Title: Straight Jackets, Cigarettes and Khaki Pants
Author: Pure-Pen
Summary: AU- He's quit hockey. His dad is so far gone that there is no turning back. And all he wants is... Well he's not sure what he wants.
Dedication: Katie and Emily, both who have sat over AOL and listened to my crappy story ideas. Hey this one happened to be good!
Disclaimer: I own nothing. I don't own the Ducks, whom belong to Disney and were created by Steven Brill. The only things I own are any characters you don't recognize, and they will only be secondary characters so don't worry. This story is loosely based on the movie 'Igby Goes Down' so I also don't own that movie either.
Notes: This is all in Adam's POV. There is no switching because I hate that.Because this story is loosely based on Igby Goes Down, there may be some similarities. I may use some quotes from that movie. By the way, don't review me asking for a pairing because this is not a romance story. If it was romance I would've put it under genre and don't thank me for not making this slash. I am toying with the idea of that issue. I'm still in the deciding stages. Other than that, R&R. I welcome it!
Chapter One- Flashbacks and Major Trouble
I used to play hockey.
I know that for sure. I know I loved it because my father loved the game. I know that he also made me quit. I remember the exact day that I quit. It was a Saturday and it was a nice day too. I remember my father patted me on the back and told me to 'show no mercy', as he always told me.
I don't remember what I had for breakfast that morning. I don't remember how my father took his coffee that morning, and I don't remember the exact words he used that forced me to quit hockey forever.
I do remember going to my room and being quiet for the whole day as my father sorted out the mess. The thing was that he never sorted out the mess. He tried but his efforts were in vain. He said I was a Duck or I didn't play hockey. I didn't want to be a Duck but I wanted to play. I remember looking in my father's eyes and seeing the pain it would cause him if I played for a different team. And I remember hearing my heart break as I said I didn't want to play.
It was a month after that, that he had his breakdown.
I remember that it was my birthday. I remember combing my hair, and I remember tucking in my shirt and I remember my mother calling me to hurry up because we had reservations at the Club and it took an hour to get there.
I don't remember the excuse mother gave me to explain why my father was taking another car. I don't remember what I was thinking of ordering for my birthday dinner. I don't remember what song played over the radio as we drove down the freeway.
But I vividly remember the hospital. I remember crying in the elevator as we went to the second floor and I remember the emotionless look on mother's face. I remember not being allowed in my father's room to give him a hug and I remember how quickly mother decided that he needed to be in the institution.
In my eleven year old mind, I had never hated someone so much and as the years progressed that hatred didn't just envelop my mother, Mimi, as I call her, and my relationship, but it froze over everything else.
My heart had frozen.
I cracked my knuckles as I watched Dean Prichard flinch in his seat. I couldn't help but smirk. He was jumpier than my last Dean and that was much more fun to deal with and mess with. I sighed as I realized that my knuckles wouldn't crack anymore and focused on my watch. My mother was late, again, for a meeting with a Dean. I loosened my tie and looked around the room.
The door swung open and my mother sauntered into the room, in a perfectly matching cream dress suit and perfectly educated and polite apologies fell from her lips that were smeared with a crimson colored lipstick. "Dean Prichard, I'm dreadfully sorry. My elder son got caught in traffic and well, it was dreadful."
The Dean nodded and smiled, taking the hand of my mother and touching it gingerly as if it was fragile. "It's alright, no harm done." He smiled. He seemed to be more at ease when a parental unit was in plain view. I must frighten him. How delightful.
I got up and allowed my mother to give me a light, half hearted hug. "Mimi, how good it is to see you." I muttered and sat back down.
My mother smiled and sat down, barely even touching the seat. "So Dean, you wished to speak with me?"
Dean Prichard cleared his throat and nodded. "Well yes Mrs. Banks. I wanted to speak with you about Adam's behavior." I suppressed a snort. This was going to be interesting.
"I know that Adam has some difficulties..." Mimi started but was quickly cut off.
"Mrs. Banks, it isn't just difficulties. I mean he has little or no respect for authority, no discipline and absolutely no apathy for others." He glanced at me. "I fear that there may be no room for Adam in John F. Kennedy Academy."
My mother frowned clutching the handle of her purse as if she was trottleing it..."Whatever do you mean? There was room here at the beginning of the semester..."
"I mean, it may be a good idea if Adam experienced a stricter environment during his educational career."
I coughed. This was excellent. I beat my record. Usually it took a month for me to be kicked out of a school, but this time it was only two weeks. This was my fifth prep school since the beginning of this year and it was driving my mother mad. I remember her saying last time that if I messed up here I would be off to military school, but I knew it was an empty threat. Imagine the scandal; a Banks' boy going off to military school.
"Are you kicking him out?" My mother asked nervously. "Or are you just suggesting it?"
Dean Prichard frowned. "He is officially expelled from this school. Causing riots, bullying, picking fights, bring contraband and illegal substances onto school grounds." He said reading my file. "Do you want the complete list of his infractions?"
My mother sternly shook her head. "No. I'm quite fine thank-you."
He nodded and looked at my mother with pity in his eyes. "I expect his belongings to be taken off school grounds by the end of the week. Is that suitable for you?"
My mother nodded. "It's fine." She glanced over at me. "Come along Adam." She snapped getting up from her seat and making her way to the door and walking out of the room.
I slowly got up, mock saluted Prichard and scoffed as I exited his office. I wondered how many more schools I could get out of.
Outside stood Mimi and my brother Denis, otherwise known as Denny waiting for me.
My mother stared at me and slapped me upside the head. "Do you have any idea how embarrassing that was?" She spat.
I rubbed the base of my skull and groaned. "I would've expected the embarrassment to go down and the expectancy to go up by now." I replied as I straightened my bag that hung pitifully off my shoulder. "So where are we off to now?"
My brother rolled his college freshmen eyes at me and scoffed.
Mimi frowned. "Is this just a game to you? Think you can just put off life? This isn't a game Adam."
"Mother, save your breath; we have a long ride to the airport for you and a nice flight to Minneapolis for us." Denny replied brushing his beach blond hair out of his eyes.
My ears perked. "Minneapolis?" I asked. This was surprising. My mother wanted me in an East coast prep school, just like Denny.
"Oh yes." Denny replied in mock enthusiasm as my mother stomped down the hall. "It's a surprise that Eden Hall is even considering excepting you. Mimi must have some compromising pictures of the Dean with some of the boys." He explained raising his eyebrows suggestively.
I shook my head and walked off down the hall. I needed a cigarette bad. It's too bad that they were confiscated before I went into the Dean's office and I was flat broke.