Disclaimer: I own nothing- except my OCs; they're kinda more than a name and a line or two in this chapt.
(A/N: So I was editing what was gonna be the next chapter but spur of the moment wrote this to put in here. I think I like it in this. It gives more of a feel for Liz who obviously is affecting Portman's story line and hopefully give a better background for future events! If you guys like it, then it will totally be worth the chaos it had on my notebook! lol Anyway hope you enjoy, let me know! -TT)
Format: Present, Past
I'm leavin' it all up to you
You decide what you're gonna do
Now do you want my love?
Or are we through?
"Leavin' it up to you" - Dale and Grace
Junior year started up soon enough and they easily jumped back into their regular routines, breaking only briefly for the holidays then they were right back to work and work outs, parties and studies, practices and games.
Julie wrapped her maroon and black striped scarf around her neck and headed out of her dorm. She ignored the strange looks she got as she lugged her oversized sign with her while she crossed campus to the other housings. Up two flights of stairs, she reached room 311 and knocked. The door quickly opened and both girls looked each other up and down before bursting into laughter.
"Dean told me you went all out for their games."
"What can I say," she shrugged, "they're my boys," she smiled. "You look great, Liz."
"Thanks," she instinctively ran her fingers through her maroon streaked hair. "The face paint was pretty tricky though. I finally got the lettering straight I think." She turned her face to show off her handy-work. Julie laughed sympathetically at the art. "What? Is it still crooked?" she groaned.
"No, it's perfectly straight." She pointed so Liz could see her face in the mirror.
She scrutinized her work. "Go Mar- oh,"
"Yeah," she chuckled, "When you're looking in a mirror,"
Liz dropped her head in disappointment. "You have to write it backwards," she finished for her.
"Sorry, Hon."
She grabbed her washcloth and started to wipe away the lettering. "Um, could you," she held up the paint.
"Sure," Julie laid her sign on the nearest bed.
"Aw," Liz pouted as she scrubbed, "I should've made a sign."
Julie laughed. "Don't worry you'll remember next time." She started to re-write 'Go Maroons' on her cheek.
"Wow I get an invite back already?"
"Are you kidding? I didn't even have to ask you to look stupid with me. Tammy only wanted to look cute for her boyfriend."
"Well, I'm glad you asked me to come along." Julie smiled in response, continuing her artwork. "To tell you the truth, I thought you didn't like me."
"What?" she laughed. "Why?" she replaced the lid to the face paint.
"From what I've heard," she shrugged lightly, "you guys used to hang out all the time before I came on the scene. And now,"
Julie laughed, "I'd hate you if you had ruined our friendship- but you didn't and I don't," she assured. "We all still hang out a lot. I mean, Tammy and Fult have been going out," she thought, "what has to be, at least, three years now and we still see him all the time," she nodded, "and Tammy comes too when she can. We don't lose our face time just because one of us might be seeing someone. The more the merrier. We bring them along," they laughed.
"Yeah, you guys are pretty cool about that, but," she smiled, "I was meaning more specifically, you and Dean." Julie looked at her. "Fulton mentioned once about your friendship and of course Dean used to talk about you all the time- used to drive me nuts," she laughed, "but I get it. You guys were really close. I just figured that when it was awkward around you and I all that time, it was because of that. I'm glad to know I was wrong."
Liz was looking for some reassurance in her boyfriend's best friend but Julie was still hung up half-way through what she was saying.
Used to? Were? Julie frowned in concern. "I'm sorry but did he say we weren't that close anymore?" She knew they weren't going to be anything more than what they were now, but she never thought she might be losing ground with Dean. Was she?
"Oh- no," she shook her head, "I didn't mean-" Liz sighed. "Wow I'm really sucking at this explanation thing," she tried a joke. "I'm just trying to say that, up until your invite, I thought you felt I was, like, trying to take your place in Dean's life or something- which I'm not."
"My place?" Liz nodded and Julie chuckled. Julie may not have Dean's love, but she knew she'd always have her role as his best friend. "You couldn't take my place," she assured lightheartedly. Liz frowned and Julie stopped and her eyes grew wide, realizing how that must've sounded. "No," she shook her head, "That's not- I- I just meant- you and me, we have different roles in his life, that's- that's what I meant. So, you couldn't have taken mine; I'm the friend and, I mean, you're the girlfriend," she explained uncomfortably. "You can't be the friend," she swallowed, "just like I can't be the girlfriend." She smiled hesitantly, not knowing if she'd made matters better or worse.
"Right," Liz nodded uncertainly.
They sat in awkwardness before Julie broke it up. "So, um, how about we get there a little early, you know, scout for the good seats, watch the guys warm-up?" she asked eager to get out of the tiny suffocating dorm room.
"Sure," Liz smiled, helping to slowly diffuse the tension, "Let's go."
