blankets. “You brought those from the hotel room didn’t you!?” said Jo smiling with amusement.
“Yeah, kinda, is there a problem with that?” asked Portman.
“No,” answered Jo laughing. “Its just really funny. I don’t know why though.” Portman say her point and started to laugh so hard that he almost fell over his backpack. Once they decided that the joke wasn’t funny anymore they both sat on each blanket just glaring at the ocean. About half an hour later, Portman felt something brush against his skin. It was Jo who had just fallen asleep. He decided not to fall asleep since he felt that someone should watch out for her and himself to make sure nothing happened to them.
The next morning Portman woke with a start “I must have fallen asleep” he thought. The first thing he did was look to his side for Jo, thankfully she was still there sleeping on the blanket next to his. Portman leaned over to kiss her cheek thinking that it was the farthest he should go for now. He was relieved that she had not woken up after he had kissed her fearing that would end their friendship. He stood up and walked about a yard or two toward the ocean and gazed at the sunrise for a while. Suddenly he noticed that someone was holding his hand and kissing him on the cheek. He looked over to his left slightly surprised to see Jo standing right next to him. They didn’t have to tell each other but they both knew it. They were going out. They decided that they should go ahead and get back to the hotel room to get into some new clothes. They packed up and bladed back to the hotel room.
Once they got back, Portman went to the buffet table to get them some breakfast while Jo went up to the room to take a shower. By the time Jo got out of the shower and got dressed Portman already had breakfast ready and was sitting on the bed with the hockey channel on. She took parts of the breakfast he had brought up and sat next to him. The first thing she did was watch the hockey channel with him to see if she could figure out any thing about the Junior Goodwill Games and about the different teams competing in it.
“I already know that you can roller blade but can you still ice skate?” asked Portman. “Cause I was thinking you could help me practice. If you wanted to.”
“Sure, why not I haven’t skated for awhile though but I think I still have it in me. Hey, why don’t we try to find those street hockey players we saw last night,” answered Jo. “Then you could get some extra practice in. What do you say?”
“Sure, but do you have gear or skates?” asked Portman.
“Come on, do you really think I’m that stupid?” asked Jo. “I’m moving to Minneapolis, Minnesota and hockey is a big thing there and its always cold. I don’t think I would have forgotten skates or blades. But gear is another problem. I haven’t been on a hockey team since I quit the one in Chicago and I sorta grew out of all of my gear.”
“Yeah, I guess your right. So when do you want to head out of here?” asked Portman. “It will take us some time to find those skaters from last night.” Jo headed out of the room and rushed out of the hotel with Portman following her, they wanted to find those skaters before they where tired from a street hockey game. Thankfully they found them before they had divided into teams.
“Hey Portman you do know that there’s an odd number so one of us is going to be referee. So you go and play and tell them I’ll play ref. Besides I’m not the one who needs practice,” said Jo. Portman nodded and went up to the guy that looked like the on in charge.
“Hey do you mind if I play it would give me some practice for the Junior Goodwill Games?” Portman asked the kid whose name was James. “My friend said she will be ref if you guys use refs.”
“Sure, you can play, one of our guys is sick and we needed another player. Go tell your friend that we could use a ref,” answered James. Portman skated over to Jo and told her the news. Jo took her spot on the sidelines while Portman went to the group.
They picked out the two captains. Portman was picked to be on James’ team. He obviously wanted to see what moves and shots Portman had. Portman was going to be their enforcer, which he was all too happy about since he was the enforcer for every team he had ever played on. Portman bashed into people like a charging bull most of the other team had started to moan and grumble after half way through the second period. James called a time out and gave instructions to every one.
“Portman slow down a bit on the hitting. There already banged up pretty bad so you don’t have to hit them so hard any more.”
“No problem,” answered Portman. The final period ended with a great end. Portmans team won Jo had thought hey would have with Portman being their enforcer. Portman told the whole team that he hoped that they would meet again.
He and Jo went to the basketball court by the beach and Portman shot pucks through the net. Jo would snatch it and throw it back to him so he could try again. Next, they tried a one-on-one game that Portman totally won. By the time practice was over it were already a quarter to one and Jo decided they should go and get something to eat.
They bladed to a hot dog stand by the beach and took seats on a bench by the walkway. Once they finished lunch they decided that they should go back to the hotel room to rest and so Jo could get her guitar so she could show these people what she was made of later on in the day. Once they rested and got her guitar they went to Westwood, a place where many shops and restaurants were open all day and students from the near by college came to shop and eat. Jo had never performed with out the rest of the band but they were all back in Chicago and she knew that they would never be able to pay for the trip she hadn’t even paid for her plain ticket the orphanage had paid for the whole trip. She was just about to open her guitar case when her cell phone rang.
“Hello?” said Jo.
“Guess who this is?” came a familiar voice.
“Oh my gosh is that really you? Evan,” asked Jo.
“Yeah, that’s me and the rest of the band. You remember us Jean, Kristen (Kris), and me,” said Evan.
“Hey, Jo how’s it hanging?” asked Jean. Evan had just given him the phone.
“How have you been? Gotten any of those good looking Minnesota boys yet?” asked Kris. Jean had just passed it over to her or rather Kris snatched it from Jean.
“No, better I’m in LA and got myself a hockey player from Chicago,” answered Jo.
“I hate you Jo.” Just then there came a sound that resembled a bunch of people pushing and shoving trying to be heard. “I’m putting Evan on. Okay, bye,” replied Kris hurriedly.
“Hey, remember me? Your old partner in crime,” asked Evan.
“I’m tryin’ to forget about those days if you didn’t know,” answered Jo.
“Oh yeah, I forgot about that,” apologized Evan. “So how’s life treaten’ you?”
“Okay, I guess. How about you?” asked Jo not tacking much interest in the conversation .
“Same. Made any new songs?”
“Not really I’m starting on one but I don’t exactly have drums or a bass. Now do I?”
“No, guess not. Anyway here’s Jean”
“Hey, why don’t me and the band come down to LA and we could show everybody how we do it in Chicago?”
“Come-on you and I both know that you and the rest of the gang cant afford to send all three of you guys to LA, two of you maybe but its out of your league to pay for the three of you guys. It’s just not possible with the cash we or should I say you earn at those clubs, bars, parties, and on the street. And you know it and so do the others.”
“You just had to give me that didn’t you? Just go ahead and crash my dreams,” screamed Jean.
“I’m not crashing your dreams I’m just giving you a dose of reality. And you-.” She never got to finish her sentence because Jean had just hung up on her. Jo hung up the phone as well. “The guys are probably chewing him out for hangin’ up on me especially since they had not been able to say ‘goodbye’ to me.”
“What was that all about?” asked Portman curiously.
“That was my old band we used to play together in Chicago. Jean’s the dreamer of the group always believing he can do something even though deep down he know he can’t and he’s the one who is the most immature of the gang. Evan is the muscle, he writes the music, and he’s the kind of guy you don’t want to get angry he’s really nice but when he’s angry you don’t want to be near him. Kristen is well hyper, all the time twenty- four/ seven but she is definitely the brains of the group. It gets kinda annoying actually. I’m the talent of the four I write most of the songs, I don’t take any crap from anyone and I don’t let people boss me around. Jean is probably getting beat up by Evan right now for hanging up the phone on me and Kris is probably trying to break it up,” said Jo smiling fondly remembering her old band. “Common lets get out of here.”
“Um…okay, sure,” answered Portman a little unsure. “What changed your mind? You told me that you were going to play your guitar.”
“My mind changed. After that phone call I decided that I didn’t want to play tonight.” The truth was that she wanted to play but she knew that it would bring too many memories back to her about the band. She also knew that Jean was mad at her and the others would be mad at her if Jean tolled them what she had said. All she wanted was to go to the hotel room and lie there in the bed and think. Once they got back to the hotel room that’s exactly what she did, lie on the bed with the CD that she and the band had made. Listening to that CD brought back memories both good and bad. The time they first met, first song, first gig, first everything. But the bad times weren’t as enjoyable. The time they got jumped at a club, their first arrest, first police chase, and first band fight all of her bad history came flooding back to her like a wave crashes onto the beach. She decided to work on a song to take her mind off of it. She got out her guitar and her laptop, which had a voice type in it so, what ever she said it would be typed and it would appear on the screen.
“Don't tell me what to think, 'cause I don't care this time
Don't tell me what to believe, 'cause you won't be there
Catch me when I fall
But you'll need me when I'm not here at all
Miss me when I'm gone again
I'm goin' down in flames
I'm fallin' into this again
I'm goin' down in flames
I'm fallin' into this again
Don't tell me how life is, 'cause I don't really wanna know
Don't tell me how this game ends, 'cause we'll just see how it goes.
Catch me when I fall
Or you'll need me when I'm not here at all
Miss me when I'm gone again.
I'm goin' down in flames
I'm fallin' into this again
I'm goin' down in flames
I'm fallin' into this again
Now all the way down here I'm falling all the way
All the way down here I'm falling again now.
I'm falling down, I'm falling down, I'm falling down
I'm goin' down in flames
I'm fallin' into this again
I'm goin' down in flames
I'm fallin' into this again
Now all the way down here I'm falling all the way
All the way down here I'm falling again now.
I'm falling down.”

There was no way she was going to tell Portman about her past unless she had no other choice. The night wasn’t any better for Jo. She tossed and turned in her bed while a nightmare of her past washed over her.
“Mr. Mitchell, your daughter, Jo, cannot stay here. We, The Child Welfare Committee, believe that you should put her up for adoption or in a foster home.”
“No! I’m not putting my daughter in any of those orphanages or foster homes. this is her home she belongs here!”
“Are you sure this is the safest environment for her? Don’t you want the best for her? You have had some mishaps with the police and you are over due with your bills and house payments.”
“I know all of this! (sighs) All right she can go with you to whatever place you are going to take her. But let me tell her.”
“Daddy what’s gonna happen to me?”
“You are going to go with these nice people to a new home until I can get some of these bills and other stuff cleared up. Okay?”
“Okay, Daddy. Will I ever see you again?”
“Of course you will, Jo. I promise.”

