flipped. charlie conway

47

leah let the breeze comb through her unkempt hair, feeling the california sun bite her cheeks. adam sat beside her, shuffling through a novel he seemed to be bored of.

"i don't want to go home." adam perked up, shutting his book with a frown.

his twin sister straightened, peering at adam with confusion. "is this about iceland?"

adam huffed, letting his head fall back tiredly. "i'm doing my absolute best, and i know you are too. it just doesn't feel like enough."

"i know, adam." lead shook her head.

"and i'm scared," adam continued, "of all the scouts, and of iceland. especially after what they did to you." the twin boy sat up, narrowing his eyes at his sister's purpled wrist.

leah shrugged dismissively, diverting her gaze to the whispering clouds above. "i don't want to go home either. i mean, we're here. may as well make every second count."

adam hummed in agreement, feeling comforted by his sister's shared opinion. "you sure your wrist is okay? it doesn't look it."

leah nodded, giving the joint a reluctant roll. "honestly?"

adam felt his concern peak. leah didn't often lie, so he knew she was serious about it being anything but okay. though the swelling had bottled itself down, leah's wrist was as purple as the setting sky.

"it hurts," she grimaced as her rolling wrist locked in its place, "i think it could be sprained."

"shit, lee." adam huffed, tenderly analysing the swirling bruises across her freckled skin.

"you can't tell coach bombay," leah sternly warned, "i still want to play. we haven't come here for nothing."

adam hesitated. "i don't know, lee—"

"i mean it, adam," leah glared, "we're one loss away from elimination, remember?"

"i reckon coach will find out on his own. you can barely hold your stick!"

leah scoffed. "as long as we're winning, i doubt captain blood cares."

———

in the cafeteria, team usa chattered excitedly. yet, adam sat in silence. he couldn't bare the overwhelming guilt eating away at him, knowing his sister was in pain and that he wasn't doing anything to help.

adam let his mind wonder if after if. what if leah was benched? what if adam had to go on the ice alone? what if leah was making her injury worse, and ruining her chances of ever being able to play hockey again?

"hey, you alright adam?" charlie beamed, sliding into the seat beside the banks boy.

"yeah," adam shook away his thoughts, "of course." sending a worried glance to his laughing sister, adam turned to charlie with a reluctant smile.

charlie frowned. "c'mon, you can tell me! i'll help if i can."

"no," adam humourlessly laughed, "she'd kill me if i told you."

"leah?" charlie perked up in his seat, sending weary glances over to the girl as his skin began to feel hot.

adam dismissively shook his head, not in the mood to hear charlie groan about his sister. "don't worry about it."

charlie puffed out his cheeks dramatically, shaking his head is excessive dismissal. "oh believe me, i wasn't worried. yeah, i couldn't care less, actually." the conway boy rambled, ruffling up his hair as he tried to stop his eyes from glancing over to the banks girl.

adam crossed his arms. "yeah?" he dragged, skeptically raising an eyebrow at the captain's animated behaviour.

"yeah." charlie slouched back in the chair, letting his eyes peer over at leah banks.

adam scoffed under his breath. as great a friend charlie conway was, he was insufferable when it came to leah banks.

the guilt bubbling beneath the surface of adam's stomach began to spout. adam couldn't keep it a secret. "say, charlie," adam coughed, "if someone was injured, would coach bombay still let them play? hypothetically, of course."

charlie's eyebrows furrowed in concern. "well, it depends on the injury, i guess. are you injured?" the conway boy pointed.

"no!" adam relieved, "it's not me."

"well, who is it? we gotta tell coach!"

adam felt beads of sweat pooling upon his forehead. a large gulp forced his throat closed as he pruned up in the situation. adam wasn't good at lying.

"no one is injured!" the banks boy blurted, crossing his arms defensively.

charlie narrowed his eyes, letting the flustered boy cool off. "if you say so."

as the two hockey players picked up light conversation,  hardie felt his eyes drifting to the same spot in the room. the flickering specks of gold, the harmonic spurts of sound, the fresh scent drifting through the air. it was enchantingly suffocating, and charlie felt his lungs mimic that suffocating feeling every time his mind wandered to the girl. leah banks. she was so horrid that charlie couldn't get himself look away.