Hockey is My Life, Plus Some Others

Chapter 6

Coach is having us captains watch game tape. Bombay is having us take notes. Jan is also taking notes. When Coach leaves to use the restroom I get out a package of Resse's Pieces. "Give me some." Charlie mouths. "How many?" I mouth back. "A small handful." Charlie mouths in response. I pour a few into my hand, set them on a small square of paper, set the paper on the bench, and slide it over to Charlie. Charlie tosses one up in the air and attempts to catch it in his mouth. He trips over his own feet as he leans over to try and catch it. He falls on the ground right when Bombay walks in. "Hi, Coach." Charlie says sheepishly. Guy and Banks laugh. I just glare at them. "It's not funny, Banks!" I say. "That's the first time in a while that you haven't called me Cake-eater." Banks says. "That's how you know I'm serious. Stop laughing." I respond. Both Guy and Banks stop immediately. I walk over and help Charlie up. "Ahh." I groan. I become unsteady on my feet. Charlie and Banks grab me when I start to fall over. I catch a glance at the clock before I pass out. Fulton is probably already here to pick me up. "Go get Fulton." Bombay says. I black out.

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"Oh, my head." I groan. "Thank god, you're awake!" Charlie says. "Fulton, she's awake!" Fulton runs into the room. "Go get Bombay." Fulton says. Charlie reluctantly leaves the room. "What happened?" I question. "The doctors think that you might've had a concussion and your abrupt movement might have aggravated it." Bombay says as he walks into the room. "But that was over a month ago so they don't really know." Fulton adds. "Another possibility is that you've been so overworked recently, and with your recent injury, your body just shut down." Dr. Anders says as she walks into the room. "I like the second option better." I say. "We need to run some tests before we know but we already have the results of almost all the tests. We're just waiting on one more." Dr. Anders says. "When do you get the results?" I ask. "I was just about to go look when I heard you'd woken up." She says. "Can you go check, please?" I ask. "Be right back." Dr. Anders says. She leaves the room. We sit in awkward silence for a few minutes when Dr. Anders walks back in. "We've ruled out the idea of the aggravated concussion. That means that you've probably been overworked. Do you have an idea of some examples?" Dr. Anders says. "Well, after the Iceland game I did over 100 laps around the rink. The morning after that I spent three hours practicing on the ice, for fun. The day of the Germany game I played some street hockey after some simple stretches and exercises. During the Germany game I was on the ice most of the time. And, that's all I can think of." I say honestly. Bombay has a very disappointed look on his face. He is obviously very disappointed in himself. "I do believe that you've just been overworked. You're on bed rest for a few days." Dr. Anders says. "What?! That means I won't be able to prepare for the next Iceland game!" I shout. "I'm sorry, your body needs rest and time." She replies "You can leave now." Dr. Anders sends the boys out of the room and I walk over to the chair where my clothes are folded neatly. I take off the stupid hospital gown and change into my clothes. I leave the gown on the hospital bed and walk out of the room. Me and the guys leave the hospital and take a bus back to the dorms. "Bye, AJ." Bombay says. "Bye, uncle GC." I reply. Charlie and Fulton wave as we walk back into the dorms. We walk to the elevator and ride up to our floor. Charlie and Fulton walk inside with me. The Tigers and the rest of team USA are in my dorm watching movies in a huge blanket fort. I walk over to the closet and pull some pajamas out. I take my pajamas to the bathroom with me and get changed. When I come back out with my hair down, a pair of black and white pajama pants, and a black t-shirt that in white font says never stop dreaming, I find everyone having a popcorn fight. Banks, Lyla, Christiana, Connie, Guy, Julie, Mena, Tatum, Raegan, Dean, Izzy, Fulton, and Charlie are perched on my bed throwing popcorn at everyone. The blanket fort has collapsed and my dorm room is absolutely chaotic. I join my friends on my bed and chuck popcorn all over the room. "Stop, stop! We surrender!" Goldberg shouts. We jump off my bed and help to rebuild the blanket fort. It's cooler and more epic than any blanket fort I've built before. Connie turns on the Goonies and Dean starts shouting about how it's his favorite movie. We go inside the blanket fort and watch the movie. Izzy curls up next to Fulton and immediately falls asleep. Fulton puts his arm around Izzy and pulls her close. Charlie is leaning against the couch, the base of our blanket fort, I sit beside him and rest my head in his shoulder. He grabs my hand and places something inside it. I pull my phone out of my pocket and turn on the flashlight. I open my hand and find a small blue velvet box. I open it and find a silver band with a single copper stripe through the middle. I slip it onto my finger. "Thank you, Charlie." I whisper. "Look, we match." He replies, showing me an identical ring. I grasp Charlie's hand in mine. We watch the movie in utter joy.