I saw Charlie shift his weight uncomfortably. "I guess it was a bad time. .
." I heard him mumbled softly.
I couldn't help but roll my eye. "Thank you Captain Obvious." I guess in the process of getting the snot kicked out of me my hidden quality of sarcasm stayed with me.
Connie grabbed Julie's hand. "We'll go talk to her. She looks like she needs some girl time." Jules nodded in agreement and pushed their way out of the door in hopes of catching her.
Guy sat at the foot of my bed. "You look . . . better."
Fulton nodded. "When I found you, you looked pretty beat."
I blinked. "There was only one of you? I was sure there were three." I shook my head and reached for the ice that was sitting on my nightstand where Josie had left it and put it up to my eye.
"You're parents were here." Charlie said making himself comfortable on Averman's bed.
I scoffed. "Yeah and the high point of that visit was the look on my father's face when he found out I wouldn't be playing tomorrow against the Bears."
An echo of 'what's' and 'why's' responded nervously to my statement.
"Concussion." I replied pointing at my head.
Charlie rolled his eyes. "Great. We're going to be beat by them again."
"You guys can beat them without me! You almost beat them last year!" I pointed out to them while their hopes faltered.
Russ sat on the floor in front of Charlie. "Key word, Cake-eater: Almost."
"You have Portman this time!" I said pointing at him who jumped at the sound of his name. "Maybe you don't need me, maybe you need him."
Portman looked completely confused. "They need me for what now?"
Everyone ignored him as I continued. "I'll be there in the stands and all. Don't worry you'll do fine."
~Josie's POV~
I rushed down the hall away from Adam's room wiping away tears that blurred my vision. I turned to the stairs pushed open the door and sat on the top step. I couldn't leave him. As much as I hated him for making things so difficult in my life I couldn't just leave him. It was completely my fault that he's hurting physically and emotionally. I just . . . can't stop. I'm like an emotional rollercoaster that has jumped the tracks and it just waiting to crash. Adam just seems like that one thing, that one pebble that makes everything go out of control.
The door crashed open behind me and Julie and Connie stood behind me panting.
"Josie? Why did you run out? You could've stayed. I'm sure Adam would have wanted you to." Connie said sitting beside me, not realizing that tears were streaming down my face.
I quickly looked away from her. "You wouldn't understand."
Julie sat on the other side of me making it impossible to hide my tears. "We're girls. We can understand better than any guy. We both know that guys can be completely oblivious and unorthodox, now spill."
"You don't see what I see when I look at him. You have know clue what I think when I look at him." I whispered staring at the stairs that continued out ahead of me.
Connie wrapped an arm around my shoulders. "And you have no idea what we see when you guys look at each other."
I shook off her arm and stood up. "Look, you have no clue what I'm going through. From what I've heard you have been with one guy for your entire life so don't go pressuring me to go to another guy. You don't see anything ok? I just wish you would all just go to hell and leave me alone!" I spat at them both rushing down the steps.
I didn't know where I was exactly running to but I do know one thing. I was running from the truth.
God! I could feel it. I couldn't say no to Adam's sea blue eyes. I always had to look away or close my eyes. I could feel him even when I wasn't even in his presence, like he was stuck with me no matter where I was. Since I had met him I couldn't help but think about what he was thinking, or what he thought of me. It drove me mad. He drove me mad. I hate to admit it but I dreamt about him; his arms, his warmth. His kisses are so innocent. He looks like a preppy kid who always gets what he wants, especially when it comes to girls. But kissing him actually contradicts everything you would think about him.
That's why I can't be around him. He scares me. I don't like change. I don't like being wrong about people. When things change, it means something, or someone gets left behind, or forgotten. My opinion of Adam is ever changing and I hate it. I wish I could say that he was the greatest guy ever, every single day as I wake up, but lately I can't because I'm not sure what he is going to do. In a weird rule-following way, he's unpredictable. Like that kiss, completely out of the blue. I hate not being able to know what's going to happen next with me.
