𝐦𝐲 𝐠𝐢𝐫𝐥 | 𝐚𝐝𝐚𝐦 𝐛𝐚𝐧𝐤𝐬

"banks says it's cool"

"Check out the new jackets, guys." Les Averman snickered to his table, filled with the JV hockey team, as varsity approached -- collectively deciding to show off the letterman jackets that were so quickly replaced once word had reached the dean that they had been tampered with.

"Congrats on the Blake game!" Rick Riley cheerfully praised, displaying a phony, yet glorious smile of innocence.

"Yeah right, we tied." Charlie dully muttered.

"Hey, a points a point," Rick tried to reason, resting his hands on the back of Dwayne and Charlie's chairs. "We're all warriors now -- you guys proved your guts. You all set for dinner Friday?"

"Dinner?" Russ repeated in confusion.

"It's an Eden Hall tradition -- varsity got to treat the JV to dinner -- so, round up your posse and meet us at 6, at the Minnesota Club, downtown. Anybody need a ride and we can take you." The senior boy informed, his confidence boosting as he saw the looks of suspicion and shock the leave the faces of the new team -- all except Charlie Conway -- until steak and sea food was mentioned.

"Look, I don't like you pukes alright, but this is a tradition. At Eden Hall I learned to care about tradition." Cole, another varsity boy interjected before walking away with the rest the team, leaving the youngest member standing amongst the JV players, feeling the most out of place he's been in nearly 2 years.

"It's cool!" Adam sincerely convinced, his signature smile working it's way onto his face -- just hoping this sudden change of heart in Rick Riley would bring back his friends.

"It's cool.." Russ muttered, not entirely sure if he was agreeing or mocking the statement.

"Banks says it's cool." Guy cheekily grinned.

"If it's cool..."

Rowan's head quickly snapped up at the sound of a light knock on her bedroom door, departing from the stacks of books and homework that piled all over her desk as she found Adam on the other side.

"Do I dare ask why you are wearing a tux at 5:30 on a Friday?" She playfully questioned.

"Just some stupid hockey thing." The boy sighed, his prior excitement dampening over all the horrible things that could come from this dinner.

"Since when did anything hockey related become stupid?"

"Since..." Adam tried but stoped midway at the sight of Rowan's scattered room. "A lot going on in here."

"Oh yeah, I guess I just forgot to clean it or something." She laughed, hoping he would dismiss the odd behavior as nothing. "So tell me about these fancy plans you have tonight."

"Rick got us reservations at the Minnesota, and I'm not sure how I'm supposed to feel about it."

"Well it's a really nice restaurant, what would be the downfall?"

"He didn't just invite varsity, JV too."

Rowan fell silent as her mouth made a small 'o' shape, finally understanding why he had gotten himself so worked up.

"I mean that's the most un-Rick Riley thing I've ever witnessed. He practically- Can you tie this?" Adam asked abruptly while holding the tie in his hand before continuing to rant about all the things that confused or made him mad within the recent hours. "He practically begged Charlie to come to this thing tonight, and I don't know I-i just don't want things to get worse between all of us."

"Maybe Rick had a change in heart." She suggested.

"It amazes me how you can always see the best in people, even when they've proven they don't deserve it." He slightly chuckled -- she gulped, looping the tie through the final hole. "Hey, so how about this -- after my questionable dinner, you come over and we just chill out for the night."