ICE SKATES // ADAM BANKS

CHAPTER EIGHTEEN

"adam, let me help you" i tell the boy, he sighs eventually giving in, i gently graze my fingers along his wrist and slowly turn it.

"ow!" adam hisses, immediately bringing his wrist back to his chest.

"sorry, sorry!" i gasp, my eyes going wide, "i didn't mean to, i swear"

"now just think how you'd play with two good wrists" coach suddenly appears out of nowhere making us both jump.

"coach!" adam exclaims, "it's just a little sore, i'm okay"

"i should've spotted it sooner, sorry man, i wasn't doing my job"

"coach, im fine, i can play i swear"

"okay.. here let's find out" coach picks up a stick and holds it out to adam, "the other hand... now rotate it"

adam stands with the stick in his grasp but doesn't rotate it, i notice his eyes beginning to water as he drops the stick.

"i have to bench you"

"no! you cant do that" adam protests, looking over to coach in disbelief.

"adam, you could injure yourself permanently" i cut in, the boy meeting my gaze before shaking his head.

"coach, you can't bench me, i gotta play, all the scouts are here watching me, this is my shot!"

"you're young and you're gonna have plenty of shots believe me" coach responds, hand on his hip as he looks at adam.

"but my dads counting on me"

"i'm sorry.." coach says, watching adam sit down on the stall, "my dad worked a lot when i was a kid, so when he made it to a game, i wanted so bad to score a hundred goals for him..."

my hand was resting on adam's back but noticing the conversation i decided it was my time to leave, my hand trails from his back to his shoulder, eventually leaving his shoulder completely.

i walk towards the door and glance back at adam to see a stray tear falling down his face.

—

'team usa leading russia two to one here in the third period, russ tyler, team usa's newest member from los angeles calling for the puck, he gets it'

i skate pass the box and see adam in his new cast, still managing to keep a positive act on for his team.

i skate around the ice and notice two players charging for russ, checking them into the boards harshly, letting russ have a clear shot.

"it's knucklepuck time!" the boy announces, beginning his move.

'he winds up, he shoots, he scores!'

i let out a cheer and the whole team brings him into a group hug, it was a short yet successful game.

"i told him no visitors, but he wanted to congratulate you anyway" gordon tells us, i look to see wayne gretzky walk through the door and look to the girls, all wearing the same expression as me.

"guys, this is the great one!" charlie tells us as we look at the man.

"wayne's fine" he laughs, holding up his hand, the whole team erupting into laughter.

"alright guys let's take a photo!" don claps, ushering the photographer to come in.

"alright guys, say hockey!" the photographer says.

"hockey!" we all say in unison.

'powered by a one goal victory over russia, team usa hockey advances to the finals of the junior goodwill games, where they'll go up against the top seeded team from iceland'