Adam called his parents later that evening. At first his dad was
going to drive out to Eden Hall that night. Adam insisted that he was okay
and with the help of his mother convinced him to wait until tomorrow. Adam
just wasn't up to seeing his parents that night. His mother would start
baby him and all his father would talk about would be his future in hockey.
All Adam really wanted was to be left alone.
On Sunday Mr. And Mrs. Banks showed up at Eden Hall around ten o'clock in the morning. After checking on there son they headed over to the Dean's office. Philip Banks had called Dean Buckley the evening before after getting off the phone with his son and arranged a meeting with the dean.
Philip Banks wanted to take his son out of Eden Hall while he was recovering from his injury. He planed on getting tutors and keeping Adam at home so that nothing else would happen while Adam healed. His wife remained silent while Philip argued with the Dean. In the end Dean Buckley convinced Philip Banks that it would be in Adam's best interest to stay at the school. He reassured Mr. And Mrs. Banks that the school realized that Adam might not being able to get from class to class in the normal time allotted and that concessions would be made for him. He also pointed out that Adam had plenty of friends who would be willing to help him out. An hour after going into the Dean's office the Banks finally left and went back to be with their son for awhile.
Adam went out to dinner with his parents that evening. He said good- bye to his parents in the car when they brought him back to the dorm after convincing them that he would be fine going inside by himself.
Being a Sunday evening the dorm were quiet because most of the students were in their rooms or at the library doing their homework or study for the next days classes. Having finished his homework last evening Adam had the evening free. He went into the common room and turned on the tv and then got comfortable on the couch.
It wasn't long before he heard footsteps coming down the steps. As he looked back at the door he saw Charlie come into the common room. Charlie carefully sat down at he end of the couch.
"I've had it. Either I'm ready for that test tomorrow or I'm not," Charlie said referring to the history test that they had the next day.
"You'll do fine," Adam said changing channels on the tv.
"Easy for you to say," Charlie said. "I don't know how you can keep all the dates straight. Why does it matter when things happened anyways. Isn't it enough if that we know they happened?"
"It's history Charlie."
"So?"
Adam just shook his head and then turned his attention to the television. They watched the television in silence for a little while and then Charlie asked, "so how was dinner with your parents?"
"Okay though I still think my Dad would rather have me at home. He's more worried about my hockey career than he is me."
"Don't say that Adam."
"Why not? It's true. Ever since my older brother decided to go to law school my Dad has pushed me to do well in hockey. Sometimes I feel like I'm following my father's dream not mine."
"You don't want to play professional hockey?" Charlie asked.
"I'm not sure what I want anymore. I've spent so much time following my dad's goals for me I think I lost track of my own."
Charlie didn't say anything. He didn't know what to say. He loved hockey. He knew it was what he wanted to do with his life even though his mom was insisting on him to go to college. To have a back up plan. He knew she wanted him to be happy but she also wanted him to have options if he didn't make it in hockey. Adam had the natural talent that he always wished he had. Charlie had always worked hard at what seemed to come easy to Adam.
The week seemed to go by slowly for Adam. Even with his friends helping him by carrying his books he still found getting around on the crutches in the crowded hallways of Eden Hall Academy difficult. Even with leaving classes a few minutes early he still found that he was late for the next class more often than he was on time. But like Dean Buckley had promised his parents the teachers said nothing about it.
Very few of the varsity hockey players even asked him how he was though there were a few exceptions. Scooter had stopped by on Sunday to see how he was doing. On Monday Kilpatrick and Brown asked him how he was doing when they passed him in the cafeteria. Other than that the varsity hockey players just ignored him.
The afternoons seemed empty without hockey practice but he wasn't about to go watch. He didn't even go to the Ducks practices even though several of the Ducks kept trying to get him to come. Wednesday even Bombay tried to convince to come to the practice saying that he missed having Adam helping him out. Adam told him he wasn't up to it and Coach Bombay left it at that.