“Evan, Kris, Jean, I’m going to Minnesota. I got the call from the Adoption Agency a bout a week ago.”
“So, you’re dumping us? I thought you cared about us, me most of all, you and I dated.”
“I can’t believe you would do this, you and I were like sisters. And your just gonna leave us?”
“I looked up to you. I can’t believe you would do this to us.”
“You guys don’t get it do you!? I always wanted a real father, not one that was almost always drunk or depressed! And I finally got my chance to have that! I thought you guys would be happy for me, but I guess I was wrong? I guess this is good-bye. I might actually try to keep in touch, you know see if you guys can actually live without me!?”
“Guys I’m sorry! Dad don’t leave me!” screamed Jo as she bolted up right in her bed she had just woken up from the nightmare.
“Jo are you all right? You sounded like you had a bad dream,” asked Portman, who had woken up from her scream and was walking over to Jo’s bed.
“Yeah, I think so. It was just a dream from my past. My father was in it and so were the rest of the bands gang. I hope I don’t ever have to have that dream again.” I guess I should tell him about my past before this relationship gets deeper. “Dean there’s something I have to tell you,” answered Jo quietly.
“What is it? You know you can tell me any thing,” answered Portman putting a comporting arm around his girlfriend’s shoulder.
“It is about my past, I think I should tell you my past now, it’s better sooner then later in my case,” answered Jo. “I guess it all started when my mom died, I was nine at the time. That’s when I realized what true lose was. My dad went into a depression after that, got drunk and really high most of the time. Every day after school the bus dropped me off at a bar that my dad drank at. Most of my time was spent at that place only because home was too far to walk to. I was usually there till about ten pm or somewhere around there. That’s when I realized what real anger was, he was always angry and he took all of that anger and took it out on me, I almost went to the hospital once because of him and his anger.”
By now Jo was starting to cry. “Then when I was older, I think about eleven, I got a job at the same bar my dad hung out in. I don’t know why I did it, probably because I was used to being in that place. That’s when I met Evan he worked the bar during the day, I think he was sixteen or seventeen. My life and me were messed up so he and I ended up dating, we got what we would call “kinda drunk” one night and we did something like vandalize the mayors house in our underwear or something really crazy to some important person, I cant remember. Someone saw us and they called the cops. Evan pulled me into his truck and we had our first police chase and the worst part was that Evan found out who called the cops on us and he went to their house and severely injured that person and knocked the rest of the family out cold. We both got sent to Juvie Hall and that’s where we met Kris, we all became friends really quickly. Once we all got out of Juvie Hall we went back to the bar and worked, Kris got a job there to so life was all right. Then Jean came into the picture, his dad was a super successful businessman and his mom worked at a café and well he lived with his mom I think. All of our lives were basically the same so we could relate to each other’s problems. A few months later we started the band and we all rented this apartment that we all lived in. When I was fourteen, Evan got really drunk one night and I was stupid enough to not be able to tell and he took the kiss a little too far and every time I would try and pull away he just pulled me closer to him. And to top it all off he tried to get me to marry him that same night. When I told him ‘no’ he tried to hurt me and that’s when Kris somehow came into the picture and we all got into a “little” fight, eventually we got Evan knocked out and we ran for our lives. The next day I told them I was leaving and well they didn’t like that very much. Kris understood only because she helped me with Evan the night before. All I remember was running out of the building and getting on my motorbike. Then I went to say bye to my dad. He didn’t like my leaving either, I could kinda tell because he threw a lamp at me and started heavily cussing me out. That’s when I decided to forget everything about my past, just forget I had one. I never trusted anyone else until now. You see why I didn’t tell you all about my self when I met you? I was afraid my past would push you away and you’re the best thing that’s ever happened to me in a really long time.” Now Jo was crying so hard that she could have made a river. Jo was thankful for Dean being there it made things a lot easier for her. Dean kissed Jo on the forehead hoping that him being there comforted her.
“I can see why you didn’t tell me all this earlier on. I would probably have done the same. And your wrong your past would not have pushed me away, in my opinion it would have made our relationship stronger,” answered Portman speaking softly to Jo.
“What? How?” answered Jo looking up at Deans’ face.
“You trusted me with the truth of your past, which is dark and gloomy. It shows that you trust me. Does that help?” asked Portman. “I want you to know something Jo, I love you and your past isn’t going to change that, you have my word.
“Yeah, it really helps, more than you know,” answered Jo closing her eyes and resting her head on his shoulder. “I love you to Dean more than you know.” In a few minutes they were both asleep in that position for the rest of the night. This time Portman had the ruff night. He had a dream about Evan running into the hotel room with a gun and shooting Jo and he (Portman) could not do anything to help her, for some reason he couldn’t move, no matter how much he wanted to he just couldn’t.
The next morning they both decided to rest up from the rough night they both had had and because they were going to meet the rest of Dean’s team the next day. For the most part of the morning Jo painted her nails and went to the pool. Portman decided to go to the work out room while Jo was at the pool. After that they just hung out in the hotel room. Late in the afternoon they went down to the beach to go for a walk and got dinner at a nearby Chick-fill-A. That night Jo took some light sleeping pills hopping they would help keep another dream away. Portman stayed up till midnight just in case Jo woke up from another nightmare. Eventually, Portman fell asleep and had no dreams of Evan or Jo.
The next morning they both woke up, got dressed, ate breakfast and packed up all of their things. In the middle of their packing, Portman’s cell phone rang.
“Portman here.”
“Hello. Dean. This is Gordon Bombay, your new coach. Right now, the team and I are about to land in LA. The reason I called was to tell you that we will meet you at the local ice rink in about two or two and a half hours,” Bombay said over the phone. “I’m going to let you talk to some of the rest of the team. Here’s Courtney.”
“Hi,” Courtney greeted him cheerfully.
“Hi,” Portman replied back.
“Have you ever played hockey before?” she asked a little uncertain.
“Yeah,” he replied, “A lot.”
“That’s good. We’re a good team, but we always have room for one more.”
“That’s cool.”
“Well, I’m gonna let you talk to some…other people,” Courtney said, not knowing what else to say.
“Hey,” Adam said coolly.
‘Hey,’ answered Portman quickly.
“We’re all looking forward to meeting you,” said Adam
“Yeah, I’m really lookin’ forward to meeting my new team, too. Hey, tell me a little bit about them,” Portman replied.
“Well, we’ve got two girls that are really good. We’ve got a great coach, good goalie and in general a good team. Everybody’s really cool too. I think you and Fulton will get along really well,” Adam exclaimed.
“Yeah, well…we’ll see,” Portman replied sarcastically.
“Jesse here. Listen, you don’t belong with us, man,” Jesse said “We earned our wings. You can’t just become a duck you gotta earn it. So don’t come prancing in here like you’re better than us! Just ‘cause you’re on our team don’t mean you’re one of us! When you get here don’t act all buddy buddy with us ‘cause it ain’t gonna work. I heard about you’re kind of people and you guys are trash.”
“You better hope you have some of your crappie team members with you punk!” Portman wanted to say bitch but decided not to because he figured the coach would find out. “If you don’t, the best thing would be for you is to run. And who said I wanted to be a stupid dumb bird, I play for me and no one else. Besides I’m not the one who sucks that’s you.”
“Um…hi, this is Charlie. The rest of the team doesn’t think that you don’t belong here with us, Jesse is always like that to newcomers.”
“Okay, that’s nice to know, I guess it’s kinda tough coming into a team that has known each other for awhile and you know next to nothing about them.”
“I gotta hang up were a bout to land. Bye.”
“Yeah, same here,” replied Portman as he hung up the phone.
“That was all bull crap wasn’t it?” asked Jo after Portman hung up the phone.
“What? Oh what I tolled all the players that talked to me? Yeah, ninety-five percent of it. I was barley listening to them, except that Jesse kid,” replied Portman. “We’re supposed to meet the team in a little while at the local rink.”
“Um…Dean, just wondering but am I going to stay with you or what’s the plan?” asked Jo.
“Yeah, you’re coming with me. And if the coach has a problem with that then he’s just gonna have to live with it, cause I’m not leaven you here alone. I’m kinda afraid my dream’s gonna come true,” answered Portman taking a seat on his bed.
“What dream? You never tolled me about a dream,” stated Jo taking a seat by him.
“It was kinda weird. Evan busted into the hotel room and he had a gun, he shot you, and I couldn’t do anything to stop him.”
“Don’t worry, there is no way Evan could get here before the competition is over, all the flights coming here will be booked and he probably couldn’t afford it.”
“Yeah I know…but still. I don’t want you to be left alone, you might think I’m being over protective and paranoid but it’s only because I don’t want to loose you, I care about you too much.”
“Yeah me too. Listen, I can take care of myself but thanks for watching out for me. I’m not used to people caring and looking out for me, I’ve always had to take care of myself, no one to rely on except me, I guess I’m just used to being on my own.” Jo and Portman’s eyes locked. Jo’s eyes weren’t the pacific blue he had always seen, they were more like a color so stunning no words could describe. Both of them didn’t realize that their lips were coming closer together until Portman wispered “Jo, I love you.” Their lips met and they shared a kiss. Portman was surprised at the softness of Jo’s lips. He was also surprised to find that Jo's mouth tasted like candy to him. Jo was surprised at how Deans kisses were, his were soft and gentle. Unlike Evans who’s were rough and pushy.
“Come on, let’s go and find out if this new team of mine is any good,” suggested Portman once they broke apart.
“Sure, we’re heading out early so I can skate with you for some warm up laps be fore we meet them,” said Jo.
They checked out of the hotel and roller bladed to the ice rink hand in hand. Once they were there Portman went and put his hockey gear on while Jo went to the stands and dropped her stuff on one of the team benches, she laced up her ice skates and went out onto the rink to join her boyfriend. They started a mini game, one on one, and then Jo got into the goal for Portman to get some shooting practice in. After that they skated laps around the rink for about ten minutes before they took a five-minute break.
How about I go and get us something to drink? Some food would be good to,” said Jo.
“Sure I’ll stay here in case the new team shows up,” answered Portman.
“Be back in a sec.,” stated Jo. She stood up and went out of the stadium area. Portman went out onto the ice and started skating laps then no sooner his cell phone rang.
“Hello,” said Portman.
“Hey I just saw some people enter the arena they look like they’re a hockey team,” stated Jo. “How much you wana bet that’s them?”
“Yeah some 15 or 14 people just entered the arena. What! That can’t be them! They don’t even look like they could stand a game with little girls! But that’s them cause Tibbles is with them. But they have some good-looking girls, I think your gonna have some competition.” answered Portman jokingly.
“Portman! How dare you,” cried Jo playfully over the cell phone. “You are going to get A LOT of playing time with this crowd. Who knows maybe one of them might get hurt and I could fill in the roster spot.”
“Now that would be awesome, you and I on the same team. Then we could show everybody the strength of Chicago.”
“Yeah that would be sweet. Now go and great your new team of little girls,” said Jo as she hung up the cell phone

[CTR]

Chapter7
* * * * * *
One week later, Courtney was standing in an airport with her mother and Charlie by her side. Courtney stared out the window at the planes. It was pitch black outside. Courtney could hardly make out the planes through the fog. It hung in midair like a shield. Courtney shuddered at the ghastly scene in front of her. It scared her to think that she would be flying through all that mess!
“Remind me again how on Earth you woke me up this morning?” Courtney mumbled.
“Oh, it wasn’t easy!” Mrs. Robertson replied. “Remember, I want two letters every week. I’ll be watching you on TV, I promise. Oh, and if you can, a phone call every Tuesday. Use your cell, okay?”
“I gotcha mom. A phone call every Tuesday and two letters per week.” Mrs. Robertson gave Courtney a big hug and a kiss.
“I love you, mom! Good-bye!” Courtney shouted from the gate.
“I love you too!” Mrs. Robertson replied.
Charlie and Courtney both grabbed their carry on luggage. Charlie smiled at her excitedly.
“I hope you’re ready. This is a chance of a lifetime,” he laughed. “This is gonna be something you never forget, mark my words.”
“Whatever,” Courtney replied, pushing him to his seat.
When everyone was seated on the plane, Courtney was sitting with Charlie. Charlie had the window seat and Courtney had the isle seat. Next to Courtney was Adam, who was sitting with Dwayne. Behind Courtney was Connie and beside her was Guy. Fulton was seated in front of Courtney and was soon joined by Jesse. Averman sat with Goldberg in front of Adam. Ken sat behind Adam with Luis. Russ was left sitting with Coach Bombay in front of Fulton and Jesse. He didn’t seem upset at all. As soon as the plane took off, everyone started ordering drinks. Goldberg ordered fifteen drinks, assuring everyone he could drink them in less than five minutes. Everyone watched in amazement as Goldberg drank them all in four minutes and thirty-three seconds! Jesse and Fulton had bet five dollars that he couldn’t do it. They reluctantly handed him their money.
“Here’s something else you can bet on,” Goldberg stated.
“What’s that?” Guy asked.
“How long I’ll be in the bathroom!” he yelled as he ran from his seat. Courtney burst out laughing. Despite the excitement, she was having difficulty keeping her eyes open. She decided to just not fight it. After all, Charlie was asleep too. She grabbed the headphones that lay in front of her and popped her favorite CD, Good Charlotte, into her CD player. The music comforted her. She was almost asleep when she felt a light tap on her shoulder. She opened her eyes and saw Adam gazing at her.
“Yes?” she asked groggily.
“What are you listening to?” he asked. It took Courtney a few seconds to remember the name of the group.
“Good Charlotte,” she finally said.
“Awesome,” he replied. “That’s who I’m listening to too.”
“I’m so tired,” Courtney yawned.
“I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to disturb you.”
“Oh no, it’s perfectly fine. Actually, I wanted to talk to you about something.”
“Okay...”Adam replied curiously. Courtney looked around to see who was listening. No one was paying them any mind.
“Well.... Do you consider us going out?” she asked quietly.
“Do you?” he immediately shot back at her. She sat quietly thinking of what to say. This wasn’t what she had expected. She was expecting him to either say yes or no.
“I dunno,” she laughed. She gazed into Adam’s crystal clear blue eyes. He slowly moved toward her and kissed her gently on the lips. Courtney closed her eyes. His lips were smooth and moist. It was the perfect moment. Her heart raced.
“Ooohhhh...” Courtney looked up to see Jesse looking over his seat at them. Courtney saw Adam’s face turning red just as her own was.
“I’d say that’s a yes, Courtney!” Jesse laughed.
Charlie sat up and looked around bewildered. He looked as if he had no clue where he was.
“Who said something?” he asked. Courtney turned to Jesse and stared at him.
“I did, Charlie. Why?” Jesse whispered. Charlie shook his head as if to get a thought out of his head.
“Jesse!” Courtney cried playfully, “You woke him up! You should feel awful!”
“Oh, no, it’s fine. I just wanna know what’s going on.” Charlie stuttered.
“Oh, nothing much. Adam just kissed Courtney that’s all!” Jesse shouted nonchalantly.
“Well that sounds like something!” Charlie said sarcastically. Courtney could feel her face turning red so she turned away from them. Charlie caught sight of the look on her face and told everyone else to shut up and go to sleep. Courtney was grateful to him. About two hours later, Connie and Charlie switched seats. Courtney quickly slid into the window seat.
“So…Adam kissed you?” Connie whispered excitedly.
“Yes, he did.”
“How was it?” Connie asked anxiously. Courtney tried not to act thrilled, but she couldn’t. Her face split into a grin and she explained it all to Connie.
“Wow!” Connie exclaimed. “You’re so lucky!”
“Says the girl who is sitting with her boyfriend on the plane,” Courtney said laughing. Connie playfully punched Courtney in the arm. Courtney’s heart was beating so fast from the excitement that she needed sugar to refuel. Thankfully, a stewardess happened to walk by.
After eating, Courtney couldn’t help but fall back asleep. This time she had two seats to herself because Connie was sitting with Guy again and Charlie was sitting by himself too. She dreamed that the Ducks had just won the Junior Goodwill Games and she was hugging Adam tightly. She remembered the smile on his face and the glint in his eyes. He had just won it for the team in a shoot out and in his eyes the only thing she could see was his feelings for her. Courtney woke up in a daze. She wanted to talk to Adam. She didn’t feel like talking to anyone else.
“Adam?” she asked quietly. When he didn't move she tapped him lightly on the shoulder.
“Yeah?” he replied sleepily.
“You wanna talk?” Courtney asked. She looked around. Everyone else was asleep. The only overhead lights that were on were theirs. Adam sat up and looked at Courtney. He blinked a few times and rubbed the back of his head.
“Okay. What do you wanna talk about?” Courtney thought for a moment. She didn’t know exactly what the topic would be, she just knew she wanted to talk. He was hypnotizing her with his eyes. She snapped back into focus,
“Oh, uh, well, just about stuff. We’ll see where the conversation brings us to, how’s that?” He nodded his head.
“Okay. Did you know some of the best conversations start out that way?”
“Why don’t you move over here, first?” she added.
“Good idea. So, do you think we’ll do well at the Junior Goodwill Games?” he asked. He thought they would do exceptionally well.
“I sure hope so. I know we’ve got one heck of a center,” Courtney said slyly. Adam laughed. “We’ve got a really good goalie, pretty good defense, and some pretty good forwards too.”
“Yeah, you’re right. Man, I dunno what it is about this trip, but I am whooped! We haven’t even played yet and I could fall asleep standing up. Well, we’re already up!” Adam snickered. Courtney looked nervously out the window then threw down a piece of cloth to cover it.
“Yeah, I’m tired too. I’m not sure what it is!” Courtney laughed nervously.
“What’s wrong?” Adam asked startled.
“Nothing.... I’m just kind of....” Courtney’s voice trailed off.
“Kind of...what?” he asked.
“...Afraid of planes,” she barely whispered.
“Why?” Adam asked sweetly.
“I’m not sure. It’s probably from all the planes that have been highjacked and the plane crashes. I doesn’t exactly make me feel safe, ya' know?” Adam lightly put his arm around Courtney and pulled her slightly closer to him.
“You have nothing to worry about. I’m here with you,” Adam whispered into her ear. Courtney smiled at him and laid her head down onto his shoulder.
“I do feel better knowing that,” she admitted, “But I feel even better when you protect me like you are now.”
“I hope you do!” Adam laughed. It wasn’t long before they fell asleep.

