in reverse-adam banks(1)

chapter 14 - forgive me?

Adam's POV

I was shocked. Layla Harper kissed me. I mean was I complaining? No. But why did she do it was the question.

She kissed me and then pulled away. Seeming to have realized what actually happened she stood up with an apologetic look on her face and quickly left the locker room. I was very confused. All I knew was that I had been in here long enough to switch my shoulder pads out, which was what I told coach, and so I got up and went back to practice a million questions in my head.

~

I skated back onto the ice noticing that both Scooter and Riley were looking at me with very interesting looks on their faces. Scooter was smirking and for a second I thought he knew. Then sense hit me and I realized there was no way he could know anything. I mean he probably knows I like her by now but he can't know about the kiss it just happened. And Riley looked confused and protective. Probably for Layla. But how in the world would they know anything had happened? It was like 5 minutes ago.

Shaking off their looks and trying to focus I skated out towards center ice to begin the drill.

Practice went fairly smoothly after the whole.....scenario. Soon it was over and I realized that I was supposed to meet the ducks at the Ledon Street park in 30 minutes. I knew that this was going to be my last chance to try and talk to Charlie before the JV-Varsity showdown seeing as he had been avoiding me even when he was in school.

I quickly skated over to the locker room and got dressed as quickly as I could. Luckily practice hadn't run past 4:30 so hopefully I could make it to the park by 5.

Without getting hit by a car, cause you know that hurts, I skated as fast as I could towards the park. Even if it wasn't my practice, hell it wasn't even my team anymore, I couldn't stand being late.

Good news for me was that I made it to to the park at 4:53. Which gave me enough time to find the basketball court before the ducks started. I didn't know why this was so important to me. I felt like today was going to be my last chance to get the ducks to change their minds about me.

"Hey Adam," Connie called out as she walked over to me right as I was about to go into the court.

"Hi Connie glad to see I'm not the last one here," I joked.

"Haha very funny. I'll have you know that we all came together I was just waiting for you so you didn't get lost but you seem to have found it. " She pulled open the gate and revealed the team all standing around the court obviously waiting for us. Not giving me a chance to respond she pulled me into the court and over to the team.

Before I even got the chance to apologize or say anything really Jesse started talking. "I'm sorry Banks. We're sorry. It's not your fault you made varsity and we didn't. It's not your fault that varsity hates us. But we turned our backs on a duck and I think I speak for all of us when I say that. So forgive us?" I was shocked. Of course I did think they overreacted but never did I think Jesse would have apologized to me. Never.

A little taken aback by the sudden apology it took me a minute to gather what I was going to say since my plans got changed by Jesse. "I get it guys you were all mad and what's done is done. I think the best thing for us to do right now is take the situation and move on from it. So apology accepted. Now let's play some hockey!"

Just being out there, playing with the team I truly belonged to was the most fun I've had in quite some time. I was over at the fence retying my skate when I looked up to see Charlie and Coach Bombay come into the court. Immediately the team invited them both to play and I felt out of place. Charlie hated me. It was common knowledge. After whatever I did he started avoiding me and I haven't talked to him for a good month or two now. Right as I was about to go back to my spot I noticed Charlie approaching me. There was no stopping it and I braced myself for the worst.

"Hey Banks. I just wanted to say that I'm sorry. None of this is your fault. You just got caught in the middle of the duck fight and I know you didn't do anything. I was completely in the wrong. I overreacted a ton about the whole varsity situation when I should have been happy for my best friend. Can you forgive me?" He held out his hand in a sort of forgiveness gesture.

I reached out and shook it. "Of course I can Charlie. Now let's go play some hockey. "

I was walking back to Eden Hall with Connie beside me. She had chosen to walk me home rather than ride the bus and I was grateful but I knew that she knew that there was something on my mind.  "Adam," she said startling me out of my thoughts, " what's on your mind. And don't play those oh nothing games with me. I know that there's something bothering you and I intend to find out."

"Oh. How did you know?" I turned to her with a questioning look on my face.

"Eh I had a feeling." She shrugged. "Now spill."

"Um okay I guess. Well so you know how I had practice today."

"Okay what about it."

"Well.... Layla kissed me in the locker room." She stopped so suddenly I accidentally kept walking a few step before I realized.

"What?!?! She kissed you and that's not the first thing you tell me? What the hell man. "

"I'm sorry Connie I was just trying to figure everything out. Like why, you know. Cause Layla wouldn't just do that. Also you can't tell anyone."

"Okay fine.  But you don't know that."

"Either way. I can't believe that Layla Harper kissed you." She gave a quiet little laugh before changing the subject. And leaving me to think.

authors note: ahhh thank you guys for the support. please drop a vote and comment if you liked this part and if you liked how the story is going. hope everyone had an awesome holiday. have a great day