Bombay's Daughter ~ Adam Banks

The Hawks

I wake up and realize that we have a game today against the Hawks. I get dressed in this

I go to sit in the box. "Waylon!" I turn and see my Dad's old hockey coach. "What the hell do you want?" "Where's your father?" "In the locker room." He just nods and goes over to his team. My team soon comes out. Dad starts barking orders. They all try to do what he says. We are getting our asses kicked. Soon Charlie gets the puck. "He's gotta make it, " my Dad says. "No he won't Spazway always messes up, " Averman says. "Don't fucking call him that, " I say through gritted teeth. He misses. Banks hit him hard. "Where's the call?" my dad yells. "That's it. Those rat bastards have fucked with me too much, " I say as I climb over the railing. I'm using my crutches to pull me along. My dad follows me. I check on Charlie. All the Hawks are laughing. McGill takes my crutches. The rest of his team is eating it up. Charlie tries to get up, but Larson hits him. Before anyone can stop me, I lunge at McGill. I start hitting him. I don't stop until I feel Fulton's familiar arms around me. "Touch one of my friends again and I'll make sure that you won't be able to walk off the ice without being on a stretcher!!!" I scream. My dad looks disappointed. What can I say I have a bad temper. "What are you doing here?" I ask Fulton. "Trying to keep one if them from hurting you. I have to go, " he says kissing my forehead. He leaves. My dad yells at me. Connie brings me my crutches. We lose. Shocker. We all go to the locker room. Dad is pissed. He keeps yelling at either me or the guys. I storm out of the locker room. I start to walk home. I hear someone calling my name. I turn around and see Banks. "What do you want Banks?" "I just wanted to apologize for everything. I heard your Dad yelling at you. Are you okay?" "Yeah. I'm really mad at him though, " I reply. "Well do you want to talk about it? I promise I won't laugh or make fun of you." "Can we go somewhere more private?" "Yeah we can go to this frozen lake." we walk there in silence. When we get there we sit on this bench. "What's going on?" Adam asks. "My Dad has been such a jerk since the wreck. We haven't been talking because he wanted to be angry about what happened when I was the one who was actually impacted by his decision, " I say. "Maybe he was mad at himself for hurting you." "No he's not. I know he loves me, but I want the old Dad. The Dad who would play wrestle with me. The one who actually cared about me. Ever since my mom died he's changed. His change caused me to change." "How did you change?" "I've felt like I constantly have to fight. That fight today was nothing compared to some of the ones I have gotten into. When she died my Dad was never there for me. If I cried he called me weak, if I didn't do something right I was worthless. Fulton and my hockey team were there for me. I've just been silent. I'm used to it, but it still hurts. My Dad says her death was my fault." "How?" "Ever since I was born she had had depression. One day I walked into their room. She had a gun. I begged and pleaded with her not to pull the trigger. She told me to be strong, to live life to the fullest. I ran towards her as she pulled the trigger. I can still feel the blood splattering on my face. I held onto her bloodied body for hours. I called the police even though I knew she was dead. My Dad thinks that I could have stopped it. I see it every night in my dreams. A lot of nights I don't sleep. If I do get any sleep, I have to sleep with one of the guys.  Everyone tells me it's not my fault, but I know it is." I say as tears run down my face. Adam wipes them away. "Hey it's not your fault. You can't help what happened. I'm so sorry you have to through this, " he says pulling me into him. "I'm sorry for unloading all of my problems on you, " I say. " It's alright, " he replies. "We need to get home, " he says standing up. I get up and we walk to my house. "Hey my house is right here, " he says pointing to the house next to mine. "Yay. At least I know that if I need to talk where to go, " I say smiling. " Let's see if we can do the Taylor Swift thing from you belong with me, " he says excitedly. "Okay we will. Here's my number," I say writing it on his hand. He nods. "You know once you get to know you, you're actually not that bad. For a Hawk or in general, " I say hugging him. "Same thing here. I'll text you when I get inside, bye Way, " he says. "Bye Adam, " I say back. "Hey you actually called me Adam." "Well don't get used to it Banksie." He just laughs and goes inside. I go inside and notice that my dad still isn't home. I order food and watch Netflix. I go upstairs and find out that we can in fact see into each other's windows. Adam sees me, and waves. He starts texting me. Eventually, I go to bed with a smile in my face.