Friends Are Always There
Notes: Well yes I finished watching D3 for the umpteenth time today and technically Adam was at school that day but I'm changing it. I went to see Sum of All Fears Saturday night. Wow great movie. That's why I picked Clear and Present Danger which I have never seen and do not own literally or on tape. Character death in this chapter (Big duh I know.) I'm not quite sure if this is accurate but I'm guessing.
The Varsity team skipped school that day. No one would care if they did or not. Dean Buckley said he'd take care of the ant problem. They knew he was angry with JV for stealing his ants.
They spent the day in Kabine and Labine's dorm room, which was the least hit by the ants. They were watching Clear and Present Danger. Adam had ice on his wrist and was talking to Joey and Scooter. They had become good friends since Adam joined Varsity.
"He didn't believe me." He told them.
"It is one of the traditional pranks and since you knew them we couldn't tell you. They didn't tell me or Riley our freshmen year." Scooter said.
"But it was different this year." Joey said. "Before the freshman team could afford it. I told Riley it was a bad idea. But he's big on tradition."
There was a knock on the door. Tim got up to answer it. "It's probably Andrea." There was a pause while he answered it. "Are you lost? This ain't freshmen territory." Adam was now curious. The TV was so loud whoever else was talking was drowned out. "Yeah he's here. Banksie a few people are here to see you."
He got up and saw Averman, Goldberg, and Kenny standing there. He stepped out of the room and closed the door. "What?"
"Banks Hans died last night." Averman said.
Adam leaned against the door for a few seconds. It was as if someone had punched him in the stomach. "What?"
"He died in his sleep. His funeral is Thursday. We thought you should know." Goldberg said. The three of them walked away.
Adam walked back into the room. His whole body was numb from shock. "Banksie what is it?" Joey asked.
"An old friend of the team died." He grabbed his jacket and walked back to his dorm. He didn't care about the ant problem right now. He grabbed his skates, checked for ants, and then put them on.
He skated towards Hans and Jan's skate shop. He had just talked to Hans a few days ago about his problems with the Ducks. He had promised to talk to talk to them but didn't. He started to cry. It had been bad twenty-four hours.
He started to skate around a bit more and found himself back at the school. He sat in the grass lost in thought and cried some more. He didn't know what made him all of a sudden cry so much. Whether it was Hans' death, or just everything finally catching up to him.
***
The next day passed by in a blur. He didn't remember what he did or anything. He stood silently with the others at Hans' funeral Thursday. He watched as Bombay showed up and put the jersey on the coffin. He didn't remember much of the funeral either.
He sat with the others at the diner that Charlie's mother worked at. He felt a need to be with them. They hadn't been getting along but this seemed to pull them closer. The only one missing was Charlie. No one discussed the games or the pranks. They just sat there emotionally supporting each other.
Guy suggested a game of schoolyard puck for Saturday. Everyone surprisingly agreed. They knew that Hans would want them to do that.
Adam wasn't too sure about the game though when he got there everyone was already playing. He stood watching. "Come on Banks are you going to play or what?" Guy asked.
He jumped into the game and found himself relaxed a bit. His wrist no longer bothered him. When Conway and Bombay showed up they were quickly involved in the game and it was almost like the last several weeks hadn't happened. If Jesse had been there, it could have almost been mistaken as summer.
They went back to Eden Hall and Conway went home. Adam went upstairs to his dorm and found it empty. That was okay with him. He had just started his homework when Riley and Scooter came in.
"Joey had a family emergency." Scooter explained. "His grandfather had a heart attack."
"That's terrible." Adam said. "Will he be all right?"
"They don't know. The rest of the team went with Joey to lend support." Riley said. "Scooter and I said we'd stay behind and tell you and see if you wanted to come down."
"Yeah sure. Joey's a friend." Adam said closing his book. He followed them out to Riley's car.
When they got to the hospital, they found the Hart's and the Varsity sitting in the waiting room.
"Any news?" Riley asked.
"No not yet." Mrs. Hart said. "Thank you for coming down. Joey went to get a drink of water. I know he appreciates you all being here."
"We are there for each other. Oh Mr. and Mrs. Hart this is our newest teammate Adam Banks."
"Joey mentioned you Adam. Glad to meet you." Mr. Hart said.
Joey came up to them. "I wish they'd tell us something!"
"It was a heart attack Joey. They'll talk to us as soon as they can." Mrs. Hart said patting his hand.
Soon a doctor came out. "Family of John Hart?" He asked.
"That's us." Mr. Hart said. "How is my father?"
"He suffered a mild heart attack. He'll be okay we think. He needs plenty of rest and of course time in the hospital." The doctor went on to explain some other things he'd need.
One at a time the Hart's entered John Hart's. Joey came out with tears in his eyes. "He looks so fragile." Scooter enveloped him in a hug and soon the whole Varsity team was in a group hug. "Thanks for coming. I'll be okay you can go."
"Are you sure?" Riley asked.
"Yeah go. I'll see you guys."
The other Varsity players started to go. "I can stay here with you if you want." Adam said.
"No. Thanks anyway Adam. I'll see you." Joey said and went to his parents.
Adam hurried to catch up with the other Varsity players.
***
Notes: I have two papers due Wednesday that I haven't started so that's the last you'll see from me for the next several days and finals start the 10th.
