Author Note: While I work on the upcoming chapters of Racing Time I thought I would give Adam Conner a bit of a back story, and hopefully add a little more to the character. Enjoy.
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"Wilbur I don't want to!" Adam Conner sat resolutely on the empty bleachers, his friend's practice was over and Wilbur was trying to get him onto the Chargeball court.
"C'mon, no one's here to see how horrible you are."
"That's a real confidence boost."
Wilbur threw the glove at him before walking to one end of the court. He stood in the 'ready' position, hands on his knees watching his friend expectantly.
Adam didn't move, "You're serious aren't you."
"Absolutely."
He wished he had the dramatic flair his friend had. He'd melodramatically stand from where he had promised not to move from, and sulk his way onto the court. Somehow he couldn't pull that off though. The trumpet player, choir singing, non athletic teen stood in front of his goal looking uninterested and annoyed.
"Wilbur, I told you, this is not going to end well."
His friend shrugged adding smugly, "You never know, you could be the next Wilbur Robinson."
Adam rolled his eyes muttering, "That's something to look forward to."
They tried a few of the basics, a straight shot at the opponent, bouncing a charge off the wall and blocking. Adam was surprised at how much energy the game actually required, he hadn't realized he was so out of shape. Wilbur blocked a charge expertly, but was surprised when another flew past his head and one of his shields disappeared.
Adam threw up his hand in the signal he'd seen used for 'forfeit' and collapsed on the floor. Wilbur ran to him and smiled down at the panting boy.
"You're good for a beginner!"
Adam waved a hand at him dismissively, heaving air into his oxygen deprived lungs.
Wilbur ran to the bleachers and grabbed the water bottle from his bag, he tossed it to the boy sitting on the gymnasium floor.
They moved to sit against the wall, Adam's cheeks red from the workout he had received. He couldn't believe Wilbur had been doing this for the past 2 hours. Before he could ask his friend anything a familiar and rather annoying voice sounded from the other end of the court.
"Practice is over boys, Chargeball players are to be off the court at 6:00."
A blond haired girl stood just in front of the entrance to the girl's locker room. Pompom donned hands on her hips, and purple clad foot tapping the court floor annoyingly. Wilbur didn't even give her the pleasantry of standing, he stretched his legs further onto the court, much to Adam's dismay.
"I'm sorry Ashley, we're just so tired after practice, I don't think we can move." He practically had to yell to her to be heard, and continued in sarcastic innocence. "I really do hope that your squad will have enough room for practice. I know we take up alot of space."
She marched across the court, arms pumping in that perfectly straight cheerleader fashion she loved. "Robinson, that's not the point."
"The point is-"
She glared at him, "Do not interrupt me Wilbur A. Robinson."
Adam snickered, Ashley loved using full names, she was such an egotist. She shot him a look and he quieted.
Ashley continued, "The point is, you have to abide the school rules. Chargeball ends at 6:00 pm, cheerleading starts at 6:10. You shouldn't be here."
Wilbur looked at her smugly, speaking in mock sincerity. "I'm sorry Ashley, we were just leaving, weren't we Adam?"
The smaller boy practically ran to the bleachers, grabbing his back pack he was soon safe behind the door of the boy's locker room. He leaned against the wall, fuming. Wilbur opened the door, peeking around and smiling at his friend.
Adam scowled, "Will, I am not going back out there." The raven haired teen entered the locker room, rolling his eyes.
"You didn't even say anything, she didn't even talk to you." Adam made a frustrated gesture, "I'm not like you, I'm a band geek."
"What's wrong with being a band geek?"
Adam stared at him a moment, taken back. "I- I'm not sure."
Wilbur looked at him suddenly with a calculating expression. Grabbing the other boy by the shoulder he opened the door to the locker room. When Adam protested he covered the boys mouth with a hand and pulled him behind the gap in the bleachers.
"Shhh! What is wrong with you?" Adam only glared at him silently, he rolled his eyes before looking out through an opening in the bleachers. The cheerleading squad had just finished their warm ups and were getting ready for the start of practice. Ashley's voice rang out over the chatter of the other girls.
"Look! Robinson left his stuff here."
Adam panicked, he grabbed Wilbur's arm and whispered, "Will! We left our gear out there! We can't go back out there!"
Wilbur put a finger to his lips, speaking in low tones. "Don't worry! It's all part of the plan."
He smiled as they crept along the wall so that they sat just behind their Chargeball equipment, through the slats of the seats he could see Ashley moving towards their bags.
He grinned at Adam, "You have to be willing to play their game, don't let them make you think your nothing."
Adam looked through the slats uncertainly, a sudden idea forming in his head. The slat was just wide enough that maybe, yes, he knew what he was going to do.
Ashley leaned over the bags of gear, looking as if she were deciding on whether she should take something or not. Wilbur frowned, if she even touched his new glove.
He wasn't able to finish the thought. Adam shot his hand through the opening, scaring Ashley in the way he had hoped he would. What he hadn't been planning on was that she had been grabbing for Wilbur's new glove. What happened next was total chaos.
"Oh no."
Wilbur shot out from behind the bleachers, watching in amazement at the mayhem. When Ashley had jumped back, she had reflexively grabbed the glove tightly in her hand. Somehow it had caused the glove to release a charge that was currently ricocheting around the room. He yanked his belongings from her, "What are you doing!"
"What am I doing what are you doing!"
They both looked up at the sound of the ball bouncing off the ceiling and dove back under the bleachers where it was safe. The rest of the squad huddled under at the other end of the court. Adam covered his eyes with a hand, groaning aloud.
They waited till the ball had run down on power, the shields and goals had been put away for the cheerleader practice. The walls were now bare with no protection from the energy the ball produced. Once the coast was clear they abandoned their cover, there were shrieks from the other end of the room.
"Our banner!"
"Oh no, it's ruined!"
Ashley turned back to the two boys, seething. "We spent a week on that for the boys football team!"
"You mean it wasn't for the Chargeball team?"
She stomped her foot, "Robinson! You are so-' She turned away from the two, looking back to continue her rant she stuttered. Both boys were gone, along with their gear.
Running down the hallway to the main entrance doors Wilbur laughed out loud.
"Did you see her face! Wow!"
Opening the door they stood outside, Adam sulked.
Wilbur threw his bag down, "What?"
"I ruined their banner Will."
"You did not, that banner has been used the past four games. The football team deserves a new one anyway."
"Really?"
"Yeah."
Adam fidgeted with the drawstring of his bag, his face was still red with embarrassment.
"Will?"
Robinson lay on his back across the bench, it looked incredibly uncomfortable. "Yeah?"
"Does a Chargeball disappear?"
Wilbur's eyes widened and he suddenly grabbed his cell phone, pressing keys franticly.
Adam looked at him curiously, "What are you doing?"
"Texting my dad."
"Why?"
"Telling him not to worry about picking me up, that I'm running home."
Adam paled, "Why?"
He was answered with more screaming from somewhere in the building. Grabbing their gear they hightailed down the sidewalk away from the school, and hopefully towards safety. Adam puffed alongside his friend.
"Wilbur."
"Yeah?"
"I am never playing Chargeball with you again!"