The next game we had was up against the Cardinals at their rink. Ms. Conway, my mom, Charlie, and I all carpooled to the rink.

When we got there all the D-5 team members were sitting in a small room outside the locker room. Coach was running late.

The four of us sat on a bench together when Coach came in with a large cardboard box and Lewis right behind him pushing a dolly with three boxes, "Alright team! I'm here!" He smiled and sat down the box on an empty bench.

"Thank the Lord!" I stood up and raised my hands in the air. "I would have thrown up if I had to coach the team alone tonight." Then I sat down.

"Coach, believe me," Coach looked over at me, then back at the box. "I wouldn't have left you without telling you first." He half chuckled.

Lewis continued to bring in the last of the cardboard boxes, before sitting down next to me, then turning to look at me, "Your Vic, right?" The giant mustache covered his lips somewhat.

Turning, I smiled widely, "Yup, that's me!"

"Lewis, I'm Mr. Bombay's designated driver. We never really officially met." He held out his hand.

"Well, it's nice to meet you, Lewis." I shook his hand before I heard the box ripping open. Coach was ripping open the box as everyone went silent and turned towards him. He pulled out the first jersey from the box. I smiled widely at the jersey and how it turned out.

"The Ducks? We're the Ducks?" Jesse scoffed from sitting on top of the backrest of the bench.

"What kind of braided jerk came up with that name?" Peter scoffed.

"Actually," I stood up defending Coach. "We did." Then I walked over next to Coach.

"We really didn't have a choice, we're being sponsored." Coach held on to the jersey.

"Ya, by who?" Averman rolled his eyes. "Donald and Daisy?" He scoffed as everyone but Charlie, Fulton, Coach, and I laughed.

"Averman." I moaned in a disgusting tone.

"Hey, you'd rather be Ducks than some stupid number?" Coach retorted.

"Better than a stupid animal." Peter scoffed again, emphasizing animal.

"I'll have you know, Peter, the Duck is the most noble, agile, intelligent creature in the Animal Kingdom," Coach walked around the room slowly, still holding the jersey while I stood by the box.

"But they're wimpy." Connie scrunched up her face.

"Ya, they don't even have any teeth," Guy added.

"Neither do hockey players." I reminded the team.

"Have any of you seen a flock of ducks flying in a perfect formation?" It's beautiful," Coach emphasized. "Pretty awesome how they all stick together. Ducks never say die," I chuckled at The Goonies reference Coach made, "Have you ever seen a duck fight?"

Everyone looked at each other, "No way! Because all the other animals are afraid. If ya mess with one duck, then ya get the whole flock." Coach nodded, making his way back the same way he came, ripping off his jacket and scarf revealing his Ducks jersey.

Everyone 'awed' and looked down in embarrassment, "I'm proud to be a Duck," He smiled. "And I'd be proud to fly with any one of you, so who's a Duck?" Coach looked around.

Since no one stepped up, I decided to step in first, "I'll be a Duck!" Walking over to Coach, he put an arm across my shoulder. I saw Karp tap Peter on the shoulder, he nodded. Then Connie and Guy exchanged a look.

In the way back corner, Fulton tapped his stick on the floor, "I'll be a Duck." He walked over to us, I smiled at him before he put a hand on my shoulder.

"Ya, me too!" Charlie smiled as his mother took his stick before walking over. Ms. Conway smiled at her son.

Then everyone started smiling and getting up to retrieve their jerseys from the box, "Hail to the Ducks!" Coach yelled.

"YA!" Everyone screamed.

"THE MIGHTY DUCKS!" He smiled.

"WHO ARE WE!?" I yelled with a wide grin on my face.

"THE DUCKS!" The team raised their fists in the air! Coach and I then went over to the other boxes to hand out the helmets, shorts, and thermal spandex leggings for the team, and Goldberg's goalie equipment before we all flooded into the locker room. Coach carried his coat and another box in his hand with the flaps not taped down.

