Unfair Advantage ) Adam Banks

ch 6, rising tensions

"Are you coming to the JV game tonight?" Connie asked her tall, blonde friend as they left their class together.

"I was planning on it, wouldn't want to miss you and Julie kick some ass tonight." Ripley said, keeping her books steady in her hands. "How is the team by the way, are you guys doing well?"

Connie let a deep breath out, "We're... okay... I guess. Orion has been super hard on us since you and Banks left, so there's that."

"I'm sorry." Ripley frowned, missing her teammates. "I miss you guys a lot."

"We miss you too." Connie started, "How is varsity. Are the upperclassmen assholes to you guys?"

Ripley shrugged, "I mean, it's not as fun as it was when I was playing with you guys, but its not awful. Riley and Cole are interesting characters, but our goalie, Scooter, is pretty nice."

Connie nodded, and the girls kept walking until they reached Ripley's locker, an eager Adam waiting for her.

"Is he waiting for you?" Connie smiled as they approached Ripley's locker.

"Yeah, he always does."

Connie gave a certain look to the girl, before walking off herself with a 'See ya later!'

Ripley turned her head as the girl walked away, but shook it off and turned her attention to the golden retriever waiting by her locker. "What's up, Ducky?"

"Whats up, cake-eater."

Adam looked a the blonde, a look of disapproval smearing across his face, "Who told you about that?"

Ripley smirked, "No one, just thought it suited you."

"Shut up." Adam groaned, snatching a piece of gum out of Ripley's locker. "We're gonna have to hurry to McAllisters, I need to copy your notes before the test."

The girl shut her locker, trudging her feet alongside the boy, "Of course you do."

-

"Ripley, we need to know the details of varsity before we play them!" Charlie groaned, shoving potato chips into his mouth. "If we don't, you guys are gonna totally wipe the floor with us."

The girl sighed, setting down her water, "Charlie, I love you, but why would I give you details about varsity when I'm playing for them?"

"Because, like you said, you love me and want your O.G  team to have even a small shot at beating your ass."

"You're silly." She shook her head, "I want to win too, Conway. It's in my veins."

Charlie rolled his eyes, "Yeah, yeah. Whatever."

She contemplated for a second, before opening her mouth. "I will tell you a couple things, Skooter is better at blocking shots when they're on his right side, not his left. Cole is a brick wall, but has awful reflexes, so if you are fast and duck under him, he won't be able to stop you. Oh! And avoid Rick at all costs, he's definitely good and has like a bloodlust or something like that."

Charlie beamed at the girl, happy that she gave him even a little bit of insight on her team, "You're the best, Rip."

She jokingly tossed her hair over her shoulder, "I know, what can I say."

Her friends laughed with her, and after awhile she glanced around the lunchroom trying to spot Adam. This had become almost a routine of hers, looking for the blonde boy to see if he was having fun with his seemingly new friends.

When she first started glancing at him, he was usually reserved and mostly quiet around the jocks. But recently, he had seemed to be laughing at their jokes, and even engaging in conversations with them. It did make her heart hurt a little bit, knowing he kept choosing to sit with them over Ripley and the friends he had known for years, but she chalked it up to him just wanting to get along with his new teammates.