yours | adam banks.

chapter ten

ava

"So like, are you going to ignore the fact you like him for all of eternity or are you actually gonna ask him out."

I choke on my drink as Adrie and Chloe look to me expectantly, leaning forward in their positions on my bed.

"What are you talking about?" I laugh, wiping my chin with the cuff of my sweater. Adrie raises her eyebrows at me, smirking wickedly. Chloe just rolls her eyes as she gets up, stretching her limbs.

"You know, don't act clueless." Adrie replies, leaning her back against the wall which has posters all over it.

"Yeah Ava, you don't exactly cover it up that well. You both stare after each other like lovesick puppies," Chloe motions to my bedroom window. "He's been practicing out there for like half an hour and it's like he has this weird magnetic pull to stare at your window every five damn minutes."

I pause my spinning around on my desk chair to take a peek out the window. Adam was out there, just like Chloe had said, focused on shooting a puck into a net with a wood panel goalkeeper.

"He's not staring. The sun's probably in his eyes or something, I don't know." I tried to convince her but the disbelieving look on her face is enough for me to know she doesn't accept that for even a second.

"Sure." Adrie drawls, inspecting her nails. Black, chipped nail polish that desperately needed repainted. Adrie was the type to drop by my house at the most unexpected of times, slap a piece of poetry in my hands and tell me to interpret what it meant. A lot of the time I got it completely wrong and she'd roll her eyes at me, only to launch into a detailed speech of whatever origins and backstory the poem had.

It was sort of annoying, especially when I was busy. None of that ever mattered to Adrie though. She was an enigma, you were compelled to do whatever she asked. I'm not exactly sure how we became such good friends. Best friends. She hates hockey, hates cheerleading but somehow she doesn't hate me.

"I mean, how long did you say you've known this kid? Like, a bajillion years?" Adrie laughs and turns her head to face me, taking in my wary expression.

"More like six or seven. I knew him before he even started Peewees. Actually, he was slap bang in the middle of Atom whenever I met him."

Both the girls give me blank stares.

"Everything you just said went in one ear and out the other I'm afraid. I do not care for hockey and don't think I ever will. Unless your boyfriend ever invited you to a game, then of course I'm going-"

"He's not my boyfriend." I interrupt, glaring at Adrie.

She just waves her hands dismissively.

"Yeah, yeah whatever you say pumpkin, you know I don't believe you."

I sigh in defeat and go to change the subject when there's a knock on my door before the knob's turned and Mom pokes her head in.

"Hiya hon, sorry to interrupt but Chloe dear, your mom called. She's looking you home now."

Chloe springs up from her seat and says goodbye before following Mom downstairs. I watch as the girl saunters down the driveway.

My heart almost beats out of my chest whenever I see her wave over to Adam, who in turn does the same back. Chloe makes a hand notion and Adam skates over, looking at her inquisitively.

I can't hear a word they're saying. What's going on? What's Chloe saying? Oh my god, what is she doing?

Adrie laughs loudly before joining my spot at the window, looking out at the scene below.

"Wonder what they're talking about, huh?" Adrie winds me up, elbowing me in the side.

I shush her and focus on the two people below, both that I've known for the better half of five years. Chloe says something that makes Adam blush and look away and the queasiness in my stomach grows, I'm so nervous.

I'm so scared it's making my teeth chatter from nerves. Which is insane, because it's just Adam. It shouldn't matter, Chloe could be saying anything right now. She could be telling him everything she thinks she knows about me.

My fingers drum haplessly against the wooden surface of my desk and I have to wrench my gaze away from the window and gather myself, my heartbeat so erratic I'm surprised I haven't had a heart attack.

"Oh my god..." Adrie whispers softly and my head jolts up, on high alert.

"What? What-what's wrong?" I ask her panicked, fiddling with my lower lip.

She slowly tilts her head towards me and it's only then that I roll my eyes, scoffing at the girl. Adrie's grinning her head off, the teasing she's about to dish out strong.

"Don't even start, you hear me? I'll kick you out of my house if you're not careful." I warn, pointing a finger sternly at her.

Before she can start mocking me, Mom bursts in yet again, not knocking this time around.

"Hi girls, back again. Adrie, your Dad just called."

Adrie nods and gathers her stuff together. She makes her way towards the door but not before shooting me a teasing glance which in turn I stick my tongue out at her childishly. I'm left alone now, the only thing occupying my mind being the scene currently going on outside.

I gasp softly whenever I peek out my window yet again only to see both of my best friends standing opposite Adam, the poor boy looking like a deer in headlights. My instincts scream at me to run downstairs and tell the two girls to scram. It'd be so easier. The morbid embarrassment would be over.

But then there's the small part of me that wants to know what the conversation's about, a sliver of hope being that the blush in his cheeks is about me.

No. No, I can't be thinking like that because it's not how things are. They're probably just picking fun at him, Adrie's just teasing him about hockey like she does to all the members of both JV and Varsity teams. It doesn't matter.

With one last glance out of my bedroom window, I'm glad to see the girls have finally departed, leaving Adam in peace on the road. Just before I turn away, his eyes catch mine and I freeze.

My heart rate skyrockets as he stares at me intensely, my thoughts in overdrive. There's a beat and then he smiles widely, waving up at me from across the street.

Warmth spreads through my chest as I wave back shyly, smiling warmly back. I actually run away from my window this time and collapse in my bed, staring up at the ceiling.

I'm doomed.