We all watched as everyone got dressed into their gear, "Hey Vic," I turned to Coach. "Gotta surprise for you." He held his arms out with the box in his hand.

Placing a hand on my upper chest, I looked between the box and Coach, "For me?"

"Yeah, go on and open it!" He smiled before shoving it into my arms as I smiled. Walking over to a nearby bench to sit and open the box, Coach stood nearby to watch my reaction.

Opening the box, I saw Jr. Coach Reed in yellow embroidery above the number 20. I gasped at the jersey, "You got me my own jersey!?" My head snapped up to meet Coach's gaze.

"Well your apart of the team, why wouldn't you get one?" He chuckled with a wide smile.

"Thank you!" I jumped into his arms giving him a hug he seemed shocked by action, then slowly wrapped his arms around me.

"Don't thank me yet, you got more in the box." He chuckled before I broke away and took the jersey out revealing the Ducks logo on the back of a dark green varsity jacket, on the front it was black with silver buttons and yellow cursive embroidery with the words Junior Assistant Coach Reed, and brown leather sleeves.

Looking over at Coach with excitement, he smiled, "I have a matching jacket too, so we'll match." He nodded then folded his arms.

When I took the varsity jacket out of the box, set it on my lap over my jersey. Then there was a green hoodie with the Ducks logo on it. The cardboard box was just an endless surprise of goodies for me, first a hockey jersey, then a varsity jacket, then a sweatshirt, then there was scrunchie that had all the jersey colors on it, and last was a sparkly cheer bow with the Ducks logo and colors on it.

I smiled at the bedazzled Ducks bow before looking back at Coach, "I had a cheer company specially make that for you. I figured it would remind you of your past but also remind you of your present and future with the team." Coach nodded as he stared at the bedazzled bow in my hands.

"This is all too much Coach," I said while standing up from the bench. "Thank you for everything." I once again hugged him, but this time Coach hugged back.

Coach patted my back, "No," We broke away, his hands on my shoulders. "Thank you." He smiled.

I returned the smile, put everything back in the box, and carried it off into the locker room. I sat the box down near Charlie's bag on the bench, who was talking to Fulton while putting on his knee pads. Fulton was digging around for something in his bag, when he found it, it was a small silver container, almost like a blush container with a screw-off cap. He walked over to the mirror nearby and unscrewed the cap, dipping his index finger in. He dragged his finger across the skin under his eye, leaving two black trails on his face.

I decided then to put on my varsity jacket and use my new scrunchie in my hair. Walking over to the mirror Fulton was at, I put the jacket over my shoulders, "Hey." I smiled.

"Hey." He looked over at me and smiled.

I chuckled when I got an idea, "Mind if I borrow your war paint?" Nervously, I pulled back a loose strand of hair back behind my ear.

"Oh, ya! Sure!" He handed me the canister before trying to adjust the straps on his helmet. Fulton looked a lot more bigger with all his gear on.

Looking into the mirror, dipping my finger into the black paint, I smeared it on the skin under my eyes, closed the canister, then gave it back to Fulton who chuckled at my appearance.

"Just like a football player." He shook his head.

"Well I mean, I wanna intimidate the Cardinals and show them who's boss around here." I threw my hands in the air while laughing. Wiping the black paint on my black jeans, I held my light brunette hair up in a high ponytail while using my other hand to take the scrunchie off my wrist and wrap it around my hair.

"Presents?" Fulton asked I looked over at him. I had just realized that he was staring at me while putting up my hair.

"Ya, Coach decided to surprise me and give me some gifts before the game." I nodded and turned to face him.

"The jacket suits you." Fulton sighed and walked back over to his stuff to sit and put his skates on. Fulton's face had dropped while untying his skates.

"What's wrong?" My face also dropped as I sat near my cardboard box full of goodies, leaning forward.

"We need to talk Vic," Fulton briefly looked up while undoing the knots in the laces. I sat in silence, swallowing a lump in my throat. "When we kissed," Fulton stuttered. "It just felt so wrong." He shook his head.