I suddenly stopped realizing where I was. I was in front of the JV hockey team's change room. I had been in there once, to tie my skates the day he forced me onto the ice. I looked around nervously and pushed open the door careful that neither, JV or Varsity coach saw me go in. I walked straight to Adam's locker. I remembered that he didn't usually leave much in there, but I remembered the combo. Fifteen left, nine right and nine left. The door creaked open softly as I stared into the space. Two jerseys hung on two hooks opposite each other, and a notepad at the bottom of the locker. I grabbed one of the jerseys and sat down. "Would he miss it?" I whispered to myself, my voice echoing off the walls.
After all, it was just a green jersey. He did have a white one. I wasn't going to 'steal' it from him; just you know, borrow it for a while until we cooled down and became friends again, which would probably happen around English tomorrow morning. So he would go to the game to root his little Ducks on, and I would sneak back into the locker room put it back and Adam wouldn't even realize it was gone. He isn't even supposed to be on the ice so what was he going to do with a jersey in the first place?
I held the jersey up in front of me. It looked small, too small for Adam to fit over his equipment. I wonder what he was doing with a small jersey. And the duck on it looked funny. Definitely not like the mascot we have now. I shrugged, folded it and shoved it into my book bag. I just needed something of Adam's to be near me, as much as I hated to admit it.
~Adam's POV~
By nightfall, I wasn't tired. I had been sleeping for most of the day so I was a little restless. I had already gotten up and walking around and was excited to go to the game tomorrow even though it pained me that I wasn't going to be playing.
I looked down at the review sheets everyone had picked up for me in my classes. My English one wasn't a big deal. Right now with my marks, I could fail every exam and yet still pass with a sixty, so I wasn't worrying. The exams here were tough, but it wasn't a big deal if you knew the course.
My door creaked open and Charlie peeked in. "Banksie?" He whispered. "Are you up?"
I scoffed. "Of course I'm up Spazway. It's only ten."
"Haven't heard that nickname in a while." He smiled sitting down on Averman's desk. "What you up to?"
"English. I can't concentrate." I said looking down at my review sheet. "I think I might have to re-read Hamlet."
Charlie grimaced. "Can't help you there."
I shrugged nonchalantly. "I'm thinking of going to the arena."
Charlie's eyes widened. "You're doctor said you aren't even supposed to skate!"
"I won't. I'm just going to grab my old pee-wee jersey from my locker. I'll wear it to the game." I said smiling.
"Good because the entire team has been told to make sure you don't even touch the ice." Charlie said in mock worry.
I got up. "I'm supposed to have someone come with me if I'm walking someplace. Want to come?"
He nodded and began the short trek to the arena.
~*~
We walked into the JV change room in a fit of laughter. It had been a while since I last laughed. I think Charlie was trying to make me laugh so I wouldn't be upset about not being able to play. It hurt, but I would get over it.
"Banksie." Charlie said, stopping in his tracks.
I looked over at him. "Yeah?"
He frowned and looked straight ahead. "You didn't leave you're locker open did you?"
"No." I said shortly. "What kind of question is that?"
He pointed ahead of me.
"My locker!" I yelped rushing over to it. I never really left anything in it, I left all my good stuff in my dorm, and my equipment in my hockey bag because it wouldn't fit into these stupid half lockers.
I heard Charlie mutter some obscurities along with the expression "Fuckin' Varsity." He sighed. "They didn't do anything to you're stuff did they?"
I shook my head. "No, everything is here. Practice jersey, play-book, towel. . ." My eyes widened as I reached for the hook on my right. Empty. It was gone. "My jersey!"
Charlie blinked. "What?"
I turned to him quickly. "Someone stole my pee-wee jersey. I keep it in here for luck. It's gone!"
Charlie frowned. "Why would they want that? What a stupid prank!"
"Charlie! You don't get it. That jersey was the last thing I have that connects my dad and I. After pee-wee championship, we weren't close. That's all I have left!"
He blinked guiltily. "I didn't know it meant so much to you."
I collapsed on a bench, and rested my head in my hands, running one through my hair. "I can't believe I lost it."
