Dwayne walked over to the lunch table and set down his tray. He looked around the faces, but didn't find the one he wanted.
"Has any of ya'll seen Kayla?" He asked, pulling out his chair.
"Not since home ec." Connie answered popping the top on her soda.
"Speaking of missing people, where's Banksie?" Charlie queried. "Guy?"
Guy put down his juice box and shook his head.
"I haven't talked to him in a few days."
"He can't keep avoiding us." Julie stated as Scooter sat down beside her.
"Who?" Her boyfriend inquired shaking his chocolate milk.
"Banks." Everyone replied at the same time.
"Oh, I saw him going into the rink on my way from architectural drawing." The varsity goalie informed them.
"I'll go check on him." Guy offered.
"Thanks Germaine." Charlie nodded as the blonde left the table and the rest of the Ducks fell into their own conversations.
MEANWHILE AT THE RINK
"You're doing great Kay, I think we can stop these lessons soon." Adam declared from where he was leaning against the boards watching her.
Out of the blue the girl asked him.
"How's your ankle feeling?"
Banks was confused, he couldn't understand what would make her ask that.
"Still a little stiff and achy, why?"
A gleam came in Kayla's eyes and a iniquitous smile crease her cheeks.
"The deal was, you train me as long as I keep your injury quiet. So if there's no more lesson's I have no incentive not to fink on you."
"Blackmail, not very attractive trait Kayla."
"Well Adam, I do what I have to." Suddenly her face turned serious and a question she'd been holding in from everyone, fell out. "What was Star like?"
Banksie was shocked.
"Huh?"
"It's just… I dunno sometimes I feel like I'm living the life that Star didn't get to. I sleep in her bed, hang out with her friends, get skating lessons from her boyfriend. It's like I'm filling in for her, yet I don't know a thing about her, except for the common knowledge stuff that everyone knew. Not that I'm trying to replace her, I can tell from the way people still talk about her and think about her, she could never be replaced."
Adam sighed and sunk down onto the ice, ignoring the cold and wet sensation that immediately started on his butt.
"Star was… Star. She had this presence about her, the type of thing that when she walked into the room, you automatically noticed her. The funny thing was she always wondered why people liked being around her so much, she didn't understand about the energy she gave off. She was tough as nails and as sweet at sugar, she'd always give you a second chance no matter how you hurt her, but she'd never tell you your apology was accepted. I guess she sorta contradicted herself a lot."
"She sounds great." Kayla acknowledged dropping onto the ice beside him.
"She was… she is. And she's gone because of me." Suddenly Banks began to cry, his body shaking. "Cole should've hit me, he was suppose to hit me. GOD STAR WHY DID YOU DO IT, WHY DID YOU PUSH ME OUT OF THE WAY?" He yelled looking up as if the roof of the rink wasn't between him and heaven.
"Adam, what are you talking about?" There had been a huge cover up about the incidents surrounding Star's death. The alumni had thought if the truth were told to the rest of the student body, it would cause bad publicity for the school and less support for the hockey team. None of the students, with the exception of those who had been there, knew what really happened. The formal announcement made by the administration was that Star was killed in a hit and run and Cole left school because he was so distraught. The web of lies kept the rest of the student body out of the loop.
"Nothing… never mind." Adam sniffled, realizing he'd said more then he should've.
"No, Adam, whatever it is it's obviously upsetting you, please talk to me."
"Star wasn't killed in a hit and run Kayla, her brother hit. He was trying for me, Star pushed me out of the way and Cole got her instead. She died because of me. I saw her in the hospital, watched her as she faded, the whole time I knew it was my fault. She was laying in the bed, in so much pain, she wouldn't admit but I could see it in her eyes. I would have given anything to crawl onto that bed and trade places with her. Do you know what it's like to care for someone so much, you'd sacrifice everything you have to keep them from feeling pain?"
Kayla nodded solemnly, she knew exactly how he felt, she would've done anything to take away the hurt, guilt and loss he was feeling. She put on of her short arms around his shoulder and despite his better judgment he leaned against her, continuing to sob into her shirt.
Guy pushed the door to the rink opened and crossed the lobby swiftly, he yanked the door to the ice and walked halfway to the gate before he noticed them still sitting on the ice across the rink. From what he could see they were very close and cuddly, not wanting to disturb them he left, undetected.
LATER THAT DAY
Banks' butt was still feeling like pins and needles as he entered the locker room for the game that day. He wasn't sure if he'd ever get the feeling back in his cheeks. It was going to make for a very uncomfortable situation when he went to change into his uniform. Yet, in spite of his frost bitten ass, he was feeling so much better, since letting out all his emotion over Star's death. Some how talking to Kayla was so easy, he found himself able to tell her things he couldn't tell anyone, not even one of the Ducks. At that point in time he was certain, he'd be talking to her more often.
As the rest of the team finished changing and exited to the bench, Guy lingered, waiting to talk to Adam alone for a minute.
"Hey Banks?" He began, startling the other boy.
"Jesus Guy, I didn't know you were still in here." Banksie put his hand over his heart, feeling in pound from fright. "What's up?"
"I saw you today."
"Yes you did Guy, you're seeing me right not too."
"Stop it Banks, I saw in the rink with Kayla. You two look awful close."
"What were you spying on me, Guy?" Banks shook his head.
"No, I just wanted to check on you. Look Adam, I know I've been telling you to move on and that Kayla seems perfect for you, but did you have to wait till she had things goin' with Cowboy to make a move on her?"
Adam felt his blood start to bubble, he was so sick of everything and everybody, making his life their mission. He wasn't hitting on Kayla and if he was it wasn't any of Guy's concern anyway, or anyone else's of that matter.
"You know what Guy, why don't you do me a favor and mind your own business." With that he stormed at leaving Guy alone in the locker room.