My mouth hung open a bit, "You felt it too!?" I whispered.

"What do ya mean? You had the same feeling?" I gasped.

"Ya! It was so weird like we're not related but it still felt so wrong!"

"I know!" He paused. "I hope this doesn't change our friendship though." His voice was shaky as his face scrunched.

"Oh no! Not at all! You'll always be a best friend of mine Fulton! A brotha' from anotha' motha'." I reassured him.

Fulton let out a loud exhale of relief, "That's good to hear. I'd thought you would be pissed at me." He half chuckled.

"Oh heck nah! I'm not that type of person! You should know that by now, Reed." I teased Fulton by hitting his knee.

"Well, I know that now, Reed!" He smiled and pushed his foot into his skate before lacing it up and doing the same to the other.

The two of us then stood up at the same time, having his helmet under his arm, Fulton now grew in height due to his skates.

Looking him up and down with my eyes, I furrowed my brows, "Ok now your actually scaring me," We chuckled together. "If I were one of those Cardinals and I saw you, I would probably shit myself."

Fulton chuckled and smiled widely, rubbing the back of his neck, "I'm kinda actually hoping one of them does." He whispered I died laughing at his response.

Coach Bombay then announced that we all go to the benches now and get warmed up. Fulton and I walked shoulder to shoulder out on to the ice with the Ducks, then Charlie came skating up behind me, making me slow down, "Hey, what happened?" He asked curiously with his helmet in his hand and his stick in the other.

"I'll tell you later," I whispered into his ear before walking off to the visitors' side of the rink. The team went into the benches to put their belongings down before going back on to the ice.

Coach had brought two footballs and a crate of hockey pucks, "Ok team! Let's get warmed up in a different way!" He smiled and tossed a ball to Tammy and one to Karp. Everyone started tossing the footballs around, then I joined in on the fun while walking around observing everyone. Coach was walking around, encouraging the team to talk to each other and have fun warming up.

The Cardinals team had all stopped and watched us, "Man what a weird-ass team." One scoffed.

Walking by the two boys nearby I stared at them, "Keep your eyes on your side of the rink boys and stop judging us before I let the bulldog out of his cage." When I meant bulldog, I meant Fulton, because he was our new weapon.

"Ya, right." The other mumbled. I walked over to Coach who dumped out the crate of hockey pucks on to the ice in front of Fulton.

"Alright Fulton, shoot your heart out." He nodded, crossed his arms as the two of us stepped back.

Fulton pushed a puck towards him using his stick. He aligned himself up and slapped the puck into the net. Then one into the wall. One into the crowd, scaring a bunch of spectators. Another sailing into the wall. Then one hitting the goal post. Then into the goal. Fulton was right when he told me 1 out of 5 pucks go into the net cause almost every five, one would go in. The very last puck broke the glass with a person standing behind it. The crowd gasped and jumped with everyone in the rink.

"1 out of 5." Coach and I said in unison while nodding and looking at each other.

Fulton lifted the front visor of his helmet and looked over at the broken glass, "Sorry!" He yelled, then the glass came down, shattering on the ice, then looked over at us.

"Just try not to decapitate with the puck." I nodded as Fulton chuckled at my comment.

"I'll try not to, Reed." He pushed the visor back down in front of his face, then the referee blew his whistle.

All the players went to their coaches for a pep talk, "K, team, in the past we lost a few games," He looked at everyone. "Tough. That was District 5, now we're the Ducks." Everyone looked at each other saying "ya".

"And the Ducks are undefeated!" I smiled. Everyone screamed "ya" again.

Coach and I placed our hands in the middle, "Quack. Quack. Quack." We started quiet, then the whole team put they're hands in and joined in on the chanting until we got louder.

"GO DUCKS!" We pumped our fists in the air smiling.

The match went of poorly but we still had high spirits. In the second period, 9 minutes left, the Cardinals had a lead on us by 2 while we had 0 on the board.

