"Aren't you guys worried we'll get caught?" Adam asked, after sneaking back into his house for his roller blades.
Charlie was standing lookout by the front door as his new friend dug through the hall closet. "Nope, we do it all the time. Tammy and Tommy's big sister and Fulton's older brother call the school and pretend to be our parents."
"Haven't they ever noticed that the whole team stays out on the same day?"
"I don't think so. Did you find your blades yet?"
"Yup, got em" Adam backed out of the closet with a triumphant smile. "Let's go."
When they arrived at the mall, Peter, Karp and Goldberg were already waiting outside, with Terry, Guy and the Duncan's swiftly approaching from the other side of the parking lot. The team quickly swung their backpacks off their shoulders and pulled out their sneakers.
"The parents think you're actually going to school when they see you with a heavy book bag." Peter explained.
Adam nodded. "My parents will kill me if we get busted, what would happen to you guys?"
"Probably nothing." Fulton shrugged. "Even if we got detention, Bombay would get us out."
"Yeah, so they'd probably never find out." Karp agreed.
Adam's eyes widened. The coach would get them out of trouble? That seemed almost impossible, Reilly would not only let them stay in detention, but then work them extra hard for missing practice. Bombay's coaching tactics seemed foreign to him. Thought they did seem a lot more fun.
"Come one guys." Connie squeaked tugging on Guy's hand. "We'll be late for the movie."
"We're going to a movie?" Adam queried shifting on his feet uncomfortably.
"Yup. Averman's uncle is the manager so he got us all free passes for making the playoffs, we just have to pay for snacks." Goldberg explained.
"Yeah, so let's go." Tammy pouted.
A few minutes later the entire group was standing in front of the snack stand ogling the wide array of candies and popcorn. The colors of the jellybeans alone nearly sent them into sensory overload. So many choices, but not enough money to pay for them. After a bit of discussion the team decided to put their money together and purchase three large sodas, an extra large popcorn, nachos and two packs of sour patch kids. It was also agreed that Goldberg wouldn't be allowed to hold them.
Adam watched in silence as the rest of the kids dug into their pockets or backpacks for cash. Clutched in their small fists were crumpled ones and old coins. All the while nestled inside his jeans sat a crisp twenty dollar bill. Allowance day had only recently passed and Adam hadn't had time to spend it. However he was worried that the Ducks maybe upset with him if they found out how much money he had. They already called him Cake-Eater because of the area he lived. Knowing he got more for allowance in one week then they did in a month would really have the team resenting him.
Tommy stuck his hand out under Banks' nose as if waiting for his contribution. When Adam bit his lip and shrugged Tommy smiled. "It's okay Banks, we've got you covered. But you pay next time."
In the darkness of the theater Adam began to relax. He felt like he wasn't being watched a microscope anymore. Those of the Ducks not paying attention to the movie were staring at Connie and Guy as they kissed a row in front of them. Adam looked up at the screen towering above him, he was so enthralled in the movie he hardly noticed when his arm was shaken. The boy shrugged it off and focused back to the action of the film only to be pinched in the elbow. This time he turned his attention to the right to see Charlie sitting beside him with round, curious eyes.
"You have money on you don't you, Banks?" Charlie whispered.
Adam nodded chewing the inside of his cheek.
"Why didn't you donate to the snack fund then?"
"Because I don't want the team to hate more then they already do." He explained quietly.
"The team doesn't hate you, Banks. They like you."
Adam raised his light eyebrows and Charlie grinned. "Okay, they don't really like you, but they don't hate you either."
"If they knew I got twenty bucks for cleaning my room twice a week they would."
Charlie shrugged. "Maybe, but I don't think so."
While the words were meant to be consoling, in truth all they really did was hurt Adam. He wanted the Ducks to like him. He wanted to belong. After all District five Ducks were all he really had. The Hawks betrayed him, his father disowned him and God only knew where Nick was. Without the support and respect of the team, all he was left with was hockey.
After the matinee the group of rambunctious children set out to window shop. Unfortunately for them as they were getting in line for the roller coaster so was someone else, Coach Bombay. Gordon did a fast about face and pointed with his finger to left, signaling his team to follow.
"Forgive me if I'm wrong," Bombay cracked his knuckles. "But shouldn't you all be in school?"
"Would you believe every teacher in the greater Minnesota area has been abducted by aliens?" Averman joked.
"No, try again."
Guy looked at the Coach guiltily. "Uh, we skipped?"
The coach rubbed his temples and sighed loudly. He couldn't send the children back home, or to school as they'd be caught instantly and more then likely be grounded for life. However as the responsible adult he couldn't very well let them stay at the mall where they could be spied by any number of parents or school faculty either.
"Alright, Charlie go get Lou he's in the hotdog line, the rest of you follow me out to the van."
Lou drove the team and coach to Hans's shop. Where Bombay unloaded the rug rats and ushered them inside. He was hoping to amuse them with some pizza and keep the flock out of trouble. As Adam climbed out of the back seat he instantly recognized the royal blue Mustang in the parking lot. Nick's car. Why was his brother at the skate shop…?