The next thing Courtney remembered was Coach Bombay shaking her awake.
“Come one, you two. We’ve got an hour until before land.” He hurriedly shouted.
“Then let me sleep for another hour,” Courtney groaned as she turned her head to the other side.
“I’m with her on this,” Adam mumbled.
“You need to get everything ready to go.” Neither if them moved. “Up!” Coach Bombay shouted. Courtney saw Dwayne jump awake as Coach Bombay yelled. Apparently, it worked on him just as good as it did them, because all three were the first to have all of their belongings together. Courtney was wide-awake fifteen minutes later and playing cards with Averman, who was unsuccessful in trying to cheat to win.
“Oh! I can’t even win when I cheat!” he laughed.
“That’s ‘cause you always make it obvious when you cheat!” Courtney replied.
“Yeah, I guess so,” Averman muttered. Adam walked by and heard their conversation. Adam silently laughed at Averman behind his back. Averman turned to face him.
“What’re you doing?” he asked.
“Nothing. I’m just…uh…looking at this-this lovely book bag,” he lied.
“Oh, okay,” Averman said turning around. Courtney laughed as Adam shrugged and threw whoever’s bag it was back down.
“I’m gonna make a phone call to your new teammate. If any of you guys wanna say anything to him just tell me and I’ll hand you my phone,” Coach Bombay announced. People crowded around him and waited for him to dial the number. They stood and waited for him to finish his conversation. Courtney was handed the phone first.
“Hi,” she greeted him cheerfully.
“Hi,” he replied back.
“Have you ever played hockey before?” she asked.
“Yeah,” he replied, “A lot.”
“That’s good. We’re a good team, but we always have room for one more.” “That’s cool.”
“Well, I’m gonna let you talk to some…other people,” Courtney said, not knowing what else to say.
“Hey,” Adam said coolly. Adam heard a quick ‘Hey,’ from Portman. “We’re all looking forward to meeting you.”
“Yeah, I’m really lookin’ forward to meeting my new team, too. Hey, tell me a little bit about them,” Portman replied.
“Well, we’ve got two girls that are really good. We’ve got a great coach, good goalie and in general a good team. Everybody’s really cool too. I think you and Fulton will get along really well,” Adam exclaimed.
“Yeah, well…we’ll see,” Portman replied sarcastically.
Jesse took the phone out of Adam’s hand before he could say good-bye. Courtney walked away and continued her game with Averman. She heard Jesse talking with Portman.
“Jesse here. Listen, you don’t belong with us, man,” she heard him say. She looked up in awe. “We earned our wings. You can’t just become a duck you gotta earn it. So don’t come prancing in here like you’re better than us! Just ‘cause you’re on our team don’t mean you’re one of us! When you get here don’t act all buddy buddy with us ‘cause it ain’t gonna work. I heard about you’re kind of people and you guys are trash.” Jesse quickly handed the phone to Dwayne and Dwayne quickly dropped the phone to Charlie like it was on fire. Charlie hurriedly apologized and told him that the team wasn’t like that and they would set Jesse straight. Charlie didn’t spend much time talking to Portman before he hung up. Coach Bombay was furious with Jesse. Everyone tried to ignore him screaming at Jesse. Jesse looked like it wasn’t bothering him that he was yelling into his ear. There was a look of relief on Jesse’s face when Coach Bombay turned to the rest of the team.
“Guys, cards up! Now, pay attention! When the plane lands we will all get off together! Is there anyone who doesn’t understand together-” Goldberg started to raise his hand but quickly put it back down with one glare from Coach Bombay. “As I was saying, you will wait until every teammate is off the plane. We will then wait for the bus that will bring us to the hotel. Everybody got it?” he asked. Everyone mumbled in agreement.
People scrambled about trying to get back into their original seats for the landing.
“Hey, Charlie,” Courtney greeted him, “This is it! We’re here! We’re actually in Los Angeles! Can you believe it?”
“I know,” Charlie replied in awe, “We’re gonna be on live TV! Everyone’s gonna know our name’s! We’ll be famous!” Courtney nodded excited.

[CTR]

Chapter8
The team quietly got off the plane, afraid of upsetting Coach Bombay. He still looked furious at Jesse.
“I don’t care. They guy’s not a duck! I’ve read about him, he’ll change the whole attitude of this team!” Jesse told Courtney.
“We should at least give him a shot,” Adam argued.
“Yeah,” Charlie chimed in, “We gave Adam a shot and he’s like an old buddy now! Help me out, Courtney. You’ve only known Adam for a few weeks, doesn’t it seem longer?” Courtney impatiently looked to Dwayne. She tried to make eye contact with him. When she did she tried desperately to tell Dwayne with her eyes to get her out of this mess. Dwayne understood and attempted to get them to hurry to the rest of the team. “Courtney?” Charlie asked.
“Okay! It has been longer than that!” she whispered.
“What do you mean?” Charlie asked confused. Adam was shaking his head as if to say ‘Don’t tell!’ Courtney shrugged and started slowly.
“I…used to be a Hawk.” Charlie laughed at her and Dwayne spun around and gazed at her.
“Nah! Your mom wouldn’t let you play, remember?”
“I lied to you, Charlie. I was a Hawk. It was before my dad started going on a lot of business trips. I can hardly remember so I don’t count it as playing. My mom doesn’t either. I think she’s mentally blocked out those days or something like that. You wouldn’t believe the fights between my mom and dad about me playing. When my dad left on his first trip, my mom wouldn’t drive me to practice and it was just kind of decided that I wasn’t playing anymore. I guess this time my mom just couldn’t deny that I had an incredible gift. Anyway, I was on Adam’s team. I hardly knew him at all. In fact, I didn’t remember he was on my team until a few nights ago when I was looking through old photographs,” Courtney explained quietly. Dwayne was paying close attention to every word she said. Charlie and Jesse were gawking at her. Adam, who had all ready heard about it on the plane looked to be deep in thought.
“You were a Hawk?” Jesse finally asked disapprovingly. Courtney nodded her head slowly. “B-but…you don’t act like one.”
“I wasn’t like the team. I was very quiet.”
“Why didn’t you tell us?” Jesse questioned.
“I didn’t want you treating her the way you treated me. I told her it would be better if you never knew. I know how you feel about that team from personal experience. I didn’t want her to go through that experience,” Adam stated clearly.
“Sorry, guys,” Courtney mumbled.
“It’s all right,” Jesse smiled. Courtney sighed happily and flashed a smile to Adam. “I guess some Hawks aren’t they bad!”
“Yeah, they’re okay,” Adam smiled.
They hurried to the rest of their team, which were waiting inside. It was silent among the players. Connie jabbed Courtney with her elbow. She nodded her head toward another gate. Courtney looked over in time to see the Russian team emerging from their plane.
“They look good,” Dwayne said with a hint of worry in his voice.
“Looks aren’t everything. Especially in hockey. Adam and I went to an Eden Hall game the other night and the opposite team looked really good, but they lost…badly,” Courtney exclaimed. Dwayne nodded.
The bus to bring the players to the hotel was twenty minutes late. Unfortunately, for the driver Coach Bombay was still pretty tweaked about what had happened earlier on the phone with Jesse. Courtney followed Dwayne onto the bus.
“Can I sit here?” Courtney asked Dwayne.
“‘Course ya’ can.” Courtney watched as Coach Bombay took Adam aside. ‘Great,’ she thought, ‘I wonder what we did?’ When Adam got onto the bus, he sat in the first seat and motioned for Courtney to come up there. She hopped out of her seat.
“The Coach wants me to be Portman’s “buddy”! He say’s I’m just the person to introduce him to everyone. I can’t believe this,” Adam whispered furiously.
“I’m sorry. Why are you sitting up here?” Courtney asked.
“Coach Bombay wants to talk to me about Portman. Why me?” he whined.
“I don’t know, Adam. I’ve gotta go. See ya’.” Courtney returned to her seat. Adam looked about ready to cry. She felt so bad for him.
“Is Adam in trouble for something?” Dwayne asked. Courtney took a good look at Dwayne. She bet he had a lot of girls in Texas. His face had a boyish tent to it and his eyes shone brightly. With deep green eyes like that there was no way you could over look him.
“No. He’s not in trouble,” Courtney muttered.
“I’m glad you sat here. I wanted to talk to you about you being a Hawk.”
“Oh, Dwayne. Please don’t bring it up!” she whined.
“Just listen-”
“No, I don’t wanna talk about it.” They both raised their voices trying to talk over one another.
“Listen-”
“Dwayne-”
“I was a Hawk,” he finally managed to tell her. Courtney was speechless. ‘He was a what? Did he just say he was a Hawk?’ she thought to herself.
Courtney was silent now. Dwayne waved his hand in front of her face. She had a dazed expression.
“Courtney?” he asked softly. Something about his country accent brought her back. His voice was soothing. “Courtney!” he shouted.
“W-what?” she hesitated. Russ leaned over his seat.
“Keep it down, will ya’?” he asked annoyed. Luis’ head popped up, too.
“He didn’t get much sleep last night or on the plane, so he’s really cranky! I hope he gets more sleep so he won’t be so crappy!” Luis stated. Russ glared at him, then broke into a grin. He play punched him in the arm and they started laughing.
“Just don’t talk so loud,” Russ said,
“Right,” Courtney and Dwayne said in unison. Russ and Luis sat back down.
“You were a Hawk, too? But when?” Courtney questioned making sure she was talking lower.
“Same time you were. I can remember more from my younger days than most people can. My mom says it is a gift,” Dwayne explained proudly.
“But, then when did you move to Texas?” Courtney asked confused. Dwayne didn’t have a chance to answer her. They had just pulled up in front of the UCLA dorms. They were older buildings constructed from brick. The musty smell inside made Courtney gasp for air. Thankfully, the smell disintegrated in seconds. The team had two floors to themselves. The hallways were narrow, yet the rooms were medium-sized. Coach Bombay posted the rooms and roommates. Courtney was surprised when she was read whom she was rooming with.
“Adam, Dwayne, and me?” Connie shouted in disbelief. Courtney nodded her head. She and Connie decided to check out their room before they asked the coach about their room assignments. It looked like no one had ever lived in it prior to them. It was bigger than most of the other rooms with two sets of brown bunk beds that looked stable. The walls were bare and white. A balcony extended from their room hanging over a small walkway. Bathrooms were right across the hall as well as a vending machine.
Connie threw her bags onto the bottom bunk with a soft thump! Courtney did the same, but put her bags onto the top. Adam walked into the room and paused in his tracks. He looked from Connie to Courtney. The two girls returned to unpacking, but Adam kept glancing from them to the door. As Adam opened the door to check the number, Dwayne walked in.
“Hey y’all! Isn’t this great! All four of us together!” He shouted. Adam raised his eyebrows suddenly understanding why the two girls had been in there.
While Dwayne and Adam sat on the balcony and talked, Connie and Courtney got their gear together so they would be ready to go to the rink. Courtney wondered if Portman was as nervous about meeting the team as she had been that first time. But then again, guys usually don’t get nervous about stuff like that, Courtney thought. I wonder if what he’s thinking about our team right now? I wonder if he’s any good…
Outside on the balcony, Adam was thinking the same thing, however he voiced his opinion.
“What do you think he’ll be like? Do you think he’s any good?”
“I dunno, Adam. But we don’t have time to talk about it ‘cause we gotta get going. We’re supposed to be at the rink in five minutes!” Dwayne responded.
“Yeah,” Adam whispered as he rushed to keep up with Dwayne.

Everyone was outside of the dorm ready to go with their gear. At least, everyone but Goldberg was ready.
“Averman! You told me the coach had canceled practice and we were gonna go out and eat somewhere!” he shouted. Averman and Luis snickered.
“Sorry, man. Guess I got a little confused,” Averman panted through his laughter.
“Hurry up, Goldberg! We gotta get to the rink. We’ll be in the bus waiting for you. And hey, maybe we will go get something to eat afterwards!” Coach Bombay yelled playfully. He seemed to have cooled down quite a bit since earlier. This made the whole team a little calmer.