"Come on defense! Defense!" Coach and I clapped as we yelled out to our team on the ice.

"Come on guys! Get it outta there!" I yelled out to Guy who was trying to skate back towards the Cardinals goal but got pushed against a wall.

Guy kicked the puck with his foot to pass it to Jesse who sails down to the other end and passed it to Terry. Guy got up and blocked a Cardinal from stealing the puck. Terry then passed it to Guy who slapped it into the goal.

"YA! Go OREO LINE!" Coach smiled and clapped his hands. Jesse, Terry, and Guy all tackled each other.

"Great job team! Way to work together!" I yelled out to the team. Everyone on the ice skated to the benches to embrace each other.

In the 3rd period of the match, one of the Cardinals had the puck as he skated toward our goal. His other teammates spread out behind him as Karp skated backward, keeping his eye on the puck. Karp dropped down to his knees to stop the puck, but Cardinals player slap shot the puck, hitting Karp in the head making him fall over.

"Karp!" I jumped over the wall before the ref blew his whistle.

Coach, Peter, Averman, Charlie, and a few other players gathered around him. Getting down on my knees, I gently lifted the back of his head to rest on my legs. Coach lifted the visor, then took his helmet off.

"I don't wanna go to school today mom." He mumbled in a shaky voice.

Coach snapped his fingers in front of his face, "Karp, how many fingers am I holding up?" He held up four fingers in front of his face.

"He wouldn't know that anyway." Peter looked over at Coach.

Snapping my head up, "Shut up Peter." I looked back down at Karp.

"Coach," Charlie picked up his helmet. "Look at this." He gave the helmet to Coach who went wide-eyed.

"The Karpster used his head to stop the puck. Mr. Karpenandi." Averman said in his announcer's voice.

Coach started to pick Karp up off the ice, "Let's get'em off the ice." With the help of Peter, Averman, Charlie, and I taking him to the benches.

Coach and I took Karp's hands off our shoulders and gave him to Charlie, "Keep him on the benches, Charlie."

Karp mumbled again and almost fell on Charlie. Coach and I looked up at the scoreboard.

We had 28 seconds left in the 3rd period before overtime with the Cardinals leading by 2, leaving us with 1, "K guys!" We turned back to our team. "We still have 28 seconds left in this period before we go into overtime." I reminded the team.

"Connie, Terry, Jesse, and Guy, it's time for the secret weapon," Coach walked down to Fulton and looked up at him. "You ready Fulton?"

"It's just like we talked about." I reminded him with a calming friendly smile.

He nodded and put his visor down with his straps handing down. Everyone smiled and patted his back as he made his way on to the ice.

On the Cardinals side, the goalie looked like he shit himself, looking over I smirked, "Told ya I'd let the bulldog out! You're going down!" I competitively yelled at the goalie.

Guy went to the middle and face off with a Cardinal, Guy then slapped the puck over to Connie, who then skated backward to avoid some Cardinals, then sent it over to Fulton. He turned and backed up, winding his stick up to make the swing.

All the Cardinals near the goal screamed and ducked out of the way, even the goalie, Connie then snagged the puck from Fulton, making a fake swing, passed it to Guy who skated over to the goal.

The Cardinals goalie looked at Guy as he smirked and slapped the puck into the goal. Ending the game in a tie.

We all cheered for Fulton, everyone from the team ran up to Fulton, giving him a tackle hug.

"Ya-hah! Go, Reed!" I tackled Fulton's waist, he never budged. He smiled down at me, patting my back. "Great teamwork everyone!" I smiled as we all celebrated our first tie victory.

A/N: Hello my Quackalites! Happy 4th Of July and Happy Late Canada Day!! Please stay safe and have fun! 😎☀️ And hello girls from the 𝓑𝓪𝓷𝓴𝓼𝓲𝓮 𝓑𝓪𝓫𝓮𝓼 🦆 Group Chat! Thanks for deciding to click on my book and read it!!