Too Scared To Say Something Sooner - TMD [Mainly Chadam]

Chapter 1: The Quack-Attack Is Back, Jack

Adam

I packed the last of my clothes in my suitcase, completely ready for Monday... Well at least that's what I tried to tell myself. I was nervous as hell to go back to Eden Hall, but also extremely relieved.

I wouldn't have to be in the hellhole that was my house for almost ten whole months.

I already decided I would tell my parents I was staying at school for Thanksgiving, Christmas, and April break, but I would really be going to Charlie's house.  My reasoning was schoolwork and hockey. They couldn't say no to that. They were too pressing not to say yes, or at the least understand.

Charlie had been the one to convince me. He knew how much I hated it at home with my parents. Although, it was really just shitty father. My mom cared about my grades too much, but she didn't hit me. She was the one to fix my bruises once my father had left the house. She wouldn't dare do it in front of him, afraid of getting hit herself, but at least she cared.

I said no to Char's invitation at first -I was scared to intrude on his time with his mom- but he and Ms. Conway assured me it was okay.

I'd always thought of Ms. Conway like a second mother. I had actually accidentally called her mom once when me and Charlie had gone to the park a couple years back and she had to come to pick us up since it had started to rain.

After I'd said it, I immediately apologized, but she just smiled and kissed my forehead.

"You're a good kid, Adam," she had told me, pulling me in for a hug. I had almost cried.

I very rarely got that affection from anyone. I had forgotten how nice it felt. My eyes dried pretty quickly, though, when Charlie ruffled my hair hard with his hand, yelling,

"He wishes! Cake-eater!" And with that I'd chased him through the rain, all the way back to the car. There, I had tackled him, but only so he stumbled a bit, not so much for him to fall, both of us laughing the whole time.

A knock at my door pulled me at of my memories and back to the present. "Adam, your friends are here!" My mom called from behind the closed door.

"'Kay, Mom," I called back grabbing my rollerblades and pads from my closet. The Ducks had all planned a small street hockey game as a kind of final hurrah before school started up.

At least with everyone who lived here. Julie, Portman, Kenny, and Luis had gone back to their homes for the summer. They were flying in tomorrow. Russ was already here, since he had decided to fly out a day early.

Well, his dad decided.

Russ had to, though, because of a big storm that was supposedly blowing over LA tomorrow. His dad hadn't wanted him to be late, and we got an extra chance to play together anyway, so it worked out for the team too.

Dwayne had flown in yesterday, unbeknownst to any of us. He'd thought today was move-in day, instead of tomorrow.

I stuck together the last Velcro strap on my knee pad as I started down the hall, rollerblades in my hand. I would've put my skates on in my room, but Dad had a rule about skating in the house.

He claimed it was bad for the wooden floor (which it probably was), and I was afraid to disobey that rule -or any rule at that- even if he wasn't here. So I went and laced my skates at the door.

Charlie blew the duck whistle that Bombay gave him the second I stepped outside. He was wearing his usual Ducks jersey and semi-baggy light blue jeans, with his helmet, knee pads, and elbow pads on, too. I smiled at my team as I stepped carefully down the stairs to not fall.