Days went by much they same and slowly faded into weeks. Soon it had been two months since they went to the movies and Adam was completely head over heals. Larissa went to every game, every practice and spent almost every waking minute with Adam and the Ducks.
"Homecoming's coming up Banksie." Charlie looked up from his comic book and caught Adam staring at a picture of him and Larissa at the M.V.P. banquet. He'd felt like the king of the world that night. A beautiful girl on his arm, while receiving such an honor. A girl that he wanted to spend ever waking second with, a girl that, that day he hoped would agree to officially be his girlfriend.
"I know, so?"
"Did you ask Larissa yet?"
"Now who said I was asking Rissa?" He retorted slyly
"Oh please Cake-eater I see that stupid grin you get every time you're within ten feet of her. So did you ask her yet?"
"Would you two shut up?" Guy moaned into his pillow
"Sorry Guy. No I haven't yet."
"You better get you ass in gear because Luis is getting ready to make his move. I think Averman's gonna ask her too. And Germaine get up we got breakfast in fifteen minutes."
Adam walked over to the Ducks table with his cereal bowl and took his seat to wait for Larissa. Upon noticing he forgot a spoon he put his backpack on the chair he was saving for Larissa (as if anyone would dare sit there) and went back for silverware. When he returned he noticed Larissa had moved his bag and had sat down.
"So has Banks asked you to homecoming?" He over heard Luis ask
"No he hasn't." Larissa 's forehead wrinkled
"Would you like to go with me?"
"Sorry Luis this girl is taken." Adam sunk into his chair and put his arm around Rissa.
"Taken since when?" She teased
"Well, right now if you want."
"Tempting."
"Well?"
"I think I like that."
"Good." Adam leaned forward and his lips brushed hers in a sweet, silk like movement. It wasn't a passionate kiss but it left her mouth intrigued for kisses to come.
"Awww aren't they cute?" Ken goofed putting his tray down
"Grow up Kenny." Larissa frowned at the older boy
"So did you finally ask her Banks?" Charlie grilled
"Yes Charlie." Adam exhaled hard
"And?"
"And I said yes." Larissa riposted for him
"Nifty." Julie pretended to be interested
"So are you coming to the school yard to play with us today?" Fulton inquired
"I guess so."
"Great."
For some reason that day the team had decided to play at the old school yard, they played at when they were district five. The Duck zone. We they reached the basketball court they were going to play on, there was already a group of teens in the middle of a game.
"Look at this. Give 'em a scholarship to some prep school and suddenly your friends can't say hi." A tall black kid in a team U.S.A jersey skated over to them Larissa thought she recognized him from a picture she saw in Adam's room but wasn't sure.
"Jesse, hey man what are you guys doing here?" Guy shook hand with the boy
"Just playing some puck. Ooh who is this?" Jesse spotted Larissa (you guessed it) putting on lip gloss.
"Jesse, guys" Adam waved the rest of the group over "this is my girlfriend Larissa. Rissa this is Jesse and Terry Hall, Tammy and Tommy Duncan, Dave Karp and Peter Marks. The original Ducks."
"Damn Cake-eater I never thought I'd see you with a girl, especially not one this fine." Jesse extended his hand to Larissa and she shook it with a blush in her cheeks
"Nice to meet you Jesse."
"Alright so what are we waiting for let's play hockey." Charlie skated in a circle around them
"Chill Spazway we're a little out numbered here." Peter spoke up from behind Jesse
"How about ex Ducks and new Ducks verses the rest of us?" Was Averman's idea
"Then we're out numbered." Goldberg whined
"Okay our team'll be me, Charlie, Guy, Connie, Averman, Fulton, Jesse and Larissa., but we get Julie for goal since we're 3 men down." Adam decided
"Deal let's play." Jesse agreed
"Wait Adam I don't know how to play hockey." Larissa dragged him away from the crowd
"You can slate right?" He looked down at her knowingly
"You know I can."
"Then you're all set you take this little stick and hit the little puck into the goal. I have faith in you." He enfolded in his arm for a second and then let her go.
The game was going great, and everyone was having a great time until Karp checked Larissa hard into the chain link fence.
Banks was vivid
"Jesus Karp, take it easy. She's only 15."
Rissa heard him holler in a voice she'd never hear, an angry voice as she lay on her side against the fence.
Everyone rolled over to her quickly their words a jumble of
"Are you okay's" and "Can you get up's"
Larissa shook her head to get the cobwebs out and struggled to her feet
"I'm alright."