The players rushed onto the air-conditioned bus. Courtney sat with Adam to make him feel better about having to be Portman’s “buddy”. She knew he didn’t want to do it. She gladly would have taken the spot if it would make Adam happier. However, the coach wouldn’t let anyone else switch with him.
“If Portman’s a jerk, let me know and I will take care of him,” Courtney said seriously. “Dwayne would help. I know you might not think he’s very strong, but most people that are from the country like he is are. Fulton and Jesse would help too. Those, besides you and Charlie, are probably the strongest on our team.”
“Thanks. I think I’ll be able to handle him, though. He can’t be that bad. Plus, I know what’s it like to be the new guy and I know how it feels to have people ragging on you all the time,” Adam explained. Adam started laughing as he caught sight of Goldberg running from the doors to the bus.
The team got to the rink ten minutes later, being twenty minutes late. They impatiently put on their gear and skates.
“Adam!” Coach Bombay yelled from the ice. Adam and Courtney turned around. “Come with me.” He led the two of them over to a tall, black-haired boy. He looked much older than the rest of the team. Could this possibly be Portman? Courtney thought alarmed. Adam looked him up and down. His smile changed to a slight frown. Courtney immediately had a bad feeling about this. “This is Dean Portman. Dean, this is Adam Banks and Courtney Robertson.” Obviously, Portman didn’t care what the coach had to say. He only turned up his headphones more. The music was blasting. He grabbed his hockey stick and skated off. “Well…get ready guys. This is gonna be really interesting,” Bombay sighed shaking his head. Adam met Courtney’s eyes and knew she was thinking the same thing. This is gonna be bad. No doubt about it.
They reluctantly turned to their teammates who were now throwing disapproving looks to Portman. Jesse trudged out of the locker room with Coach Bombay behind him.
“Gather round!” he shouted. People grumbled as they crowded around. “This is Dean Portman. I expect you all to be courteous and nice.” Jesse rolled his eyes. Portman put on a fake smile.
“Gordon!” a small man cried out from the stands. Coach Bombay held up a finger to his team to tell them to wait. As soon as he was gone, Jesse got up into Portman’s face.
“I’m Jesse,” he snarled. Portman’s eyebrows lifted in surprise. Courtney gulped nervously.
“I’m surprised you had the guts to face me after that call I got from you, punk!” Portman shouted.
“In my hood, we don’t back down. You step up to the plate no matter what!” Jesse shouted in reply.
“Yeah, well let me show you how we do things in my hood!” Portman moved closer to Jesse’s face until they were less than an inch apart. Courtney’s heart was beating rapidly. She saw Adam frantically looking for Coach Bombay. It was no use. He was outside.
“Go ahead! Bring it on! I’m tough I can handle you. I’m not gonna back down if that’s your plan. I’m not afraid of anything you can do to me. I’ve got a team right here that will back me up.”
“That’s cool. I’ll take on all of you. If you ain’t scared, then why are you buying time talking until your coach comes back to break it up?”
“Who says I wanna talk. I’ll take you on!” Jesse lunged at Portman. Guy tried desperately to get between the two. Jesse took a punch at Portman and hit him in the chin. Portman returned the punch but hit Jesse in the eye. Angered by this, Fulton jumped onto Portman’s back and started punching him. Courtney didn’t know what to do. Neither did the rest of them. Pretty soon, the whole team, including Courtney, was beating up on Portman.
“Get off me man!” she heard Adam yell. She turned around and saw Portman on top of Adam. She and Adam punched Portman hard in the nose at the same time. Blood started to drip from it. He aimed at her, but she ducked in time. The blow hit Russ. He fell onto the ice and was smothered by Luis who had just fallen as well. Eventually, Coach Bombay heard the commotion and ran onto the ice. He pulled Ken and Russ from the top of the pile.
“What’s goin’ on!?” he screamed. Only Guy twirled to face him. Everyone else continued on with the fight. “What do you think you’re doing?!” he bellowed. “HEY!” he yelled at the top of his lungs. “EVERYBODY GET UP, NOW!”
One by one players got up examining each other’s wounds. Courtney’s lip was bleeding and she was probably going to have a black eye on the right side. She also had a cut under her right eye that was all ready turning green. Adam had a cut above his left eye that was bleeding down his forehead. He already had a black circle forming around his right eye. Connie looked pathetic. She had blood covering her cheek completely. It had run down onto her clothes. She had a huge cut less than three centimeters away from her eye. Her lip was bleeding and swollen. Dwayne had a cut on his shoulder where his clothes had been torn. The area was stained with blood. He had a cut on his forehead and a bruise forming on his cheek.
Coach Bombay looked from player to player. The team hung their heads’ in shame. Courtney gingerly touched her eye and lip. Both hurt badly. Then she caught sight of Charlie and stopped feeling sorry for herself. He had been the one caught in the middle and had the most damage done. He was sitting down on the ice crying which only made the blood that covered his face run onto his jersey more. He looked like a Kindergartner who had just had his lunch money stolen. He had a wide gash from his right ear to his nose and another cut above his left eye. His chin and lip had been busted open. She could hardly bear to look at him, but her eyes seemed to be glued on him. He had a black eye all ready and his left hand was bleeding badly. His bangs were matted together from blood that had come from a cut on his forehead. It must have been the skates and sticks that had cut them up so crudely.
“Adam,” she cried, “Look at Charlie.” As Adam’s gaze followed Courtney’s she saw a tear drop from his eye. Courtney couldn’t help but cry. Charlie was bawling like a baby, but the team didn’t care. Courtney skated to him first and hugged him.
“Charlie, I’m so sorry!” she cried. “I’m so sorry!” She heard him sobbing into her ear. She couldn’t think of anything else to say. Her mind had been blocked from the rest of the world. She knew she couldn’t ask ‘Are you okay?’ because obviously he wasn’t. The rest of the team followed Courtney and embraced him too. This did seem to soften the anger in Coach Bombay’s face, but not much. Courtney slowly assisted Charlie off the ice. He was a little woozy and he couldn’t walk straight.
“Coach, is there anywhere I can take him?” Courtney asked. “Don’t they have a nurses station or something here?”
“They do. Guy, why don’t you help her take Charlie? I can’t lead you there or this might happen again. It’s down the hall, take a left, first door on the right. Do you have that?” They nodded. “Okay, now as for you,” he started turning to the team, “I don’t know what happened, but I intend to find out. Portman, Goldberg, Averman, Jesse, and Adam, come here. I need to talk to you. I know you guys will tell me what happened. At least you better.” Guy and Courtney started out for the nurse.
“Charlie, do you feel all right? What I mean is, do you think you have a concussion?” Guy asked concerned. Charlie mumbled something that he couldn’t understand. When the three of them walked into the nurses’ office, she dropped her coffee. She looked frightened and her eyes were glued to Charlie and Courtney’s bloody clothes. It didn’t bother Courtney that the blood from Charlie’s jersey had rubbed off on her.
“Our hockey team got into a fight. Please help Charlie first, then the rest of our team as well. They’re still out on the ice,” Courtney explained. Guy got off lucky, Courtney thought, he’s only got a small scrape on his hand!
“Charlie, the nurse is gonna take you and clean you up. We’re gonna be waitin’ right out here for ya’, okay?” Guy said loudly. Courtney wasn’t sure that Charlie had heard him. The nurse slowly escorted Charlie to the back. Guy and Courtney sat down in the two chairs that were in her office. Her office wasn’t much bigger than their dorm room. The walls were a light peach color. Wherever they had taken Charlie must have been a lot bigger.
“This can’t happen again,” Guy said frustrated. Courtney sighed and stared at her shoes.
“I know. What if Charlie won’t be able to play? This guy better not mess up our team,” Courtney replied angrily. Guy cursed under his breath.
“We can’t let him do this!” Guy shouted standing up.
“I agree, but what are we gonna do about it?” Courtney cried helplessly.
“The coach will have to think of something,” he said thoughtfully.
“That will definitely not be easy, but I’ll try if you will. I don’t want that happening again. That could’ve been me or you back there right now. We’ve got two weeks before the competition begins. We’ve got to make peace with Portman before then.”

[CTR]

Chapter9
Charlie emerged from the door forty-five minutes later. His eyes didn’t look glazed anymore, just red and puffy from crying. He looked more aware of his surroundings. He had a bandage on his forehead and chin. Silver stitches lined his cheek. The nurse had changed his clothes, so he no longer wore his bloody jersey. His face was spotted with dried blood. His eyes grew wide at the bloodstains on Courtney’s clothing.
“What happened?” he asked pointing to her shirt.
“Charlie, that’s from you. When I hugged you, the blood from your jersey rubbed off on me. You were bleeding pretty bad,” she answered.
“I was? Well…look at you!” he replied. Courtney shook her head.
“I’m fine. You were pretty bad. So what, I have a few scrapes, I’ll live. You needed help, though.” Courtney had been too scared for Charlie to think about her own wounds.
“Do you wanna go back, now?” Guy questioned. Charlie thought for a minute.
“I’ll need to see your coach about this boy. First, I’ll clean you up,” the nurse pointed to Courtney, “Then, I’ll get the rest of your team.” She grabbed Courtney’s wrist and pulled her into the back room. It wasn’t much different from her office. The only difference was the size. It was a much bigger room with a small twin-sized bed in the corner, a sink, and two tables.
“Sit up here,” the nurse ordered. She took a cotton ball and wiped it over her cuts. As the cotton ball made contact with her skin, it stung. Courtney took a deep breath. The nurse covered her cuts just as she had Charlie’s.
“You can get down.” Courtney did as the nurse instructed and joined Charlie and Guy. They led the nurse to the team. Courtney was glad she had gone to the nurse because she didn’t have to listen to Coach Bombay yelling. If looks could kill our team would be dead, Courtney thought. Coach Bombay glared at every single person sitting on the ice. Guy cleared his throat. Coach Bombay glanced over his shoulder at them.
“I will help each individual who needs tending to. However, I need to speak with you about this young man,” the nurse announced. Coach Bombay nodded and took the nurse aside.
“We gotta do something,” Russ whispered to her.
“Huh?” she asked.
“Jesse and Portman hate each other now more than ever. Plus, Fulton’s in on the action too ‘cause Portman’s tryin’ to take his place as enforcer. The coach isn’t gonna be there to break up every fight!” Russ yelled.
“You’re right. We’ve got to get them to be friends. How…well, however they got Jesse to accept Adam. We have to put them into a situation where they either work together to live or go separate ways and fail. Of course, if they took the failing road we would have to step in. But if I know Jesse like I think I do, he’ll work with Portman,” Courtney responded slowly.
“So what’s the plan?” Ken questioned slowly. He had been standing with Russ listening. Courtney smiled mischievously.
“I’ll tell you guys back at the dorm. I’ll have to run it by the coach first.”
After the nurse had cleaned everyone up, Coach Bombay made his team do twenty laps. Courtney gulped her water down hastily.

* * * * * *
About fifteen or twenty minutes later, Jo came back into the arena. She watched Portman and his new team practice. They had blood all over their jerseys; she figured there had been a fight. The bleeding had stopped the nurse made sure of that before they started practice. Portman stayed away from the nurse all he had was a bloody nose, nothing life threatening. Jo sat in the stands working on a song.

“So no one told you life was gonna be this way
Your job’s a joke, your broke, your love life’s D.O.A.
It’s like you’re always stuck in second gear
When it hasn’t been your day, your week, your month, or even your year but

I’ll be there for you (When the rain starts to pour)
I’ll be there for you (Like I’ve been there before)
I’ll be there for you (‘Cause you’re there for me too)

You’re still in bed at 10 work began at 8
You burned your breakfast so far things are going great
Your mother warned you there’d be days like these
But she didn’t tell you when the world has brought you down to your knees that

I’ll be there for you (When the rain starts to pour)
I’ll be there for you (Like I’ve been there before)
I’ll be there for you (‘Cause you’re there for me too)

No one could ever know me
No one could ever see me
Sometime the only one who knows what its like to be me
Someone to face the day with, make it through all the mess with
Someone I’ll always laugh with, even at my worst I’m best with you

It’s like you’re always stuck in second gear
When it hasn’t been your day, your week, your month, or even your year but

I’ll be there for you (When the rain starts to pour)
I’ll be there for you (Like I’ve been there before)
I’ll be there for you (‘Cause you’re there for me too)

I’ll be there for you
I’ll be there for you
I’ll be there for you (‘Cause you’re there for me too)”

After she wrote the lyrics she thought of a tune. She typed it up both the lyrics and the music on her laptop using a program she had made. After she finished her song she put all of her attention on Dean. She could tell he disapproved of his new team. Portman bashed into people time and time again and he looked like he was never in the fight that happened earlier.
* * * * * *

“Before we scrimmage, I want to introduce you guys to your tutor, Ms. MacKay!” Coach Bombay shouted. She was a tall, thin woman with dark blond hair. She looked like the type that would be a teacher. She looked from one player to the next. She hadn’t been there to see the fight so she was probably wondering what in the world had happened to them.
“We have a tutor!?” Goldberg shouted in anger. “What for?”
“Goldberg, I told you all ready. Since you’re not at school you have to have a tutor. She’s also sort of like a counselor, if you need one. It’s required.” Coach Bombay said. The players turned to one another unsatisfied. “Okay! Scrimmage!” He shouted. Courtney took the face off at center ice against Dwayne.
“Are you okay?” Dwayne asked before the whistle blew.
“I think. Are you?” she replied. He nodded quickly. Coach Bombay blew the whistle and Courtney was unable to get the puck. The instant the whistle blew, she felt a stabbing pain in her wrist. She doubled over and clasped it. Within a few moments, the pain had departed. She didn’t understand why that had happened so she tried to forget about it. Fortunately, Adam was the only one to notice that something was wrong.
“What’s wrong with your wrist?” he asked worried.
“Nothing, it’s just a little sore. I guess I hit it on something.” Adam looked at her suspiciously. Thankfully, it didn’t hurt anymore during practice. Courtney was relieved when the coach blew the final whistle. Her whole body ached. She took a good look at the rest of her beaten up team. Jesse had a bruised chin and Portman had a nosebleed. Ken had a busted lip and a cut on his arm. Russ had a cut below his ear that was still bleeding and a cut on his chin. Goldberg had a wide cut across the palm of his hand. Averman sat on the ice clutching his leg. A long bandage covered it. There wasn’t a single person who was untouched.
Courtney couldn’t even sit down on the bus. She was too sore. She slowly lowered herself into the chair with a groan. She smiled weakly at Adam.
“When we get back, you should go lie down. You don’t look too good,” he said concerned.
“I’ll be fine. I’m just tired. So, do you have to be with Portman tonight?” Courtney asked changing the subject.
“I’m supposed to bring him to a movie or something. Maybe out to eat,” Adam mumbled.
“I’ll go with you,” Courtney suggested. She looked up to see Adam's reaction. “Only if you want me too, though,” she added. Adam looked over their seat at Portman. His headphones were blaring as they had been earlier. His phone started to ring and Adam found it hard to believe that he could have heard it over his music. Adam didn’t know whom he was talking to. He just heard the name Jo and ‘Sorry, I couldn’t find you before we left.’ Adam became suspicious of Portman and listened harder to his conversation.
“What are you-”
“Shh!” Adam said to Courtney, “Listen.” Courtney pushed her ear closer to Portman’s seat.
“No, the team’s a drag!” Portman laughed, “Listen, hop onto the train at forty-sixth street. When you get off, follow the signs to UCLA. I’ll meet you out in front of the dorm that’s labeled ‘Reilly Hall’ at midnight, okay? I’m really sorry, Jo! See ya’ later.” With that Portman hung up the phone and restarted his music. Courtney looked down at her watch. It was seven o’clock.
“Yeah, I want you to come tonight. Then, at midnight, we’ll see who comes to meet Portman,” Adam smiled mischievously.

Their plans didn’t go like they wanted them too. As Courtney was changing for that night, there was a sharp knock on the door.
“Come in,” she yelled. Coach Bombay entered the room.
“I came to ask you if you would please keep an eye on Charlie tonight? He isn’t looking too good. Come to think of it, neither are you. Do you feel all right? You look pale.”
“I’m fine. I promise,” Courtney voiced.
“Okay. Well…just watch Charlie, will ya’?” He pleaded.
“Do I have a choice?” Courtney asked.
“No,” Coach Bombay laughed. Courtney nodded her head reluctantly. She rushed down the stairs to tell Adam she couldn’t come.
“What!? But-but…then I have to go by myself with Portman? Can’t someone else keep an eye on Charlie?” Adam yelled.
“I have no choice,” Courtney mumbled.
“Where you takin’ me?” Portman asked coming down the steps. Somewhere fast I hope, Adam thought to himself.
“Not sure,” Adam gulped. Portman turned and glared at Adam. There was an awkward silence.
“Better be fancy, rich boy,” Portman snarled. They walked out the doors still grumbling.

[CTR]

Chapter10
Courtney returned to her room and studied for her history test. Periodically, she would walk into Charlie’s room to see how he was. She didn’t see the need for Charlie to have someone check up on him. He was doing just fine! It eventually dawned on Courtney that maybe the coach just wanted her to stay away from Adam and Portman so that Adam would really get to know him.
Adam returned later than night with a big smile on his face. She smiled as he opened the door.
“What did you do?” she asked accusingly.
“Portman’s not that bad,” he laughed, “he’s kinda cool.” Courtney wondered skeptically what they had done.
“Adam, are you feelin’ okay?” she asked.
“I’m fine. I’m serious. He’s really cool.”
“Okay, whatever you say,” Courtney sighed, “Just remember, midnight.”
“Oh, yeah. Okay. I’ll turn on my alarm and I hope it goes off,” he replied.
Courtney easily fell asleep that night. She was worn out from their practice and all the excitement. She couldn’t believe it had only been one day in Los Angeles. It felt like so much longer!

