The Defenseman To My Forward-MTD Fanfic

Pride

"Ancient Greece was the beginning of western civilization." Miss MacKay, the team's tutor, spoke up as she paced around in front of the group of fourteen players. Callie wasn't exactly listening like she was supposed. It was a warm day as everyone wore matching Team USA tracksuits and they weren't even in LA yet, but it was best to start their pride and honor now than later. Sitting with Connie and Julie, the girls talked quietly to one another and Callie seemed to be taking down notes, as Miss MacKay thought, but instead she was drawing.

She liked drawing or simply writing down her name in different fonts, which wasn't easy to master, but she was able to do it. As Miss MacKay continued speaking about ancient Greece and the USA, something continue to hit Callie. At first she thought it was nothing, but as it progressed, she became curious as to what it was. She knew that a few of her Duck teammates were behind her, seated on rocks, so it may have been their feet touching her.

"See, in Greece they didn't have professional sports teams... or Wheaties boxes. So, the athletes competed for another reason. Anybody?" She asked, looking around.

"Falafels?" Goldberg guessed, thinking about food and some laughed at his answer.

"You wish." Averman laughed.

Callie kept to herself, but she continued to feel something hit her. Looking up, she gazed around and noticed everyone listening to what Charlie had to say, since he raised his hand and spoke up, answering Miss MacKay. She missed the question entirely, but didn't really mind because she was busy writing and drawing. When she didn't see anyone hitting her, she glanced back down at her book.

"Pride." Charlie smiled.

"That's right. The various city-states waved their flags and wore their home colours proudly."

"Did America always dominate?" Fulton asked curiously, earning a lot more laughs as if his question was stupid or ridiculous.

"Fulton." Jesse shook his head.

"That's a good question." Dean spoke, tossing another pebble at Callie. She annoyed him. She made quite the impression and he clearly knew where she stood among her gang of duckies, but he thought it would be funny to annoy her and tease her back. He did it all the time to the girls, he even said a few things to Julie, who took no offence to any of it.

"America wasn't always around back then. Don't forget that compared to other countries, America is still young, still forming it's own identity. It's a teenager like you."

"Like us?"

"You bet. A little awkward at times...but always right there on the verge of greatness."

She dropped her pencil and turned, looking at the boys. Portman was whistling and looking away. She furrowed her brows at him and he continued whistling. Jesse shrugged, not sure what she needed or wanted, he too looked over to the mysterious Portman. 

"You're lucky Miss MacKay's here to have your back." She spoke up, only having the few around them listening.

He sat forward, staring at her. "Or what? You're gonna try to pull some stunt?" He laughed. "Yeah, I don't think so." He shook his head.

"Heck, I can pull a stunt. Just you watch-"

"Callie," Miss MacKay spoke up, wondering what the issue was over there. She turned back and looked at Miss MacKay with curious eyes while Portman sat back with a smirk, bringing his hands behind his back. She disliked Portman, his first impression was terrible and he pushed her brother to the ground. Only she could do that and if they played a match, that was a different story. "Is there an issue I should be concerned about?" She asked.

"No." Portman spoke, letting it loose as he gave off an impression that he didn't care. "She didn't understand something, so I explained it to her."

She turned back and he smirked again with a casual shrug. She scoffed and turned back. Charlie noticed that there didn't seem to be a friendship between those two just yet, but more so something like enemies or kids who got off on the wrong hand.

"Callie, that's right? What Dean is saying?"

As much as she didn't want to admit it, she did. "Yes, he is correct." She spoke. "Not." She mumbled and he threw another pebble at her. She brought her elbow back, hitting his foot roughly with her elbow as she grew frustrated with him.

As class ended, she got up and walked off with Charlie. The two of them getting deep into a conversation and she explained her problems to Charlie, who wouldn't say a word to anyone. He too agreed that Portman could be a little annoying or frustrating to work with, but he knew that Portman was overall a good person and their teammate. They needed him as much as he needed them.

Arriving back to the arena, the kids grabbed their roller skates and geared up. Bombay could not run, jog, or skate because of his injury from the minors, so he rode a golf cart as he led the group of skaters around town, mainly on the less busy roads and around the large park so his kids could get a nice workout in before they left tomorrow morning for LA. That afternoon they would arrive and that evening they would have their first game, the opposing team? They didn't quite know, but Bombay was determined that his team had the strength to win their game. He knew the potential and power of his players, with the right guidance, they would succeed.