Forever and Always | Adam Banks

I've Had a Crush on You for Two Years

Ellie stood on the bench, watching Adam skate past the Cardinals defense and score a point for the Ducks. She cheered loudly as the Ducks embraced him for a celebration. It had been a few days since their kiss and the two had yet to acknowledge it actually happened. The two went about their lives as if nothing life changing had occured. Half of Ellie was relieved, maybe Adam didn't feel the same way so he was just being nice. However, the other half way constantly questioning why Adam hasn't said anything. She was hoping that maybe he would ask her to be his girlfriend, but she was starting to get discouraged. For the last two years, she has had a crush on her best friend, just hoping that maybe they could be something more.

With ten seconds left in the third period, Guy scores the Ducks fourth goal. The buzzer goes off and the Ducks beat the Cardinals 4-2. The Ducks were a comeback story for the ages. A team who used to be the worst in the league are now going to the championship game where they were going to be playing the Hawks. Not only were they going to the championship, but they actually had a chance to win. So here the Ducks were, celebrating in the locker room, throwing soda all over each other. Ice was getting dumped on Bombay's head and everyone was going to be a sticky mess after this.

Once the celebration had died down and everyone was changing out of their stickey jerseys, Connie leaned over to Ellie and asked, "How's it going with you and Banks?" 

Connie and Ellie had become very close over the season and Ellie had confided in her at their last practice, telling her everything that had happened between her and Adam. Connie and Guy were able to pick up on the feelings Ellie had for Adam since they had been in the same boat not that long ago. They both swore to Ellie that Adam felt the same way. Hell, everyone on the team knew Adam and Ellie had a crush on each other, except Adam and Ellie. 

Ellie looked over at Adam, who was talking to Charlie, and had turned back to Connie. "It's not. He hasn't said anything about it. I don't want to be the one who brings it up because what if he's not saying anything to be nice and doesn't like me back." Ellie quietly rambles, not wanting the rest of the team to overhear their conversation. 

"He likes you, Ellie. It's so obvious. I mean if that man could have hearts coming out of his eyes when he looks at you, he would. When you first got to the team a lot of the guys thought you were cute, but no one said anything because of how you and Banks act together. Everyone thought you two were already dating. He's probably just nervous. You don't have anything to worry about." Hearing Connie say that gave Ellie the reassurance she needed. She knew that her and Adam weren't the typical best friends, so that always gave her an inkling that they could be something more. 

Soon enough, everyone but Adam and Ellie had cleared out of the locker room. "Can we talk?" Adam asks, walking up to Ellie's locker. Adam had been wracking his brain the last few days trying to figure out what to say to Ellie after their kiss. He didn't want to sound like a total loser while asking his best friend and crush of two years to be his girlfriend. However, everything he thought of wasn't good enough. As the days went on and the two were acting as if nothing had happened, Adam was starting to wonder if she didn't like him back. Guy and Charlie had to beg him to talk to her about it today, wanting the two of them to get together already. Watching two people who clearly liked each other do nothing about it was hard to watch. 

Those three words got Ellie nervous. The elephant in the room was finally going to be talked about. The worst part about it was she had no idea if this conversation was going to change their friendship in a good or bad way. Either their friendship was going to be awkward as the two would no longer know how to act around each other, eventually growing apart, or they were going to start dating. Ellie knew it was going to be one or the other and there was no in between. "What's up?" 

"We kissed a couple days ago." Adam had no idea how to have this conversation. He never had a girlfriend before and the only person he's had a crush on was Ellie. His focus was always on hockey, not girls. That all changed about six months ago, when he realized that he wanted Ellie to be more than a friend. There was more than one occasion where he thought about taking that step and either kissing her or just asking her out, but the right moment never came. 

"We did," Ellie laughs awkwardly. She new Adam was just as nervous as she was. She was sure that neither of them thought they would be in this situation. Ellie was the one who put them in this situation but if it gave them the opportunity to take their friendship to the next level, she was happy she did it. 

"I'm happy you did it," Adam admits. He let out a nervous laugh before continuing on, a hand rubbing the back of his neck. "Honestly, I've had a crush on you for the last two years. I've thought about asking you out or at least kissing you so many times. I always focused on hockey, but lately you've been the only thing on my mind. Not only are you my best friend, but you're my entire world. I wouldn't be who I am without you, Ellie. So, would you want to be this cake-eater's girlfriend?" 

"I would love nothing more," Ellie responds, quickly wrapping her arms around Adam's neck. She couldn't believe this was real life. Her best friend was now her boyfriend and they were going to the championship game. In her eyes, nothing could be better. 

Adam immediately wrapped his arms around her, never wanting to let go. After their first kiss, Adam knew he couldn't go another day without one. He placed his lips on hers, fireworks going off for the both of them. Butterflies were fluttering up a storm in their stomachs, neither wanting this moment to end. A moment Adam once dreamed about was now coming true. He had everything he could ever want: hockey, true friends, and his best friend as his girlfriend. The only thing left was winning the championship. 

Author's Note:

FINALLY ADAM AND ELLLIE ARE TOGETHER!!!!! Also, I could totally picture Adam being this nervous. Like bro spent his life focused on hockey and then bam he gets kissed. He would not know what to do with himself.