Notes: Well yes I finished watching D3 for the umpteenth time today and technically Adam was at school that day but I'm changing it. I went to see Sum of All Fears Saturday night. Wow great movie. That's why I picked Clear and Present Danger which I have never seen and do not own literally or on tape. Character death in this chapter (Big duh I know.) I'm not quite sure if this is accurate but I'm guessing.
The Varsity team skipped school that day. No one would care if they did or not. Dean Buckley said he'd take care of the ant problem. They knew he was angry with JV for stealing his ants.
They spent the day in Kabine and Labine's dorm room, which was the least hit by the ants. They were watching Clear and Present Danger. Adam had ice on his wrist and was talking to Joey and Scooter. They had become good friends since Adam joined Varsity.
"He didn't believe me." He told them.
"It is one of the traditional pranks and since you knew them we couldn't tell you. They didn't tell me or Riley our freshmen year." Scooter said.
"But it was different this year." Joey said. "Before the freshman team could afford it. I told Riley it was a bad idea. But he's big on tradition."
There was a knock on the door. Tim got up to answer it. "It's probably Andrea." There was a pause while he answered it. "Are you lost? This ain't freshmen territory." Adam was now curious. The TV was so loud whoever else was talking was drowned out. "Yeah he's here. Banksie a few people are here to see you."
He got up and saw Averman, Goldberg, and Kenny standing there. He stepped out of the room and closed the door. "What?"
"Banks Hans died last night." Averman said.
Adam leaned against the door for a few seconds. It was as if someone had punched him in the stomach. "What?"
"He died in his sleep. His funeral is Thursday. We thought you should know." Goldberg said. The three of them walked away.
Adam walked back into the room. His whole body was numb from shock. "Banksie what is it?" Joey asked.
"An old friend of the team died." He grabbed his jacket and walked back to his dorm. He didn't care about the ant problem right now. He grabbed his skates, checked for ants, and then put them on.
He skated towards Hans and Jan's skate shop. He had just talked to Hans a few days ago about his problems with the Ducks. He had promised to talk to talk to them but didn't. He started to cry. It had been bad twenty-four hours.
He started to skate around a bit more and found himself back at the school. He sat in the grass lost in thought and cried some more. He didn't know what made him all of a sudden cry so much. Whether it was Hans' death, or just everything finally catching up to him.
***
The next day passed by in a blur. He didn't remember what he did or anything. He stood silently with the others at Hans' funeral Thursday. He watched as Bombay showed up and put the jersey on the coffin. He didn't remember much of the funeral either.
He sat with the others at the diner that Charlie's mother worked at. He felt a need to be with them. They hadn't been getting along but this seemed to pull them closer. The only one missing was Charlie. No one discussed the games or the pranks. They just sat there emotionally supporting each other.
Guy suggested a game of schoolyard puck for Saturday. Everyone surprisingly agreed. They knew that Hans would want them to do that.
Adam wasn't too sure about the game though when he got there everyone was already playing. He stood watching. "Come on Banks are you going to play or what?" Guy asked.
He jumped into the game and found himself relaxed a bit. His wrist no longer bothered him. When Conway and Bombay showed up they were quickly involved in the game and it was almost like the last several weeks hadn't happened. If Jesse had been there, it could have almost been mistaken as summer.
They went back to Eden Hall and Conway went home. Adam went upstairs to his dorm and found it empty. That was okay with him. He had just started his homework when Riley and Scooter came in.
"Joey had a family emergency." Scooter explained. "His grandfather had a heart attack."
"That's terrible." Adam said. "Will he be all right?"
"They don't know. The rest of the team went with Joey to lend support." Riley said. "Scooter and I said we'd stay behind and tell you and see if you wanted to come down."
"Yeah sure. Joey's a friend." Adam said closing his book. He followed them out to Riley's car.
When they got to the hospital, they found the Hart's and the Varsity sitting in the waiting room.
"Any news?" Riley asked.
"No not yet." Mrs. Hart said. "Thank you for coming down. Joey went to get a drink of water. I know he appreciates you all being here."
"We are there for each other. Oh Mr. and Mrs. Hart this is our newest teammate Adam Banks."
"Joey mentioned you Adam. Glad to meet you." Mr. Hart said.
Joey came up to them. "I wish they'd tell us something!"
"It was a heart attack Joey. They'll talk to us as soon as they can." Mrs. Hart said patting his hand.
Soon a doctor came out. "Family of John Hart?" He asked.
"That's us." Mr. Hart said. "How is my father?"
"He suffered a mild heart attack. He'll be okay we think. He needs plenty of rest and of course time in the hospital." The doctor went on to explain some other things he'd need.
One at a time the Hart's entered John Hart's. Joey came out with tears in his eyes. "He looks so fragile." Scooter enveloped him in a hug and soon the whole Varsity team was in a group hug. "Thanks for coming. I'll be okay you can go."
"Are you sure?" Riley asked.
"Yeah go. I'll see you guys."
The other Varsity players started to go. "I can stay here with you if you want." Adam said.
"No. Thanks anyway Adam. I'll see you." Joey said and went to his parents.
Adam hurried to catch up with the other Varsity players.
***
Notes: I have two papers due Wednesday that I haven't started so that's the last you'll see from me for the next several days and finals start the 10th.
