Bombay's Twins

The Reckless and the Tiredless

Elliott walked around the hotel room, fully clothed as she was getting her hockey bag ready for the day. Checking off her gear on the list she made, she knew she had everything. Pulling out Garrett's bag, she checked to make sure he had all his gear, and when he did, she smiled and stood up. Wearing black high waisted jeans with a flannel tied around her waist, and a crop top, she was ready to go. 

Garrett was still asleep and it was hitting noon. The long flight and staying up late the night before didn't help. Elliott was wide awake, she had eaten breakfast, packed a snack or two for her to eat later, she was dressed, she was smiley and happy. Garrett was passed out on the messy queen size bed covered in blankets, one pillow as the other three were scattered on either side of the bed. His hair a mess and face stained with dry drool, he wasn't going to wake up anytime soon unless someone had woken him up.

As Garrett slept, Elliott grabbed her water bottle and plopped on her bed. Lying back, she watched TV since she couldn't play video games. Garrett had insisted on bringing their NES, Nintendo Entertainment System, with them so they could play it at night together, thinking they'd be in the same room like they are now. The System could bring them joy during their free time, which they know they're bound to have.

With games like The Legend of Zelda, Kirby's Adventure, Tetris, Wario's Woods, Yoshi, and several Mario games, they were going to be completely fine. They were staying with a family friend back in Boulder City until things were being settled and the kids knew if they were going to separate Girls' of Boys' Homes or if they were going with their father. The family friend didn't know that the kids had brought their System with them.

Most of their stuff stayed back at that house, until after the Games and they move in with their father. Garrett wasn't ready for such a big change, already trying to forget the possibility of losing his sister as he went to a Boys Home and she went to a Girls Home.

Elliott sighed, looking at the clock next to her bedside. Seeing what time it was now, she got up and grabbed a pillow. Hitting the side of Garrett's bed a few times, he rolled over on to his side, stretching under the mound of blankets. He mumbled a few words and when he didn't get up, Ellie smacked him with the pillow and left it there. "Time to get up! You've slept half the day and now we got our first hockey practice with the new team." She told her brother.

"Now?" He grumbled and sat up groggily, shoving his hair back from his face.

She nodded. "Come on, we got to leave in five minutes."

His eyes went wide and he jumped out of bed. Grabbing some clothes, he ran to the washroom to freshen up while she waited on the small bench by the door. Their hockey bags prepared, she got out two energy bars so Rhett would be able to eat before practice. She glanced at her nails. "Did you pack nail polish?" She asked him.

"Yes, I packed your nail polish." He called from behind the washroom door. "No, I did not pack it because I don't wear it. Bad enough there's still some on my toes from your friends."

Ellie smirked, remembering that her and her friends had painted his toes nails when he was asleep. When Garrett finished, he exited the washroom and picked up his bag. Elliott wanted to tell him that he didn't do his hair, but shrugged off the idea and gave him his bars. The two left the building in a hurry, not wanting to be late since it was already ten after twelve.

At the arena, the Caldwell siblings walked in without a word. Seeing other people walking around, they continued on without a greet from other people. The arena they used to play at hadn't changed from either of their visions. Garrett gazed at a few posters on the walls and questioned them. "The Ducks? What team is that?"

Elliott shrugged. "Never heard of them." She replied.

"What happened to the Hawks? The good team?"

"I don't know. Why don't you ask someone?"

Garrett took that into consideration but didn't ask anyone since they were running late. Before entering the locker room, Elliott stopped her brother and faced him. She brought her hand up to his head and he grasped her wrist. "What are you doing?"

"Your hair looks like you haven't showered in days." She told him.

He nodded with a shrug, letting her wrist go. She brought her hand up, running her fingers through his hair as she tried combing it down some. She made it flatten a little bit, but with his shorter sides, that didn't hello too much as his longer hair on top fell to the wrong side. Instead of falling to the right, like it always did, it fell to the left, but she gave up with his untamed hair.

Entering the locker room, unsure if it was the right one, they were met with five other players. A girl stood among the five, meanwhile boys were the other four. Not knowing if they were on this team or not, the two quietly walked over to a separate bench in the wide open locker room. Taking their seats, they unzipped their bags. Pulling out their gear, the girl walked over shyly and stood before the twins.

With a smile and medium brown length hair, the twins looked up and stopped what they were doing. "You guys here for the American Junior Goodwill Games team?" She asked.

The siblings looked at one another and broke into smiles, turning back to face her, they nodded. Garrett stood up to shake the girl's hand. "I'm Garrett Caldwell and this is my sister, Elliott."

The girl nodded, finding it odd how the girl's name was Elliott, but left it at that. She didn't want to cause anything before the competition even started. "Well, I'm Julie Gaffney and it's a pleasure to meet some more recruits."

Across the room, a tall boy with a nice build stood up. Nodding over to them, Garrett caught his stare. "You guys with the Ducks?" He asked.

On the bench, Elliott gazed at them as she pulled off her shoes, changing her short socks for some taller ones. "No." She answered, not looking at them.

Garrett looked up from looking down at his sister. "Who are the Ducks? Are they known or something?" He asked, leaning against the shelf by his head.

"I'd assume so. They won Peewees two years ago, but that's all I know." Julie answered. The tall built boy had walked back over to his spot, shoving a smaller boy out of his way as he marched by.

Elliott finished with her socks and stood up, hearing a whistle from behind her, she ignored it and pulled her crop top off. Garrett threw his sister her grey long sleeved shirt, that matched his, and she thanked him as she pulled it on. He stood up with a nodd, pulling his hockey socks on over top of his shin pads. Ellie sat on the ground, stretching as she tapped the socks around her upper and lower calves.

"So, what're your names?" Garrett asked the others, knowing Julie Gaffney's already.

The smaller boy who got shoved by the tall built one spoke. "Ken Wu." He answered.

Elliott brought her head forward. "Pardon, but did you say Ken Wu? Like the teenage figure skater?" She asked.

He nodded with a smile. "That's me." He smirked and took his seat.

The taller boy grasped his hockey stick, shoving Ken out of his way again. A bird tattoo on his right outer shoulder, he walked by them. "Dean Portman. Single and pleased to meet you." He winked to Elliott. She smiled at his charm, and Garrett grimaced, not liking the boy already. he slapped his sister's shoulder light as Dean Portman walked off.

They didn't get to hear the names of the other two when Tibbles walked in. Clapping his hands together, he marched to the other side of the room where he ordered the kids to be out on the ice in two minutes. The kids in the room rushed themselves to be ready for the ice and presentable on the ice in proper equipment. Garrett sighed, being tired, and tried getting dressed faster, but had troubles since he couldn't keep focus.