On Thursday evening the Ducks had a home game. Adam told his friends he was tired and wanted to stay home and rest. Adam didn't think that they looked convinced but they didn't push too far. Linda even stopped by before the game and asked Adam to come with her. Adam had a feeling that Charlie had put her up to it and politely declined the invitation.
Around nine thirty that night Adam was in his room reading when the Ducks came back from their game. Steve had propped the door to their room open so Adam could hear their conversation as they came up onto the second floor of the dorm. He could tell by their conversation that they had lost the game.
"That was pathetic tonight," Dean Portman said.
"I know. I think District Five made a comeback tonight," Averman said referring to the team back when they had played in pee-wees before Bombay had taken over.
"Yeah, but at least Julie was attempting to stop the puck," Guy said looking at Goldberg who had been afraid of the puck when they played as District Five.
"Hey I wasn't goalie tonight," Goldberg said defensively.
"No but you still couldn't get a hold of the puck tonight," Guy told him. "Offense can't make an attack if defense can't get us control of the puck."
"Well sorry, but I don't seem to remember you getting control of the puck at any face-offs," Goldberg shot back. "You know its easier to play the game if you're standing on two feet not laying on the ice."
"Very funny," Guy said.
"Face it guys," Russ said. "None of us was playing well tonight. I think we are all distracted."
"Yeah, and I think its because Banks bailed on us again," Fulton said. "Even with him just helping Bombay out it still seemed like he was part of the team."
"Yeah, now he doesn't want anything to do with us even though we've been trying to help him out," Guy commented.
"Give him a break guys," Charlie said. "He's going through a rough time right now." He was just as disappointed in the loss as the rest of them but he wasn't going to blame it on Banks. They had defeated themselves. Yeah Adam's behavior this past week did have him distracted but he only had himself to blame for not concentrating on the game tonight. "He'll be back when he's ready."
The group fell silent as they all made their way into their own rooms. Adam tried to go back to his book but after rereading the same page twice he gave up and closed the book. Steve was still working on his homework at his desk but Adam turned out his bedside lamp and laid down. He really wasn't tired anyways he just wanted to think about things.
On Sunday Mr. And Mrs. Banks showed up at Eden Hall around ten o'clock in the morning. After checking on there son they headed over to the Dean's office. Philip Banks had called Dean Buckley the evening before after getting off the phone with his son and arranged a meeting with the dean.
Philip Banks wanted to take his son out of Eden Hall while he was recovering from his injury. He planed on getting tutors and keeping Adam at home so that nothing else would happen while Adam healed. His wife remained silent while Philip argued with the Dean. In the end Dean Buckley convinced Philip Banks that it would be in Adam's best interest to stay at the school. He reassured Mr. And Mrs. Banks that the school realized that Adam might not being able to get from class to class in the normal time allotted and that concessions would be made for him. He also pointed out that Adam had plenty of friends who would be willing to help him out. An hour after going into the Dean's office the Banks finally left and went back to be with their son for awhile.
Adam went out to dinner with his parents that evening. He said good- bye to his parents in the car when they brought him back to the dorm after convincing them that he would be fine going inside by himself.
Being a Sunday evening the dorm were quiet because most of the students were in their rooms or at the library doing their homework or study for the next days classes. Having finished his homework last evening Adam had the evening free. He went into the common room and turned on the tv and then got comfortable on the couch.
It wasn't long before he heard footsteps coming down the steps. As he looked back at the door he saw Charlie come into the common room. Charlie carefully sat down at he end of the couch.
"I've had it. Either I'm ready for that test tomorrow or I'm not," Charlie said referring to the history test that they had the next day.
"You'll do fine," Adam said changing channels on the tv.
"Easy for you to say," Charlie said. "I don't know how you can keep all the dates straight. Why does it matter when things happened anyways. Isn't it enough if that we know they happened?"
"It's history Charlie."
"So?"
