meant to be • adam banks

chapter one

adam

The music blasting from the backyard fills my ears as I make my way inside my house.

Even though the party started an hour ago, I still haven't had a drink. I think it's because I've been trying to avoid Ella like she's infected for the past thirty minutes.

Yup, these past couple months have been shit since her and I broke up.

At least we made it through junior prom and finals before we decided to end it. Well, more like I said I wanted to break up and she agreed. There wasn't any fighting or anything, but the way she didn't even try to argue still makes me nauseous when I think about it.

School starts next week, and I can't even think about the fact that I'm a senior. At least I'll go down as one of the best party-throwers in the school. My parties are the ones you never want to miss.

I grab a beer from the fridge and pop the can open as I make my away back outside. Animals by Maroon 5 is blasting through the speakers as I go around greeting everyone that's here, and I can't help but take in the lyrics.

"Yeah, you can start over, you can run free
You can find other fish in the sea
You can pretend it's meant to be
But you can't stay away from me."

I take a big sip of my drink and scan the crowd, trying to see if I can find Ella. I think the lyrics are getting to me, because they're true. I can't stay away from her.

Also, I need to change the song immediately. This shit sucks. If Sadie wants to keep her status as the person who made my party playlist, she needs to make some serious changes.

After changing the song, I decide to do a few more seconds of scanning. Almost immediately, I find her. She's wearing a black cropped tank top, off white shorts, her dirty Nike Air Force sneakers that she wears everywhere, and a leopard print headband. Her long dark hair flows down her back, and her blue eyes light up as she laughs at whatever Goldberg is saying to her.

I decide to make my way over, chugging the rest of my drink as I do. I throw my can out and grab another one from one of the coolers, then walk right over to where she's standing.

She smiles when I stand beside her, her cheeks turning rosier than they already are. "Hey A!"

I can tell she isn't sober, because her cheeks are red and she's drinking a hard lemonade. But, she isn't insanely drunk either, because she isn't swaying on her feet or going pale like she's going to be sick.

I casually sling my arm around her shoulder because it's like second nature, but quickly remove it once it registers that we aren't together anymore. She grabs my arm and throws it back around her, making me tense immediately. "Are you sure?"

"Yeah, I don't care. Anyway Goldberg, I think that if you're so concerned about not starting, you need to take it up with Coach Orion."

"That's the thing though!" Goldberg groans. "I don't think he's going to change his mind just because it's my senior year. This is why I sometimes wish Bombay was still our coach. I know he would've started me."

"You don't know anything though." Russ points out. "Just because he was your coach for so long doesn't mean anything. You have to earn everything you get. Besides, you're a two-time state champion. Relax man!"

"Whatever." Goldberg grumbles. "I'm going to get a drink."

I watch as he walks away, and I can't help but feel a little sorry for him. He's not exactly the best goalie, but he works hard and always tries his best.