The Ice // D2 TMD [ 1 ]

00.14

Aspens pov

Finally after a few games we go into the locker room for halftime. Unfortunately Iceland is in the lead.

I sit down abruptly next Adam. I pull my gloves off and look to Adam "is your arm okay?"

He nods "yeah, he just hit the padding" he holds up his wrist and shows me.

"Did you guys have fun out there?" Coach says loudly entering the locker room. Everyone cheers but i shake my head no. "Yeah? Well so did they, because they are still three points up and we are one period away from defeat."

Everyone sighs and I look at my skates. "At least we can go down with pride!" Jesse says sticking his chest out.

"This isn't pride" I mutter to myself earning a nudge from Adam.

"Lighten up Aspen." Adam lifts my chin up so I'm looking at him.

I breathe out and frown at him he winks at me before pulling my face closer to him. He leans in so our noses are touching. Coach's voice snaps us both back to reality "are you two lovebirds done" Coach asks making the team laugh but my face feels like it's on fire.

I feel slight annoyance considering once again we were interrupted right before we kissed. I awkwardly clear my throat and look at my skates. "Anyway to continue what I was saying" he gets back into his Coach voice "believe me, I really wanted to go after Stanson for that cheap shot. But you know what? My knee will heal. And if I become someone I'm not, if I sink to their level, I would lose more than my knee. You understand?" I nod and everyone mutters a 'yeah.'

"We're not goons. We're not bullies. No matter what people say or do, we have to be ourselves. You, who are you?" Coach asks pointing at Dean.

"Dean Portman."

"From where?"

"Chicago, Illinois."

"You."

"Guy Germaine. From ST. Paul Minnesota."

"You."

"Jesse Hall from Minneapolis, Minnesota."

"Who are you?"

"Julie Gaffney from Bangor, Maine."

"Luis Mendoza. Miami, Florida."

"Greg Goldberg. Philadelphia, Pennsylvania."

"Les Averman from Brooklyn Park, Minnesota."

"Fulton Reed. Stillwater, Minnesota."

"That's right!"

"Russ Tyler. South Central Las Angeles."

"Charlie Conway. Minneapolis, Minnesota."

"Ken Wu. San Francisco, California."

"Connie Moreau. Minneapolis, Minnesota."

"Adam banks. Edina Minnesota." Adam smiles at me and I stand up.

"Aspen Lopez. Sydney, Australia." Adam links his hand with mine.

"Dwayne Robertson. Austin, Texas."

"Michele Mackey. Duluth, Minnesota."

"And I'm Gordon Bombay. Minneapolis, Minnesota."

Everyone starts cheering, this game just got better.

"We're team USA, gathered from all across America." Coach glances at me "and Australia. And we are gonna stick together. You know why?"

Jan comes behind Coach "because we are ducks! And ducks fly together."

"That's right Jan. And just when you think they're about to break apart-"

"Ducks fly together!" We all yell.

"And when the wind blows hard and the sky is black-" miss Mackay smiles at us.

"Ducks fly together!"

Dwayne decides to throw one in "when the roosters are crowing and the cows are spinning circles in the pasture." He pauses.

"Ducks fly together!" I yell out so he doesn't feel awkward.

Everyone repeats my actions and Dwayne sends a smile at me.

"And when everyone says it can't be done."

"Ducks fly together."

"Now, new Ducks." Jan smiles at us "and old Ducks must unite under a new banner. And I thought perhaps something like this." He shows us our New Jersey's.

This is gonna be our comeback.