* * * * * *
Portman looked at his watch it was eleven forty-five. ‘I better go out the window and then jump onto the tree.’ Portman listened to the sounds around him. ‘Ok the other three are asleep at least I think so. It’s hard to hear a thing with the storm outside.’ Portman thought. He got out of his bed and quietly made his way to the window. He opened it slowly and without much noise. Quickly and quietly slipped through the window, jumped out to the tree and climbed down. Once on the ground he jogged over to the entrance to the Reilly Hall dorm. He had only to wait for about five minutes before he caught sight of his girlfriend. Her bleached hair made her easy to spot at night.
He yelled out to her over the storm, “Jo over here.” Jo heard him and jogged over to him.
“Hey, have a good practice?” Jo asked giving him a hug and a kiss.
“It was Ok. You’re soaking wet! It must really be poring out there? Hey give me your bag,” Portman said kindly after retuning her kiss.
“Yeah, I know I’m soaking wet. The rain just came out of now where. It’s okay, my bag’s not that heavy,” Jo replied shifting her bag on her shoulder.
“Ok. At least take this instead,” Portman answered taking off his jacket and wrapping it over his girlfriends’ shoulders.
“Thanks”
“No problem. Come on let’s get inside.” They walked over to the double doors only to find them both locked. “Great! Perfect! They’re locked,” Portman stated sarcastically.
* * * * * *

Courtney awoke to the sound of heavy rain thudding against the window. She looked to the window in time to see a bolt of lightning. It lit up the room. Courtney saw that Adam was awake too. She got up and sat down on his bed.
“That was really bright,” Adam remarked.
“Yeah. I’m just waiting for the thunder,” she whispered. They waited a few seconds and the thunder came with a giant BOOM! Courtney felt the bed shake. Adam sat up and wrapped his arms around Courtney.
“At least we’re not on the top floor. If this gets to be a really bad storm then it’s a good thing we’re lower to the ground,” Adam joked.
“I know, but we’re not that low to the ground. It’s the third floor! Boy, it’s really comin’ down out there!” The rain hit the window fiercely. Courtney pulled a few of Adam’s covers over her.
“Are you cold?” he asked sweetly. She shrugged. He tightened his grip a little. There was a small groan from the top bunk and there was a small creak as Dwayne shifted his weight.
“What’s goin’ on?” Dwayne asked sleepily.
“Storm,” Connie whispered from her bunk. Courtney looked up startled. She hadn’t realized that Connie was awake too.
“These are the type of storms we used to have back at home in Texas. Only, they were a lot worse than this,” Dwayne muttered as he climbed down from his bunk. To Courtney’s relief, Dwayne sat down on her bed instead of Adam’s. Connie jumped down from her bunk and sat down on a beanbag chair next to Courtney’s bed. Connie turned on a small lamp and pulled out her history book. She began flipping through the pages. The three of them stared at her.
“What?” she asked, “As long as we’re up I may as well study for our test tomorrow.” They all laughed. The light suddenly went out. They were left with the light that shone in through the window from the moon.
“Don’t tell me we lost power?” Courtney whined
“We sure did,” Adam replied looking at a digital clock on the wall. Adam suddenly remembered that they were going to see who met Portman out front. If the power was out, then his alarm wouldn’t be able to go off! Would he wait outside in this mess? He wondered.
“How am I supposed to study now!?” Connie whined. Courtney heard groans from the room next to them, which told her they weren’t the only ones up.
“Courtney?” Adam whispered into her ear, “What time is it? Is it close to midnight?” Courtney had forgotten about that. She looked down at her watch. She had forgotten to take it off earlier that night. It was eleven fifty-eight. She lit up the watch and showed it to Adam. He nodded. “Do you think we should go look?” Adam asked. Courtney shook her head.
“It’s awful out there! In a few minutes we can go look out of the window and watch to see if anyone’s there,” Courtney whispered back. Connie turned the page in her history book and found a newspaper from a year ago.
“Let me see,” Courtney exclaimed. Connie handed her the paper and a startling thought crossed Courtney’s mind.
“Guys, didn’t four teenagers get kidnapped from UCLA last week?” she asked slowly.
“Yeah,” Adam replied, “from a dorm right down the street.” He started to breathe hard. He let go of Courtney and backed up against the wall.
“That wouldn’t happen to us,” Dwayne said defiantly. Courtney looked down at the paper in her hand. The front page read:
“Five local teens kidnapped from UCLA dorms”
Courtney shoved the paper in Adam’s face. He held it out in front of him and read the title aloud. Connie gasped. Dwayne didn’t say anything.
“It happened a year ago, too!” she yelled. Adam met eyes with Dwayne.
“It did?” Dwayne asked quietly. Adam nodded.
“Yeah, it did happen a year ago. Don’t you remember hearing about it on the news? They found the five kids three months later. Well, they found their skeletons at least. Whoever kidnapped them had killed them. They were found in a ditch somewhere in Oregon. They never caught the guy who did it. They’re still looking for him to this very day. They haven’t been able to track anything down about him except his gender,” Adam whispered solemnly. No one looked at one another. Finally, Dwayne spoke again.
“We would be able to fight back. We’re hockey players! We’re tough! That would never happen!” He shouted.
“Dwayne’s right! We’re being paranoid,” Adam responded bravely. Another clap of thunder made Courtney jump.
“I dunno guys. It’s a scary thought. Five teens disappeared a year ago and four teens disappeared a week ago. I know the chances of us being kidnapped aren’t very good, but there’s still that small percentage that it could happen,” Courtney sighed in panic.
“Who’s being paranoid? Look!” Connie screamed. The three of them followed her gaze and caught sight of a figure moving outside their window. It started moving closer. Courtney swallowed her scream. Adam shoved them behind a bunk bed where they were hidden from view.
“Shh! Be quiet. Don’t let ‘em know you’re here. Courtney, you okay?” he whispered.
“She’s scared, duh! So am I!” Connie whispered angrily.
“You ladies will be fine with us, I promise,” Dwayne cut in.
They sat in silence as a hand pushed up the window. Courtney saw tears shimmering down Connie’s face. Can this really be happening? Courtney thought. One figure had moved into the room. Then, they held out their hand for a second figure to come through. The second figure slid the window shut and sat down on the floor. Courtney heard the first one whisper something to the second one, but she couldn’t understand what it was. They waited for the two people to do something, but all they did was sit there. Courtney was confused. They had just broken into a dorm room and all they did was sit below the window? Maybe they’re just homeless people? Courtney pondered. Courtney heard an electrical whirl and the lamp popped back on. The light from the lamp lit up the room with a flash. It allowed all six people in the room to see each other.
Courtney held her breath and Connie screamed. Adam and Dwayne jumped up, ready to fight, as the two people who had climbed through the window jumped up too. Courtney let out her breath of air when the light hit their faces. Portman stood in front of them soaking wet. He stood before a girl who didn’t look much older than them.
“Portman?” Dwayne asked stunned, “What do you think you’re doing, climbing in our window in the middle of the night?!” Adam stared at Portman waiting for the answer.
“Duh! It’s raining outside!” Portman stuttered.
“Duh! Why were you out there in the first place?” Adam said sarcastically. Portman glared at him. Courtney was wondering the same thing.
“I wanted some fresh air. Just listen to me, it was raining so I had to get in. The door was locked and this was the only window that was unlocked!” Portman shouted.
“How’d you get to the window?” Dwayne questioned.
“I climbed the tree that was outside. Then I jumped onto the balcony. The door was locked so we went through the window,” Portman replied coolly.
“Who’s she?” Connie asked curiously. Courtney turned her attention to the girl standing behind Portman. She had bleached blonde hair with black bangs. She was a little bit shorter than Portman. Portman turned to the girl.
“Uh, this is Jo. She’s my little sister. I had to bring her here ‘cause our parents are in Australia and I couldn’t leave my sis at home alone.” Connie seemed pleased with that answer.
“You two don’t look alike,” Dwayne pointed out. He was right. They didn’t look alike at all.
“Well, I look like my mom and he looks like our dad, you got a problem with that?” Jo spat at him.
“Well, she definitely has Portman’s attitude,” Courtney whispered to Adam. Adam nodded his head in agreement.
“Where did you think you were going? Did you think you were just gonna sit in here all night? And you’re gonna have to tell the coach about her,” Adam remarked.
“I will,” Portman, said quietly, “Do you have any empty rooms?”
“Yeah, follow me. I can’t believe I’m doing this for you,” Adam sighed depressed. Portman smiled and followed Adam out of the room.
Fulton was standing outside of their door when they opened it.
“Hi guys,” he smiled nervously.
“Fulton, what are you doing?” Adam sighed angrily.
“Uh, I heard people talking and I was curious, so I was listening.”
“Don’t you mean eavesdropping?” Jo asked. Fulton paused and looked at her.
“I didn’t know we were getting another girl,” he said dreamily.
“We’re not. This is Jo, Portman’s little sister,” Adam mumbled. Jo shoved past Fulton to follow Portman to their room. Fulton still stared at her as she walked down the hall.
Adam opened the door to an empty room. Portman looked around. It was a smaller than room they were just in. There were only two twin beds in the room. It smelled musty inside.
“I’m gonna get my stuff from the room I was in before and bring it in here. Where’s your stuff,” Portman asked Jo.
“On the balcony still. Can you please get it for me?” she requested. Portman nodded and quickly walked out of the room.
“Are you really his sister? Because Dwayne’s right, you guys look nothing alike. You would have to at least have some traits in common and you don’t. And don’t give me your ‘I look like my mom he looks like our dad’ crap, ‘cause I’m a very smart guy and I know a lot about genetics,” Adam replied cleverly. Jo didn’t answer him at first. She was doing some deep thinking. Adam waited patiently for her answer.
“Maybe my mom isn’t Portman’s mom, did you ever think of that?” she said through fake tears.
“Oh, are your parents divorced? I’m really sorry,” Adam replied sincerely. Jo was able to fake a few more sobs. Portman returned and Adam hastily left shutting the door behind him. He stood next to it listening for a few more minutes.
“We get the dumpy room,” Jo complained.
“Well at least it’s a room. Just go to sleep, you look beat.”
“I am! It’s a good thing you came up with that ‘she’s my sis thing!” Jo complimented him.
“Thank you,” Portman replied proudly. Adam thought for a minute. What’s going on? He wondered. If she isn’t his sister who is she? Adam left to get back to his room.
“They don’t look much alike to be related,” Dwayne said as Adam walked through the door. He didn’t tell them about what he heard Portman and Jo say. As his roommates sat up and talked, he covered his head with his sheets and fell asleep.

[CTR]

Chapter11
“Adam what’s wrong?” Courtney asked the next day during history. He looked like he had been up all night, yet she knew he hadn’t been.
“Nothing,” he replied grumpily.
“I doubt it’s nothing. Something happened that you’re not telling me about,” she accused him.
“Maybe something did. But I can’t tell you until I’m sure of what’s going on. It’s all too confusing. This new girl, I mean what do we really know about her? She could be some girl Portman found on the streets for all we know! The coach is gonna blow a gasket when he hears about her! I don’t wanna be there when the coach finds out,” Adam whispered. Courtney looked up at Ms. MacKay. She wasn’t looking around the class.
“What do you know Adam? I know you know something. Jo’s not off the streets. You heard Portman, she’s his little sister and he had to bring her along. The coach should understand that,” she responded.
“Don’t believe everything you hear, Courtney. Sometimes people aren’t as trustworthy as you make them out to be,” Adam said annoyed.
“What’s that supposed to mean?!” she asked hotly.
“Ahem.” Courtney glanced up to see Ms. MacKay standing in front of her. Uh-oh, Courtney thought. Adam’s still got his test so this looks an awful lot like cheating. Courtney looked down at her desk to avoid making eye contact with Ms. MacKay.
“Should I separate you two?” Ms. MacKay asked. They both shook their heads. “Okay, then, please stop talking. People are still taking tests.” She walked back to her desk and began to grade papers. She looked back up at Courtney and smiled slightly. Courtney should have known she wouldn’t get in trouble. Ms. MacKay knew Courtney would never cheat.
Courtney turned her attention back on Adam. Courtney knew something was going on. Adam doesn’t take this long with tests. His concentration is gone because he’s worrying about something, but what? Courtney stared at Adam. He was in a daze staring straight ahead at the chalkboard. What had he meant some people aren’t as trustworthy as you make them out to be? Courtney had to find out what Adam knew. She decided that after class, she would keep a close eye on Portman to see what he did.
Ms. MacKay collected the tests that were still out. Adam looked tense and frustrated. If I’m gonna follow Portman for the rest of the day, I may as well make sure my boyfriend is relaxed, Courtney decided. She wondered what would help him relax. Something at the beach, she wondered. Then it hit her-volleyball!

“Adam, how about a game of volleyball?” she suggested as people filed out of the classroom. He nodded his head with a smile. Courtney sighed happily.
“Oh, volleyball! Can we come too?” Connie cut in excitedly.
“Yeah!” Guy yelled excited. Courtney shrugged.
“I don’t see why not. That way we could do two on two!” Courtney smiled. The four of them started back to their dorm rooms to change.
Courtney waited outside the bathroom door for Adam to get out. Connie walked to her side and waited as well.
“Courtney, what’s going on with Adam? Is it just me or did he seem kind of…out of it today? Usually in class he answers all the questions and finishes his test first. Instead, he turned in his test last and was so quiet it was like he wasn’t even there!” Connie said puzzled. Courtney laid her clothes down on the floor and slid down to join them. Connie did the same.
“It’s not just you. Something’s going on and I’ve got to find out what it is. He’s so tense today. He might just be tired, but I doubt it,” Courtney replied. A few moments later, the bathroom door creaked open and Connie was left in the dark about the situation just as Courtney was.

