Alaska | Adam Banks

what to do when everyone hates you

CHAPTER NINETEEN | WHAT TO DO WHEN EVERYONE HATES YOU

* * * *

The following week after the first game was absolutely dreadful. Charlie was beyond pissed at Adam and I, sending me snarky, sometimes offensive comments and talking absolute bullcrap about us to the rest of the team. 

We didn't even know what the hell we did to deserve this in the first place. 

Although Charlie's actions hurt, nothing hurt more than Connie and Julie straight up ignoring me. We were supposed to be best friends, the three amigos, as Luis called us once. Now they didn't even spare me so much as a glance. It was like I suddenly didn't exist. 

Adam said it was like when he first joined the Ducks after coming from another team, but this time it was so much worse. 

We weren't completely alone, I mean we had the varsity team, I also had Ireland, who seemed more than happy to be my friend now that she's gotten used to the idea of me, but none of it would fill the gaping hole that was left by the Ducks. 

Man, if Coach Bombay could see us now. He'd probably be a bit annoyed with the whole situation if I'm being completely honest. The Mighty Ducks, not so high and mighty at the moment. 

Currently, I was being pulled, gently but it was still pulling, by Adam as Rick led the varsity team over to where the Ducks sat. I didn't want to, but Adam pulled me out of my seat and I was forced to begrudgingly follow. 

As we approached, everyone sitting turned their attention to us, eyeing us warily. 

"Congrats on the Blake game," Rick started. 

"Yeah, right. We tied," Charlie muttered, annoyed. 

"Hey, a points a point, right?"

"What are we doing here, Riley?" I asked, trying to get out of whatever he was trying to do. 

He ignored me. Rude. "You guys proved your guts to us. Are y'all set for dinner Friday?"

Nobody said anything for a couple of moments until Russ spoke. 

"Dinner?" he asked. 

"It's a tradition here at Eden Hall," bullshit, I thought, "varsity treats the freshmen to dinner. Round up your posey and meet us at six o'clock at the Minnesota Club downtown. If any of y'all need a ride then we'll take you. You do like steak and seafood, don't you?"

"Yeah, we do," Charlie nodded. 

When he said that, Rick and the rest of the team began to back away, minus Cole, Adam, and me. 

"You know, I really don't like you pukes, but this is a tradition, and at Eden Hall, you learn to care about traditions," Cole said, eyeing the Ducks. He didn't say anything else as he walked back to the group of varsity boys. 

"It's cool!" Adam added, clearly trying to get the rest of the Ducks to cooperate. He looked at me while I let out a sigh. 

"Everything will be just fine," I let out in a huff before taking the chance to drag him away from our former teammates. 

* * * *

At like 5:15 on Friday, I was getting ready for the dinner Rick promised JV, and I couldn't help but feel like something would go wrong. It wasn't like Rick to 'prank' the JV team, then get it right back at us, then invite then to a dinner.

I was wearing a navy blue knee length dress that I had bought earlier in the week. Adam said he was wearing something similar, which was fun because we would be matching.