"No you're not you're bleeding and you hit your head pretty hard. I'm taking you to the hospital." Adam looked at her horrified
She had a gash on her hip that was bleeding through her jeans and lovely bluish purple was already forming on her cheek."
"Adam I'm okay, don't worry about it."
"Gee where have we heard that before." Jesse looked at Banks
"Sounds familiar don't it?" Charlie agreed
"No wonder Banksie likes her." Portman added
Rissa was puzzled
"What am I missing?"
"Banks pulled the same thing on us in the Goodwill Games after he sprained his wrist." Connie educated her
"I didn't sprain Oalf Sanderson did." Adam said in his own defense.
"Oalf Sanderson?" Larissa leaned Oh Adam's shoulder trying to keep her balance.
"He was an Islander and cracked Banks in the wrist with a hockey stick." Kenny answered
"Which is why we're going to the emergency room." Adam got behind Larissa and pushed her to his car.
Once she was sitting in the seat he buckled her belt.
"Adam, I can clip my own belt." She chuckled causing her head to pound
"I'm sorry I should've been looking out for you I knew you don't play."
"I'm okay, would you relax?"
He heaved a heavy sigh boy was she stubborn.
"If you won't go to the hospital will you at least go to my house my mother's a nurse."
"Meeting the parents already gee you waste no time."
"Larissa I'm not joking." His soft blue-green eyes were clouded with worry and he had this edginess in his tone.
"Then I'll go."
Adam opened the front door with one hand and held Larissa's with the other.
"Mom?" He called entering the amorous foyer.
Larissa gasped at her sheer size of the house, with a spiral staircase leading up to the second floor. She was scared to touch anything, scared to step on the marble floor.
"You can come in you know." Adam smiled at her
"Adam is that you?" Mrs. Banks called from the kitchen
"Yeah mom."
A petite women in her early forties appeared in front of them, with Adam's light hair, sparkling eyes and friendly smile. Larissa knew instantly she liked her.
"I didn't expect you home this weekend." She stood on her tiptoes to hug her now 6'2" son.
"Actually I'm only here because I need your medical expertise." He explained
"Oh no it's not your wrist again is it? I told you to take it easy."
"I'm great it's not me it's her." he gestured to Rissa who was standing him behind him off to the right, where she'd shrunk away to when Adam let go of her to hid mother.
"My mother's not going to bite you Rissa I swear."
She stepped closer to her boyfriend and the light falling on her cheek, illuminating the bruise to a revolting color.
"Oh dear what happened to you?" Mrs. Banks s saw injuries like that a million and one times with both her sons growing up playing hockey.
"I brought her to one of our school yard games and she got checked hard." Adam put his arm around Larissa's shoulder and brought her to his side.
"I think you're luck maybe contagious son." Mrs. Banks laughed "Come into the family room so I can get a better look."
The three walked in a very poshly decorated room. With white furniture, walls and curtains. In the corner of the room was a glass cabinet containing Adam's peewee and team U.S.A jersey along with his peewee championship trophy and gold metal. She'd never realized how superior of a player he truly was previously.
"Adam make yourself useful and get an ice pack." Hi mother commanded "So are you and my son and item?" She asked once Adam was gone
"Yes ma'am." Rissa responded shyly
"He likes you very much."
"How can you tell?"
"I've never seen him so worried about someone with a hockey injury before, especially one so minor. Also I've never seen him look at anyone the way he just looked at you."
"Not even Nicole?"
"Not even Nicole."
"Thank you ma'am."
"Please call me Nancy."
"Thank you Nancy."
They finished the conversation just as Adam reentered the room with the ice
"So what's the diagnosis?"
"She's fine, the cut doesn't need stitches and the bruise'll heal on it's own. If you'll excuse me I've got to finish setting the table for dinner. Would you two like to stay?"
Adam looked at Larissa and she nodded.
"Sure mom we'll stay." He relied as Nancy headed to the dining room.
Adam held the icepack to Larissa's cheek cautiously
"I'm sorry I didn't protect you."
"Adam it was an accident, people get hurt at hockey all the time. From what I hear it's usually you. Now I'm going to be alive and well, so stop worrying."
"I still feel bad."
"So I'll have to wear makeup for a week it's not really the crisis situation you envision. Come on Adam you have the most gorgeous smile in the world let me see it."
"It's not funny." He ran the back of his hand over her cheek gently forcing a smile
"Adam…"
"You want me to smile?"
"Yes."