Charlie was standing lookout by the front door as his new friend dug through the hall closet. "Nope, we do it all the time. Tammy and Tommy's big sister and Fulton's older brother call the school and pretend to be our parents."
"Haven't they ever noticed that the whole team stays out on the same day?"
"I don't think so. Did you find your blades yet?"
"Yup, got em" Adam backed out of the closet with a triumphant smile. "Let's go."
When they arrived at the mall, Peter, Karp and Goldberg were already waiting outside, with Terry, Guy and the Duncan's swiftly approaching from the other side of the parking lot. The team quickly swung their backpacks off their shoulders and pulled out their sneakers.
"The parents think you're actually going to school when they see you with a heavy book bag." Peter explained.
Adam nodded. "My parents will kill me if we get busted, what would happen to you guys?"
"Probably nothing." Fulton shrugged. "Even if we got detention, Bombay would get us out."
"Yeah, so they'd probably never find out." Karp agreed.
Adam's eyes widened. The coach would get them out of trouble? That seemed almost impossible, Reilly would not only let them stay in detention, but then work them extra hard for missing practice. Bombay's coaching tactics seemed foreign to him. Thought they did seem a lot more fun.
"Come one guys." Connie squeaked tugging on Guy's hand. "We'll be late for the movie."
"We're going to a movie?" Adam queried shifting on his feet uncomfortably.
"Yup. Averman's uncle is the manager so he got us all free passes for making the playoffs, we just have to pay for snacks." Goldberg explained.
"Yeah, so let's go." Tammy pouted.
A few minutes later the entire group was standing in front of the snack stand ogling the wide array of candies and popcorn. The colors of the jellybeans alone nearly sent them into sensory overload. So many choices, but not enough money to pay for them. After a bit of discussion the team decided to put their money together and purchase three large sodas, an extra large popcorn, nachos and two packs of sour patch kids. It was also agreed that Goldberg wouldn't be allowed to hold them.
Adam watched in silence as the rest of the kids dug into their pockets or backpacks for cash. Clutched in their small fists were crumpled ones and old coins. All the while nestled inside his jeans sat a crisp twenty dollar bill. Allowance day had only recently passed and Adam hadn't had time to spend it. However he was worried that the Ducks maybe upset with him if they found out how much money he had. They already called him Cake-Eater because of the area he lived. Knowing he got more for allowance in one week then they did in a month would really have the team resenting him.
Tommy stuck his hand out under Banks' nose as if waiting for his contribution. When Adam bit his lip and shrugged Tommy smiled. "It's okay Banks, we've got you covered. But you pay next time."
In the darkness of the theater Adam began to relax. He felt like he wasn't being watched a microscope anymore. Those of the Ducks not paying attention to the movie were staring at Connie and Guy as they kissed a row in front of them. Adam looked up at the screen towering above him, he was so enthralled in the movie he hardly noticed when his arm was shaken. The boy shrugged it off and focused back to the action of the film only to be pinched in the elbow. This time he turned his attention to the right to see Charlie sitting beside him with round, curious eyes.
"You have money on you don't you, Banks?" Charlie whispered.
Adam nodded chewing the inside of his cheek.
"Why didn't you donate to the snack fund then?"
"Because I don't want the team to hate more then they already do." He explained quietly.
"The team doesn't hate you, Banks. They like you."
Adam raised his light eyebrows and Charlie grinned. "Okay, they don't really like you, but they don't hate you either."
"If they knew I got twenty bucks for cleaning my room twice a week they would."
Charlie shrugged. "Maybe, but I don't think so."
While the words were meant to be consoling, in truth all they really did was hurt Adam. He wanted the Ducks to like him. He wanted to belong. After all District five Ducks were all he really had. The Hawks betrayed him, his father disowned him and God only knew where Nick was. Without the support and respect of the team, all he was left with was hockey.
After the matinee the group of rambunctious children set out to window shop. Unfortunately for them as they were getting in line for the roller coaster so was someone else, Coach Bombay. Gordon did a fast about face and pointed with his finger to left, signaling his team to follow.
"Forgive me if I'm wrong," Bombay cracked his knuckles. "But shouldn't you all be in school?"
"Would you believe every teacher in the greater Minnesota area has been abducted by aliens?" Averman joked.
"No, try again."
Guy looked at the Coach guiltily. "Uh, we skipped?"
The coach rubbed his temples and sighed loudly. He couldn't send the children back home, or to school as they'd be caught instantly and more then likely be grounded for life. However as the responsible adult he couldn't very well let them stay at the mall where they could be spied by any number of parents or school faculty either.
"Alright, Charlie go get Lou he's in the hotdog line, the rest of you follow me out to the van."
Lou drove the team and coach to Hans's shop. Where Bombay unloaded the rug rats and ushered them inside. He was hoping to amuse them with some pizza and keep the flock out of trouble. As Adam climbed out of the back seat he instantly recognized the royal blue Mustang in the parking lot. Nick's car. Why was his brother at the skate shop…?