Charlie sat beside me and threw an arm over my shoulder. "Maybe it's in you're dorm. Maybe you washed it. Don't worry Adam, it'll turn up."
I felt a tear trickle down my cheek. I didn't want to cry over a stupid little kid's jersey, but I seemed to be losing everything nowadays. I didn't score, I've almost lost Josie countless of times, this time I'm pretty sure for good, and now my jersey. I heaved a sigh and wiped away the tear in hopes Charlie didn't see. I closed my eyes. Why was this happening to me?
~
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A/N: Ok, this is the 2nd time I have used Josie POV. I don't like to because I think I'm better at Adam's POV but lately I have to because of girl talks and other stuff. Other than the rare time it happens I'm trying to keep it Adam POV. I meant to tell you guys during the pond chapter but I kind of forgot! Uh oh. . . Josie *cough* borrowed *cough* Adam's jersey. Does she know what it means to him? Will she find out how much SHE means to him? I don't know actually. *giggles girlishly*
OH!! BanksMendozaPortmanWu, I was talking about you! You are super cool and all my friends are jealous of you because they all want to live in Australia and you already do. I hope this chapter lived up to my 'ass kicking' potential! Hopefully I'll be able to explain what exactly is 'wrong' with Josie in a future chapter, maybe I did in this one, not sure exactly.
Shelbers- I DO love it when people ask if I live in an igloo, especially if their joking because I always answer with a straight face YES! It's SOOO fun to see the look on their faces.
Beaner- you're not a lowly Pennsylvanian! Ok, honestly, if I tried I wouldn't be able to point out on a map where EXACTLY Pennsylvania is even if it was labeled, but you are super cool and never EVER doubt that ok?
Queen of Cake-eaters- first of all, lovin' the name (same with Cake-eater's Girly) I'm very jealous at the moment. . . Yes I am full of surprises! I'm like that in person also. I'd tell you to ask my friends, but you know . . . they aren't on this site, *glares evilly at them*.
Anyways to EVERYONE ELSE keep up the reviews (at this rate I'll break 100 before I end the story (God forbid!), which would be super cool!). You guys are the bestest!
~Toodles!!
I couldn't help but roll my eye. "Thank you Captain Obvious." I guess in the process of getting the snot kicked out of me my hidden quality of sarcasm stayed with me.
Connie grabbed Julie's hand. "We'll go talk to her. She looks like she needs some girl time." Jules nodded in agreement and pushed their way out of the door in hopes of catching her.
Guy sat at the foot of my bed. "You look . . . better."
Fulton nodded. "When I found you, you looked pretty beat."
I blinked. "There was only one of you? I was sure there were three." I shook my head and reached for the ice that was sitting on my nightstand where Josie had left it and put it up to my eye.
"You're parents were here." Charlie said making himself comfortable on Averman's bed.
I scoffed. "Yeah and the high point of that visit was the look on my father's face when he found out I wouldn't be playing tomorrow against the Bears."
An echo of 'what's' and 'why's' responded nervously to my statement.
"Concussion." I replied pointing at my head.
Charlie rolled his eyes. "Great. We're going to be beat by them again."
"You guys can beat them without me! You almost beat them last year!" I pointed out to them while their hopes faltered.
Russ sat on the floor in front of Charlie. "Key word, Cake-eater: Almost."
"You have Portman this time!" I said pointing at him who jumped at the sound of his name. "Maybe you don't need me, maybe you need him."
Portman looked completely confused. "They need me for what now?"
Everyone ignored him as I continued. "I'll be there in the stands and all. Don't worry you'll do fine."
~Josie's POV~
I rushed down the hall away from Adam's room wiping away tears that blurred my vision. I turned to the stairs pushed open the door and sat on the top step. I couldn't leave him. As much as I hated him for making things so difficult in my life I couldn't just leave him. It was completely my fault that he's hurting physically and emotionally. I just . . . can't stop. I'm like an emotional rollercoaster that has jumped the tracks and it just waiting to crash. Adam just seems like that one thing, that one pebble that makes everything go out of control.
The door crashed open behind me and Julie and Connie stood behind me panting.
