Lucky Shot- Adam Banks

36-Spagetti-D2.5

"I have to go," I groan, but Adam continues laying on me. I start hitting his back, but all he does is laugh.

"You don't have to leave for another 10 minutes," he pushes his face further into my neck.

"We don't know that," I chuckle, "my parents were at the airport not too long ago. They could be home any minute."

He stops moving, "Just stay with me please."

"You are a big baby," I ruffle his hair a bit. I sigh and start running my nails along his back. His breathing slows down and he relaxes.

My eyes get heavy, but I catch myself. I gently move him off of me onto his bed.

The doctor cleared me to take off the sling last Wednesday, so I've been able to use it more.

I put my coat and shoes on and tip-toe down the stairs and out the door. I jog through the snow and into my house, just in time for headlights to turn onto the street.

I take off my shoes and my coat and quickly jump onto the couch. I click on the tv right as they walk in.

"Ava Rose!" My mom walks through the door and sets her bags down. I reluctantly stand up and put on a fake smile.

She grabs me in a large hug, "Oh baby, I'm so sorry we were gone. Unfinished business stuff."

I relax in her arms. I may not approve of her parenting tactics, but she's still my mom.

I pull away and look past her, "Where's dad?"

"He had to go drop something off at the Banks'. He'll be here soon." She nods and takes her bags to her room.

I go and lay back on the couch. She walks back into the room, "I was thinking spaghetti for dinner. Quick and easy, yeah?"

I smile and nod.

"So," she sits down on the couch next to me, "what did you do while we were gone?"

I pull my attention away from the tv, "Oh you know, Adam and I went skating a little bit. I went to the mall with Connie. It was nice."

"Oh, great," she says, "I missed you."

"I missed you too," I say, absentmindedly. My attention goes back to the tv just as my dad walks in.

"Hey sweetie," he drops his bags, "long time, no see."

I laugh and go to give him a hug.

"Hi dad," I say when he releases me.

His eyes and hands go to my shoulder, "How's the arm?"

"Slowly getting better," I sigh, "it doesn't hurt as bad anymore, but then again I haven't been using it very much."

"Good. Rest is good."

He goes and takes his stuff to their room, and my mom and I start on dinner.

"I'm gonna invite the Banks' over for dinner, is that okay?"

I mumble a sure as I put the garlic bread in the oven.

About 10 minutes later the Banks' walk in.

"Lauren!" My mom squeals and leaves the sauce unattended. I drop the knife I was using to cut the lettuce for salad, and go over to the pan and keep stirring.

I could hear their laughs and giggles from over here. It doesn't feel very good to know your mom likes her best friend more than you.

"Here, do you need help?" I hear Adam say from behind me. I turn to him and sigh, handing over the spatula, "Just keep it moving or it'll burn."

He nods and takes my position. I chuckle to myself, "How was your nap?"

"Pretty good," He laughs, "some girl crawled in my bed and put me to sleep. It was weird."

"Who was it? Jesse taught me how to fight." I act serious but we start laughing.

I'm finished cutting up the salad and I rinse it and dump it into a bowl with our salad dressing.

I walk over to Adam and wrap my arm around his waist and duck my head under his arm.

"Let me check this," I say, and I lift the spatula up to my mouth. I blow on it a little and taste it.

"Perfection," I say to myself, "dinner's ready." I shout.

I give Adam a quick peck on the lips and turn to set the table.

When we get sat down, Adams dad says grace and we begin eating. Adam sits to my right and grabs my hand, of course. I think he has attachment issues.

"So Ava," Eric starts, "how's that arm of yours? Are you gonna be back by the fall?"

I bite my cheek and smile, "Yeah I should be. The physical therapy is going good. He said I should be able to be back out on the ice by August."

"That's not very much time to train for high school hockey."

"I-I know," my stomach starts forming into a knot.

"I think she should take up figure skating or another less intense sport." My moms buds in.

My eyes go between the two of them,"Um no- I think I'm just gonna try my best to recove-"

"Figure skating is a wonderful thing, wouldn't you say Lauren?" Eric states.

Everyone starts talking to each other about my future with skating. I sit there silently.

The subject manages to change from my injury to Adams school team.

"So Adam, how's it like knowing everyone on the team can keep up with you?" My dad asks energetically.

"Ha, well I feel like I fit better with the Ducks than those players." He fake smiles. I took that as an insult.

My dad wasn't taking that as an answer, "But you've got to feel a little bit better knowing that you don't have to carry the team anymore."

"I don't carry the Ducks. We work together."

My dad grins, "He's humble. That's good for when he goes to college."

The dads talk more about Adams career as if they haven't done just that about a hundred times before.

Adam and I quickly become uncomfortable. All they could talk about was his future or mine.

I barely ate anything at dinner. It was way too tense for Adam and I.

When I went to bed that night, I didn't want to be with anyone. Not my mom, not my dad, and not even Adam.

Some of the things our dads said at dinner kind of freaked me out. They talked about how big the high school players will be and how it's likely that my arm will get injured again.

And the comment about Adam carrying the team? Totally uncalled for. Adam didn't win the world championship- the Ducks did.

He handled it better than I would have.

The fact that they want to see me fail makes me want to work even harder.

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Today seems to be motivational!!! I hope you enjoyed this little Christmas series I have going on. I figured since it's about Christmas- writing a few holiday chapters couldn't hurt.

Thanks for reading and I hope you enjoyed.

With love- M