They walked out of her dorm and Liz locked it after them. "So, my car or yours?" Julie asked as they left.
"We'll take mine." She dangled a set of keys to an expensive foreign car.
"Those look new," she commented.
"Birthday present," she smiled. "My dad's the best. He sent it over last week."
"Sent it over?" she laughed.
"Well, yeah," she shrugged. "He ordered it from Europe but had it sent to California. I persuaded him to send it here so I could drive it early."
"What's early?"
"Spring. My birthday's not 'til April but I needed a new car."
"Aw what happened to your Edge? That was a nice car."
"Yeah," she agreed but scrunched her nose up. "It was getting old." They reached the parking lot and saw the two-seat convertible. "Ta-da!"
"Wow suddenly my little Camry looks so sad," she only half joked at the sight of her car. Truth is she was getting major flashbacks of being back at Eden Hall, watching everyone else pull get in new expensive cars while she was still driving the same beat up Camry. At times, it made her jealous that her parents had her on an allowance and couldn't splurge on fancy thing like some of the other kids at school, but she would always get over it quickly. She was one of the few Ducks that even had a car so as long as it kept running, she was good.
Liz laughed. "Man, I can just imagine driving this back home through San Francisco," she gushed. "Top down, wind through my hair, all the hot guys checking me out." Julie listened quietly. Clearly they were from two different worlds. "Julie, you must come to California some time. You've never lived until you've been there."
"Oh, I, uh, I've actually been there before- well not San Francisco, but I've been to L.A. Is that close? I don't know California that well," she smiled timidly and shrugged, "East Coast chick and all."
Liz laughed, "Not at all. Me and some of my girl friends back home drove to Beverly Hills once," she smiled at her memory. "It took forever, but it was so much maxed out our credit cards on Rodeo Drive, got grounded for like a week but earned me 'best dressed' that year at Ellington."
"Wow," Julie swallowed inadequately.
"I know," she beamed. "So did you hit the stores there? Wait, do you like to shop? I know you like hockey and stuff like that but…"
Julie laughed guardedly. What was she implying? "Yeah I looked around a couple stores there with Connie and some friends. It was more like window shopping than school shopping," she joked. "But we were really there for the Goodwill Games."
"Oh," she thought for a moment, "the hockey thing," she confirmed. "Right. Yeah I think I remember Dean telling me about that once."
Once? Julie smiled politely at her. Yeah, still reveling in your accomplishments when you were a 12-year-old doesn't exactly scream impressive, but a tournament like that, at that age, leaves an impression on a person. You take that one tournament out of their lives and Julie's not there in Chicago, headed to Dean and Fulton's hockey game with Liz. The three of them would not be going to the University of Chicago. She, Fulton, and Dean would never have been friends. There would be no Bash Brothers and no Cat-Lady. She guaranteed he'd mentioned more than once.
"Anyway," reeling back their digression, "yeah this is a nice car- smooth ride too."
"Dean loves driving it."
"I bet," she laughed gazing out the window. "Girls, hockey and cars- his three loves." They looked at each other. "Well, you, hockey, and cars," she amended and silently scolded herself to think before she spoke. Yeah, she wasn't making this a longer ride for them at all.
The two girls managed to make it to Chicago State University without anymore awkwardness. They got in and found seats, watching their team warm up. They both let out a little whoop and holler as Fulton skated by. He looked up and smiled seeing them decked out in their school colors amidst the green visitor bleachers. He flagged down Portman and he too saw them. He waved and shook his head laughing at the duo dancing to their warm-up music.
"Dude, who are the babes?" a teammate asked as he joined the end of the drill line.
Dean frowned at his reference. "My girlfriend and best friend," he answered.
"Tell me she's your single best friend and I've found myself a new wing-man," he threw an arm over his shoulder.
Dean pushed it off of him. "I don't think she's interested."
He ignored him and craned his neck to see the two girls better. "Which one is she?"
"Man, get you eyes back on the ice," he instructed.
"Portman, Harrison," their coach bellowed, "You guys done socializing? I thought maybe we could play some hockey."
"Yes Coach!" they both answered.
Dean looked back at his girls to see if they saw. Liz was looking around the rink, still clapping distractedly with the music, but Julie was smiling down at him. She waggled her finger to shame him playfully and he chuckled, shaking his head and returned to the drill they were running.
Shortly following, the Cougars took the ice and soon after that, the game started. By the end of the second period, the Maroons were up 2-1. Fulton nearly scored a goal with his slap shot. Had it not ricocheted off the goalpost, he'd have made it. Not much had changed from his Duck days. People pretty much still cowered and hid when he wound up to shoot. He was hardly an offensive threat but that attempt at least earned him extra coverage going into the final period.
