fine line, adam banks

GOODBYE?

the once eager and happy mood quickly shifted to a depressed and nerve wracking one. the entire morning leading up to the meeting, it was silent. julie didn't come into our dorm room like she had every other day and ash wasn't knocked out asleep. it just wasn't right.

adam had begged us to attend the meeting with him, meaning we missed two classes. not that it mattered. the two of us dragged our feet, putting on appropraite clothes for a classifed meeting. which was insanely hard as most of our dresses were for going out. not for attenting a meeting, seeing if our friends are getting kicked out of the school we all learned to love. 

the board room is filled with stained glass meeting and depressing brown furniture. a long table with about fifteen brown chairs, occupied by numerous old people, including my father. who had been looking at me, questioning on why i wasn't standing with my brother and his friends. i pay him no attention whatsoever, including all the boys on the other side, smiling from head to toe with joy. 

"do i have a motion for reconsideration?", buckley coughs out. 

nobody outwardly says anything, proving their thoughts onto this depressing topic. 

adam grips my hand tighter as julie rests her head on my shoulder. 

"i'm sorry, coach, but unless there is a motion from a board member and a second, the decision must stand.", my heart breaks a little more.

i heard a small whisper from riley to my brother who just stands there with a tight smile on his face, "told you not to worry."

i'm disgusted by the boys on the other side of the room, no longer seeing them as family. how could they have no heart for people they are supposed to look after?

"you leave us no choice but to bring in our attorney." 

a face i recognize as the coach of the district five team walks into the room. "dean buckley, members of the board."

"what is he doing here?", i hear tom riley question with rage.

"i will get to that in a moment.", gordon snaps with a smirk, "as counsel for coach orion and the freshman hockey team, i'm here today to set forth your legal options, so that you may make the best possible decision for all parties concerned."

my head swivels to see all ducks with proud smiles on their face as they look at their old coach. 

"mr. bombay, this isn't a legal proceeding."

"not yet, but i can assure you that it will be. do you mind?", he says, handing his briefcase to our dean, "these scholarships, an offer, became a binding contract upon the signatures of the recipients  and acceptance by the ducks. they cannot be voided except for cause which, i guarantee you, you have none. should you deciede to pursure their cancellation, i will slap you with an injunction. i will tie this matter up in court for years, until long after these kids have gone to college. and i will collect damages. i will win. because ia m very, very good. you know why i'm so good? because i had a good education. you gave it to me. and you are going ot give it to these kids."

i hear charlie mumble to coach orion.

"now some of you may be snobbish enough to believe that these ducks don't belong at eden hall. let me tell you, you are dead wrong. these are remarkable young people. you give them their full shot, and i will promise you they will succeed , not only on the ice but in the classrooms as well. these people are my friends and i know what they can do. accordingly, i demand that you reinstate their scholarships, for their benefit and for your own."

cole grumbles, slapping rick's arm, "what's going on man?"

i can't help but smile at their varsity's confused faces. 

my father takes a deep look at me before moving on to the young faces around me, "i move that the scholarships be reinstated."

my smile only brightens as i blow him a quick kiss as the board members follow in his actions. 

"all in favor?", the dean annouces.

"we have no choice.", they say as they raise their hands once more.

"scholarhsips reinstated.", the dean says with a bright smile on his face.

our side of the room erupts with cheers and clapping as julie and connie hug me tightly.

my father gives me a quick summon as i follow him outside the room.

i jump into his arms for the first time in years, "thank you, thank you, thank you."

"i had too. they had no reason to be kicked out and seeing your face amongst them. how could i say no. i don't need my babygirl without her friends."

i show him a big smile, hugging him once more, "you are amazing."

"i know.", he smirks, "anything you would like to tell me about banks? seems you don't hate each other anymore."

my eyes go wide as my cheeks fill with red, "it's a lot. speaking of adam, can i go see him?"

he nods, kissing my head before going off to speak to the dean. 

"congratulations on destroying our school.", rick spats.

ken pipes up from besides me, "hey, look, it's out school too."

"it's everyone's school, you stupid jock.", i recognize linda from my joining of the student union.

"no, it'll never be your school. don't you get it?", xander frowns.

riley speaks once more, "you're our own little affirmative action, brought in for color to entertain us. but you couldn't even do that. your fancy lawyer kept you in on a technicality, but you'll never belong."

"you'll never be anything more than a bunch of rejects here on a free ride.", the toe head scoffs. 

"free ride? look at you, rich boy! mummy and daddy gave you everything, huh?", russ smirks.

"hey, jv - varisty game's on friday. then we'll show the whole school, what a joke you really are. then maybe you'll leave on your own. it'd be the only honorable thing to do."

"you know we're gonna hurt you."

charlie scoffs, "listen you guys had an unfair advantage last time. you had one of us: banksie."

"oh, well, keep him. he never had the heart of a warrior anyway."

"oh so you don't mind if we keep natalia back there then?", charlie smiles at the boys uncomfortable faces, "how does it feel having your own sister standing our side instead of yours? heartbreaking right? not to mention, your star player back there can't play without his sister's support?"

russ puts a hand on his shoulder, "little guys gonna fumble your guys winning streak against us just because she isn't there rooting you on."

rick smiles at me, "we all know who's side she's going to be on, not yours."

i push my way into the front, looking my once brothers in the eye, "i would rather die then be on the side of spoiled fuck faces. i'm standing with my real family."

tristian speaks up, "you don't mean that tal."

"fuck off, tj."

"hey biff, one more thing.", russ taunts, "after we beat you, the warriors die and the ducks fly."

"hey, anything you say, loser. hmm?"

slipping to the side, i stick my foot out making rick trip, taking down cole, "better work on your balance boys. you look a little wobbly there."

"we gotta get to work.", charlie states.

adam gives me a quick kiss before walking away with the group.

i don't have a good feeling about tommorrow.