Chapter 2

Julie was still trying to get Rae to talk when there was a loud, frantic knock on the door. Julie stood up to answer it.

"Adam, what are you doing here?" Julie asked, knowing perfectly well it had something to do with Rae.

"Is Rae here?" he asked trying to look past her, into the room.

Julie looked over her shoulder, trying to read the expression on Rae's face. She knew Rae was telling her not to let him in, but Julie couldn't have her roommate hating one of her best friends. So, stepping aside, Julie let Adam in and as much as she would have liked to watch the show, she claimed she needed to visit the library and grabbed her backpack and was out of the room before Rae could protest.

Adam stood, staring at Rae for a few moments, trying to think of what to say. Luckily, Rae started for him.

"What!"

Adam's mind raced. "I'm sorry." He replied.

"Adam, do you even know what you are sorry for?" she asked, shaking her head in frustration at the spoiled boy.

"I didn't up until a few minutes ago. I just didn't recognize you. I mean it was such a long time ago." He replied.

Rae shook her head, "Feels like yesterday to me." Adam's heart broke completely. He couldn't imagine he had damaged someone so badly and never knew about it.

"Rae, I was ten years old! I was a stupid kid, you really can't hold it against me!" As soon as he said this he thought, 'woops, too far,' as her face turned to one of disbelief and anger.

"Are you seriously trying to justify that day with the fact that you were ten! Ten year olds are old enough to take responsibility for abusing another person."

Adam's competitive instinct took over and he retaliated, "Abusing? Please, I called you a few names, so what? You fucking made me bleed; do you want to see the scar? It's still there, I promise!" he yelled. Rae's face turned from angry to horrified.

"GET OUT! Get out of my room!" she screamed. Adam didn't budge. "Leave before I call campus security!"

"Rae, I'm sorry I didn't mean to…to start this again." He said in a calm voice. This only pissed her off more.

"Yeah well you did and I don't want to talk to you so please leave." Adam nodded his head slowly and turned and left. The bell rang signaling five more minutes until classes started up again. He booked it back to his dorm room to get his backpack and headed to his third hour class.

Rae's stomach was growling by lunch time. She had been too nervous to eat breakfast that day so even waiting in the lunch line was torture. When she had finally gotten her food she turned to look out at the large dining hall and panicked. She had no idea where to sit. Every table was occupied by at least two people. The only tables with people she recognized were one in the corner which was full of Ducks, including Adam, and one in the middle with the girl from her chemistry class, Ashlee. Before she could decide to eat lunch in the bathroom Ashlee caught her searching the room and called her over.

Hey Rae, how's it going?" Ashlee asked, scooching over to make room for Rae.

"Great." Rae lied.

"Let me introduce you to everyone. This here is my baby sister, Ellen, she is a freshman…ain't she cute? Anyway, that's Lauren, Evvie, Maggie, Denin, Tucker, Gavin, Rocky, and Asa." She rattled off. (A/N: for the slow, the last three are boys)

"Hi." Rae answered, not remembering anyone past Evvie. She was just glad to be invited into a group to eat lunch. She couldn't help feeling like she was being watched and when she looked over her shoulder she noticed Adam avert his eyes quickly, pretending to have only been looking around the cafeteria. She chuckled a little at his embarrassment but soon forgot all about Adam and her anger at him, as she laughed at Asa's wild jokes and Maggie's tendency to understand very few of them.

Back at the Ducks' table Julie was staring at Adam who was staring at Rae.

"Banks, what is your deal?" she finally asked.

He sighed deeply, "Nothing." He replied. The rest of the Ducks seemed to finally catch on to his melancholy mood and followed his gaze to the new blonde chick at Ashlee's table.

"Why don't you just go talk to her?" Charlie suggested, thinking maybe Banksie was only love struck.

"Naah, she hates me." He answered finally turning his attention back to his plate of food, though his mind was still on her.

"What'd you talk to her about earlier?" Julie asked, hoping to finally put the pieces of the Rae vs. Adam puzzle together.

"Nothing, it's a long story." He replied. Julie sighed loudly in frustration, getting sick of that answer. Adam ignored her and continued eating his lunch in silence.

The final bell rang, signaling the freedom of Eden Hall students. Rae lugged her swollen backpack up to her dorm to begin the work on her monstrous pile of homework. When she finally got to her room she heard voices inside. 'Probably Connie and Julie' she thought. But when she opened the door the she was only partly correct. The whole Ducks team was gathered in her room laughing and hanging out.

"Hey Rae, sorry, I hope you don't mind but we were planning on going out to a diner and we meet here. You can come if you want." Connie explained, seeing Rae's surprise at finding a whole hockey team in their small dorm room. Rae was about to answer that she couldn't go when she felt a hand clasp her shoulder, and in a moment of panic, gripped the wrist of the person and twisted it around till she heard a snap and a scream.

"What the fuck, Rae!" Adam screamed, pain engulfing his whole wrist.

"Adam! I'm sorry! Oh, God, I'm so sorry!" Rae apologized frantically.

"I think you broke his wrist!" Fulton said half laughing at his friend's pain.

"Oh God, Adam, I'm so sorry, come on I'll drive you to the hospital." She offered, hoping to make up for it. She really felt like shit. He probably thought she did it because she was mad at him but, because of where she grew up, Rae had been taught self defense at 12 years old and it was only instinct. Adam agreed to let Rae drive him to the hospital but was a bit hesitant when she asked for his car keys seeing as she didn't have a car of her own. "Would you rather walk all the way there?" she finally persuaded him to hand over the keys.

"Whoa, whoa, whoa, watch the curb, watch the curb!" Adam warned as Rae took a sharp turn.

"No one likes a backseat driver, Adam." Rae grinned back at him through the mirror. Charlie sat in the passenger seat next to Rae and was laughing uncontrollably at the horrified look on his friend's face.

"Please, Rae, just take it easy, do you know how much this car costs!" he went on. Rae giggled and ignored him the rest of the way there.

Adam's mother arrived at the hospital twenty minutes after they did. She was hysterical and kept throwing evil glares at Rae and Charlie. When Adam finally came out of the hospital room with a big white cast she burst into tears. Adam looked mortified to have his mother cry over him like that. Adam finally broke away from her and walked over to where Rae and Charlie were sitting.

"How long do you have to wear that?" Charlie asked worriedly, obviously thinking about hockey.

Adam read his mind. "Looks like no hockey for me this year," he replied. Charlie cussed under his breath.

"Thanks a lot, Rae, there goes our star player." Charlie stated, completely joking.

"Ugh, I feel terrible, really, Adam, I'm so sorry. I'll pay for it, I swear, just don't, like, sue me or anything."

"Rae, you don't have to pay for it, it's ok." Adam answered with a smirk.

"I'll make it up to you, I swear, what do you need?"

Adam's smirk grew bigger and he started, "Wweeellllllll…"

Rae had a serious look on her face, "Adam, be nice."

"Come on, let's go back to school." He said, helping her up with his good arm.

"You know, I still don't forgive you." She replied, just to make sure he knew she wasn't his friend or anything.

"Yeah, well…I guess we can call it even then. I broke your heart you broke my arm."

"Who says you broke my heart?" Rae smirked and Adam raised his eyebrows as a question but neither of them said anything, but they could hear Charlie behind them chuckling at their immaturity.