Fulton took down the opposing forward and the crowd rose to their feet watching the Maroons' leading scorer take the puck and zoom down the ice. Soon enough it was 3-1. At the next face-off, Fulton was on the bench and Dean was back on the ice. Liz let out a squeal as they continued to watch. She tugged on Julie's sleeve to get her attention. "Why doesn't Dean ever go for the puck?"
"Because he's an enforcer."
"Oh," she nodded, "But Fulton tried to score," she argued. "He's an enforcer, right?"
Julie laughed. "Fulton's got a slap shot. Dean doesn't."
"Oh," still not grasping it completely.
Julie further elaborated. "It's better to let the forwards do the puck-handling and let them do what they do best."
"…Which is?"
"They weren't called the Bash Brothers growing up for nothing," she smiled.
Soon the aforementioned duo was sent on the ice to wreak havoc on their opponent's offense. After a minute or so however, Dean got called for a penalty.
"Julie," she tugged her sleeve more earnestly as Julie was shouting, "Julie, what's going on? Why are they taking Dean off the ice?"
She sighed, frustrated at the referee. "It's just a penalty," she explained distractedly, "They called him for elbowing. Which is a bog- That's a bogus call, ref! How about you try some glasses, huh?!" Julie yelled. "Blind bat," she muttered as the crowds' outrage died down. Julie looked over at Liz, still donning a surprised expression. She shrugged and smiled meekly. "I love hockey."
"Clearly," Liz laughed.
The game ended 3-1 earning the Maroons their third straight victory- a good momentum coming out of their holiday break. Dean skated over to where Julie and Liz were waiting to say hi before heading to the locker room. "Hey ladies," he smiled.
"Hey Dean," they both chimed.
"Great game," Julie congratulated.
"Yeah?"
She nodded, "Goalie could've used some more work though," she teased. "I wouldn't have let that goal go in."
"Well not everyone is as good as you Ms. Gaffney, though we try," they laughed. "What'd you think Liz?"
"Well Julie helped me to follow what was going on this time so I actually know you had a great game too."
He laughed and kissed her, "Good."
"Ah, so that must make you the friend Portman was telling me about." They heard a voice behind Dean. Robert Harrison skated up and joined his teammate's side. Dean glared at Robert but he didn't notice- or care. His eyes were locked on Julie.
She looked from Dean to the stranger, amusedly. "You're the Chatty Cathy, Coach yelled at with Dean," she pegged.
He looked down and chuckled. "Yeah most people call me Robert though."
"I'm Julie," she smiled, extending her hand, "nice to meet you," she told him politely.
"We should get going," Portman started pulling his teammate away.
"Maybe I'll see you around?" Robert called after her.
She waved bye, smiling. Dean was back to chasing off her potential boyfriends again. Liz didn't know what she was talking about. She hadn't lost ground with him at all.
"Dude, do you think you could maybe talk to her for me?" Robert asked, now heading back to the locker room on his own doing.
"Let me think. No," he said pushing though the door leaving Robert behind.
He laughed and followed Portman through the door, "Well, how about her number then?"
"He was cute," Liz nudged Julie's arm.
"Yeah, I guess."
"You're smiling an awful lot for just an 'I guess'," she pursued.
Julie and Liz were friends, granted it was more by association than the fact that they really got along, but still, they were friends. However, even if she really had been smiling at Robert and not at the man dragging him away, Julie wouldn't have confided that in her- that was Tammy's job. She shrugged and tried to end the conversation. "Like I need another boy complicating my life right now," she joked but Liz looked confused. "I'm kinda going through a patch of bad relationships." She nodded, but this was another conversation she didn't really want to delve into. "You know what, let's go wait by the exit."
Julie hitched a ride home with Fulton so Dean could ride back with Liz and hang out. The couple hit their usual spot, an old diner near campus, for a bite to eat before saying goodnight.
"Rob asked for Julie's number," Dean told Liz as he dunked a French fry in his ketchup.
"Did you give it to him?"
"Are you kidding me?"
"No." He looked at her "What?"
"A teammate dating Julie?"
"That would be a bad idea?"
"That would be a horrible idea."
"Why?"
"He comes in the locker room every week talking about a new girl. I don't need to hear him talking about her like that. He's not a commitment kinda guy and that's not for Julie."
She frowned. "How do you know? Have you ever asked her? Maybe she interested in casual," she suggested.
Dean frowned at the thought of her casually being out there, casually having sex with other guys and casually dating around. "No," he shook his head, "she's not."
"We were talking after you two left," she contended. "She said she didn't want another guy complicating her life. 'Casual' just might be the ticket she needs. Plus, she seemed to like him."
"She was just being nice. Julie does that," he rolled his eyes. "She'll never blow off anyone. It doesn't mean she likes him."
"You don't smile as much as she was if you're just being nice."
"She was smiling at him?" he sounded slightly deflated.