"Has any of ya'll seen Kayla?" He asked, pulling out his chair.
"Not since home ec." Connie answered popping the top on her soda.
"Speaking of missing people, where's Banksie?" Charlie queried. "Guy?"
Guy put down his juice box and shook his head.
"I haven't talked to him in a few days."
"He can't keep avoiding us." Julie stated as Scooter sat down beside her.
"Who?" Her boyfriend inquired shaking his chocolate milk.
"Banks." Everyone replied at the same time.
"Oh, I saw him going into the rink on my way from architectural drawing." The varsity goalie informed them.
"I'll go check on him." Guy offered.
"Thanks Germaine." Charlie nodded as the blonde left the table and the rest of the Ducks fell into their own conversations.
MEANWHILE AT THE RINK
"You're doing great Kay, I think we can stop these lessons soon." Adam declared from where he was leaning against the boards watching her.
Out of the blue the girl asked him.
"How's your ankle feeling?"
Banks was confused, he couldn't understand what would make her ask that.
"Still a little stiff and achy, why?"
A gleam came in Kayla's eyes and a iniquitous smile crease her cheeks.
"The deal was, you train me as long as I keep your injury quiet. So if there's no more lesson's I have no incentive not to fink on you."
"Blackmail, not very attractive trait Kayla."
"Well Adam, I do what I have to." Suddenly her face turned serious and a question she'd been holding in from everyone, fell out. "What was Star like?"
Banksie was shocked.
"Huh?"
"It's just… I dunno sometimes I feel like I'm living the life that Star didn't get to. I sleep in her bed, hang out with her friends, get skating lessons from her boyfriend. It's like I'm filling in for her, yet I don't know a thing about her, except for the common knowledge stuff that everyone knew. Not that I'm trying to replace her, I can tell from the way people still talk about her and think about her, she could never be replaced."
Adam sighed and sunk down onto the ice, ignoring the cold and wet sensation that immediately started on his butt.
"Star was… Star. She had this presence about her, the type of thing that when she walked into the room, you automatically noticed her. The funny thing was she always wondered why people liked being around her so much, she didn't understand about the energy she gave off. She was tough as nails and as sweet at sugar, she'd always give you a second chance no matter how you hurt her, but she'd never tell you your apology was accepted. I guess she sorta contradicted herself a lot."
"She sounds great." Kayla acknowledged dropping onto the ice beside him.
"She was… she is. And she's gone because of me." Suddenly Banks began to cry, his body shaking. "Cole should've hit me, he was suppose to hit me. GOD STAR WHY DID YOU DO IT, WHY DID YOU PUSH ME OUT OF THE WAY?" He yelled looking up as if the roof of the rink wasn't between him and heaven.
"Adam, what are you talking about?" There had been a huge cover up about the incidents surrounding Star's death. The alumni had thought if the truth were told to the rest of the student body, it would cause bad publicity for the school and less support for the hockey team. None of the students, with the exception of those who had been there, knew what really happened. The formal announcement made by the administration was that Star was killed in a hit and run and Cole left school because he was so distraught. The web of lies kept the rest of the student body out of the loop.
"Nothing… never mind." Adam sniffled, realizing he'd said more then he should've.
"No, Adam, whatever it is it's obviously upsetting you, please talk to me."
"Star wasn't killed in a hit and run Kayla, her brother hit. He was trying for me, Star pushed me out of the way and Cole got her instead. She died because of me. I saw her in the hospital, watched her as she faded, the whole time I knew it was my fault. She was laying in the bed, in so much pain, she wouldn't admit but I could see it in her eyes. I would have given anything to crawl onto that bed and trade places with her. Do you know what it's like to care for someone so much, you'd sacrifice everything you have to keep them from feeling pain?"
Kayla nodded solemnly, she knew exactly how he felt, she would've done anything to take away the hurt, guilt and loss he was feeling. She put on of her short arms around his shoulder and despite his better judgment he leaned against her, continuing to sob into her shirt.
Guy pushed the door to the rink opened and crossed the lobby swiftly, he yanked the door to the ice and walked halfway to the gate before he noticed them still sitting on the ice across the rink. From what he could see they were very close and cuddly, not wanting to disturb them he left, undetected.
LATER THAT DAY
Banks' butt was still feeling like pins and needles as he entered the locker room for the game that day. He wasn't sure if he'd ever get the feeling back in his cheeks. It was going to make for a very uncomfortable situation when he went to change into his uniform. Yet, in spite of his frost bitten ass, he was feeling so much better, since letting out all his emotion over Star's death. Some how talking to Kayla was so easy, he found himself able to tell her things he couldn't tell anyone, not even one of the Ducks. At that point in time he was certain, he'd be talking to her more often.
As the rest of the team finished changing and exited to the bench, Guy lingered, waiting to talk to Adam alone for a minute.
"Hey Banks?" He began, startling the other boy.
"Jesus Guy, I didn't know you were still in here." Banksie put his hand over his heart, feeling in pound from fright. "What's up?"
"I saw you today."
"Yes you did Guy, you're seeing me right not too."
"Stop it Banks, I saw in the rink with Kayla. You two look awful close."
"What were you spying on me, Guy?" Banks shook his head.
"No, I just wanted to check on you. Look Adam, I know I've been telling you to move on and that Kayla seems perfect for you, but did you have to wait till she had things goin' with Cowboy to make a move on her?"
Adam felt his blood start to bubble, he was so sick of everything and everybody, making his life their mission. He wasn't hitting on Kayla and if he was it wasn't any of Guy's concern anyway, or anyone else's of that matter.
"You know what Guy, why don't you do me a favor and mind your own business." With that he stormed at leaving Guy alone in the locker room.
