I'm baaaaaaacccccckkkkkk! Yes, after an insufferably long hiatus (aka Real Life Sucks) I've finally written a new chapter! Sorry it's taken me so long guys, but hopefully it won't happen again. Thanks for all the great reviews so far!

Sorry, it's a short chapter. Gotta get back in the groove.

Other Things to Life

Connie was waiting outside Adam and Charlie's dorm room when they left for dinner that night. Adam knew Julie had told her what had happened between them at the track earlier that day. Her face was a mixture of pity and annoyance. Obviously she was blaming him for what was happening. Although he still wasn't quite sure what was happening.

"What's up Con?" Charlie asked as she approached the pair. He could sense Adam's uneasiness.

"Hey Charlie, Adam," she greeted. She was a little angry with Banks for putting so much pressure on Julie, but she also felt bad for him. After all, he couldn't help how he felt. "I need to talk to you Charlie. Alone, sorry Adam."

Adam swallowed nervously before saying, "sure thing. See you guys at dinner."

Connie waited till she was sure Adam was out of earshot before getting straight to the point. "We so need to do something about those two."

"Uh. Who?"

She rolled her eyes. "Don't play dumb Charlie. Adam and Julie! I don't know about you, but this whole ill fated romantic triangle thing is going to drive me crazy! I just spent the last couple hours with a crying roommate! Not the way I want to spend any evening! And I don't care what you say, but we are going to fix this somehow!"

Charlie threw his hands up in front of himself in defense. "Whoa there Nelly! Calm down. Just what are we supposed to do? You do remember the little detail about this being none of our business."

"Oh, like that's ever stopped you before," Connie snorted.

"Hey, I at least have to make it seem like I'm not being nosy. That way if anyone catches us I can say it was all your idea and I protested it at first."

"Whatever, asshole. Let's make a plan."

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When Connie and Charlie finally arrived for dinner Adam felt like a prisoner on death row. He just knew Connie was telling Charlie in chilling detail how she was going to kill him for making a move on Julie while she was dating someone else.

Adam felt a chill run down his spine when they both smiled at him all innocent and bright. It just confirmed they were planning to do something to him and he wasn't going to like it.

"What's up with Cons and Charlie?" Guy asked placing his dinner tray down next to Adam's and taking a seat.

Banks noticed a small note of jealousy in Guy's voice. "I'm not sure. And I'm not sure I want to know."

Guy glanced around at the other Ducks seated at the table and leaned toward Adam conspiratorially. "Julie problems again?"

Adam started to retort, then snapped his mouth shut as Charlie and Connie arrived with their meals. "Hey guys!" Charlie greeted cheerfully.

This caused Adam to groan. He knew he was dead now.

"Hey," Guy said. He looked suspicious.

Charlie and Connie glanced at him and gave him matched smiles.

Guy suppressed a shudder. This was too freaky for his comfort and from the look on Adam's face he was equally alarmed.

"Hey," Dwayne said looking up from his meal. "Where's Julie?" He had noticed she was the only Duck not at dinner.

Adam hurriedly glanced down at his meal and Connie looked at him clearly frustrated. Charlie just shrugged and dug into his food. Dwayne and Guy exchanged curious glances before returning to their dinner.

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Julie was sleeping fitfully on top of her covers when Connie got back from dinner. She sighed and sat on the edge of the bed. "Jules," she said softly as she tapped her shoulder. "You need to get up."

"Wha?" Julie mumbled in her sleep. "I'm tired mom."

"I am not your mom. Now get up."

Julie opened her eyes and blinked at Connie sleepily. "What do you want? I'm tired."

"Yeah, so you said. It's not even eight o'clock yet and you haven't eaten. I thought you might be starving." Connie held up a bag of chips from the vending machine and smiled. "I know it's not the healthiest thing, but it beats going to bed hungry."

Julie managed a smile. "Now that you mention it…"trailing off she snatched the bag from Connie and opened it.

"After you eat do you want to go watch TV? I think that movie you like so much is on tonight. You know, the one with Rob Lowe in it?"

"Ooohh, St. Elmo's Fire?"

"Yeah, that's the one."

"Sure."

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Charlie pushed Adam into the common area. "Come on! You've finished your homework so now you can kick back and relax. Watch the boob tube."

Adam rolled his eyes. " 'Boob tube?' You sound like my grandpa."

"Don't get smart mouthed with me young man," Charlie imitated his own grandfather. "You whippersnappers now days…"

"Give it up Charlie," Guy said trailing in behind them with Kenny and Dwayne in tow. "We're gonna miss the movie if you two grannies don't stop arguing."

Charlie threw his hands up in the air in mock annoyance. "I get no respect."

They claimed the couch and floor in front of the television and picked up the remote.

"St. Elmo's Fire?" Adam questioned when the opening came up on the screen. "Isn't this a 'chick-flick?'" He made quotation marks in the air on the last words and looked at Charlie in disbelief.

Charlie shrugged. "Unfortunately I let Connie pick what we'd watch tonight."

"Uh, big mistake," Guy insisted sarcastically.

Charlie knitted his brows at Guy's tone of voice. But before he could say anything Connie and Julie came in.

Connie went straight to the opening on the floor in front of Guy, oblivious of the mild tension between he and Charlie. She leaned back against each of his legs and settled in for the movie.

Julie hung back; unsure when she saw the only opening next to Connie was in front of Adam. She sucked in a deep breath and sat down. It was going to be a long movie.

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Halfway through the movie Julie found herself leaning at an angle against Adam's leg and one arm draped across a knee. It was a fact that Adam found himself fully aware of.

The hand resting on his knee was warm through his jeans. And the warmth radiated through his body. A part of him wanted her to remove her hand, but a larger part wanted her to slide her hand a little higher.

He felt his face redden at that thought and he shifted uncomfortably.

Julie felt his movement and glanced up at him in question, then looked at where her hand was and blushed. When she began to move it he gently grasped it and gave her a friendly smile. He patted her hand and looked back at the TV.

She felt herself smile and thought they might be okay after all.