* * * * * *
Jo spotted four of Dean’s teammates coming toward them. She recognized three of them from the night before but one she didn’t remember seeing. ‘Great! What do they want? Probably went to their coach blabbing about me! Even though Dean told them he would tell the coach!’ Jo thought angrily as the four hockey teens approached.
“We noticed that you were gonna play volleyball and we were about to do the same thing. We were just wondering if you wanted to play a game with us,” the girl named Courtney explained.
“Sure. The teams can be us two against you four. I’m sure it’ll be fun. Well, at least for us it will. I’m not so sure about you. Trust me, it’ll be even enough,” Jo said coolly.
“Girls verse boys,” Courtney said through gritted teeth. She obviously doesn’t like me. “We’re the majority and that’s what we chose.”
“Portman, do you want to play girls verse guys? We could totally whip them! It’d be a lot of fun and this could be our workout for the day so we don’t have to go running later on tonight,” the light brown haired boy suggested. Portman thought for a minute and nodded.
“Okay,” he shrugged. ‘What is he thinking? Great now I have to team up with two people who probably hate the very sight of me,’ thought Jo.
Jo noticed the smirk she received from Courtney. ‘So she wants a fight does she? Well I guess I will just have to give her one.’ Jo wasn’t scared of Courtney or anyone else on her team. ‘She isn’t that big of a threat to me. But that Adam kid, he didn’t even look up at me or Dean. He knows something about us. I just know it.’ Jo thought as they all made their way to the volleyball net.
* * * * * *

It was a perfect day for volleyball. The sand was warm and the breeze was perfect. It made for a day not too hot, but not too cool. There was an open net without anyone near it. Adam finally seemed to have relaxed. He was happily engaged in the conversation. As they walked to the net, Courtney noticed Portman and Jo.
“Look!” she shouted. Everyone turned to look at them. Adam wasn’t smiling anymore. Courtney frowned as she saw the same worried expression on Adam’s face.
Portman was carrying a volleyball in one hand and held Jo’s hand in the other. Courtney glanced back at Adam who looked confused.
“Who’s that?” Guy asked loudly.
“Portman and his sister, Jo,” Adam replied dully.
“What’s going on?” Courtney stuttered.
“I’ll tell you what’s goin’ on. Portman’s got a soft side! At least we know he cares about one thing…family!” Guy yelled. That wasn’t what Courtney was thinking, but Guy could be right.
“Let’s see if they wanna play,” Connie suggested. Adam shook his head.
“It won’t hurt to ask. How ‘bout girls verses guys,” Courtney tempted. She thrived for good competition. Guy gave Adam a pleading look. Courtney and Connie put on sad faces.
“Ok!” Adam reluctantly cried.
“Yes! We’ll cream ya’!” Guy retorted. He clapped his hands together and smiled happily. “Oh boy…this will sure be fun!”
“That’s what you think! You’ve never seen me play volleyball before,” Connie bragged. Adam unwillingly followed them over to Portman and Jo. He stared down at his feet and wouldn’t look them in the face. Thankfully, he wasn’t the one to ask the if they wanted to play. Courtney cautiously approached Portman.
“We noticed that you were gonna play volleyball and we were about to do the same thing. We were just wondering if you wanted to play a game with us,” she explained.
“Sure. The teams can be us two against you four. I’m sure it’ll be fun. Well, at least for us it will be, I’m not so sure about you. Trust me, it’ll be even enough,” Jo said coolly.
“Girls verse boys,” Courtney said through gritted teeth. She didn’t like this girl at all. She tried to act tough and Courtney couldn’t stand people like that. “We’re the majority and that’s what we chose.” Guy saw the hatred on her face and stepped up.
“Portman, do you want to play girls verse guys? We could totally whip them! It’d be a lot of fun and this could be our workout for the day so we don’t have to go running later on tonight,” Guy suggested. Portman thought for a minute and nodded.
“Okay,” he shrugged. Courtney gave Jo a smirk as if to ‘Oh too bad for you, sucker!’
“You might wanna be careful with her. She doesn’t look too friendly,” Connie whispered. Courtney glared at Connie.
“Well if she’s not, then I won’t be either. I can take care of myself, Connie. Thanks anyway.” Adam heard Courtney say she could take care of herself, but he was still worried about her. Jo was probably tougher than Courtney. Courtney seemed like the type of person that could fight, but only in a situation where she had too. Adam was sure she could fight, he’d seen her fight, but he still didn’t wanna see her and Jo in one.
The teams each went to their side of the net. The girls started to strategize. Connie knew the most about the game, so the girls agreed that she should be the one to take over and lead.
“We don’t have enough players to fill every position so we’ll work with what we’ve got. If the ball is closest to you, get it. If it’s somewhere in the middle, whoever thinks they can get it, just yell out ‘I got it!’ okay?” Jo and Courtney nodded. The guys were already done when the girls went to their position.

Portman served for the boys first. It went over the net and Connie hit to Courtney who spiked it.
“Score one for the girls!” Connie shouted. The girls high-fived and the boys grumbled. Unlike the boys thought, the girls dominated the game and won fourteen to zero. They played until the beach slowly emptied.
“Told you we’d win! Never underestimate the power of women!” Connie shouted at the end of the game. They all laughed and started walking down the beach. Courtney had her head rested on Adam’s shoulder and Connie walked hand-in-hand with Guy.
“I love my baby sister,” Portman said taking Jo’s hand. Well, I guess Guy was right. Portman’s just soft for his family, Courtney thought. The ocean water was warm as it softly knocked onto their feet. The sand was cold as it squished between their toes. The sun was setting behind the clouds in the distance creating an orange sky dashed with colors. The breeze fluttered around them. Whoever thought they could be playing hockey games in a place that was so warm! When they turned back around to get to the dorms, the sun was completely down and the moon glistened on the splashing waves. Adam sighed happily and kissed Courtney on the forehead. She hoped that was a good sign. Maybe tomorrow Adam would be his old self again.
Courtney wasn’t sure how far they had walked. Nothing looked familiar but she didn’t care. The coach didn’t actually check to see if anyone stood by the curfew rule. They could be out there all night and it wouldn’t matter. Still, Guy wanted to be back as soon as they could since they had all ready been out past curfew. The streetlights were all ready on and all the lights in the dorm were turned off. They quietly opened the doors and tiptoed upstairs.

Courtney fell asleep the minute her head hit the pillow. Nothing woke her up that night and she could barely get up in the morning. Connie shook her vigorously to wake her up. She rolled over onto her side and looked up. She blinked a few times to get a clear vision.
“Get up!” Connie shouted.
“All right!” she screamed. She got up and grabbed some clothes from her blue duffel bag.
Connie and Courtney were both late to class that day. They bolted out of their room and ran straight into Jo.
“I overslept,” Jo panted.
“Yeah, us too,” Connie replied. Courtney unwillingly smiled at Jo. Jo didn’t return the smile.
“So, does your coach know I’m here?” Jo asked. Courtney shook her head. “Well, this will be fun, then!”
“Don’t count on it,” Courtney responded. “I don’t think he’ll deal well with you. Maybe you should meet Ms. MacKay before you meet the coach. She’ll be much nicer and she’ll be able to sweet talk the coach for you.” Jo shrugged. “Look, I’m sorry we didn’t quite get along. I should’ve been nicer to you,” Courtney said sticking her hand out. Jo stared down at for a long time. Courtney was about to pull her hand back when Jo took her hand and shook it. Connie smiled and rushed them along to class.
Ms. MacKay had all ready started class and was onto Geography. Connie cleared her throat as she opened the door. Ms. MacKay looked up from the map. Connie motioned for her to come to the back of the room.
“Um…this is Jo, she’s Portman’s little sister. She has to stay with him and no one has told the coach yet. We were hoping maybe you could help us ‘cause you know how the coach gets.” Ms. MacKay nodded.
“Okay. I’ll help. However, first she’s gonna need to find a seat. You may not be on the team, but you still need to learn. I’m Ms. MacKay and I will be your teacher until you get back home. So, you’re Dean’s sister?” she asked. Jo looked from Connie to Ms. MacKay and finally nodded her head.
Ms. MacKay introduced Jo to the team. A few all ready knew her from previous encounters.
“Fulton, stop drooling,” Connie whispered. He scowled at her then looked back to Jo. Courtney didn’t think Fulton got much learning done. If he did, he was learning things about Jo and not things related to school. On countless occasions Connie and Courtney had to slap Fulton back to reality.
Courtney was glad when they were permitted to leave. She went straight to the dorm to get some sleep. She needed some rest before they had practice later that night. As Courtney was falling asleep, she heard Averman and Luis whispering in their room. She edged closer to the wall. Luckily, it wasn’t very sound proof.
“I gotta tell the coach, man,” Luis whined. Courtney heard someone shifting.
“He’ll bench you if he knows you’re hurt,” Averman exclaimed. Courtney still moved closer to the wall. They must have moved farther away because the sound was more muffled.
“I’ve got too. I know he’ll bench me, but my ankle is killing me! I shouldn’t have ignored it. Now, it only hurts more! I’m sorry, man. I’ll tell him tonight at practice. At least that gives him time to find a replacement,” Luis explained.
“Can you at least wait until we start playing games? You’re playing fine at practice,” Averman whined.
“Okay. It does feel a little bit better today. Maybe that means the worst is over and it’s getting better.” Just as he finished, Dwayne opened the door.
“What’re ya’ doin’ down there?” he asked. Courtney thought quickly.
“Well, uh…I thought I dropped something.”
“Oh, I see. Well don’t let me bother ya’, I’m just getting’ my books so I can finish my homework,” he sighed. Courtney got up and lay down on her bed.
“Dwayne, you never told me about when you were a Hawk. Do you have time?” He slowly laid his books onto of his bed and sat down next to her. He sighed and looked into her eyes.
“Well, you know how that team is. Everyone’s out to win. Coach Reilly always pressures you to do better and I didn’t like that, neither did my dad. I kept playing, though. I got yelled at if I made the slightest mistake. He had something against me, I think. He never did like people who were from the country. I remember my parents talking about how they had called me a hick when he was talkin’ to another parent. So when my dad got a job offer in Texas, he was eager to take it. He knew I would like it there ‘cause where we were moving had a pretty good hockey team. When we moved there, I started playing on that team and absolutely loved it. My dad didn’t feel bad about moving our family,” Dwayne explained. Courtney nodded, understanding it all now.
“So, basically…he made fun of you and ridiculed you?” she asked.
“Yup. That’s it. I never liked him much. He definitely had his favorites on the team,” he replied sadly. Courtney tried to get to sleep, but it was hard. People kept coming in and out of the room. People who weren’t even staying in that room kept intruding. When someone knocked on the door for about the millionth time, she shouted for them to go away. They knocked again.
“GO AWAY!” she screamed. The doorknob turned and in walked Coach Bombay. Courtney sat up. “Sorry, coach. I didn’t know it was you. It’s just that everybody keeps coming in here!” Courtney apologized.
“It’s okay,” Coach Bombay laughed. “I came to talk to you because Russ told me you had an idea about how to get Portman and Jesse to get along. We need that before the games start. It’s very important that you guys can play as a team. I think whatever your idea is, were gonna have to throw Fulton in there too, because he’s not getting along so hot with Portman now, either.” Coach Bombay explained panting. Courtney nodded and wondered where to begin.

[CTR]

Chapter 12
Later that evening, Coach Bombay got his team on the bus and brought them to a nice Italian restaurant about an hour and a half away from the dorms. They walked into the restaurant and gasped. There were tiny wows among the group. The restaurant, as the coach had told them, was a little different than most fancy restaurants. For one thing, they didn’t have to dress up!
“What’re we doing here?” Goldberg asked in awe.
“We’re here to eat. Then you’ll see,” Coach Bombay answered. The waiter got the team four tables. Courtney happily sat down across from the television that was suspended above a picture of a family with their dog. A quiz show was playing and she and Jo competed against each other. Jo had pulled her table and connected it with Courtney’s table. At Courtney’s table, Connie was seated on her left and Adam on her right. In-between them sat Guy. At Jo’s table, Portman was seated on her right and Dwayne on her left. Charlie was sitting between Portman and Dwayne and looked very uncomfortable.
“What are we doing here? I mean, why did we come here? It’s so far away!” Guy asked from across the table.
“I dunno,” Courtney lied. She knew the truth but she couldn’t tell anyone else because they were likely to spread it around. This was step one of Courtney’s plan. She had to get Jesse, Pormtan, and Fulton away from the area they knew. They had to be far enough away from the dorms to someplace where they could get lost.
They all waited patiently for their food to come. Courtney and Jo were still watching the television. Everyone else was getting into the game too.
“Who was president during the Watergate break in?” the quiz show announcer asked.
“Oh! Richard Nixon!” Courtney shouted before Jo could open her mouth. Jo shook her head smiling. “What’s the score now?” Courtney asked Adam excitedly. He looked down at the napkin he had been writing on.
“The two teams are now tied at forty-four,” he said mocking the announcer, “And now it’s time for a commercial break. Don’t go away!” Everyone laughed. Coach Bombay came around to each table checking to make sure they were doing okay. He gave Courtney a small thumbs up that no one else saw. She nodded her head and continued the game.
“Come on! Next question! Hurry up! What’s the next question?” Courtney cried impatiently.
“Who ordered the Lasagna?”
“What?” she asked confused. “Oh! Guy did! Yes! Another point! What a minute…” Courtney turned around and saw the waiter handing out food. “Oh,” Courtney whispered blushing. Adam laughed and patted her on the back.
“Well, you won with the daily double! Tell her what she’s won!” he shouted in his announcer voice.
“A plate full of Fettuccini Alfredo!” Guy shouted along with Adam. Everybody laughed. The waiters continued to hand out the food. The conversations died down a little after that. Courtney saw one of the waiters taking an aspirin and knew he was glad that were much quieter now.

The team walked out of the restaurant with full stomachs. One by one they climbed the steps to the bus and leaned back in their chairs.
“Where to now, coach?” Courtney yelled, setting up the next part of the plan.
“Well, that’s a good question. Okay, now guys get a grip until I finish the sentence, okay? You’ll like the end part, I promise. We’re gonna go down to another part of the town, okay? We’re gonna go to some of the shops.”
“What!?” Russ shouted in disbelief, “We’re goin’ on a shopping spree?!”
“Russ, listen. There aren’t just clothes shops down there! There are a lot of sports shops too, and there’s also a YMCA down there. I decided this would be more fun then having practice. Anyway-If you go to the Y, then it’ll kind of be like practice anyway!” Coach Bombay shouted. The boys all whooped and hollered. Connie plugged her ears.
Coach Bombay made sure everyone heard him yell, “Be back here at nine o’clock sharp!” Courtney glanced down at her watch. It was Six o’clock. She and Connie split off from the rest of the group and went to a clothes store. Courtney had advised Connie to bring money with her and Connie was grateful for that. They each bought a pair of new clothes and a bathing suit, then headed over to the YMCA. They quickly changed, stuffed their belongings in a locker and ran to the pool. The pool was empty, except for a few people. Apparently, Averman had done the same thing as them. They asked the lifeguard for a beach ball and hit that around until some of the other boys showed up. When Adam showed up, he and Courtney went to the hot tub and sat together.
“This is a really nice place,” Courtney said admiringly.
“Yeah,” Adam replied dreamily. “Hey, why are we here? There’s something more than what the coach is telling us. I think you know what it is. You can tell me. It’s not like I’m gonna tell Connie or somebody.” Courtney looked around to make sure no one was eavesdropping.
“It’s a plan I have to make them-” she jabbed a finger at Jesse, Portman, and Fulton, “to get along. We have to bring them to a place where they don’t know their surroundings.”
“Oh, I get it,” said Adam catching on, “You want to make them get separated from the group and have to work together to get back to the dorms! And they can’t just go their separate ways ‘cause they don’t know their way around here! That’s absolutely brilliant! Did you think of that?” Courtney nodded proudly. Adam raised his eyebrows.
“I’m impressed.” Courtney grinned.

