The sun was shining in my face indicating it was time for me to wake up. For a change I didn't really want to get up and face the day because I was having possibly the best dream anyone could ever have. It was about a certain tall, dark, handsome Bash Brother that I will never, ever have.
I know its pathetic and I know he's the last person I should have a crush on but I just can't help myself. He's so damn good looking its not funny.
Before anyone tells me that looks aren't everything I should point out that Mr Dean Portman has that little something called charisma that seems to draw people to him. Well at least it draws the attention of the entire female population at Eden Hall Academy.
Finally figuring out that I couldn't exactly go back to sleep and pick up where the dream left off I threw my blankets off and slowly sat up.
As per usual, my roommate, and team member, Connie Moreau was still dead to the world. She'd become so bitter lately that it wasn't funny. I guess I'd be pissed too if I had to see the only boy I've ever been out with moving on with some perfect, preppy cheerleader named Karen Whittaker.
Oh well no sense in trying to wake her up. She'd only become more pissed off.
I tried to dress as quickly and as quietly as possible. These days I've become more aware of my appearance, especially if I have to compete with cheerleaders for Dean's attention. Not that I've reduced myself to wearing short skirts and tiny tops, more along the lines of figure showing jeans and kind of tight tanks. I still maintain you'd never, ever get me wearing high heels to school though.
I arrived at our usual breakfast table not at all surprised to find Goldberg, Averman, Kenny, Charlie and Russ seated with their food already.
Averman looks a little nervous. I ignore it because he gets like that sometimes and its usually about nothing.
I grabbed a stack of pancakes and some maple syrup and sat down next to Averman ensuring there was an empty seat on my other side just in case a certain Bash Brother came down to breakfast in the near future.
"Dude is something up? You look even paler than usual" Goldberg asked his best buddy from across the table. Glad to see I'm not the only one who noticed Averman's acting even stranger than usual.
Averman plastered on a fake I don't know what you're talking about grin but didn't say anything.
I stared at him for a moment. He was getting stranger by the second. If that was at all possible.
I noted he was looking at the doors so I followed his gaze to see him looking in the direction of Amber Foster, a member of the band. It was no secret that she had a major crush on Averman.
Time for a little push.
"Averman, I heard that Amber Foster likes you" I whispered to him.
He stared at me and I could have sworn he look annoyed.
"So?" he was playing coy.
Time to state the obvious.
"So, I think you should ask her out" I said a little overenthusiastically. It wouldn't hurt if Averman found himself a girlfriend would it?
I glanced around the table and noticed that the other boys were starting to pay attention.
"She already asked me out and I said no" Averman replied.
I was shocked. He turned her down? Why?
"Why? She seems heaps nice" I said pleading Amber's case. Truth was I'd only ever been in one of her classes and yes, she did seem nice.
"I don't want to go out with her" he replied and I hesitated with a response. He looked close to pissed off now.
"Yeah Ave why not?" Charlie had just saved me.
"Because I now have enough frequent flyer miles to join the monks in Tibet" he replied.
I couldn't believe this was supposed to be his excuse! Did he have any idea how moronic he just sounded?
So I glared at him.
And no one said anything for a full ten seconds.
"Well its been fun kiddies but I must go and pack" he practically ran from the cafeteria.
"What a weirdo" Russ mumbled turning back to his breakfast.
"Yeah" the rest of them agreed.
Something strange was going on here and no, it wasn't because Portman hadn't shown his face at breakfast yet.
PORTMAN'S POV
"Fulton what the fuck?" I groaned at being woken up by my roommate hitting me over the head with a pillow.
"Time to get up, you broke the alarm clock again" he said pointing to something.
I rolled over and took a look.
Oops, he was right, I must have smashed it in my sleep or something.
"Sorry dude" I replied.
"I believe we're tied 2 all" Fulton grinned.
If it wasn't me breaking an alarm clock then it was Fulton. We were very similar that sometimes it was scary.
