game like Coach told us! Time to get serious. I want to win this game — big time. We need to establish our rep early. The Tornadoes finished last in the league last year. Our first two lines are totally stacked. You guys on the third line need to make sure you don’t blow it and give up cheap goals. It’ll be 5–0 before the first — that is, if you guys focus.”
“I don’t know about that,” Charlie said. “We weren’t even in the league last year, and we’ve hardly practised. Besides, for a lot of guys this is their first triple-A game. I think we’re in for a serious battle.”
“First triple-A game!” Sean said. “You and your friends are all up on yourselves because you played triple-A last year. The rest of us can play too, dude. You guys act like you invented the game.”
“That’s not it at all. I didn’t say me … I mean … what I meant was …”
“Hey, Mike,” Sean called. “Joyce thinks we’re gonna lose today. Thinks we don’t have enough talent, except for him and his buddies, of course.”
“I didn’t say that. Give me a break.”
“Tell Mr. Superstar that he’s on the third line for a reason,” Mike said. “Just watch and learn, and maybe I’ll let him touch the championship trophy.”
Dunn poked his head around. “Joyce, I couldn’t help hearing what you said. I will not accept defeat. I’m a winner, and so are my teams. If you’re not that kind of player, you won’t be around for too long.”
Charlie gritted his teeth and kept quiet, staring intently at the back of the seat in front of him. He was too angry to speak. He was supposed to play with Mike and Sean? He’d rather pound them into the boards! Thankfully, Sean and Mike began a heated debate over who should be on the power play.
“Forget them,” Jonathon said quietly. “You’re twice the player either of them are, and they know it. That’s really what it’s all about.”
“He totally twisted what I said.”
“You don’t have to convince me. Both of them are out of control — especially Mike. He wasn’t that easy to deal with before this team. Now he thinks he’s in the NHL.”
“I guess we have to make the best of it,” Charlie said, glad for the sympathetic words.
“I’m under no illusions,” Jonathon said. “Me andDavid were talking about it before we got on the bus. I admit I’m glad to try triple-A hockey — it’ll be a learning experience — but I doubt I’ll ever be more than an average player. I consider myself lucky to even get the chance. To play with you, on the same line, is awesome. I just hope I don’t slow you down.”
Charlie knew Jonathon worked hard and was unselfish with the puck. He wasn’t the best player, but he contributed to the team.
“You’re being hard on yourself. I thought you earned a spot on the team. Besides, the first game is always the toughest. Even if our line has some problems today, things will start clicking once we play together a few times.”
“I’ll take your word for it,” he said. “By the way, I forgot, a mutual friend told me to say hi.”
“Who’s that?”
“Julia.”
Charlie flushed slightly. He hoped Jonathon hadn’t noticed. “Julia?”
“You know — Julia Chow.”
Of course he knew her. Julia was in his homeroom class. She was also a terrific athlete, and had been captain of the girls junior hockey team in the school tournament. She was a very popular girl, had lots of friends, and was smart too. They’d spoken a few times, and for some reason a few of his friends liked to pretend there was a thing between them. He knew they were only teasing. Anyway, ever since he’d seen her hanging with Jake, he’d avoided talking to her.
“Of course — Julia,” he said, as casually as he could manage. “How do you know her?”
“Next-door neighbour my whole life. She’s like a sister — we practically grew up together. Anyway, she told me to say hi.”
“Hi back, I guess.”
Jonathon grinned.
“I don’t know about that,” Charlie said. “We weren’t even in the league last year, and we’ve hardly practised. Besides, for a lot of guys this is their first triple-A game. I think we’re in for a serious battle.”
“First triple-A game!” Sean said. “You and your friends are all up on yourselves because you played triple-A last year. The rest of us can play too, dude. You guys act like you invented the game.”
“That’s not it at all. I didn’t say me … I mean … what I meant was …”
“Hey, Mike,” Sean called. “Joyce thinks we’re gonna lose today. Thinks we don’t have enough talent, except for him and his buddies, of course.”
“I didn’t say that. Give me a break.”
“Tell Mr. Superstar that he’s on the third line for a reason,” Mike said. “Just watch and learn, and maybe I’ll let him touch the championship trophy.”
Dunn poked his head around. “Joyce, I couldn’t help hearing what you said. I will not accept defeat. I’m a winner, and so are my teams. If you’re not that kind of player, you won’t be around for too long.”
Charlie gritted his teeth and kept quiet, staring intently at the back of the seat in front of him. He was too angry to speak. He was supposed to play with Mike and Sean? He’d rather pound them into the boards! Thankfully, Sean and Mike began a heated debate over who should be on the power play.
“Forget them,” Jonathon said quietly. “You’re twice the player either of them are, and they know it. That’s really what it’s all about.”
“He totally twisted what I said.”
“You don’t have to convince me. Both of them are out of control — especially Mike. He wasn’t that easy to deal with before this team. Now he thinks he’s in the NHL.”
“I guess we have to make the best of it,” Charlie said, glad for the sympathetic words.
“I’m under no illusions,” Jonathon said. “Me andDavid were talking about it before we got on the bus. I admit I’m glad to try triple-A hockey — it’ll be a learning experience — but I doubt I’ll ever be more than an average player. I consider myself lucky to even get the chance. To play with you, on the same line, is awesome. I just hope I don’t slow you down.”
Charlie knew Jonathon worked hard and was unselfish with the puck. He wasn’t the best player, but he contributed to the team.
“You’re being hard on yourself. I thought you earned a spot on the team. Besides, the first game is always the toughest. Even if our line has some problems today, things will start clicking once we play together a few times.”
“I’ll take your word for it,” he said. “By the way, I forgot, a mutual friend told me to say hi.”
“Who’s that?”
“Julia.”
Charlie flushed slightly. He hoped Jonathon hadn’t noticed. “Julia?”
“You know — Julia Chow.”
Of course he knew her. Julia was in his homeroom class. She was also a terrific athlete, and had been captain of the girls junior hockey team in the school tournament. She was a very popular girl, had lots of friends, and was smart too. They’d spoken a few times, and for some reason a few of his friends liked to pretend there was a thing between them. He knew they were only teasing. Anyway, ever since he’d seen her hanging with Jake, he’d avoided talking to her.
“Of course — Julia,” he said, as casually as he could manage. “How do you know her?”
“Next-door neighbour my whole life. She’s like a sister — we practically grew up together. Anyway, she told me to say hi.”
“Hi back, I guess.”
Jonathon grinned.
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