𝓜𝓲𝓰𝓱𝓽𝔂 𝓓𝓾𝓬𝓴𝓼 𝓘𝓶𝓪𝓰𝓲𝓷𝓮𝓼

Random Four

"Lastly, we've got Avril Deschamps from Tennessee." Hearing my name, I looked up and pulled my helmet on. Luis Mendoza patted my shoulder, pushing me off. I pushed off with my right foot and grasped my stick tightly. Making a quick lap around the 'Ducks', I spun quickly, shaving the ice and hitting them a little bit.

Turning back, I did a few dekes and scored on Julie Gaffney, the goaltender, since no one was able to. Everyone became in awe when I was able to shot on her and make the goal. I wasn't able to make sharp turns or stops like I used, ever since the accident it's been rough on me. I can lash out sometimes, I'm known for causing some fights on the ice or cheap shooting, being a cherry pick and all.

"She's got incredible aim. I'm sure you've never seen a motivated player like her before. No matter what, she'll help pull through with the team." Tibbles continued.

Stopping at center ice, I got in my stance. My feet apart, angled in the same direction. I brought my stick up, eyeing the bottom corner of the net and shot, lifting my foot up as well. A hockey player move, all of them lift their foot up, it's like it helps for balance. Some don't even realize they're doing it and it's kinda funny.

The puck entered the net and I turned on one skate in a circle, skating backwards to the other four who stood on the ice as well. Julie met up with his and smiled at me. "Nice shots." She congratulated me.

I nodded. "Amazing goalie you are." I spoke, trying not to sound ridiculous, but did anyhow. She smiles widely and nods, thanking me for the compliment. Although, she complimented my thick accent, saying she hears it from time to time since she's up near the Canadian boarder and there are 'Frenchies' where she lives too, I assume. It was nice that I seemed to be fitting in okay, for now.

When the coach turned around and spoke with Don Tibbles, some of the others had gotten into a fight. The five of them all gathered together in a line to defend themselves against the Ducks, who seemed to be the team we were joining. They didn't seem to be the new guys, we did and were. I watched patiently, skating over to the boards. I pulled myself up, and fixed my braids, pulling them down on either side of my head. 

When the coach turned back to see his team, he gasped and looked at all of us. "Everybody freeze!" He hollered, they all hollered. The redhead from the Ducks team had fallen and landed flat on his stomach. Some of the other Ducks tried not to laugh, and kept it to a minimum. "We didn't come here to fight, we came here to play hockey. We're here to represent Team USA."

As Coach was talking, Mr Tibbles spoke up, cutting him off. Every time Coach glared at him, he piped down. When Coach got into a depth briefing, Tibbles would turn him down and start talking again. He mainly repeated the same thing Coach was saying, but made everyone laugh and Coach annoyed. Coach ended up taking Mr. Tibbles' whistle away and said he'd get back at the end of the school. With that, Tibbles left quietly and ushered off the ice.

Coach clapped his hands together, gazing around at his players. Noticing him count his players, he looked around with a twitched face, probably figuring out who was missing. Me, of course. "Where's Deschamps?"

Now, he said my last name wrong. It was like he said 'day-champs.' Like champions, but the short version. It's like fields. Champs! What's so difficult to understand? Tibbles wasn't french and couldn't pronounce it properly, but they tried and that's what counts.

"Over there." Number nine, Hall, from the Ducks pointed to me. My skates tapped against the inside boards as I watched, slouching since my mother wasn't here for once to say 'assoyez-vous le dos droit avant que to salir ton dos!'

Coach whatever his name was, looked over at me. Hands in his pockets, he simply gazed in my direction, smiling. "Deschamps," He said it like the others did. "come on over and join the group. They don't bite."

"Yeah, Ducks don't got any teeth!" Germaine, double zero, called with a smile, nudging the girl's shoulder next to him.

I took in a deep breath, pushing myself off the boards and skated over to the others. Approaching them, I stood behind some of them, looking at the ground as I dug my skate into the ice. Coach Bombay, his name was, had explained what we'd be doing. We're doing a scrimmage and then working together on exercises a team since the others clearly couldn't talk pleasantly to one another for a few seconds.

After the scrimmage, in which us newbies totally dominated and wowed our Coach, we were tied up together in a group. Squished between a bunch of boys, my braids fell down my bulked shoulders and I sighed, blowing a piece of hair to the side of my face. Those damn whispies! My arms hugged my sides as a boy was on either side of me; side to side and back. I didn't like my position. The other girls were in the same boat, except they were at the front of the circle where I was on one of the edges, not facing Coach, but the exterior facing the boards. The short form, I was between two boys. Number 99 and 96, I'm sure they didn't mind, considering they're on the same team.

"I don't know how to make this any clearer. You are a team. And to win this thing, you need to work as one." Bombay spoke.

I squirmed around on the spot, moving my arms as I was uncomfortable.

"Now, as one, skate!" He hollered.

I seemed to be tired today, not only from travelling and having limited sleep, but I wasn't too entertained with this entire meet and greet practice. Everyone skated, but we all fell down within the first seconds of moving. I landed on top of a boy's stomach, looking down at him, he had groaned and let his head fall to the ice. His mate next to him expressed himself in a smile, putting his elbows on the ice to hold him up a bit.

"Everyone goes their own way, you all fall down." Coach smiled, placing his hands on his hips. Some of his original players smirked.

The boy beneath me went to get up when I was on him still, simply looking up at Coach to hear what he was saying. When I realized he wanted up, I slowly tried getting up, but when someone else got up too, I had gotten shoved forward. The boy's friend, the other boy on my other side, had caught my arm, holding me until the boy under me got up. The boy who I had fallen on top of was 96 Conway, whereas the one holding my arm was 99 Banks.

Dean Portman, one of enforcers, spoke up. "All right, everyone move to your right!" He shouted.

"Who made you boss? Everyone go left!" The other enforcer, who's name I didn't know, or number I didn't see, counter shouted.

Once again, we all fell down and Coach laughed at all of us, watching us struggle. It'll only be a little longer before we might actually get this, get along, and make one simple lap around the ice. Coach spoke up. "You guys can argue all you want, I'm not untying you until you move as one."

Most of us sighed or groaned, letting their heads fall back. I stood there with a smug expression on my face, not wanting to stand in this group of kids. Not that they weren't cool to be with, but I didn't know any of them, we all smelt horrible from a good day's of practice and some we're becoming a little frustrated, causing others to be upset.

Finally, after how many minutes and tries, we were finally able to make an entire lap around the rink. He had only then untied us, and made us do more work. Dancing, laps, skating, doing some weird exercises that I had no idea how they how to do with hockey, but I did them anyway and kept quiet the entire time. I'm sure everyone here spoke more than three times and might think I'm that shy kid who doesn't speak, who's extremely smart, calm and collected. Well, I'm not exactly that.