Adam just shook his head and then turned his attention to the television. They watched the television in silence for a little while and then Charlie asked, "so how was dinner with your parents?"
"Okay though I still think my Dad would rather have me at home. He's more worried about my hockey career than he is me."
"Don't say that Adam."
"Why not? It's true. Ever since my older brother decided to go to law school my Dad has pushed me to do well in hockey. Sometimes I feel like I'm following my father's dream not mine."
"You don't want to play professional hockey?" Charlie asked.
"I'm not sure what I want anymore. I've spent so much time following my dad's goals for me I think I lost track of my own."
Charlie didn't say anything. He didn't know what to say. He loved hockey. He knew it was what he wanted to do with his life even though his mom was insisting on him to go to college. To have a back up plan. He knew she wanted him to be happy but she also wanted him to have options if he didn't make it in hockey. Adam had the natural talent that he always wished he had. Charlie had always worked hard at what seemed to come easy to Adam.
The week seemed to go by slowly for Adam. Even with his friends helping him by carrying his books he still found getting around on the crutches in the crowded hallways of Eden Hall Academy difficult. Even with leaving classes a few minutes early he still found that he was late for the next class more often than he was on time. But like Dean Buckley had promised his parents the teachers said nothing about it.
Very few of the varsity hockey players even asked him how he was though there were a few exceptions. Scooter had stopped by on Sunday to see how he was doing. On Monday Kilpatrick and Brown asked him how he was doing when they passed him in the cafeteria. Other than that the varsity hockey players just ignored him.
The afternoons seemed empty without hockey practice but he wasn't about to go watch. He didn't even go to the Ducks practices even though several of the Ducks kept trying to get him to come. Wednesday even Bombay tried to convince to come to the practice saying that he missed having Adam helping him out. Adam told him he wasn't up to it and Coach Bombay left it at that.
On Thursday evening the Ducks had a home game. Adam told his friends he was tired and wanted to stay home and rest. Adam didn't think that they looked convinced but they didn't push too far. Linda even stopped by before the game and asked Adam to come with her. Adam had a feeling that Charlie had put her up to it and politely declined the invitation.
Around nine thirty that night Adam was in his room reading when the Ducks came back from their game. Steve had propped the door to their room open so Adam could hear their conversation as they came up onto the second floor of the dorm. He could tell by their conversation that they had lost the game.
"That was pathetic tonight," Dean Portman said.
"I know. I think District Five made a comeback tonight," Averman said referring to the team back when they had played in pee-wees before Bombay had taken over.
"Yeah, but at least Julie was attempting to stop the puck," Guy said looking at Goldberg who had been afraid of the puck when they played as District Five.
"Hey I wasn't goalie tonight," Goldberg said defensively.
"No but you still couldn't get a hold of the puck tonight," Guy told him. "Offense can't make an attack if defense can't get us control of the puck."
"Well sorry, but I don't seem to remember you getting control of the puck at any face-offs," Goldberg shot back. "You know its easier to play the game if you're standing on two feet not laying on the ice."
"Very funny," Guy said.
"Face it guys," Russ said. "None of us was playing well tonight. I think we are all distracted."
"Yeah, and I think its because Banks bailed on us again," Fulton said. "Even with him just helping Bombay out it still seemed like he was part of the team."
"Yeah, now he doesn't want anything to do with us even though we've been trying to help him out," Guy commented.
"Give him a break guys," Charlie said. "He's going through a rough time right now." He was just as disappointed in the loss as the rest of them but he wasn't going to blame it on Banks. They had defeated themselves. Yeah Adam's behavior this past week did have him distracted but he only had himself to blame for not concentrating on the game tonight. "He'll be back when he's ready."
The group fell silent as they all made their way into their own rooms. Adam tried to go back to his book but after rereading the same page twice he gave up and closed the book. Steve was still working on his homework at his desk but Adam turned out his bedside lamp and laid down. He really wasn't tired anyways he just wanted to think about things.