american sweetheart , fulton reed

seven

"Hey, wasn't sure if you'd show up," Bombay said as he walked over to stand beside Adam. He caught Aubrey's eye and looked over at Adam pleadingly while tilting his head at him. She sighed softly through her nose and nodded once.

"Yeah, whatever. I just want to play hockey," Adam said and stared at his shoes uncomfortably.

"Okay," Bombay said and gently grabbed Adam's shoulder. "Ducks, you all know Adam Banks," he introduced as he turned to his team.

"On behalf of the Ducks, I'd like to say welcome," Charlie said as he began to walk up to Adam. As he passed him, Jesse jumped to his feet and lifted his fist to Charlie's chest to stop him. Aubrey narrowed her eyes at him and placed her other hand against Fulton's bicep.

"Cake-eater," Jesse sneered at Adam as he gave him a once-over.

"Ooh, the Jess-Man, dissin' the new guy. The Jester," Averman started to commentate.

"Shut up, Averman!" Jesse snapped and glared down at him.

"It was just a joke," Averman said and turned back to face in front of him offendedly.

"Putting on a Ducks jersey doesn't make you a real Duck," Jesse said to Adam and roughly hit his shoulder against his as he shoved his way past Adam to leave the locker room. The rest of the team followed Jesse and Aubrey let her hand slip from Fulton's when he started to walk away.

"I'll be out in just a sec," she whispered and blushed when he pecked her temple. She leaned against the lockers and watched as the rest of her teammates exited the locker room.

"They're a good group once you get to know 'em," Bombay said when the locker room emptied.

"I'll bet," Adam said and Aubrey frowned at the sad look that flashed across his face.

"Well, suit up. I'll see you on the ice," Bombay said and turned to Aubrey with a questioning look. She nodded as she pushed herself off the row of lockers and watched Bombay leave.

"I'm, um, I'm Aubrey," she introduced and blushed lightly when he looked up at her. "I'm, uh, I'm-I'm sorry about Jesse. He's never liked the Hawks." She looked down at her feet as her blush darkened. She took a deep breath and slowly let it out as she looked up. She spotted Adam's jersey and let relief wash over her shoulders as she walked over to it.

"W-Well, um, here-here's your jersey. I'll see you on the ice, I guess," she said as she handed him the jersey. She stood in front of him awkwardly before hurriedly leaving the locker room.

✩

Aubrey watched as the puck moved around the Huskies zone. She sighed and anxiously tapped the palm of her hand against the top of the half-wall of the box when Adam skated around the Huskies players. He tapped his stick against the ice to get a pass from someone and Aubrey frustratedly humphed when no one did. She huffed and dropped her hand onto the box when no one passed it to him. She rolled her eyes and pushed one of her braids over her shoulder with a huff when Adam continued to be ignored.