At eight-fifteen, Adam and Courtney dried off and went to get ice cream. Courtney couldn’t get over Adam’s hair being wet like that. She kept flicking it around and making weird styles. Adam didn’t mind. He just laughed. Eventually, he took Courtney’s brush and combed his hair to the side. Their ice cream melted rapidly outside in the heat.
They hurried to the bus and sat down on it.
“How are you gonna leave them behind?” Adam asked. Courtney turned to Coach Bombay.
“Ready?” she asked. He nodded. He spun around to the bus driver and whispered something. When Fulton started climbing the steps, the bus driver stopped him.
“The Italian place called and said you’d left something. You too,” He pointed at Jesse.
“I didn’t leave anything,” Jesse retorted.
“Look kid, I’m just delivering a message from your coach. He said they called and he went to look for you. So go get your stuff.” Jesse and Fulton sluggishly turned around. The moment they left Coach Bombay popped up from the seat behind Guy.
“Good. That was great, Randy. I already told Portman to go to the Italian place too. So they should all meet up soon, then they’ll come back to the bus to find that we’re all read gone. When really we’ll all be inside a few cars along the road to see how they do. I’ve got walkie-talkies for everyone to use. Now, I got the tiny microphone things on all three of them, okay? So we’re ready. All we have to do is explain it to everyone else,” Coach Bombay said to Courtney. Courtney jumped up and down in her seat thrilled. She waited for the coach to finish telling everyone.
“What if they just call a cab?” Goldberg asked.
“We’ve thought that through. The cad drivers will not drive anyone around, in this area, under the age of eighteen,” the coach explained.
“What about if they just get directions from someone?” Luis questioned.
“We thought about that too. This is a very carefully arranged plan. Any store that they could possibly go to are closed. Didn’t you wonder why I said be here at nine when I would usually say eight? They’re probably still trying to figure out how to get whatever they left there back!” Coach Bombay laughed.
Everyone was assigned to a car and was to wait there until the coach told them otherwise. The cars, as he explained, belonged to friends of his in the area that were letting him use them. There were ten cars stationed around the area. Each car had the owner in it, ready to drive on if they moved farther out of the area than planned. Some of the cars had two players in, some only had one. Courtney was stationed to a car that was across from a flower shop. The streetlight that the car was under was blinking on and off. Courtney was the only one from her team in that car. The owner of the car was a woman in her early twenties. She had light blond hair and lively hazel eyes. She was very quiet and didn’t look at much else besides her magazine. Courtney grabbed the walkie-talkie and turned it on and heard everyone checking in. They were referred to as their hockey numbers. Courtney heard Connie checking in.
“Eighteen here. Ready to go,” she whispered.
“Good, what about ninety-six? You there?” Coach Bombay pressured.
“Yup, ninety-six good to go,” Charlie replied. He sounded as if he was being squished. “Thirty-three here too,” he added.
“Eighty-eight here. Ready to go,” Courtney heard herself say.
“Good, what about ninety-nine? You there?”
“Here. And sixteen ready to go too.” Adam murmured. Courtney listened as all the numbers were checked.
“Get ready, guys. Here comes forty-four with nine walking down Willow Lane with twenty-one trailing not far behind,” Russ mumbled into the walkie-talkie. Courtney saw Guy poke his head up from the car at the opposite end of her street. She waved happily and he waved back.
“Hey, eighty-eight,” he said over the walkie-talkie.
“Hi zero, tell me…is there any movement down there?” she asked.
“Remember if you’re on Willow, talk to other people on line two. If you’re on Staple, talk to people on your road on line three. If you’re on Maxell-line four. Matthews- is line five. White-you're on line six and Panasonic- line seven. I think I’m the only one on that road though. Connections to other roads, which is what we’re on now, is line one,” Coach Bombay informed them. Courtney was sure he had said this so there wouldn’t be any ideal chitchat. She turned the channel to line four.
“Hey, guy,” she said. She guessed if you were on another line, you heard it ring and it told you to change to the line.
“Hi,” he replied. “I don’t see anything, do you?”
“No, but this stupid light above me keeps blinking on and off. Are you the only one in your car?” she asked.
“Yeah, are you?” he asked sadly.
“Yep. I’m gonna turn back to line one and see what’s goin’ on, if you wanna talk on line four, just ring me.” Courtney turned back to line one.
“They’re arguing about something. I think Jesse said it was Portman’s fault they missed the bus ‘cause he wanted to go around the back to try an’ get whatever they left,” Jo was saying.
“What road are they on?” Courtney asked.
“Coming onto Staple drive now,” Adam stated. Courtney figured that he must have been on that road. “Whoever’s on Maxell, you might wanna keep an eye open for them unless they turn. Nope, they’re just standing there looking around. Come on guys, do something!” They stood there for a good fifteen minutes just looking around. Finally, they moved and Ken spoke.
“They’re trying to get back to the dorms, I think. I’ll let you listen to what they’re saying,” Ken pushed the walkie-talkie up to where they could hear what Jesse was saying.
“Okay. We should probably try an’ get back to the dorms. I guess the bus driver thought we were back on and started going. It’s gonna start getting cold and when it turns night around here, you don’t wanna be left outside. So, I say we put aside our differences and get home. We’ve been arguing for long enough now. I can’t be that hard to get along. So, I say we go…” Jesse trailed off as he started walking down Courtney’s street.
“Coach, is it time to get out? I mean-they did just become friends?” Goldberg asked. There was a faint ‘I agree!’ from the distance that sounded like Averman.
“No, not yet. There’s still a chance that they could get in a fight or something,” The coach advised. He was right. While walking down near Courtney’s car, they stopped.
“They’re arguing over which way to go. Listen-” Courtney stated. She pushed the walkie-talkie to the window.
“No, Portman. It’s this way,” Fulton was saying.
“No-it’s-not!” Portman yelled back stubbornly.
“Yeah, he’s right, man. Turn left up here, then turn right. He knows what he talking about!” Jesse cried defensively.
“Listen! I know what to do. We should just try and follow from how the bus got here,” Portman replied smartly. Jesse smiled at him.
“Good idea. Let’s do that!” Jesse whooped. Fulton gave Portman a pat on the back.
“You are okay,” Fulton expressed. Courtney gasped as she saw a teenage boy, who looked pretty tough, walking up to them.
“Uh-oh,” she breathed into the walkie-talkie.
“What’s going on down there?” Adam demanded. There was a hint of urgency in his voice.
“T-there’s this guy. He’s…h-he’s trying to pick a fight with Portman,” Courtney voiced.
“Great,” the coach moaned.
“Courtney, is he near the car?” Adam asked quickly.
“No. I hope it stays that way,” she panted.
“This is not good,” the coach whined. “If he comes anywhere near that car you get out! I wasn’t expecting anything like this to happen. Oh this is bad!”
“No, it’s actually really good ‘cause now Fulton and Jesse are helping Portman!” Courtney yelled. She watched as Jesse pushed the guy away from Portman. The guy pushed Fulton and then got slugged by Portman. Jesse moved closer to the guy, but the guy took off in a run.
“ALL RIGHT!” Portman shouted. They gave each other high-fives and Guy started talking over the walkie-talkie.
“Coach! They all stuck up for each other! They helped each other! Does that mean it’s over?” He cried.
“No,” Coach Bombay insisted, “Give them a few more minutes.” The team silently watched from their cars as they walked down the street with their arms over each other’s shoulders. The three of them were laughing like old buddies.
“Now is when it’s over. Be proud, guys! IT WORKED!” Coach Bombay bellowed. Courtney climbed out of her car and saw Guy running over to her. Not soon after, the rest of the team made it over to their street. Fulton and Jesse were now staring with their mouths open. Portman had just turned around.
“What’s goin’ on? We thought you’d left?” he demanded. Adam shook his head.
“This was a plan to get you guys to be friends and realize that Portman wasn’t as bad you thought,” Coach Bombay said talking to Jesse and Fulton.
“Well, it’s true. He’s not that bad. Who came up with this? It was ingenious!” Jesse shouted. Courtney stepped forward.
“I did,” she said simply. Jesse stepped towards her and hugged her.
“Thanks,” he said sweetly, “It was really awesome.”

[CTR]

Chapter13
The next day was filled with conversations about the events of the night. Ms. MacKay had a hard time getting the team to focus. To the satisfaction of her students, she gave them the rest of the day off. It gave her a chance to rest as well. Besides, they weren’t going to get anything done anyway.
Adam and Courtney headed back down to the beach with Guy and Russ. The beach was almost empty. Courtney laid on the beach and watched while Guy attempted to surf. It seemed that Russ and Adam were the ones that could actually do it. Courtney fell asleep from the heat of the sun and the gentle breeze. She woke up only when Adam kept repeatedly jabbing her arm with his elbow.
“What?” she said annoyed. The sun was directly in Courtney’s eyes and it made it hard for her to keep her eyes open. Russ and Guy were throwing a Frisbee to each other a little ways down the beach. Adam prodded his finger down towards the water. Courtney saw Jo and Portman sitting on the edge of the ocean. “So what-” Courtney started, but quickly stopped when she saw them kissing.
“I don’t think they’re brother and sister, Courtney. I never have. I heard them talking when they were in there room. Jo said it was good that Portman came up with a fair lie so quickly. I didn’t wanna tell anybody unless I was sure it was true. Yeah, I heard it with my own ears, but you know me, I don’t wanna admit something until I know it’s true,” Adam explained. Courtney suddenly understood why Adam had acted so strangely. That information had been on his conscience. Before Courtney could respond, Charlie ran out onto the beach yelling for them to hurry up and get to practice.

Courtney’s head pounded as she skated off the ice. Coach Bombay slowly strolled up to her.
“You don’t look too good. Maybe you should go lie down so you’ll be rested before tomorrow’s game.”
“But I need to practice for tomorrow’s game!” Courtney groaned angrily.
“I know, but I think it’s better if you get sleep rather than practice right now. You’ve been practicing for a straight week now. You’ll be okay. I’m gonna send Adam up there with you. Make sure you get sleep,” he instructed. Courtney nodded and trudged off the bench.
Adam opened their door and Courtney sat down wearily. The coach hadn’t made them do anything that was tough on them for practice. However, the fact that they had to do it over and over again was tiring. She wanted to get to sleep, but she wouldn’t give in to the temptation.
“Okay, we both know that Portman and Jo aren’t brother and sister. Seeing them earlier definitely proved that,” Courtney sighed. Adam sat down on his bed and peeled off his pads.
“Who do we tell? Or should we keep it to ourselves? ‘Cause I was thinking that maybe they shouldn’t be sharing a room. They should at least be like us; share the room with other people as well,” Adam suggested as he took off his shirt and threw it to Courtney. She threw it onto her bunk.
“If we tell anyone, it should be Ms. MacKay. After all, she’s met Jo and the coach...hasn’t. Plus-”
“What?” Adam shouted in disbelief, cutting Courtney off. “The coach doesn’t know about Jo yet?”
“As I was saying, Ms. MacKay’s more understanding about stuff like this. Anyway, she is supposed to be a counselor. It’d just be easier for me to talk to another girl; I dunno ‘bout you,” Courtney replied. She concentrated on Adam. She’d never seen him with his shirt off before. Courtney was hypnotized by his muscles. She’d never given much thought to whether he had muscles or not. He searched around for a shirt. “Hey, here,” Courtney smiled as she threw him a clean shirt. “No!” she muttered under her breath to herself. Why’d she do that? Now, he’d put it on!
“Thanks. Ya’ know, it’s nice having someone to talk to about this. All right…so we’ll talk to Ms. MacKay before the game tomorrow. Then, she can tell the coach after the game, how’s that?” he asked.
“Perfect,” Courtney mumbled breathlessly. Adam smiled happily and laid down. He reached to turn off his light, but Courtney got there first. He looked at her confused. Courtney leaned down and kissed Adam smoothly on the lips. He pulled her down and returned her kiss. Courtney heard the rest of the team arriving from the rink and quickly got up.
“What was that?” Adam asked suspiciously sitting up in his bed.
“Good night kiss,” Courtney replied simply. Adam nodded his head.
“It was nice,” he smiled. Courtney laughed and hurried to the showers. On the way out, she saw Charlie waiting just down the hall. He rushed down the hall through all the people to meet her.
“Uh…Courtney, I know about Jo too,” he whispered cautiously.
“Sorry, Connie. Sorry, Dwayne!” Courtney apologized as she saw them waiting to get inside. She turned back to Charlie. “How is that you always manage to find these things out?” she asked curiously.
“I saw them at an ice cream shop when we went downtown. They were eating from the same ice cream cone and they kept kissing. From what I saw, I seriously doubt that they’re related.”
“Have you told anyone?” Courtney questioned. Charlie shook his head. Courtney sighed in relief. “Good, don’t,” she said sharply.
“I’ve got to stop leaving you alone with Adam!” Connie mumbled as she shut the door. She jumped as she spun around and came face to face with Charlie.
“Looks like Portman and Jo aren’t the only ones I need to keep an eye on,” Charlie whispered in Courtney’s ear playfully. Courtney’s face could have easily been mistaken for a cherry at that moment.