He leaned closer to her, his eyes making a contact he wouldn't break. His mouth hovered above hers for agonizing seconds.
"Banks kiss me already." Larissa grasped his collar and pulled him down. There lips meeting in the first French kiss they'd share. Their tongues exploring each others mouths. They kissed with passion and desire. Everything they felt for each other coming to the surface. Adam now had her pinned to the couch, they were both forgetting to breath, that they could not survive on each others kisses alone.
"Ahem." A deep throat clearing came from the doorway
"Dad." Adam's head shot up and Larissa turned as red as a Christmas bulb
"Son." Philip nodded "And you are?" he looked at the auburn haired girl still beneath his son
"Uh Adam get off me." She pushed her boyfriend lightly
"Oh right, yeah." Banks rolled off her and sat up
"Mr. Banks my names Larissa Saunders, I'm Adam's new girlfriend."
"Please to meet you young lady. Adam where's your mother?"
"In the kitchen making dinner."
"Are you staying?"
"Yes dad."
Philip nodded again and went off in search for his wife.
The dining room was just as impressive as the living room in size and decor. With the amount of cash the Banks's obviously had, Larissa was wondering what Adam was going with her. They sat across from one another at the perfectly polished ebony table, he occasionally flashed her the smile she'd requested earlier. Philips eyes bounced back and forth between them like a ping pong ball and Larissa could feel his stare burning into the side of her head like a laser. Finally she couldn't take it anymore, she had to get away from the table.
"Excuse me where's the bathroom?"
"Up stairs second door on the left." Nancy pointed her in the direction of the stairs. When she was gone she said
"I like her Adam, she seems sweet."
"She looks awful young to be a senior son." Philip spoke in his snide way
"That's because she's a freshmen. She's 15" Banks pushed his chicken around with his fork knowing he was in a lecture.
"A freshmen? Isn't she a little young for you son?"
"Now Phil we started dating you were 5 years older then me. Adam and Larissa are only 3 years apart." Nancy tried to settle him down
"We were in college then, both adults. You haven't slept with her have you Adam?"
"God know Dad I've only known her for two months." His son sipped his water
"Looked to me like you were about to go at it in my living room." Philip grumbled
Adam counted to ten in his head to keep his anger under control.
"We kissing Dad."
"Kissing leads other things boy. Mark my words that girl will bring you nothing but trouble."
"Homecoming's coming up Banksie." Charlie looked up from his comic book and caught Adam staring at a picture of him and Larissa at the M.V.P. banquet. He'd felt like the king of the world that night. A beautiful girl on his arm, while receiving such an honor. A girl that he wanted to spend ever waking second with, a girl that, that day he hoped would agree to officially be his girlfriend.
"I know, so?"
"Did you ask Larissa yet?"
"Now who said I was asking Rissa?" He retorted slyly
"Oh please Cake-eater I see that stupid grin you get every time you're within ten feet of her. So did you ask her yet?"
"Would you two shut up?" Guy moaned into his pillow
"Sorry Guy. No I haven't yet."
"You better get you ass in gear because Luis is getting ready to make his move. I think Averman's gonna ask her too. And Germaine get up we got breakfast in fifteen minutes."
Adam walked over to the Ducks table with his cereal bowl and took his seat to wait for Larissa. Upon noticing he forgot a spoon he put his backpack on the chair he was saving for Larissa (as if anyone would dare sit there) and went back for silverware. When he returned he noticed Larissa had moved his bag and had sat down.
"So has Banks asked you to homecoming?" He over heard Luis ask
"No he hasn't." Larissa 's forehead wrinkled
"Would you like to go with me?"
"Sorry Luis this girl is taken." Adam sunk into his chair and put his arm around Rissa.
"Taken since when?" She teased
"Well, right now if you want."
"Tempting."
"Well?"
"I think I like that."
"Good." Adam leaned forward and his lips brushed hers in a sweet, silk like movement. It wasn't a passionate kiss but it left her mouth intrigued for kisses to come.
"Awww aren't they cute?" Ken goofed putting his tray down
"Grow up Kenny." Larissa frowned at the older boy
"So did you finally ask her Banks?" Charlie grilled
"Yes Charlie." Adam exhaled hard
"And?"
"And I said yes." Larissa riposted for him
"Nifty." Julie pretended to be interested
"So are you coming to the school yard to play with us today?" Fulton inquired
"I guess so."
"Great."
