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chapter six: flipped

tw(s): adam getting yeeted into the goalpost

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QUITE A BIT of time passes and Emma doesn't talk to Charlie at all. and she's knows she's been taking part in the silence, but she decided to be vulnerable that night, and she laid herself bare, and he gave her nothing.

But it's okay. After some practice at it, it stops hurting so much.

But she shouldn't dwell upon something that doesn't matter to her anymore. She and Connie are in the locker room before their big game against the Hawks. Connie's sitting on the bench in front of Emma.

"Do one of your famous Dutch braids for me, will you?" Connie asks, passing her a hair tie.

Emma sets to work parting her hair.

"So, Em, what's goin' on with you and Charlie?"

Emma snorts. "Nothing."

"Right. Nothing?"

"No. Not anymore. I mean, not that it ever was," Emma stammers.

"Oh? Gossip, please," Connie requests.

"Well...I kind of blew up at him the other night. His mom was having me over and I tried to talk to him about why the hell he hates me so much, and get this! He said nothing. It's like he was at a loss for words or something, the dumb prick," Emma mutters, looping the elastic around the end of Connie's braid.

"You don't mean that," Connie says.

"What?"

"'Dumb prick.' You actually thought the exact opposite about him for ages. So what changed?"

"I don't know. But I think I should start standing up for myself, right? So many things would be different now if I'd learned how to do it sooner," Emma whispers.

"Don't do that to yourself, Em. You can stand up to assholes but the chance that they actually change is slim to none. But Charlie? He's not an asshole," Connie rubs Emma's shoulder before leaving her to roll the thought around in her head.

Adam runs up to Charlie, tapping him on the shoulder.

"Yeah?"

"Okay. Quick question," Adam says.

"Okay, shoot."

"What's goin' on with you and Emma?" he asks.

"Um, nothing. Why?"

"Sure," Adam says, not convinced. "It's just...she's more fragile than you might think. There's a lot of emotional baggage under that smile. Please be good to her."

The game begins, and Adam gets out onto the ice. Emma gives him a supportive smile, which he returns before getting stopped by Jesse.

"Hey, Banks! Don't forget what side you're on."

"Okay, okay, Jesse, cool it," Emma says, flipping his helmet over his face.

"He's a Duck, Jesse. He'll play like a Duck," Bombay adds before shooing Emma onto the ice as well.

The puck is placed in the middle, and Larson and McGill practically ambush Adam, shoving him onto the ice.

The game continues to go horribly and violently, with Adam being a primary target. The Hawks games are always more competitive than usual. These damn Hawks really have some beef with Adam, don't they?

Eventually, Adam gains possession of the puck, and a spark of hope ignites in Emma's brain. Adam crosses the blue line, he's close to the net, and that spark is obliterated when McGill comes up from behind him and shoves him. Like, real good.

Adam scores, but McGill's shove sends him sliding straight into the goalpost.

Emma rushes straight over to him.

Jesus. He looks like a dead fish.

Larson skates over, too.

"Adam?" he calls. "Adam, are you okay?"

"No, no, Larson, I'm sure he's doin' wonderfully! He's probably playin' dead just for kicks!" Emma yells at him sarcastically. What a fine time for him to be concerned after he's been a complete jerk.

Paramedics wheel a cot onto the ice, and Adam is strapped in.

"Did it go in, Emma?" Adam asks hoarsely.

"Yeah," Emma says softly, patting the side of his face lightly.

"Jesse, do me a favor. Kick some Hawk butt," Adam demands.

"Alright, cake-eater."

The score is 3-1 in the Hawks' favor, and the Ducks decide to bring in Fulton.

Jesse clears out the net and makes opportunity for Fulton to shoot.

He winds.

He shoots.

He scores! The goalie is pushed straight into the net with the force of the puck, and they all cheer.

The flying V earns the Ducks another point.

Charlie obtains the puck, and then takes quite the tumble at the hand of a Hawks' stick, earning them a penalty shot.

"Alright, Ducks, who's gonna take it?"

"I think he should take it," Connie says, pointing at Guy.

"Me?"

We all murmur in agreement.

"What about Charlie?" Bombay suggests.

"All he does is fan," Jesse says.

"Let's let him finish what he started," Bombay insists.

"Coach, we have a chance to win," Charlie says.

"Damn straight we do."

There's a pause. Charlie looks straight at Emma, and it sends a rush of something through his stomach. He can't place what it is.

Emma gives him the worst look she can muster. She's not going to give him the satisfaction of letting him know she still cares. Not that it ever gave him satisfaction. She droops her eyelids in boredom. She tilts her head and crosses her arms. She raises a challenging eyebrow, as if to say What the hell are you looking at? He gulps.

Time seems to slow and sound seems to muffle as Charlie approaches the net and the goalie. Emma's breath hitches as the goalie slides to the side, and Charlie shoots.

All the sound comes back to her in a wild roar of excitement, and she finds herself cheering, too. She's too happy right now to be mad, but she promises herself she'll go back to being petty and angry after the celebration. She wraps Charlie in a quick hug, and when she pulls away, she realizes how nice his face looks in the glow of the stadium. He realizes how perfect she looks when she smiles. This is perfect.

Suddenly, Emma just forgets what people do after hugs. Do they talk? Do they just walk away? They just stare for a few seconds, not knowing what to do. Connie's voice echoes in Emma's head.

But Charlie? He's not an asshole.

Emma leans forward and gives him a quick kiss on the cheek before leaving to go to the locker rooms. She's too scared to stick around and see how he'll react.

When she's waiting at the front of the building for her mother and Betty to leave the bleachers, Charlie runs out, panting.

"Are you good?" Emma asks, watching him catch his breath.

"I...um...wanted to tell you that I'm sorry I didn't say anything when you were trying to talk to me the other night."

"Oh. It's okay, Charlie. Thanks for saying sorry. It means a lot to me."

"It's really not okay. I didn't mean to make you upset. And I'm sorry I've been so mean, I don't really get why I do it either. I guess I thought you were fake because you were sweet to everyone, but I realized that's not the reason you're like that. I promise to be better from now on, and I-"

"Emma, sweetie, you did so well! Betty and I are so proud," Emma's mother says, rushing over and enveloping her in a hug. "And Charlie, that shot was amazing, you did such a good job."

"Oh, um, thanks," Charlie says bashfully.

"Well, bye, Charlie! I've got to go. See you around! But...friends?"

"Yeah. Friends. Sure."

Emma joins her mother and Betty and gets into the car, and it's only till midnight, when she's tucked under the covers with a flashlight and a copy of Anna Karenina, that she realizes that Charlie never got to finish his sentence.

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CLARA'S CORNER

i know this is a super weird note to finish it on, but it's meant to be a sort of unresolved ending, since i'm going to continue it slowly into d2.

what did you thinkkkk?