☆ | daylight.

vi. banks.

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word count; 6927 words.
tw; swearing, mentions of death, swearing, name calling.
date finished; 11/01/2024
date published; 25/07/2024

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i was sitting in history class, getting obviously bored for the reconciliation of america, the same topic taught every year since grade four. history as always been boring to me, a class i did good at, but didn't find interesting. maybe it would be interesting if we learnt about all the wars, the music evolution, or about pets came to be. it was boring when we learn about the same topic every year. i slumped backwards in my seat, hazel eyes flickering down to the floor. the hushed talk made my mind run wild with thoughts. i hadn't heard from the ducks since sunday night, and it made me wonder, it made me worry. i heard most news through charlie, the team calling him a traitor, and the ignorance they gave him. charlie held onto bombay, and that was well and good, but i worried for him. i didn't want him to get hurt again.

i closed my eyes tiredly, the teacher's rambles having no effect on my ears. i had no interest with the topic, but i had an interest with hockey. i had an interest with the boys, with tammy and connie, with bombay. i had an interest with the question; was the team ever going to be a team again? would they put this behind them and touch ice? or would they hate the game for the rest of their lives, was this the last of the ducks? if there was no team, that meant my weekends were free once more, but i didn't want that. i knew i dreamed of it before, but i wanted the tasks, and the games, i wanted to have fun with the team. i had became so attached to the kids, i didn't want to sleep in, i wanted to coach them like i hated so long ago. i wanted to be apart of their childhoods, i wanted to be apart of hockey.

due to my drowsiness and the impact of boredom, i was starting to doze off on my desk. it was all blank, my head, my thoughts, my feelings. i was falling asleep. my eyes became droopy and i started to lack my awareness, especially when the classroom door flung open to reveal a face. a face i had mixed feelings about, a face i hadn't seen all week. i didn't notice them, until the girl sitting besides me nudged me in the shoulder. my head shot up at the contact, not being very familiar with the action. i was never familiar with any interaction at school, i kept to myself. i had only a few friends, and no one else bothered talking to me. i was fine with that. what i was also fine with, was bombay standing at the room door, helping me out of class.
"conway! lets go!"

"bombay?"

"lets go! i'm not going to repeat it!"
i shot up out of my chair, hands slightly shaking at the shock and quickly grabbing all my stuff that was laying on the desk. papers ripped while being stuffed into my bag, pencils tapped against one another, but the smile never ceased from my face. i wasn't sure if i was happy see bombay, or if i was happy to leave the room, either way it was somewhat of a win. i repeated plenty of phrases in my head, like an apology for calling coach a loser, despite it being deserved obviously. other phrases like a 'thank you', or a 'how are you', just repeating anything to ease the tension from sunday. when i rushed over to the man, him gently offering me a smile and a brief apology to the teacher at the head of the room. in that moment, i knew what i was going to say, a thank you. a thank you to bombay, for getting me out of that class. the minute the classroom door closed, i spoke;

"i'm sorr-"

"we don't have time for it!"

"what?"
i didn't know what was happening, i didn't know why bombay had cut my apology off. all i did was the follow the man silently, not knowing where we were headed. why did he take me out of class? was it an emergency, or just because? i didn't know where he was going, but he got me out of the worst class in human history, so i would follow him anywhere he wanted me to go. the cool winter air nipped at my nose when we exited the building, and i frowned. i hated the cold, though my chest eased when i noticed the familiar black van in which the team and i would travel in frequently. that would be warmer. i hopped into the familiar vehicle, buckling my seatbelt quickly, though remaining silent. i was still wondering, where we were going?