The next morning, every team member was up and raring to go. Their first game was against Trinidad Tobago. Courtney felt ancy about talking to Ms. MacKay. Apparently, Adam was just as nervous. He clumsily fumbled with his drink at breakfast. At one point, he accidentally spilled the coffee that he had gotten for the coach on Russ. Although the coffee had been steaming and the pain on Russ’ face was unmistakable, he swore it was okay. Adam apologized repeatedly. He was a mess. Courtney later caught him pouring Orange juice in his cereal and Milk in his glass. She shook her head sadly.
“Banks, you okay?” Coach Bombay asked him. Adam nodded his head without making eye contact. “You sure?” Adam nodded again. The coach gave him a quizzical stare as if he was trying to read Adam’s mind. Eventually, he hung his head, sighed, and moved on.
“Calm down, Adam!” Courtney warned. “You shouldn’t get yourself stressed out before a game. Everything will be better after we tell Ms. MacKay, all right? I don’t want you to worry about this during the game. Ms. MacKay will take care of it do you understand me? Remember, you’re here to compete and have fun. So make sure you do that,” Courtney voiced longingly. Something in her voice made Adam look up at her curiously. “What?” she asked startled. Adam had a funny feeling in the pit of his stomach, but he couldn’t explain it. “What?” she repeated.
“Nothing,” he responded dreamily. It was quiet for a moment, but Adam spoke again. “It’s weird how the Ducks game is so different than the Hawks, isn’t it?” he asked in a muffled tone.
“What d’you mean?” Courtney shot at him.
“On the Hawks, it wasn’t all that fun. You weren’t there to have fun; you were there to win. On the Ducks, yeah-you compete fiercely, but you have fun while you do that. I guess when I was on the Hawks, I thought it was fun because we always won our games, but I didn’t realize until I was on the Ducks, that it wasn’t fun.”
“You’re right. Do you remember ‘It’s not worth winning if you can’t win big’? Boy, that was a big thing for Coach Reilly. I wonder if he’ll ever realize that it’s not just about winning; there’s more to life?”
“Nope,” Adam snarled, “His type don’t change.” Courtney noticed that the team was on their way out the door. She hurried out the door


Chapter14
The arena was bustling with people, even hours before the game. Concession stands were being set up as well as companies selling merchandising. Courtney was startled when a representative from one of the companies rushed up to her and asked if she wanted to buy a cell phone. The man didn’t look appealing. His clothing was tattered and he hadn’t shaved in a long time. Courtney held her breath as a strange odor coming from the man swamped her. Carefully, with a firm grip on her cell phone, she pulled it out and showed it to him. She shook her head sharply and moved closer to Adam. He shoved her behind him to shelter her. Then, the representative pressured Adam. At that point, the coach ushered the team away from the man and into the lockers.
Adam and Courtney took Ms. MacKay off to the sides to explain about Portman and Jo. Ms. MacKay didn’t look surprised. She agreed to think about a solution. She suggested that in the meantime not mentioning it to anyone else.
Courtney and Adam thanked her and joined the rest of the team. Charlie approached her and asked her if she had told Ms. MacKay and Courtney explained it to him.
The team sat on the bench waiting for their pep talk.
“Just do your best. Go out there and take I to em! You guys are number one! We’re team USA and we’re goin’ all the way! So get out there and show em that!” the coach screamed. Everyone cheered.
Five players skated off the bench and onto the ice. Adam took the face off at center ice and passed it back to Averman. Averman slid the puck to Charlie who went down the left side, did an easy slap shot and scored. The team cheered. The crowd went wild and started chanting “USA” Courtney saw Charlie give his jersey a disgusted look.
“What?” she asked.
“We’re the Ducks, not Team USA,” He said in disbelief. He acted as if Courtney should’ve known that. She gave him an apologetic look. She looked down at her own jersey. Charlie’s right, we’re the Ducks, it dawned on her. She skated off the ice and onto the bench.
“Coach?” she asked apprehensively. He turned, with one eye still on the game.
“Yeah?” he asked.
“Why do we have Hendrix written all over jerseys? Why don’t we have any sign of being the Ducks? After all, that is our team name?” Courtney questioned.
“Yeah, but we’re team USA, now. Look, don’t worry ‘bout it. Leave that stuff up to me and Tibbles,” he replied hurriedly. The next second, he had already returned to the game. “Come on Dwayne!” he shouted, “Shoot!” Dwayne shot the puck and it bounced easily off the back of the net. The siren sounded as Team USA all slapped each other’s hands.
Although Courtney and Adam had spoken to Ms. MacKay previously, Adam still looked nervous. Courtney couldn’t understand why.
“I’ll talk to him,” Charlie volunteered. Courtney made sure to sit in hearing distance of them. “Hey, Adam.” Adam didn’t reply. “Adam?” Charlie asked in a singsong type voice. He looked at Charlie in a daze.
“What?” he asked.
“Why are you so…nervous? You never acted like this last season. What’s going on? Did your Dad tell you that if you messed up he’d disown you, or something?” Charlie joked. Adam however didn’t laugh. He looked at Charlie angrily.
“Don’t you ever talk about my Dad like that again, you got it?” he mumbled menacingly under his breath. Charlie scooted a little bit away from Adam, but pressed on. He threw a glance over at Courtney who shrugged apologetically.
“What’s wrong them?” he asked seriously.
“There’s just a lot of pressure, okay?”
“Adam, what kind of pressure? There’s no pressure…” Charlie trailed off.
“Maybe not for you, but for me there’s a lot. You see those two guys up there in the stands with business suits on?” Adam asked annoyed, as he pointed up into the stands. Charlie looked up at them and nodded.
“Those are scouts. So?” Charlie demanded.
“Those scouts are here watching me. That’s the pressure. If I don’t do well they don’t write down good things. That’s a lot of pressure on me.”
“Don’t pay attention to them, just play your game. If your nervous, you aren’t gonna play well. Now, on the other hand, if you pretend like they aren’t here and that you’re just in an empty arena playing against some other team, you’re gonna do well,” Charlie explained slowly.
“Thanks, Charlie,” Adam said appreciatively, “Thanks a lot.” Charlie nodded and returned to his place by Courtney.
Trinidad Tobago proved to be an easy team to beat. Team USA whooped and hollered as the final whistle blew. The final score was nine to three. Coach Bombay stepped out onto the ice with his team and took a bow.

That night, no one slept. There was too much to talk about. Powered by their win over Trinidad Tobago, they felt like they could take on any team, even Iceland. The dorm finally got quiet late into the night. Courtney was barely awake when she heard their door squeak open. She knew she was the only one awake in their room, so she watched apprehensively as the door closed again. Silently, she watched as Goldberg, Luis, and Ken crawled over to Dwayne’s bed.
“How’re you gonna get to him if he’s on the top bunk?” Courtney whispered, now sitting up. Goldberg let out a tiny shriek and dropped a can of shaving cream. No one woke up.
“Don’t do that!” he whispered angrily. “Wait, he’s on the top bunk? Oh, that won’t work. Unless, he falls of his bunk…” Goldberg said mischievously.
“No!” Courtney cried. “But there might be another way. Dwayne’s a real heavy sleeper, so it won’t wake him up. We could pile stuff on top of each other so you could reach him. We have some coolers in the closet and we can move some of the drawers. They’re stable enough, you can stand on ‘em, that would work.”
“No, it wouldn’t because then they would wake up too. Unless we wake them up and tell them what’s going on.” Luis stated catching on. Courtney nodded.
“Adam’s a light sleeper, so it would wake him up, but Connie will just about sleep through everything,” Courtney muttered. They slowly woke up Adam and explained what they were going to do. He agreed and helped them move furniture and get things out of the closet. They were able to move the ladder from the edge of Dwayne’s bed for someone to stand on. Goldberg quietly climbed up the ladder and squeezed out the shaving cream into Dwayne's hand. Luis passed him a feather and he rubbed it on Dwayne’s nose. Dwayne swiped at his nose, but didn’t make contact. Goldberg tickled his nose again and this time the shaving cream came off onto his nose with a splat! Ken snickered. He put his hand over his mouth to control his giggling. Goldberg continued to tickle Dwayne’s face until it was completely covered in shaving cream. His face looked like the top of a cake covered with icing. Ken couldn’t hold in his snickering any longer and he burst out laughing. Everyone else followed him. Dwayne woke up with a start. He stared for a few seconds then realized he had shaving cream all on his face. He screamed and groped around for Goldberg.
“RUN!” Goldberg shouted. Ken and Luis screamed and jolted out of the door. Dwayne hoped of his bed and chased them down the hallway. All along the hallway, doors flew open and angry shouts came from their rooms. Courtney heard Dwayne chasing the three of them up the stairs and onto the next floor. She heard Russ shout angrily from above them, “I’m tryin’ to sleep here!” The footsteps continued to thud down the hall. Courtney didn’t wait to figure out if Dwayne caught them, she figured that if she didn’t want to be chased down the halls like them, she better get in bed and pretend like she had been asleep the whole time.
“What happened?” Connie asked from her bunk. Courtney stifled down her laughter enough to answer.
“Nothing, Connie. Just go to sleep. You don’t wanna be awake when Dwayne comes back,” Courtney warned her.

[CTR]

Chapter15
The next morning was not a pleasant one. Russ was furious with Dwayne, Goldberg, Ken, and Luis. He shouted at them all during breakfast while Portman laughed at them. Courtney couldn’t help laughing, either. Many people were angry that they had been woken up in the middle of the night by screams when there was another game to be played the next day.
“Oh, shut up!” Portman shouted. “It’s against Italy. Like they’re not easy! We’ll have ten goals in the first period!”
Portman had been right about one thing; they were definitely no challenge. The buzzer sounded just as Goldberg saved another goal for the USA. The final score was eleven to zero. The second game ended with the same enthusiasm from Team USA. They felt on top of the world. Their screams echoed through the arena as the Italy team skated solemnly off the ice. Coach Bombay, on the other hand, was no where to be found. Charlie saw him as walked out off the ice with a woman who was dressed in business clothes. Charlie sighed and turned back to his team.
“COACH!” Courtney shouted as she saw him leave. He turned around with an unhappy look. Apparently, he was hoping he would be able to sneak out without his team noticing. “Where are you going?” she asked.
“Uh…I have an…important business lunch back at my place,” he answered. Sure, Courtney thought as Charlie rolled his eyes.
“Don’t you love it when he does this?” he said sarcastically. “How come we have to live in a deserted dorm when he’s living in an oceanfront house in Malibu? That’s not fair.” Courtney shrugged and skated off to the lockers.

As the team changed in the locker rooms, Coach Bombay climbed into Tibbles’ limousine. Ms. Hendrix sat down on his right. He did feel a slight pain for leaving his team this early, but that feeling was taken over by the excitement of his realization that he would be meeting movie stars and sports sensations. Ms. Hendrix exclaimed to him the details of his contract with Hendrix as they made their way to his beach house. He climbed out awe struck of how many expensive cars were now parked in the street in front of the house. He turned to Ms. Hendrix.
“I think I’m gonna like it here,” he sighed. She ushered him forward into the house were he was greeted by waitresses and other coaches. He smiled happily thinking ‘This is the life.’ He no longer had any thought about what his team may be doing.

Chapter16


The team hadn’t had a full day to themselves since they had arrived in Los Angeles. They had always had practice or school or, for the past two days, a game. Most of the players decided to check out the beach. For the few that had all ready been to the beach they merely agreed with a shrug. However, for the players that hadn’t been there grinned from ear to ear and jumped at the suggestion.
The beach was full of sunbathers and kids running around with Frisbees. Among those kids were Guy, Ken, and Averman.
"Throw it here!" Guy whined. He ran around in a circle looking like a dog waiting for its owner to throw a stick.
"Guy! You’re acting like a five-year-old. Stop it," Courtney demanded.
"I am not!" Guy shouted stomping his foot on the sand.
"My point exactly."
Averman threw the Frisbee but it went over Guy’s head. It landed in the sand with a soft plump!
"Well pick it up!" Ken shouted.
"You pick it up, Averman. You threw it," Guy replied.
"I’ll pick it up," Ken sighed. As Ken bent down to pick it up, another hand reached out for it. He straightened up and was equal to Gunnar Stall’s stomach. Courtney saw Portman stand up immediately. Fulton stood up as well. Courtney buried her head in her towel.
"Well if it isn’t the little Ducks," Gunner said teasing them. "Do you want this? Go and get it." He threw the Frisbee straight toward the ocean.
"Hey!" Charlie shouted as he ran to join them. "What’d you do that for you?"
Gunner and the rest of his team continued jogging down the beach.
"Yeah you cowards! You better run!" Averman shouted after them. Courtney gave him a how-stupid-can-you-be- look. The Vikings stopped suddenly and turned back around. Jo slapped Averman on the back of the head.
"Idiot!" she yelled at him.
The Vikings were slowly creeping up on the Ducks like a Fox does its prey.
"RUN!" Charlie shouted. None one thought about it, they darted from the spots they had been standing down the beach. They ran over towels and food as they went. Angry shouted followed them, but they didn’t care. They just wanted to live!
They took a sharp corner into an alley and stopped immediately.
"Uh-oh," Luis whispered. Uh-oh was right. They were trapped! Before they had time to turn around and get out, the Vikings were right behind them.
Portman and Fulton shifted themselves so they were placed between Team USA and the Vikings. The two teams stared at each other for a minute, not moving.
"Well?" Olaf asked in his accent.
"Well what?" Portman spat.
"Well, which one of you wants a broken nose first?" Without waiting for an answer from Team USA, Olaf threw back his fist and punched Fulton right in his stomach. Fulton doubled over, but straightened himself back up. Portman had jumped on one of the Vikings back. The rest of the team entered the fight. There wasn’t a single member on either team who wasn’t punching, or being punched, by someone else. The fight didn’t cease until Coach Bombay, doing an afternoon run, passed by.


"What am I going to do with you guys?" he screamed in the doctor’s office. The team was waiting for Luis to be let out. The doctor said that he might have a broken arm, which would put the team down by one.
"No more beach for you, no more Beverly Hills. Your new curfew is seven o’clock. And believe me it will be enforced!"
"But they jumped us!" Charlie shouted in defense.
"You should have had the sense to back off!" Bombay walked back and forth facing his team. He stopped at Portman. He thought he had just seen someone standing behind him. He shook it off and kept walking. "You should be smart enough to know when to back away from a fight!"
"But then we would have been cowards!" Jesse yelled back
"So what! You would have been cowards. Isn’t that better than what you are now? If you were "cowards" you wouldn’t be all scraped up right now. If you were "cowards" you would still have your freedom! You also gave them the mental edge over you! You need to start focusing on what you’re here to do!" he spat.
Adam and Courtney caught each other’s eye. How could he do this? Courtney thought, this is totally unfair, they started it!

The bus ride back to the dorm was quiet. Most of the team members were either sleeping or letting the feeling a failure sink in. They had a long lecture about personal responsibilities leaving the doctor’s office. It hadn’t been confirmed whether Luis’ arm was broken or not. The doctor said they wouldn’t know for a few days because the equipment was down.

When they arrived, Courtney took a shower and fell right asleep. She awoke knowing that there was going to be a hard practice in store for them. This was the last day they would have practice before the big Iceland game. To Coach Bombay, the other games didn’t matter. He told them that this was the game that mattered most. This game determined who would win and who would lose. She hurriedly got dressed and was ready for practice.
They hopped on the bus, but when they got to the arena, their coach was nowhere in sight. They waited for an hour…two hours…then three hours. They heatedly got up and left the arena.
"I can’t believe he didn’t show!" Courtney shouted to Adam. Adam nodded his head.
"It’s nice having a coach who doesn’t care, isn’t it? I feel like I’m back on the Hawks with a coach who only cares about winning," he replied sarcastically.

As the team left, they caught site of a crowd of people playing street hockey. One of the members of the group was skating towards them.
The team swapped nervous glances, but Portman and Jo walked right up to him and greeted him. Oh great, Courtney thought, what’s this all about? They talked for a few minutes and turned to face the team.
"You guys wanna play some real puck?" the guy asked. Averman turned to Luis.
"What is he talking about?" Averman whispered.
"Me and my boys can teach you how to play like the real Team USA. Or maybe you forgot what it’s like to play for real pride."
Jesse stepped forward, "We’ll play."
Goldberg glared at Jesse as if he had just made food illegal. Everyone followed Portman across the street to a small fenced in area with two trashcans, one on either side. There were a group of teenage boys waiting for them with old magazines as pads and football helmets.
"Okay y’all. Let’s play," one of them shouted.
The puck was dropped and Jesse was knocked down. It was clear that they were not going to go easy. Time after time, they would show the team something they hadn’t known. Ken learned how to deal with bullies and Luis was aggrivated about his brakes.

The team left much happier and in their point of view, more educated about how they should play. They felt that they truly were Team USA once again. Now, if they could only get their coach back.