"Oh before I forget, Britney was asking about you all day yesterday. Will you just bone her and be done with it. She'd driving me nuts" Fulton made a face.
"Like you don't have your fair share of annoying cheerleaders" I retorted.
"So true" Fulton grinned "Hurry up man, I wanna get breakfast" he added.
"I'm coming" Jeez Fulton was such a bitch in the mornings.
After throwing on anything that didn't smell a little rotten and putting on some deodorant. I might be a hockey player and a guy but I still had some sense of grooming.
I grabbed my backpack and my bandana and left the room with Fulton in tow.
As usual there was the chorus of the "Hi Portman" and "Hi Fulton" from various girls in the hallways.
Fulton always says he wishes he'd though of the stripping stunt first. What can I say? I'm a spur of the moment kind of guy.
"Hey Aves!" Fulton had spotted our team mate.
"Dude!" I added giving him a thump on the arm. To my surprise he didn't wince like he usually did. Maybe he is toughening up.
"Bashes, have you seen our fair, well she's not really fair cos she's brunette, well actually its more of a chocolate color, you know the colour you get when you have a mocha cake, not that dark dark brown but that kinda dark light brown" he started rambling.
What the fuck is he on about?
"DUDE!" I stopped him giving him the have no idea what the fuck you're on about face.
"Man what the hell are you on about?" Fulton added just in case Averman didn't get the memo.
Whoah! I'd just spotted one of the hottest chicks ever! Slim tanned legs shown off by a short denim mini. I'm forever in debt to the person who invested the denim mini! My eyes travelling upwards to a decent looking rack.
"Connie. Have you seen her?" Averman asked.
"Nope" I replied waving him away still looking at the body coming towards me down the hall.
"That's her!" Averman pointed to the hottie.
"Ew! Gross was I just checking out Moreau?" I suddenly felt sick. Connie was, well she was Connie! That was just so wrong.
"Yep. Ha ha dude you were just checking out Moreau" Fulton wasn't wasting the opportunity to give me hell.
Averman didn't say a word. Smart boy.
"Oh somebody kill me now, quick lets go before she finds out and starts beating up on me" I dragged the still laughing Fulton towards the cafeteria. I knew for a fact that our sweet little Connie Moreau would not hesitate in ripping my arms off and beating me with them. I also had no doubt that she could do it too.
"Wicked! Its pancakes day" Fulton exclaimed immediately lining up to get his share of the food.
"Dude can you get me some too?" I asked not really in the mood to stand in line.
"Sure" Fulton replied and I looked towards the Duck's usual table.
Cool there was a free seat next to Julie.
"Hey Jules" I slid into the seat as smoothly as I could.
She turned and gave me a big smile "Hey Portman" she replied.
The thing about Julie is that she's well, a girl. The kind of girl you could check out without fearing for your life. Jules had changed a little since the Goodwill Games and it was for the better. Gone were the frumpy farm girl clothes she used to wear and we all embraced the new tight jeans with the tank tops that showed how hot her body is.
There was also the confusion this brought with it. If the opportunity arose I wouldn't hesitate to make out with her but as for the whole boyfriend/girlfriend thing? I'm just not sure I'm ready for that with anyone.
What am I stressing for anyway? This is Julie. I'm not even in her league anyway.
"Portman you should have seen Averman this morning. He was weirder than usual" Charlie turned to me.
"I know, Fulton and I saw him in the hallway and he was ranting something about Connie but have no idea what it was" I stopped mid-sentence when I became very aware that Julie's leg was rubbing up against mine.
I stole a glance at her but she didn't seem to notice anything out of the ordinary.
Proves my theory. I'm way out of her league.
I know this had a bit of the same dialogue from Why Did I Say That? But I made up for it by making the chapters slightly longer. For those confused, this story runs parallel to both "Why Did I Say That?" and "They're What?". It is only written in either Julie's POV or Portman's POV.