For some reason that day the team had decided to play at the old school yard, they played at when they were district five. The Duck zone. We they reached the basketball court they were going to play on, there was already a group of teens in the middle of a game.
"Look at this. Give 'em a scholarship to some prep school and suddenly your friends can't say hi." A tall black kid in a team U.S.A jersey skated over to them Larissa thought she recognized him from a picture she saw in Adam's room but wasn't sure.
"Jesse, hey man what are you guys doing here?" Guy shook hand with the boy
"Just playing some puck. Ooh who is this?" Jesse spotted Larissa (you guessed it) putting on lip gloss.
"Jesse, guys" Adam waved the rest of the group over "this is my girlfriend Larissa. Rissa this is Jesse and Terry Hall, Tammy and Tommy Duncan, Dave Karp and Peter Marks. The original Ducks."
"Damn Cake-eater I never thought I'd see you with a girl, especially not one this fine." Jesse extended his hand to Larissa and she shook it with a blush in her cheeks
"Nice to meet you Jesse."
"Alright so what are we waiting for let's play hockey." Charlie skated in a circle around them
"Chill Spazway we're a little out numbered here." Peter spoke up from behind Jesse
"How about ex Ducks and new Ducks verses the rest of us?" Was Averman's idea
"Then we're out numbered." Goldberg whined
"Okay our team'll be me, Charlie, Guy, Connie, Averman, Fulton, Jesse and Larissa., but we get Julie for goal since we're 3 men down." Adam decided
"Deal let's play." Jesse agreed
"Wait Adam I don't know how to play hockey." Larissa dragged him away from the crowd
"You can slate right?" He looked down at her knowingly
"You know I can."
"Then you're all set you take this little stick and hit the little puck into the goal. I have faith in you." He enfolded in his arm for a second and then let her go.
The game was going great, and everyone was having a great time until Karp checked Larissa hard into the chain link fence.
Banks was vivid
"Jesus Karp, take it easy. She's only 15."
Rissa heard him holler in a voice she'd never hear, an angry voice as she lay on her side against the fence.
Everyone rolled over to her quickly their words a jumble of
"Are you okay's" and "Can you get up's"
Larissa shook her head to get the cobwebs out and struggled to her feet
"I'm alright."
"No you're not you're bleeding and you hit your head pretty hard. I'm taking you to the hospital." Adam looked at her horrified
She had a gash on her hip that was bleeding through her jeans and lovely bluish purple was already forming on her cheek."
"Adam I'm okay, don't worry about it."
"Gee where have we heard that before." Jesse looked at Banks
"Sounds familiar don't it?" Charlie agreed
"No wonder Banksie likes her." Portman added
Rissa was puzzled
"What am I missing?"
"Banks pulled the same thing on us in the Goodwill Games after he sprained his wrist." Connie educated her
"I didn't sprain Oalf Sanderson did." Adam said in his own defense.
"Oalf Sanderson?" Larissa leaned Oh Adam's shoulder trying to keep her balance.
"He was an Islander and cracked Banks in the wrist with a hockey stick." Kenny answered
"Which is why we're going to the emergency room." Adam got behind Larissa and pushed her to his car.
Once she was sitting in the seat he buckled her belt.
"Adam, I can clip my own belt." She chuckled causing her head to pound
"I'm sorry I should've been looking out for you I knew you don't play."
"I'm okay, would you relax?"
He heaved a heavy sigh boy was she stubborn.
"If you won't go to the hospital will you at least go to my house my mother's a nurse."
"Meeting the parents already gee you waste no time."
"Larissa I'm not joking." His soft blue-green eyes were clouded with worry and he had this edginess in his tone.
"Then I'll go."
Adam opened the front door with one hand and held Larissa's with the other.
"Mom?" He called entering the amorous foyer.
Larissa gasped at her sheer size of the house, with a spiral staircase leading up to the second floor. She was scared to touch anything, scared to step on the marble floor.
"You can come in you know." Adam smiled at her
"Adam is that you?" Mrs. Banks called from the kitchen
"Yeah mom."
A petite women in her early forties appeared in front of them, with Adam's light hair, sparkling eyes and friendly smile. Larissa knew instantly she liked her.
"I didn't expect you home this weekend." She stood on her tiptoes to hug her now 6'2" son.
"Actually I'm only here because I need your medical expertise." He explained
"Oh no it's not your wrist again is it? I told you to take it easy."
"I'm great it's not me it's her." he gestured to Rissa who was standing him behind him off to the right, where she'd shrunk away to when Adam let go of her to hid mother.