"Who else would she be smiling at? I think you should talk to her about him-"
"Liz-"
"And let her make her own decisions about him- unless, of course, you have a different reason for not wanting her to date," she raised her eyebrows challengingly, "something I should know about."
"No," he defended but she kept her look. "There's no other reason. I just," he sighed seeing the determination in her face, "fine. I'll talk to her."
She smiled and hugged his neck. "Good. I think this could be really good."
"Yeah, sure," he muttered quietly.
Julie met Dean for lunch the next day after their morning classes at their campus' Subway restaurant. They'd long since finished eating but remained in their booth for the conversation. "Rob was asking about you yesterday," Dean commented to his friend.
Julie laughed. "Oh yeah?"
He nodded stiffly. "Mm hm. He asked me to talk him up to you."
She let her laughter express her opinion but when his amusement didn't match hers, she stopped. "…You're really gonna talk him up to me?" she asked softly in disbelief. Dean had never done that before. He'd never encouraged her to date anyone. She guessed nothing said 'move on' like a potential romance thrown in your face.
He shrugged, keeping his attention on the straw paper that he was fiddling with and off the lump in his stomach. "Liz seems to think you two might go well together."
"Liz does," she confirmed. That one event had already proven to be way more than she'd bargained for with Liz. Now it's the gift that keeps on giving. Dean nodded. "Well," she said softly, "what do you think?" she looked at him but he was avoiding her eyes.
"You can't possibly agree with Liz," Dean argued with his roommate. "You know Rob just as well as I do."
"Yeah," Fulton waited for more of his case against this.
"So, I won't let Julie be the next girl he talks about."
"Port, Robert's more than likely already talking about Julie." Dean's eyes grew wide in rage at that thought and Fulton chuckled at his expression. "Calm down man. Nobody believes even half the crap he says anyway."
"But Julie-"
"Julie should be given the opportunity to turn him down if she chooses," he finished Portman's sentence, "or date him, or sleep with him, fall in love with him, whatever- it's her call, not ours."
"But-"
"Dude," he laughed in slight disbelief, "Make up your mind. You can't have your cake and eat it too. If you're sticking with Liz, then stick with her but let Julie go. Let her decide who to date on her own."
Fulton's words kept ringing in his ears from last night after getting back from the diner. "Um, well I think you should see him if you want to see him and don't if you don't." He met her eyes with the last part, mentally urging her to choose the latter but keeping his face neutral. "Your love life- your decision." She frowned. Ok, hooking her up with someone was one thing, but to not care who she dates? That's not what they did. There was no 'your love life' and 'my love life' with them. No lines and no boundaries. Every relationship was subject to scrutiny within their little forum. If she had an opinion she'd find a way to tell him, and you could bet if Dean didn't approve of a guy, he'd let her know about it. Then Fulton would set everybody straight. But Liz was right. Something must've happened; they were no longer that close.
"Oh," she said softly, "ok, sure," she nodded slightly. "Why not?" she smiled weakly.
Why not? He frowned. What kind of answer was that? This was exactly what he didn't want- her dating just anyone. That wasn't the Julie he knew. The Julie he knew couldn't pick the right guy if her life depended on it but at least she cared enough to try. Had her recent relationships been 'why not' candidates as well? He looked at her. At least she was frowning too. "Julie," she looked at him. "If you don't want to,"
Maybe this was exactly what she needed. Maybe she needed Dean to help her move on once and for all. "No," she shook her head plastering on a fake smile. "This is good."
"Are you sure?" he asked hoping she'd change her mind.
"Yeah, gotta get back on that horse, right?" she laughed hollowly as she started to gather her things from beside her. "I should get going."
"Ju-"
"I'll talk to you later, ok," she said scooting down the bench. "I've got class in 15 minutes and I want to review quickly before it starts," she lied just trying to get away from this conversation.
"But-"
"It's ok to give him my number."
"Really?" he asked more in discouragement.
"You vouch for him that's good enough for me," she shrugged and sped for the door.
"Wha- no Julie wait!" he tried to catch her but she wasn't going to wait. He sighed watching her through the window as she hurried to the next building. "I'm not vouching for him," he corrected to the empty booth across from him.
Fulton and Portman were in the locker room getting ready for practice later that day.
"So?" Fulton prodded.
"So?" Portman mimicked back.
"How did lunch go? Did you talk to her?"
"Yeah," he gruffed in response.
"And?"
"She says why not," he flung his arms as he told Fulton bitterly.
He shrugged, "Her decision man." He clapped him on the shoulder.
Dean grumbled pulling out a piece of paper and scribbled the number down. He stomped over to his teammate on the other side of the locker room. "Rob," the man turned around and Dean pushed the paper in his chest with a glare. "You call that number and you break her heart, you're a dead man, you hear me." Robert smiled at the phone number as Portman walked by his belongings to grab his stick and headed out to the ice. Someone was gonna be sorry they showed up for practice today.
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