𝐒𝐔𝐏𝐄𝐑, 𝐛𝐚𝐧𝐤𝐬 [𝟏] ✓

23| What about her?

     THE SHARP SKATES glided along the smooth ice as November Collins skated backwards. She smiled as she turned around and watched contently ahead of her. Connie and Guy held hands as they skated and Nova couldn't help but chuckle at their cuteness.

Her light brown hair was flying in front of her face as she turned the corner sharply. She was quite content with skating along the ice like that. It reminded her of when she wasn't a hockey player and when she would always go out to the pond with her brother or Connie and skate around.

Back when she would always find skating the most addicting feeling ever- almost as addicting as juggling a soccer ball. She remembered back when her brother would skate circles around her as he played with the hockey puck. She was about six or seven years old and her little laugh would make his heart leap. He would give her his hockey stick, that was way taller than she was at that age, and she would try and play around with the puck. Regardless of how small or young she was, he could see that she was so much more capable than just being a soccer player. She had the hockey genes in her blood- just like her brother and her father.

Nova felt a presence at her side as she smiled down at her skates. He skated beside her quietly as she snapped her attention upwards, giving them a smile.

"hi" She said softly.

Adam smiled down at her as they skated along. "hey.." he replied, "what are you thinking about?"

Nova let out a sharp exhale. "nothing much." She said quickly, "just- um... thinking about Connie and Guy's wedding..."

Adam laughed and looked down at November. "oh so you're a wedding planner now!" Adam joked, "well, i'll make sure to hire you when i get married"

"if.." Nova added jokingly, "IF you get married, that is."

Adam flashed her a charming smile as he slung his arm around her shoulder. "oh come on November!" He chuckled before swooshing his hand in front of their faces for dramatic effect, "just think about it... all the girls lining up just to get a chance to marry the Adam Banks.."

"oh yeah? how are you planning to choose amongst these girls, Mr Banks?"

"oh it's a very difficult process," Adam joked, "first they will have to go through an Indiana Jones style obstacle course- obviously, the ones who survive go through to the next round-"

Nova broke out into a laugh. Adam's jaw fell open in 'shock' as he tried to contain his laughter. He placed both hands on his waist as he looked down at her with a fake look of disbelief. "i'm being serious Miss Collins! what if you were one of those girls, hmm? who would be laughing then!"

Nova scoffed and let out a chuckle. "as if!" She laughed out before she grabbed his hand in hers and began to skate towards their friends, "now come on Banksy! stop fantasising about you're possible future wife"

Adam followed the girl willingly as he smiled. He made sure she wasn't looking as she dragged him along so he could smile. He shook his head as he chuckled and stopped in front of Guy, Connie, Averman, and Charlie leaning against the boards talking.

He stood there contently as he watched November try and struggle to shove Averman over the boards within 30 seconds of joining the conversation. He wasn't even sure about what was happening in the moment but he decided it was best to back up slightly away from the scene as Connie and Guy tried to help Nova. Eventually, Averman skated away from them quickly as he yelled hysterically around the rink. Nova, Connie and Guy were hot on his trail, earning stares from everyone on the team.

this left Charlie and Adam standing there, watching their friends act like immature five year olds.

"I'm guessing this is normal?" Adam said with a smile as he looked over at Charlie.

The brunette boy glanced over to the blond and crossed his arms over his chest before he nodded. "sure is," Charlie replied, "put Averman and Nova in one room and that's basically the definition of chaos"

"do they hate each other or something?"

Charlie laughed and shook his head vigorously. "no no no! it's actually the opposite. Alone, their pretty normal- well as normal gets for Averman- but they're actually really close. Almost like siblings. They aren't as close as her and Guy or her and Connie but they're close. Together, they're like a pair of eight year olds in a bouncy castle made out of candy"

Adam raised his eyebrows as he understood his statement clearly. He let out a laugh as he leaned back against the boards and crossed his arms over his chest. "alright," Adam said with a head nod, "tell me more about the team.."

Charlie shrugged and squinted his eyes as he looked around before pointing over at Tammy doing spins. "Tammy Duncan, figure skater and kind of a drama queen if you ask me.."

Adam nodded as Charlie began to tell him brief but effective descriptions about everyone on the team.

Charlie eventually circled back to Guy, Averman, Connie and Nova- his closest friends- as he smiled contently. Adam waited patiently as Charlie thought of easy ways to explain each of them.

"well first there is Connie..." Charlie said softly as he smiled, "Connie is probably one of the most positive and strong girls you will ever meet. Her and Nova are quite similar in strength and all but we've never found out who's stronger and quite frankly, i don't think any of us want to find out... Um- Then there is Guy. I've known Guy since i was seven years old... If it weren't for him, I would have never met Connie or Nova. And now that i think about it, If it wasn't all for Averman, i wouldn't have met any of them..."

"What about Nova?" Adam asked as he listened intently

Charlie furrowed his eyebrows and cocked his head to the side. "what about her?"

Adam shrugged and looked at him, "you should tell me more about her"

"what's there to tell?" Charlie chuckled, "aren't you guys close?"

Adam shrugged and looked forward, towards the girl as she pinned Averman onto the ice. He smiled aimlessly and sighed. "i guess so..." He said before thinking a while, "actually- you don't need to tell me about her.."

Charlie raised his eyebrows in confusion. "what's the sudden change of heart?"

Adam laughed and glanced at Charlie before looking back out onto the ice. "no change of heart," He said softly, "i just don't think there's anything i need to know about her right now..."

Charlie nodded regardless of the cloud of confusion that clouded his brain. He patted Adam's shoulder before skating off towards Nova, Averman, Connie, and Guy.

Adam watched as Charlie ripped Nova off of Averman and made both fall in the process. Guy and Connie laughed hysterically and managed to fall as well.

Adam couldn't help but smile at his new friends. It was at that moment that he realised that the thing that made the ducks so special was the feeling. The feeling of playing on the ice with them instead of against them. It was a feeling he never felt with the hawks. It was a feeling that he began to feel ever since he scored his first goal with the ducks. The feeling of being a family. Collectively playing together instead of relying on 2-3 players. This feeling was what really made Adam love hockey. From playing with his Dad and Older brother when he was four- to now.

It was lost deep in his memory as his dad or brother didn't have much time to play with him anymore. He forgot how it felt to play for himself rather than playing for his dad.

At this moment, He figured out one other thing and now, he knew what he had to do and he wasn't going to stop until it was done...