"Josie? Why did you run out? You could've stayed. I'm sure Adam would have wanted you to." Connie said sitting beside me, not realizing that tears were streaming down my face.
I quickly looked away from her. "You wouldn't understand."
Julie sat on the other side of me making it impossible to hide my tears. "We're girls. We can understand better than any guy. We both know that guys can be completely oblivious and unorthodox, now spill."
"You don't see what I see when I look at him. You have know clue what I think when I look at him." I whispered staring at the stairs that continued out ahead of me.
Connie wrapped an arm around my shoulders. "And you have no idea what we see when you guys look at each other."
I shook off her arm and stood up. "Look, you have no clue what I'm going through. From what I've heard you have been with one guy for your entire life so don't go pressuring me to go to another guy. You don't see anything ok? I just wish you would all just go to hell and leave me alone!" I spat at them both rushing down the steps.
I didn't know where I was exactly running to but I do know one thing. I was running from the truth.
God! I could feel it. I couldn't say no to Adam's sea blue eyes. I always had to look away or close my eyes. I could feel him even when I wasn't even in his presence, like he was stuck with me no matter where I was. Since I had met him I couldn't help but think about what he was thinking, or what he thought of me. It drove me mad. He drove me mad. I hate to admit it but I dreamt about him; his arms, his warmth. His kisses are so innocent. He looks like a preppy kid who always gets what he wants, especially when it comes to girls. But kissing him actually contradicts everything you would think about him.
That's why I can't be around him. He scares me. I don't like change. I don't like being wrong about people. When things change, it means something, or someone gets left behind, or forgotten. My opinion of Adam is ever changing and I hate it. I wish I could say that he was the greatest guy ever, every single day as I wake up, but lately I can't because I'm not sure what he is going to do. In a weird rule-following way, he's unpredictable. Like that kiss, completely out of the blue. I hate not being able to know what's going to happen next with me.
I suddenly stopped realizing where I was. I was in front of the JV hockey team's change room. I had been in there once, to tie my skates the day he forced me onto the ice. I looked around nervously and pushed open the door careful that neither, JV or Varsity coach saw me go in. I walked straight to Adam's locker. I remembered that he didn't usually leave much in there, but I remembered the combo. Fifteen left, nine right and nine left. The door creaked open softly as I stared into the space. Two jerseys hung on two hooks opposite each other, and a notepad at the bottom of the locker. I grabbed one of the jerseys and sat down. "Would he miss it?" I whispered to myself, my voice echoing off the walls.
After all, it was just a green jersey. He did have a white one. I wasn't going to 'steal' it from him; just you know, borrow it for a while until we cooled down and became friends again, which would probably happen around English tomorrow morning. So he would go to the game to root his little Ducks on, and I would sneak back into the locker room put it back and Adam wouldn't even realize it was gone. He isn't even supposed to be on the ice so what was he going to do with a jersey in the first place?
I held the jersey up in front of me. It looked small, too small for Adam to fit over his equipment. I wonder what he was doing with a small jersey. And the duck on it looked funny. Definitely not like the mascot we have now. I shrugged, folded it and shoved it into my book bag. I just needed something of Adam's to be near me, as much as I hated to admit it.
~Adam's POV~
By nightfall, I wasn't tired. I had been sleeping for most of the day so I was a little restless. I had already gotten up and walking around and was excited to go to the game tomorrow even though it pained me that I wasn't going to be playing.
I looked down at the review sheets everyone had picked up for me in my classes. My English one wasn't a big deal. Right now with my marks, I could fail every exam and yet still pass with a sixty, so I wasn't worrying. The exams here were tough, but it wasn't a big deal if you knew the course.
My door creaked open and Charlie peeked in. "Banksie?" He whispered. "Are you up?"
I scoffed. "Of course I'm up Spazway. It's only ten."
"Haven't heard that nickname in a while." He smiled sitting down on Averman's desk. "What you up to?"
"English. I can't concentrate." I said looking down at my review sheet. "I think I might have to re-read Hamlet."
Charlie grimaced. "Can't help you there."
