OK, I used to write Mighty Duck F.F. back in the day so it's been a while. I've just gotten into the knack of reading fan fic during downtime at work, and I guess this came out of the need to have a fun writing exercise, since all I do otherwise is write about tea and food. This is my first story, so reviews and criticisms are welcomed. I hope you enjoy!
Some set up- when I decided to write from MD fan fic, I mapped out this 5-6 story line that followed the Ducks from after the last movie up to their first year of college. Then I realized that it would be a bit ambitious, so I decided to just keep it simple and do one story for now. This came out of watching Easy, which stars Marguerite Moreau and her character Jamie in the movie, as well as the song 'Personal' from the news Stars album. I don't know if I want to make this a sad story, but most likely it'll be happy- we'll see.
1.
"Hey, Connie…it's me, Dan. Listen, I can't make it-". Connie tapped a button on her cell phone, deleting the message before it played in its entirety. She ran down the stairs leading out of her apartment, stomping her feet down the metal stairs harder than usual.
"You have no new messages, " stated the disembodied voice. Connie irritably slammed her phone closed and tucked it into her bag as she exit her apartment. She sighed and proceeded her way down Ditmars Ave to catch her train. It was Friday, and though Connie welcomed the end of the week like any other 9-5'er, the voicemail left on her phone put a damper on her evening plans.
Maybe if I had stayed up to get his phone call, I could have talked him into meeting up with me, Connie thought as she waited on the platform.. She sighed, tucking headphones into her ears. She turned her Ipod on, and waited for the subway.
No, that wouldn't have changed a thing.
It took about thirty minutes for her train to get to Midtown. She worked only a couple blocks East of Times Square. Though she had been living in New York City for the past two years, she still found Times Square amusing. It was quite a culture shock moving to the bustling metropolis. Sure, she had grown up in Minneapolis, but it was nowhere near how New York smelled, felt, sounded like. In the past two years, though,
"Hey, Clinton!" Connie said, greeting the front desk security guard. Clinton tipped his hat in her direction, giving her a wide smile, like every other morning. She proceeded to the elevators that would take her up to the 16th floor, to Gallop Press, the publishing house where she worked as an assistant editor of their line of lifestyle guides and books: everything from self-improvement to interior design, etiquette guides to sex guides.
"Good morning, Cons, " greeted a redheaded woman, who popped into Connie's cubicle as she was settling into her workspace.
"Good morning, Marie, " she said, giving her a weak smile. "How are you doing?"
"Good, good", Marie said, leaning on Connie's desk "Carlie and I are making a coffee run- you want anything?"
"Nah, " Connie replied, sliding some papers into a folder. She picked up a tin of tea off her desk. Marie smiled.
"Aren't those from-" Marie inquired, taking the tin out of Connie's hand, examining the pattern of blue, brown, and gold.
"Keith?" Connie said, cutting her off. "Yes, yes they are. I never got around to actually telling him how they tasted…they're from his company..." Connie's voice trailed off.
"Ah, Cons, " Marie said, putting an arm around her, "Always the jerk-magnet, huh? We're still stuck?"
Connie stopped fussing around her desk- tidying papers, turning on her computer, etc and leaned into Marie's side. "Well, update- Dan and I are not going on a date. He called me late last night, probably after that gig of his, blowing me off. "
"What did he say?" Marie asked.
"I dunno, " Connie said, pulling out of Marie's half-embrace. "I deleted his message half-way through. " She sighed loudly, and the two women made their way out of the cubicle, walking down the corridor towards the break room.
"I mean, why, Marie?" Connie said, filling a mug with hot water. "I understand this kind of bullshit going on when I was back in school, but c'mon! I thought guys were supposed to come around and want to settle down once they've sowed their wild oats in college. "
"Oh, c'mon, Connie, " Marie groaned, "don't get into 'wifey' mode now, it's barely 10am."
