Slap Shot

There was an awkward period of silence as I looked down into my ice cream dish and scooped out the remaining bits of marshmallow sauce mixed with nuts. "Look, Trevor, I’ll cut right to the chase. We miss you on the team and want you back. Things just aren’t the same without you around."

"You were supposed to boycott with me, you know," I reminded him.

Gavin shrugged his shoulders. "I know, Trevor, but I just couldn’t. I wimped out in the end, but only because I love to play hockey and I knew my father would have had my butt. Besides, what else is there to do around here in the winter?" Ted was listening to us quietly, making sure not to interrupt.

"Lots of stuff," I answered. "I’ve got tons of homework to do and I can always play hockey by myself or with Tanner on our pond."

"Yeah, but you can do that anytime. I know you want to play ice hockey on the league this year, Trevor. It’s all you talk about. Listen, I know you pretty well by now. I mean, we’ve only grown up together since we were in diapers."

"Okay, okay," I said. "I’m not going to lie to you about the fact that I want to play hockey on the league. I’m not denying that, but I won’t play with some stupid girl on the team."

"But why?" Gavin asked. "It’s totally retarded to quit just because you’re jealous of her. The rest of us are dealing with it."

"Yeah, but you guys don’t play Goalie like I do. How would you like it if some chick came walking in and took over your spot as Wing?"

Gavin shrugged his shoulders. "I don’t know, but I can tell you right now that I wouldn’t boycott the team just because of it."

I shook my head at him. "What do you mean? Just the other day you were ready to walk out with me, and now you’re saying you weren’t?"

"Look, all I’m saying is that we want you back, end of story. The other boys keep talking about you as if you’re dead or something, wondering if you’ll ever come back. Even Coach wants you back. That’s why he sent Ted to talk to you today."

I licked the remaining chocolate sauce off my spoon before I dropped it in the dish and burped out loud. "So, what do you want me to do about it?"

Gavin flashed me a confused look. "What do you mean by that? We want you back, that’s what I want you to do about it." I didn’t say anything as I wanted Gavin to sweat it out. "Look, even your brother is mad at you. He thinks you’ve gone bonkers on us or something. He says that you guys aren’t even talking to each other anymore. That’s the first time I can ever remember you guys not getting along."

"And your point is?" I asked, not giving in an inch.

Gavin rolled his eyes as he took a deep sigh. "Geez, Trevor, do you always have to be so darn stubborn all the time? You know what my point is, so stop playing hard to get with me."

"No dice," I said casually.