The Mighty Ducks Imagines

Iced Out

Eden Hall has proven itself to be the Duck's worst nightmare and my personal hell. Our first practice made us want to bash our heads against the boards. To add insult to injury, I got separated from the team. That's right, Orion assigned me to the Varsity. Anyone else would be thrilled to have their skill rewarded by being moved to the top like that. I, however, would've preferred to have received verbal praise and a spot on our top line.

Making Varsity has changed my life a lot and not in a good way. These guys are the worst people alive as far as I'm concerned. Even trying to change at practice is disgusting - these morons are a bunch of pervs. My spot is in the corner, so I only have Scooter next to me - at least he's respectful.

I hate this team with every fibre of my being. Every single day at lunch, I have to sit with them as we wear our matching jackets. In all fairness, the jackets are pretty comfy. Still, that doesn't excuse any of their shit. When they shove Kenny around and steal his food, I just sit there give him sympathetic and apologetic looks - knowing that there would be consequences if I did anything. I also know that this kind of fearful behaviour is contributing to my biggest problem.

I knew it would be a struggle to adjust to a new team - but I didn't expect things to turn so sour with my old one. The Ducks have always been my only friends - now I'm not so sure I have any. They've been slowly icing me out since joined Varsity. But after the prank war started, it all came crashing down. I don't know about the others, but Charlie is convinced that I'm helping them - telling them stuff to give them the advantage. I haven't told them shit.

Being iced out has been really painful, but a couple of moments shattered my soul. When my stuff was frozen with everyone else's, I started to feel like I was really losing them. Then I found out it was Ken, Julie and Russ who did it. Kenny is the last person I ever thought would do something like that. Maybe it's because I never stand up for him. This is all my fault.

After the dinner from hell, I tried to tell them that I had no idea but it didn't go down well. Charlie was having none of it. Next thing I knew, there was a big fight. What have I done? My friendships are ruined and it's my fault. I should've stood up for Kenny - for all of them. I should've realised something shady was going on and told them. I should've done something.

I feel like my world is collapsing around me as I desperately think of a way to break the cycle. Sitting against a tree that faces the pond we used to skate on during the winters, it's all becoming too much. My eyes begin to sting as I try to hold back tears. I can't stop crying lately, so I'm not surprised. This is all abruptly cut off by someone I once called a close friend.

"Hey, Y/N."

"Hey, Banksie." I look up at him.

"Mind if I sit with you?"

"Go ahead." I shrug and scoot up so he can join me.

"Are you okay?" He asks as his back makes contact with the tree behind us.

"Would you believe me if I said yes?"

"Not at all." He shakes his head slightly as he gets a closer look at my bloodshot eyes.

"Then no, I guess I'm not."

"What's wrong?"

"Everything's gone to shit. Eden Hall was a huge mistake. Literally nothing has gone right." I sigh as I plainly tell him the vague outline of everything wrong.

"You made Varsity and showed everyone how talented you are." He tries to reason.

"I never wanted that, Ads. Besides, you know how cruel they are."

"Look, we've had a bad start, but it'll get better. We'll get through it." Adam attempts to reassure me.

"Maybe you guys will. You have each other to lean on and get by. What do I have?" I question as I feel myself becoming more and more unstable - on the brink of bursting into tears.

"Us. You have us."

"Do I?" Adam gives me a confused look. "You guys have completely iced me out - even Dwayne and Kenny. I've been abandoned by the whole team for something that's out of my control." At this point, I just let the tears fall as my voice becomes somewhat shaky.

"Y/N, we love you. Trust me, we never wanted things to turn out this way." Adam puts an arm around me to comfort me as I use my flannel sleeves to wipe away my tears.

"I know, it's just gotten so out of hand. You know, I've purposely performed bad at practice and faced the repercussions of being verbally hounded and threatened by Rick and Cole and the rest of the team." I give him this new information.

"What? Why would you be bad on purpose if you know you'll suffer for it?"

"Because at each practice, I hope that failing will get them to kick me from Varsity and send me back to the Ducks." I sob, desperate for a way out.

"Hey, it's okay. It's okay." Adam pulls me closer and rubs my back as he consoles me. "Despite what you might think right now, none of the Ducks hate you. We got caught up with Charlie's outbursts and our torment since we became primary targets. We'll figure something out, okay? Things will get better, I promise. We just have to hang in there until we figure it out."

"I'm drowning here, Adam. I'd much rather quit hockey forever than carry on like this."

"What? You don't mean that. You love hockey." Banks is bewildered by my comment.

"Yeah, but it's not worth losing the Ducks over. It's not worth losing myself over. I'm not Y/N from the Ducks that everyone knew - I'm a ghost of who I was. I'm done, okay? I give up. No more hockey." Adam is taken aback by my comments, hesitant upon his reply.

"You're right. You're not Y/N from the Ducks." I turn to him with tear-stained cheeks, wondering where this is going. "Y/N from the Ducks would never quit. Y/N from the Ducks would never give up when things get tough. And Y/N from the Ducks would never leave her family.... Even if we seemed to foolishly push her away." Adam ends his speech with a remorseful tone.

"Are you trying to guilt trip me or something, Banks? Wh-what are you trying to say."

"I'm saying that you can't just give up because things are going terribly. I know things have never been worse, especially for you. But it's nothing we can't overcome together. We never would've beaten the Hawks if we gave up. We never would've beaten Iceland. Y/N, we never would've got anywhere if we didn't fight for it..." Adam pauses as I stare at my feet, unsure of what to say. "Come on." He stands up and looks down at me.

"What?" I finally look back up at him.

"Let's go."

"Go where?"

"You'll see. Just come on. We need to swing by your place and grab your roller-blades."

"Adam, I'm really not in the mood to skate on or off the ice. Whatever you're trying to do, I appreciate it but I don't think it's gonna help." I politely decline his vague offer, though he gives me that damn look. "Why are you so determined?"

"Because you always were. I want to help. Now, I may not be able to take you away from the Varsity..." A small smirk starts to form on his face. "But what I can do is take you back to the Ducks."

"What?" I laugh in disbelief.

"Come on, they're waiting." Adam extends a hand down to me.

"Let's do it." I smile for the first time in a long time as I use all my energy to grab into his hand.

"There she is!" Adam beams as he pulls me up and throws an arm around me upon impact.

Almost immediately, Adam and I start giggling as we stumble away in a permanent side hug. When finally reach the Ducks, we all apologise and admit to our faults. Charlie regrets falsely accusing me of helping the enemy - admitting to being clouded by anger. Kenny feels guilty for giving me the impression that him helping to freeze my stuff was an act of hatred because I didn't help him. Overall, everyone feels bad and we just want to go back to how it used to be.

With that mess out of the way, I lace up my skates and join the team led by Charlie and Fulton. The game begins and we're already laughing like fools. We don't miss a beat as the game progresses - it's like I never left. I'm determined to find a way out of Varsity - this time I won't give up. Adam was right. You can take the girl out of the Ducks, but you can't take the Ducks out of the girl.