Connie chuckled. She definitely did not want to get married anytime soon, but a guy to see on the regular would suffice. Dan was just another guy in a string of hook-ups, one-night stands, first dates gone wrong, and every other relationship category besides 'steady boyfriend who I might want to introduce to my parents one day' since she had moved to New York. "Maybe I'll become celibate. "
"I'd love to see that! "Marie exclaimed. Connie gave her a glare. After a pause, they both laughed. Marie ruffled Connie's hair and left the break room to go on her coffee-run. Connie returned to her cubicle with her mug of hot water. She sat down at her desk, opened up the tin of tea given to her by Keith. As she steeped her English Breakfast tea bag, she fought to remember his last name. After a minute or so, she shrugged and turned to her computer. It probably wasn't very important; they weren't going to ever see each other again and he probably failed to remember hers, too.
Fridays after work usually called for drinks downtown with co-workers, but Connie wasn't feeling up to it. Marie was unable to convince her, but walked her to her subway stop
"Gym tomorrow?" Marie said, after they broke apart from their hug.
"Of course! How about 6am?" Marie's eyes seem to glaze over. Connie laughed. "Ok, ok, 10am, nothing later- tomorrow's the first day of class sign-ups."
"Yes, yes, drill sergeant, " Marie said, rolling her eyes. They both smiled and bid each other good-bye. Connie ran down the stairs, underneath the city sidewalks.
The minute Connie entered her apartment; she half regretted her decision to skip out on Happy Hour. She loved her own space and time to herself, but she had to admit that it was a lonely life. Her family was still back in Minnesota, the closest relative being a second cousin twice removed in Pittsburgh. She had made a good group of friends since she moved to New York, made up of co-workers, a couple of other girls from her and Marie's gym, old college friends, etc but it would never match with the friendship she had with the Ducks. Though it had more than five years since the entire team was altogether in the same state at the same time, Connie kept in touch with a fair amount of them, mainly Julie, Guy, Averman, Fulton, Charlie, Ken, and Luis. She would hear what everyone else on the team was up to from those seven contacts. News from the team was like bits of home sent to Connie via email or in a phone call.
After graduating Eden Hall, Connie decided to stop playing hockey. Unfortunately the opportunities to play hockey did not present themselves to her and Julie, who relied on their academics and extra-curricular. A couple of the guys were fortunate enough to be offered scholarships to continue playing hockey; Adam to BC, Charlie and Fulton to North Dakota, Portman to Miami, and Guy to Michigan State. The remaining members of the team were then spread across the country as well.
She settled at University of Wisconsin, pursuing an English degree, living the typical college co-ed's life. She had the same dating behavior she was experiencing now in her burgeoning adulthood, but looking back, it was during college and didn't feel like she was a major dysfunction. She had one serious relationship that lasted a year, but other than that, nothing else. After graduating college, she moved back to Minneapolis for a year, working at the state university, working up the nerve to move to New York.
Connie kicked off her shoes and slumped into an armchair. It had always been a dream of hers, stemming back from her childhood, to live in the city that never slept. She picked up a tattered postcard from her side table. It was a picture of the New York skyline with giant neon letters stating 'New York'. Her favorite aunt had sent it to her when she was a kid, and she carried it around with her for a week straight. Her mother worried constantly; Connie lending it to the fact that she had watched too many episodes of Law and Order, but Connie secured a job with Gallop and made her trek to the Big Apple. Her apartment in Queens was the same one she moved into two years ago, renewing her lease every year. She loved it, but something was missing. Oh, yes- companionship.
She thought back to when Julie helped her move into New York. She had flown out from Boston, where she was living to Minneapolis, and they drove to the city in Connie's second-hand Volkswagen. The second night they arrived, they decided to brave the city-life and go out somewhere. They ended up somewhere in Midtown, right by Broadway, bar-hopping. The two girls were impressed by the amount of attention they received, Connie much more than Julie, who had accustomed to city-life while in Boston.
"This is awesome, Julie!" Connie exclaimed, clearly under the influence. "I'm going to love it here! There are so many different types of people- I love it!
Julie, also drunk, replied bag, swinging an arm around her pal's shoulders," You'll never have a problem finding someone here, Cons!"
Connie shook her head out of the flashback. She turned on her TV, flipping for something to watch, deciding that her night was going to be spent alone, with a cup of tea, and some bad Lifetime movie.