Shelby stared at her desktop, noticing, not for the first time since the breakup, the interesting designs in the wood. Why had she been such a fool? How could he do this to her? Easy. Same way he did it to every other girl he'd ever gone out with. It was just like throwing away an old boot. There was a knock on her door.
"What?" the mottled duck snapped, yellow cat eyes angry.
"Ok, if yer donnae wannae talk, Ai'll laive ye bae then." Avalanche's voice came through the door. Shelby sighed and got up.
"C'min."
***
Lance pitched his pencil across the room. it hit the wall with a clatter, making yet another grey mark on the already dirty walls. What was the use? 11:00 and he still didn't have his homework done. How could he concentrate on math when he had the picture of a certain mottled duck in his head? Why couldn't he just leave Shelby like he had all the others? This was one girl he couldn't "love and leave" as she put it.
Lance sighed. It was too late to try and finish his report now.
"Oof!" Shelby tripped over Eli's outstretched leg and ran smack dab into Lance. He looked down at her startled.
She scowled and stomped off. After watching her leave, Lance turned back to the cheerleader next to him.
(Why the sudden switch in songs, I dunno)
The Nemesis looked at Kochrint as Shelby stormed by. "I'm worried about her."
The black duck hugged her, "But wadda we do? We've never been in either of their positions."
"I dunno."
Shelby glanced back as she headed upstairs. "Hmph."
Lance realized that is mathwork wasn't mathwork, it was doodles of a certain black and brown, cat eyed, female duck. He crumpled the paper and threw it in the general direction of his trash can, overflowing with similar pieces of paper. It bounced off of one and hit the floor. Lance sighed and got up. Time ta go ta bed.
Going over to his CD player, he stuck in an old N'sync CD and punched the controls till his favorite song came up. As he listened to it, he realized how much it fit the situation. Lance pulled the pillow over his head and went to sleep.
Shelby had gotten a job at one of the all-night cafés at the Drake Memorial rink. The place was empty that night, except for one lone duck at the far end of the rink. Since it was a cloudy night, the moon couldn't show through to make a shadow, so Shelby just wondered who in their right mind would be on the rink alone so late.
The next worker showed up and Shelby went into the backroom to pull on her skates. As she did the skater came into the café. Shelby sat up straight at the sound of his voice, "Lance?"
Quickly she finished lacing her skates and went into the main part of the cafe.
"Put this on my tab Sal." She told the other girl as she poured herself a cup of decaf.
"'Scuse me." She squeezed by Lance and headed onto the ice, leaving a puzzled Sally and bewildered Lance behind.
"Hold that thought." He told Sally and took off after Shelby.
"Lance, just go away, will you?" Shelby told him as he skated up next to her.
"Shelby..." he paused.
"What, gonna say you're sorry?"
"Yea_"
"Well don't, cause ya probably don't mean it."
Lance skated around in front of her, forcing her to stop. "How would you know?" he snapped.
"Oh lay off. We wouldn't last a week and you know it."
"Ya wanna bet?"
"Got nuttin' ta bet with."
"Teach me ta be a goalie."
"Lance, the only reason you ever win on those bets is cause I'd beat ya black and blue while attempting to drive some quick reflex action into your head." Shelby glared at him and tried to move past. Lance didn't try and stop her.
Halfway around, Shelby tripped, sending her off flying. Lance stared down at her coldly and then watch as she got up and skated off. "Fine. That's the way ya want it."
A month later...
Shelby flopped onto her bed, ignoring the binder she'd landed on. "This ain't working." She mumbled as she dropped off to sleep, the last sound she heard being one of N'sync's songs, Bye Bye Bye.
***
Another wad of paper landed on the floor. Lance threw his pencil across the room and stuck his head in his hands. "What in the world is wrong with me?" He asked himself.
From his bed Shot, his Barrac cat gave a soft yeowl. Lance sat down and looked at the creature. "Oh easy for you ta say. Tell her da truth huh. I tried that already. And ya know what? It'd didn't work!"
Shot ignored him.
"Fine you win! I'll tell her!"
"Talking to someone?" Nartia poked her head in the room.
"Yea, an invisible person named John." Lance muttered sarcastically.
"Hope your not serious Kid." Lance's mom left the room.
"Lance, Shelby. Come out and pick your teams." Their gym teacher, Mr. Tapsfeild, told the two. Lance glanced and Shelby skidded out onto the rink.
"Hey Shelby." Lance caught up with her as she headed for her team's goalie box .
She turned, "what?"
"How about, if I win, you go out with me."
"Catch being?"
"I lose, you inflict horrible punishment to my head."
She narrowed her eyes, then relaxed. "Why I'm agreeing I dunno."
***
"I don't believe it! How could I have been so dumb?!" Shelby moaned after the game.
"Believe it. Meet me, 7, at the Drake Memorial rink." Lance skated past.
"Oh, nice pick." Shelby muttered as she folded her arms over her chest. She'd worn jeans and her hockey jersey with the number seven on it. Lance hadn't known what she'd wear and had worn his jersey, his with a number 5.
"It seemed we kinda started something here. I'd like ta get that going again." He told her.
"We didn't start anything here." Shelby retorted.
"Oh really?" was Lance's only reply. With a shrug he pulled off his glovesleeve and stuck a CD in the disk drive thingy. "Just listen."
Shelby stood there, then it dawned on her. "You're kidding right?"
"No." He turned off the CD.
"What makes you think we'd last?" Shelby leaned on a railing.
"Since when did I try and get the same girl ta date me twice?"
"Yea, once you got the trophy head, who need the rest of the Elk?" Shelby turned away.
Lance spun her back and around and stuck his hands in his pockets. "I'd like ta see anybody try and behead ya. Your not an Elk, or a trophy, or whatever ya wanna call it. Doan you see?"
Shelby stared up at him, disbelief written all over her face. "Maybe I do maybe I don't."
Lance shook her lightly. "Shelby, straight answer please. I love you. How do I prove that ta ya?
Shelby looked at his a moment longer, then lowered her eyes. "I dunno."
Lance tipped her face up to his. "That's what your supposed ta tell me."
Shelby smiled a little, "I guess I'll hafta trust ya. But ya screw up again and." Shelby drew a finger across her throat in a slicing motion and nocked her head to the side.
Lance grinned and hugged her_ hard.
"Ow, ow, ow!" Shelby's breath left her.
"Oops, heh, forgot about the arm." He released her.
"Forgot about a metal arm that's twice as strong as a real one! Aug!"
"Well, when ya live with it connected, you DO. Forget."
"Your a hopeless case ya know that?"
"Gee thanks."
"Have ya noticed how cold it is out here?"
"That's what ya get for wearing shortsleeves out onto the ice." Shelby put a cold hand on his arm. "Then I'll just borrow some of your warmth."
Lance jerked, "hey! Ya wanna warm up go grab a cup o' coffee!"
"Aww, coffee doan get me hyper enough."
"You get hyper and Keltor hasta go into bomb shelters. I'm not gonna be a heater for ya."
Half an hour later Shelby was done with her coffee.
"All better now?" Lance asked.
"Yup."
"Good, now ya won't be using me as a heater."
"Not that much better." She glanced at him sideways.
Lance got up and skated away. "I ain't gonna be a heater!" He said.
Shelby went after him, "but you make a good heater!"
Thanks to Riaka who helped me with the lyrics for 'Drive Myself Crazy'.