"Can't Stop"

As the days and months go by, we started to win each game, only losing one by 2 points exact. My promise on going to the championship was coming true and I was proud of it. We all worked hard, especially myself since I wanted this more than anyone.

"Nervous?" Luis asked as I looked down at the ice rink

"No.... Never that" I answered

"Good. This is our chance against that dickhead"

"Yeah, you won't let me down now would you?"

"Course not. We can beat this team with our speed and strategies"

"That's what I like to hear. We should get changing. I'll see you at the rink"

I went into the girls locker room as Connie was talking to Julie. Connie and Luis are still dating, which I now don't mind since it has been around 3 months since Dean and I were dating. We would have double dates here and there and I would just hang with Dean in general. Luis and I are both happy with our own lives.

"I'm so nervous" Julie gulps as she fidgets with her helmet

"Yeah me too! I feel my legs are like jelly for shaking so much" Connie adds

"Hey Nai, why aren't you nervous?" Julie asks

"Why should I be nervous when I'm confident"

She raises an eyebrow "I don't understand"

"We've made it this far. A lot of sweat, blood and tears yes, but still made it. We only lost one game and now we are here" I explained "I know we got this in the bag"

"Definitely! Now that you said that, I feel more confident!"

After changing we grabbed our helmets and sticks as we quickly headed to the rink. I felt my body tense from excitement as we saw the other team already warming up.

"Alright guys, you know what to do! Warm up!" Coach Bombay shouts as we got inside the rink

"Those guys sure look big..." Ken wondered off as we did some stretches

"Please, I've seen bigger dudes better than them" I chuckled as I shot my puck to Julie

"The crowd sure is big as well..." Russ gulped

"C'mon guys, sure there are a lot of people and all, but we got this! Let's put all this work we did in the past here in this game ok?"

"Right!"

I looked over to the crowd as most of them had colors, banners, and jerseys of the other team. I'm surprised there wasn't a lot in our team since it is a home game. I can see mom in the top, waving at me as Nina was next to her.

Their faces were painted with yellow and green. I couldn't help but burst out laughing rather than be embarrassed.

"We got fans" Luis chuckles as he waves at our moms

"You mean our parents" I commented

"At least they took the day off"

I smiled "Yeah, and I think they took 'show your colors' a little too literal"

"In the game, if ever need help or anything, say my name ok?"

"Course, same for yourself"

"Alright guys! Gather around in the box!" Coach Bombay calls out

"We got this, I got this" I thought

"Starters are Goldberg, Russ, Ken, Charlie, Luis, and Fulton. Charlie and Fulton you guys are on face off, rest set defense if they don't get it or offense when they do. Let's try our hardest out there alright? We worked hard enough to earn this" He explained "Hands in, who are we?"

"Ducks!" We all shout

"What?"

"DUCKS!"

"Now let's show them what's up!"

*****
40 minutes in (beginning of 3rd period)

"You got me right Nai!" I heard Dean call out

I quickly pass the puck as he takes a shot, giving us another point. We were in a tough one, it's been a tie 6 to 6 since the beginning. This is the first time in a while where I feel exhausted, but I don't wanna stop.

As it was the other teams puck, their center passes it to their left wing, meaning it was Cooper's puck. I quickly skit over as I used all my body strength to push him down. I quickly grabbed the puck as I passed it to Luis as he passes it to Dean. He takes a shot, but the goalie blocks it.

"Defense guys! Defense!" Charlie called out

The puck goes back to the center man as he takes his shot to Julie, luckily she blocked it just in time. She passes it to Guy as he jukes Cooper and passes it to me.

I felt the crowd cheering as I had Dean next to me as it was a 2 on 1 along with the goalie looking back at Dean and then at me. I then felt a stick go around my left leg as it pulled it down, making me slide down on the floor. Someone purposely tripped me.

"Pay more attention you airhead" he muttered

"Back the fuck off man!" I heard Dean cuss out as he pushed Cooper down

"She had to be put in her place!" Cooper spat

"Now you really are pissing me the fuck off!" He hissed as he got on top of him to swing

I quickly got up as I grabbed Dean before they began to fight, it wasn't worth hurting the guy. The ref blows his whistle as Dean examines my face, making me giggle.

"I'm fine. I should've thought he would do that" I said as he sighed of relief

"Unsportsmanlike conduct! Ducks! Number 21, 2 minutes in penalty box!" The ref called out

Dean began to get heated again "Ref you know this is bull! That dude literally tripped over my teammate man!"