"My mother's not going to bite you Rissa I swear."
She stepped closer to her boyfriend and the light falling on her cheek, illuminating the bruise to a revolting color.
"Oh dear what happened to you?" Mrs. Banks s saw injuries like that a million and one times with both her sons growing up playing hockey.
"I brought her to one of our school yard games and she got checked hard." Adam put his arm around Larissa's shoulder and brought her to his side.
"I think you're luck maybe contagious son." Mrs. Banks laughed "Come into the family room so I can get a better look."
The three walked in a very poshly decorated room. With white furniture, walls and curtains. In the corner of the room was a glass cabinet containing Adam's peewee and team U.S.A jersey along with his peewee championship trophy and gold metal. She'd never realized how superior of a player he truly was previously.
"Adam make yourself useful and get an ice pack." Hi mother commanded "So are you and my son and item?" She asked once Adam was gone
"Yes ma'am." Rissa responded shyly
"He likes you very much."
"How can you tell?"
"I've never seen him so worried about someone with a hockey injury before, especially one so minor. Also I've never seen him look at anyone the way he just looked at you."
"Not even Nicole?"
"Not even Nicole."
"Thank you ma'am."
"Please call me Nancy."
"Thank you Nancy."
They finished the conversation just as Adam reentered the room with the ice
"So what's the diagnosis?"
"She's fine, the cut doesn't need stitches and the bruise'll heal on it's own. If you'll excuse me I've got to finish setting the table for dinner. Would you two like to stay?"
Adam looked at Larissa and she nodded.
"Sure mom we'll stay." He relied as Nancy headed to the dining room.
Adam held the icepack to Larissa's cheek cautiously
"I'm sorry I didn't protect you."
"Adam it was an accident, people get hurt at hockey all the time. From what I hear it's usually you. Now I'm going to be alive and well, so stop worrying."
"I still feel bad."
"So I'll have to wear makeup for a week it's not really the crisis situation you envision. Come on Adam you have the most gorgeous smile in the world let me see it."
"It's not funny." He ran the back of his hand over her cheek gently forcing a smile
"Adam…"
"You want me to smile?"
"Yes."
He leaned closer to her, his eyes making a contact he wouldn't break. His mouth hovered above hers for agonizing seconds.
"Banks kiss me already." Larissa grasped his collar and pulled him down. There lips meeting in the first French kiss they'd share. Their tongues exploring each others mouths. They kissed with passion and desire. Everything they felt for each other coming to the surface. Adam now had her pinned to the couch, they were both forgetting to breath, that they could not survive on each others kisses alone.
"Ahem." A deep throat clearing came from the doorway
"Dad." Adam's head shot up and Larissa turned as red as a Christmas bulb
"Son." Philip nodded "And you are?" he looked at the auburn haired girl still beneath his son
"Uh Adam get off me." She pushed her boyfriend lightly
"Oh right, yeah." Banks rolled off her and sat up
"Mr. Banks my names Larissa Saunders, I'm Adam's new girlfriend."
"Please to meet you young lady. Adam where's your mother?"
"In the kitchen making dinner."
"Are you staying?"
"Yes dad."
Philip nodded again and went off in search for his wife.
The dining room was just as impressive as the living room in size and decor. With the amount of cash the Banks's obviously had, Larissa was wondering what Adam was going with her. They sat across from one another at the perfectly polished ebony table, he occasionally flashed her the smile she'd requested earlier. Philips eyes bounced back and forth between them like a ping pong ball and Larissa could feel his stare burning into the side of her head like a laser. Finally she couldn't take it anymore, she had to get away from the table.
"Excuse me where's the bathroom?"
"Up stairs second door on the left." Nancy pointed her in the direction of the stairs. When she was gone she said
"I like her Adam, she seems sweet."
"She looks awful young to be a senior son." Philip spoke in his snide way
"That's because she's a freshmen. She's 15" Banks pushed his chicken around with his fork knowing he was in a lecture.
"A freshmen? Isn't she a little young for you son?"
"Now Phil we started dating you were 5 years older then me. Adam and Larissa are only 3 years apart." Nancy tried to settle him down
"We were in college then, both adults. You haven't slept with her have you Adam?"
"God know Dad I've only known her for two months." His son sipped his water
"Looked to me like you were about to go at it in my living room." Philip grumbled
Adam counted to ten in his head to keep his anger under control.
"We kissing Dad."
"Kissing leads other things boy. Mark my words that girl will bring you nothing but trouble."
