Forever and Always | Adam Banks

I'm Just Disappointed

"That's mine, you jerk. I found it," the same kid that asked for the magazine back speaks up. Ellie watched silently, not wanting to get involved in this argument. While they weren't directly talking about hockey, she knew ultimately that's what it came down to. Larson and McGill just want to constantly prove that the D-5 team is trash in their eyes, believing they don't belong in the league. If she actually played hockey on a team, then she would be more than happy to stand up for the D-5 team, but this wasn't her fight. In fact, no one knew she actually played, other than Adam. McGill and Larson just saw her as Adam's best friend. She was just always there and Adam made sure they never said anything bad about her. 

"You don't even know what to do with it, wuss-breath." Ellie debated skating away and just leaving the three by themselves, but she didn't want to abandon Adam. Her parents would be pissed at her if she came home without Adam. The only reason her parents let her go out alone is because she always has Adam to protect her. They count on him to keep her safe and make sure she isn't roaming around town by herself. Mr. and Mrs. Sparks wouldn't just let Ellie go off with anybody. They've watched Adam grow up into who he is today and they trust him enough to know that he wouldn't let Ellie get hurt. They know how much he cares about her and how he would do anything for her. 

Ellie watches as that kid goes after McGill, but instead Larson and McGill shove him into a pile of trash before he could even lay a hand on him. The rest of the kids look disgusted as their friend sits in the trash. She winces, feeling sorry for the kid. He didn't deserve to be shoved into a pile of trash, but that was the consequence of his actions. There was no way McGill was going to let him take a swing at him. 

A few seconds later the Hawks boys were taunting the District-5 team, practically begging for them to start a fight. A fight that the D-5 team was going to lose. Ellie expected that from Larson and McGill, seeing as they were the two that always started fights on the ice. While Adam would never purposefully start a fight, he was known to check people into the boards on occasion. Ellie would much prefer that the two teams didn't fight at all, but if it was going to happen she just wanted Adam to not get hurt. With a serious enough injury, he wouldn't be able to play hockey and that would be the last thing Adam would want. His entire life revovles around this sport. 

The three Hawks players couldn't see the bigger boy walking up behind them but Ellie could. She wanted to yell out to Adam, warning him about what was to come. However, before she could even open her mouth, the boy had grabbed Larson and McGill from the back of their jacket collars and threw them into the same pile of trash that the D-5 boy was in, pushing Adam in as well. Ellie let out a sigh, hoping her best friend wasn't going to return to her smelling like trash. More importantly, she didn't want him returning home smelling like garbage, as his parents would most likely throw a fit. 

The boys skated out of that alley so fast, not wanting to stay for what that kid might do next. He was double the size of Adam, so they weren't going to take their chances. Plus, Reilly would have their heads if they came to practice with an injury. They looked at Ellie, waiting for her to say something but she decided to keep her mouth shut for the time being. All she really wanted to do was say I told you so and shove it down their throats. Larson and McGill always managed to make every situation worse, not better. Today being the perfect example. 

"Oh come on, Ellie. Are you really not going to talk to me?" Adam whines, once the two had ditched Larson and McGill. He understood her not saying anything while the two of them were around, not wanting to start drama. However, now that it was just the two of them, he thought she would start talking again. 

"Did you really have to start a fight with the District-5 team?" Ellie asks, once the two had gotten to their houses. She hated that Adam never stood up for himself when he was around Larson and McGill. The two boys walked all over him as if he was a doormat. She understood that they were just kids, and all Adam wants is to fit in. Adam didn't care about starting fights or making other kids feel bad, he just wanted to play hockey. Ellie knew that. 

"You know what McGill and Larson would have done if I didn't agree with them," Adam defends himself. He didn't care about the drama between the two teams. He was eleven years old and fitting in with his team was hard enough, especially with Coach Reilly treated him like he was his most prized possession. A lot of kids on his team were jealous that Reilly was always praising him and ignoring everyone else. All Reilly cared about was winning, and sure they might be able to do that without Adam, but it was certainly easier with Adam on the team. 

"Who cares what they think, Adam?! They're just a bunch of losers. I get that you want to fit in with them and they've taken you under their wing, but is this really the person you want to be? Picking on other kids to feel better about yourself? This is not the Adam Banks that I call my best friend. I'm just disappointed that you decide to stoop to their level." Ellie finally decided it was time for her to speak up. If Adam decided to continue down this road, he wasn't going to be a good person. The real Adam, the one she calls her best friend, was the best person she knew. She really struggled seeing her best friend act as if everyone was beneath him. With that, she left Adam standing in the shared area of their front lawn and went inside, hoping what she said would get through to him. All Ellie wanted was her best friend back.