Forever and Always | Adam Banks

New Hawks Record

Ellie sat in the stands and watched Adam warm up with the rest of his team. The Hawks were playing the District 5 team and Ellie felt bad for the D-5 team. They were the worst team in the league and they got no funding, so they had no real jerseys or proper gear. They were at a disadvantage against every other team, and it really wasn't fair. She and Adam had seen them around a few times, and they seemed like nice kids, but they had never really interacted with each other. One other thing Ellie knew about them was that they were one of the few teams in the league that actually had a girl playing for them. Truthfully, Ellie was jealous of her that she was actually able to play the sport and do what she loved. 

She knew her parents would be supportive if she ever decided to play for a team and not just for fun with Adam. However, the team closest to their house besides the Hawks was the District 5 team and she didn't think her parents would let her play for that team. Plus, that was the team Adam and his friends picked on the most. There's no way he'd want her to play for them after years of begging her to play on the Hawks with him. The thought of ever losing Adam over something as silly as a hockey team would destroy her, so she always thought it was better to not risk it. 

As the 'win' chant started coming from the Hawks, Ellie knew the game was about to start. She tried her best to find Adam on the bench, but she had no such luck. There were parents and his other teammates blocking him. She heard the other coach try to do the same thing Coach Reilly did, but his team looked at him like he was crazy. The win chant was always a Hawks thing, so she knew this was a new coach.

The ref blows the whistle, signaling the start of the game. McGill immediately wins the puck in the face off and passes it over to Adam who skates up the rink with ease. The D-5 team really had no chance to win, even if it was just Adam on the ice. He skates past all the players and easily scores the first point. Ellie stood up with the rest of the Hawks section, cheering as loud as she could. When Adam finds her in the stands, he points at her and smiles, letting her know that the goal was for her. This was something he did every time he scored, every goal was dedicated to her. Ellie was always there to support and encourage him at every thing he did. She was there when he would need her the most and he knew he wouldn't be the player he was today without her. Ellie Sparks was Adam Banks' whole world. 

She watched as one of the D-5 kids tried to go after Adam after he knocked his helmet off on his way to bench. One of the refs interfered before the kid could even try to go for Adam. Ellie hated when he treated other kids like that, especially the D-5 kids, but she didn't think anything she would say would make him stop. He, McGill, and Larson targeted these kids all the time. She wasn't sure why they chose them specifically, but she knew they were enemies. 

The D-5 team was getting absolutely destroyed by the Hawks. The last time Ellie looked at the scoreboard it was 5-0, but she was sure it was more now. The crowd started chanting Banks and of course Ellie chanted along with them, because he was her best friend and he was playing really well tonight. She had lost track how many goals he had scored after he got his hat-trick. Adam was charging down the ice, ready to score another goal, which of course he did after circling the goal and scoring on empty net since the goalie was on the ground after a fake out. 

Ellie knew Adam played tough, wanting to impress his coach and dad. However, Ellie couldn't help but be disappointed in him after he checked one of the D-5 players into the boards after he had just gotten up. The poor kid tried to shoot but ended up missing completely and slid into the boards. The kid was already down, there was really no need for Adam to do that to him. She also didn't agree with Coach Reilly's motto, 'It's not worth winning, if you can't win big'. The motto was dumb and just encouraged the Hawks players to pretty much beat them while they were already down. The Hawks had a huge lead and D-5 had no chance at coming back. It seemed like Coach Reilly just wanted to embarrass the other team as much as possible. This was another reason why Ellie would never play for the Hawks. Coach Reilly was a big bully, in her opinion. 

Eventually the buzzer went off, singaling the end of the game. 17-0, Hawks win. Ellie stood up and cheered for her best friend, proud of all the amazing things he did during the game. She would have to ask how many goals he scored once Coach dismissed them, but she knew it was a lot. Despite being disappointed in a few of his actions and Coach Reilly, she loved being there to cheer on Adam as he did the one thing he loved the most. 

When Ellie spotted Adam coming out of the locker room, she immediately ran to him and gave him a hug. "I'm so proud of you, Adam! You did amazing," she greets him, a massive smile on her face. With his arms wrappped around her, Ellie had never felt more safe or secure. Sure, he was still covered in sweat, but she didn't care. There was always a small part of Ellie that wished Adam would kiss her after one of his games, but she knew that would never happen. They were best friends, and there was no way Adam felt the same way she did. 

"Thank you, Ellie." Ellie's face was always the first one he wanted to see when he came out of the locker room after a game. Whenever he sees her, it feels like a breath fresh air. Playing for Reilly could be hard on him sometimes, but all those feelings went away when he would see her. She made him feel at peace. The butterflies he gets in his stomach when she hugs him after every game is one of his favorite feelings in the world. He would hold her in his arms forever if he could. Maybe one day he'll be brave enough to kiss her after a game, but he's afraid of how it would effect their friendship. Adam's had a crush on her for like two years, but he never thought Ellie would feel the same way.

"So, how many goals did you score today, Mr. Best Player in the League?" Ellie asks, nudging his arm with her shoulder. Adam would never admit he was the best player in the league, but everyone knew it was true. His hockey skills were undeniable and Ellie thought he had a really good chance at going all the way. 

"8 goals! A new Hawks record, according to Coach Reilly," Adam responds, a small smile slowly creeping onto his face. There were plenty of people he would be bragging off to about the number of goals he scored, but Ellie wasn't one of them. If it wasn't for her, he would have the biggest ego of any ten year old. She had a way of keeping him humble that no one else did. Probably because he knows he has a chance at losing to her any time they would scrimmage each other. 

"Just remember me when you're super famous and in the NHL." Ellie was sure that their friendship would last a lifetime, but you can't always predit the future. Life has a funny way of panning out. Things happen that you never expected to happen. People grow up, change, and drift apart. It happens more than people probably expect it to. Ellie always tried to look at the positive side of things, but in the back of her mind she knew there was a chance her and Adam's friendship won't be the same as they get older. She knows at some point there's gonna be a girl that Adam falls head over heels for, and whoever that girl is will be the luckiest girl in the world. Adam was the perfect boy. He was funny, smart, good-looking, and caring. In Ellie's eyes he was the perfect package, and she would always secretly hope that the girl Adam falls head over heels for is her. 

"I could never forget you, Ellie. I promise." It was the truth. There was no way Adam could forget Ellie even if he wanted to. His world only spun because she was in it. Adam knew he wasn't always the best person, especially when he was hanging around McGill and Larson. But when Ellie was around, he was always the best version of himself. He knew it, his parents knew it, hell even Larson and McGill knew it. They teased Adam endlessly about his crush on Ellie, and sure he blushed every time it happened, but he didn't care. Ellie was the best person anyone could meet, and he was proud of the person he was when he was around her. Her heart was made of gold and Adam wishes he could be half the person she is. 

Author's Note:

Ughh I love Ellie and Adam and love their little crushes on each other. Stay tuned for their ride through life