I shrugged nonchalantly. "I'm thinking of going to the arena."
Charlie's eyes widened. "You're doctor said you aren't even supposed to skate!"
"I won't. I'm just going to grab my old pee-wee jersey from my locker. I'll wear it to the game." I said smiling.
"Good because the entire team has been told to make sure you don't even touch the ice." Charlie said in mock worry.
I got up. "I'm supposed to have someone come with me if I'm walking someplace. Want to come?"
He nodded and began the short trek to the arena.
~*~
We walked into the JV change room in a fit of laughter. It had been a while since I last laughed. I think Charlie was trying to make me laugh so I wouldn't be upset about not being able to play. It hurt, but I would get over it.
"Banksie." Charlie said, stopping in his tracks.
I looked over at him. "Yeah?"
He frowned and looked straight ahead. "You didn't leave you're locker open did you?"
"No." I said shortly. "What kind of question is that?"
He pointed ahead of me.
"My locker!" I yelped rushing over to it. I never really left anything in it, I left all my good stuff in my dorm, and my equipment in my hockey bag because it wouldn't fit into these stupid half lockers.
I heard Charlie mutter some obscurities along with the expression "Fuckin' Varsity." He sighed. "They didn't do anything to you're stuff did they?"
I shook my head. "No, everything is here. Practice jersey, play-book, towel. . ." My eyes widened as I reached for the hook on my right. Empty. It was gone. "My jersey!"
Charlie blinked. "What?"
I turned to him quickly. "Someone stole my pee-wee jersey. I keep it in here for luck. It's gone!"
Charlie frowned. "Why would they want that? What a stupid prank!"
"Charlie! You don't get it. That jersey was the last thing I have that connects my dad and I. After pee-wee championship, we weren't close. That's all I have left!"
He blinked guiltily. "I didn't know it meant so much to you."
I collapsed on a bench, and rested my head in my hands, running one through my hair. "I can't believe I lost it."
Charlie sat beside me and threw an arm over my shoulder. "Maybe it's in you're dorm. Maybe you washed it. Don't worry Adam, it'll turn up."
I felt a tear trickle down my cheek. I didn't want to cry over a stupid little kid's jersey, but I seemed to be losing everything nowadays. I didn't score, I've almost lost Josie countless of times, this time I'm pretty sure for good, and now my jersey. I heaved a sigh and wiped away the tear in hopes Charlie didn't see. I closed my eyes. Why was this happening to me?
~
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A/N: Ok, this is the 2nd time I have used Josie POV. I don't like to because I think I'm better at Adam's POV but lately I have to because of girl talks and other stuff. Other than the rare time it happens I'm trying to keep it Adam POV. I meant to tell you guys during the pond chapter but I kind of forgot! Uh oh. . . Josie *cough* borrowed *cough* Adam's jersey. Does she know what it means to him? Will she find out how much SHE means to him? I don't know actually. *giggles girlishly*
OH!! BanksMendozaPortmanWu, I was talking about you! You are super cool and all my friends are jealous of you because they all want to live in Australia and you already do. I hope this chapter lived up to my 'ass kicking' potential! Hopefully I'll be able to explain what exactly is 'wrong' with Josie in a future chapter, maybe I did in this one, not sure exactly.
Shelbers- I DO love it when people ask if I live in an igloo, especially if their joking because I always answer with a straight face YES! It's SOOO fun to see the look on their faces.
Beaner- you're not a lowly Pennsylvanian! Ok, honestly, if I tried I wouldn't be able to point out on a map where EXACTLY Pennsylvania is even if it was labeled, but you are super cool and never EVER doubt that ok?
Queen of Cake-eaters- first of all, lovin' the name (same with Cake-eater's Girly) I'm very jealous at the moment. . . Yes I am full of surprises! I'm like that in person also. I'd tell you to ask my friends, but you know . . . they aren't on this site, *glares evilly at them*.
Anyways to EVERYONE ELSE keep up the reviews (at this rate I'll break 100 before I end the story (God forbid!), which would be super cool!). You guys are the bestest!
~Toodles!!