"Got a problem?" The ref asks

I gently nudge his arm "Don't" I mouthed.

He ignored me and began shouting "Yeah I do! That's fucking bullshit and you know that!"

"Fine! You know what! Your kicked!"

"What!?" We all shockingly said

"No please don't do that ref! He's just a bit upset that's all!" I begged

"Too late! Number 21 out!"

I looked at Dean as he stormed out the rink and to the locker room. Coach Bombay quickly calls a timeout as we all went to him.

"What are we gonna do?" Jessie asks

"Damn it!" Coach Bombay murmured "Fulton mind taking Portman's spot?" Coach Bombay asks him

"Sure but-"

"Good. We need to be more aggressive"

"But coach, you saw that, that was supposed to be a foul on them"

"He's right, it's bull that Dean left and the other guy didn't get no foul or even a warning" I groused

"I know that was a bad call. I'll talk to the ref about it after the game, but I can't do anything now" he explained, feeling bad "For now just try to make at least one more goal. We still got plenty of time guys. Don't break the defense ok?"

Bombay quickly substitutes Jessie and Adam to Lester and Robertson. We continued to play as soon as the ref blew his whistle. Lester passes it to Ken as he passes it to Luis. I was head against Cooper as I keep glancing down at his stick just in case he ever did it again to me.

Luis takes the shot and the goalie blocks it, making us quickly head back to defense. Their center takes a shot again but it goes back and forth to shooting it and missing either by a inch or more. I knew if I gave up now, it'll be over for us, for good.

LUIS' POV

"Robertson!" I shout as I passed him the puck

I knew we all were getting tired, but why stop all the work we did now? It wouldn't been worth it at all. I needed to focus.... be like Nai who isn't nervous or scared of anything.

As Robertson passes the puck to Nai, Lester and I started following them upward as I helped push them down. I watch as she shoots, another miss but it goes back to her. Before she shot I quickly went over to her as Cooper knocks us both down to the ground.

"My body.... it's- it's not moving" I thought as I tried to get up.

"C'mon Luis! Don't stop now!" Nai shouts as she quickly gets up

•••••

"Luis, I have a question" Nai asks as she takes a sip of her can of soda

We wanted to take a break of practicing. We wanted to be mentally stable and prepared for this week "Sure, what's up?"

"What's your fear?"

"My fear?" I repeated "

"Yeah, we all have fears" She began" Some might be huge like getting killed and some might me small like ladybugs. So what is it?"

I started to think. What can I possibly be afraid of? There isn't much to be afraid of right? Unless I was afraid of something but I have know idea what it is.

"I'm not sure, I never thought of that"

"That's alright. Dean said he fears of being alone"

"That sounds pretty deep. And you? You got anything?"

She takes her last sip of soda before she looks over to me "Failure"

"Huh? Why's that?"

She looks down at her can "To me, failure means not being good enough. But I want to be, I want to be just enough to succeed, and then become independent"

"I never thought of that. Have you always have thoughts like this?"

"Basically, you're the only person that I can have conversations like this" she sighs

I chuckle "And that's the reason why you make conversations so intriguing"

She gets up from the wall we sat on as she threw away her soda can.

"I appreciate you being my best friend Luis, it means a lot to me"

"And I'm your only best friend right?"

She rolls her eyes "No, I have many"

I gasp "Ouch, the betrayal"

She smirks "We got this weeks game in the bag"

"Yeah" I smiled "We're gonna drag that team to the ground"

•••••

I finally understood her now. Ever since we were kids, when we ran around and hung out with other kids she always made others have confidence on themselves. She always told them to keep going, don't stop. She was a leader.

"Nairobi..." I thought as I got up and started sprinting "I know what's my fear, and it's losing you"

NAIROBI'S POV

I couldn't let him win like this, it's not fair! I used all my stamina to sprint towards him, feeling the burn on my legs and sharp pain in my lungs. I began panting and my heart was hurting, any moment I was going to collapse.

The crowds cheer grew more and more as I almost reached him. As I was able to reach next to him, I started to shove him, him doing it back as it was one on one.

"You're not gonna take this shot Cooper!" I shout

"Let's see about that!" He shouted back as he took the shot as he pushed me

I body almost falls on the floor but caught myself to least to land on my knees. I quickly turned around as everything went silent. My ears were ringing, he hovered over me proudly as he smirks.

"Better luck next time"

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