Chapter 3: Confidence is a Plus

Notes: Right, I know Taz's attitude is a little whiny, that's ok, that's the point at the moment. Also, I'm going to try and incorporate some more ducks into it. I meant to, but got sidetracked.

"Dude, where have you been, we haven't seen you at lunch for the past couple of days," Portman complained, catching up with his friend as they left the school.

"Sorry," Fulton replied. "Met this girl, I was gonna bring her over, but she's shy."

"Oh yeah? Was it one of the cheerleaders?" he asked with interest.

Fulton grinned. "Hardly. She's got a personality."

"Yeah, well she'd better be something special, you missed a great lunch yesterday."

"What happened?"

"Connie and Guy broke up, and Linda flounced up to Charlie hurled some abuse and then stomped off. Oh, and Julie broke up with Scott." Portman added the last one as if it didn't matter when, in fact, Fulton knew it was the entire point of the exchange.

"Portman, that's great! This is the opportunity you've been waiting for."

Dean shrugged. "Yeah well…"

"You know she likes you."

"Goldberg saw her talking to Banks yesterday."

Fulton rolled his eyes. "So what? We're a team, of course she's gonna talk to him. Just ask her out."

Portman brightened a little. "Hey, why don't you and I casually ask her if she wants to go into town and then if it goes well you can subtly leave."

"Can't. Sorry, man. I've got something to do after school."

"You meeting your girl?" He asked.

"No. And she's not my girl yet." He replied, smiling at the thought of being Taz's boyfriend. "Just go and ask Julie out, three's a crowd anyway."

"If she says no I will blame you," Dean promised.

"Fine." Fulton smiled, catching a glimpse of purple hair in the crowd. He caught Taz's eye and waved.

"That her?" Portman asked.

"Yeah, she's called Taz, and she's shy, so be nice," he cautioned.

"Be nice? I'm always nice."

"Well, put it this way, Connie and Julie might tolerate your unique charm, but Taz won't," he said, moving towards the purple haired girl.

"Hey," Taz smiled shyly at him and flashed a quick grin at Portman.

"Taz, this is Dean Portman, my team mate and Bash Brother. Dean, this is Taz."

"Hey Taz, great hair." Portman smiled, then looked at Fulton to ascertain he'd said the right thing. Fulton smiled and nodded.

"Thanks. Hi. What's a Bash Brother?" she asked quietly.

Portman opened his mouth, then quickly shut it again after seeing Fulton's warning look.

"On the ice hockey team, we're enforcers. It can get kinda rough out there." Fulton explained quickly.

"Why don't you come and see us play some time?" Portman offered. "See me and Fulton demolish an entire team."

She glanced at Fulton to make sure the offer was genuine. "Ok," she said hesitantly.

Fulton elbowed his friend in the ribs. "There goes Julie."

"Wish me luck."

"Good luck," Taz said quickly. "Not sure what for, but good luck anyway."

Fulton smiled at her, liking the new, more confident, Taz.

"Thanks."

"Go get her, man," Fulton added as Portman vanished across the campus.

Fulton turned to Taz. "Where were you at lunch, I was looking for you."

"Oh, my doctor's note appeared saying that I don't have to do any form of running, so I spent the entire lunch hour in the office trying to work out what classes I could take while that was happening. Apparently I can't just use it as a study period."

"Oh right. There was something I need to ask you, but you have to promise not to get upset," he said. "So do you promise?"

She frowned slightly. "I guess."

"Ok, I was just wondering how much difference there is in the length of your legs, and which one is shorter," he said hesitantly, ready to grab her arm at the slightest hint of her taking off.

She glanced around her, as if checking who was listening. "Why?"

"Can you just trust me that it's nothing bad? I just want to know."

She sighed. "Why does it matter?"

"It doesn't. Really. I'm not asking because it matters. I can't really explain why, but just trust me."

She shrugged awkwardly. "If this is a big joke or something…"

"It's not."

"My right leg is an inch and three quarters shorter than my left."

"Thanks. I promise you won't regret telling me." He touched her arm. "You wanna go get something to eat?"

She smiled. "I can't. I have to get home. My dad freaks if I'm not back on time."

"Ok, well, I'll see you tomorrow."

"Ok." She smiled, and turned as if to go, then stopped. "Thanks for being nice to me."

Fulton laughed. "Believe me, it's not a chore."

He got a final smile before she disappeared into the crowd.

He checked his watch. He had plenty of time to get to Jan's before curfew.

Julie sat opposite Portman in a booth at McD's. She had been a little shocked at his invitation, but pleased nonetheless. However, it wasn't going to plan.

She couldn't seem to think of anything to say that wasn't hockey related. Which wasn't a bad thing—provided she wanted Portman to think she was so one-dimensional that her life was hockey, and she sat at home, knitting as she waited for practice.

"So…" She wracked her brains for something intelligent to say. "Who'd have thought Connie and Guy would break up. I thought they were lifers."

"Yeah." He agreed. "They seemed good together."

"I mean, Guy was always so nice to her. Do you remember when he had a dozen red roses delivered to her in class for her birthday. I'd love a guy to do something like that for me." Way to go, Jules. Sound desperate. She couldn't help but picture Dean doing something equally romantic for her.

"You like that sappy stuff?" he asked.

"From the right person," she said. "Yeah. I am a girl, you know. Girls like stuff like that." Maybe it was time to shut up.

"From the right person," he repeated thoughtfully.

Hrmm. Maybe it wasn't quitting time just yet.

"Hey Taz, what are you doing?" Peter McDonald asked, not quite believing his eyes.

She tore her eyes from the TV screen long enough to smile at him. "Watching ice hockey, Dad," she replied.

He watched his daughter a few minutes longer before moving towards the kitchen, muttering, "It looks like Taz, it sounds like Taz, but that can't be Taz."

Taz was thoroughly engrossed in the game. She had managed to convince the school librarian to lend her the tapes from the Junior Goodwill Games. It had taken nearly her entire lunch hour and all of her powers of persuasion to get her the rigid librarian to bend the rules.

She now understood what Fulton had meant by Bash Brother. Every time he and Dean appeared on the screen she watched a little more closely. She didn't understand the rules, but she was loving every minute of it.

"Thanks, Jan. You're sure they'll be ready for Saturday?" Fulton asked. His wallet was seriously dented—despite Jan's very generous discount—but he was sure it would be worth it.

"I am sure," Jan replied. "I will call you when they are ready."

"Thanks. I really appreciate this," he called over his shoulder as he left.

On his way back to the dorms he bumped into Portman.

"Hey man," he said cheerfully. "How did it go?"

"How did it go?" He repeated sarcastically. "Put it this way, it would have gone a lot better if I was Guy."

"Huh?"

"She spent the entire time talking about Guy and all the romantic stuff he did for Connie."

"Maybe she was hinting," Fulton suggested.

"No. You didn't see the sappy look in her eyes while she was talking about him."

"Don't give up just yet." Fulton said encouragingly, but knew it was moot. Portman had worked himself into a mood about it and was unlikely to snap out of it. Not tonight at least.