Chapter 29: Icicles
By Star
Portman's POVWe enter the locker room to get ready for our game against the Blake Bears. The team is kinda hyped for several reasons. The first is that the Bears were the first to humiliate the team when they started here – so Fulton tells me. The second is that we're finally working as a team again. The third is quite obviously that this is the biggest game of the season.
It's more relaxed around here without Connie and Luis hurling abuse, Averman and Goldberg have become positively docile without Adolf Hitler and Eva Braun dictating. They can even play on the same line as the queers now without attacking us. They don't like us, they just don't have the nerve (or the inclination since their talk with Orion) to go after us.
The Queertet is allowed to change wherever we like now. Except we still change in the corner like they wanted us to. Only now there are a few people surrounding us. Julie and Guy seem to be the most eager to associate with the Queertet.
"Fulton!" Orion strides in. You know, I'm beginning to agree with Fulton's theory about Orion being in the army.
Orion tosses him a jersey. "We've finally got a jersey with your surname on." He smiles. "It's only taken about three months, but here it is."
Fulton looks at Reed emblazoned across the back of his new jersey, his face pales and I know exactly what he's thinking.
He hands it back to our Coach and mumbles about sticking with the one he has.
I put a hand on his shoulder.
Orion looks baffled. "You've been after me for ages to put this right."
"I've changed my mind, alright?"
"Fulton?"
"Just forget it, ok?" He throws down the jersey and walks out.
Orion looks stunned, everybody does, actually. That includes Adam and Charlie.
I quickly follow him, throwing the words, "I'll be right back," over my shoulder.
I find him crouching in the corridor leaning against the wall.
"Not my best exit." He says without even looking up. "They think I'm crazy as well as gay now, right?"
"They're worried." I correct. "Especially Adam and Charlie, I don't get why you won't tell them. It's not like they wouldn't get it, they've figured most of it out for themselves with the bruises and all."
He meets my eyes, there are tears in his, unshed, but there nonetheless. He wipes them away. "Guess I'm not done crying over them yet."
"Fuck 'em." I say, and he looks slightly shocked. "They think you're not good enough to be their son? They're wrong. They're not good enough to be your parents."
"What would you know? Your parents love you." He snaps.
I'm taken aback. I've seen how hard this is on him, and I know that it must be worse knowing that my parents were delighted.
I kneel down so I'm the same level as him and take his hands. "I'm sorry." Is the only thing I can think to say. I take a deep breath and see what else I have.
"I can't help the way my parents reacted any more than you can. I'm sorry that your parents have taken this badly, and I'm really sorry that you're hurting."
He brings my hand to his mouth for a kiss. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to take it out on you."
"That's ok. It's what I'm here for." I reply easily. And it's true. Rather me, who knows what's going through his mind and why he's being the way he is, than someone else who doesn't.
Besides, the making up is fun.
I drag him to his feet. "Right! You're going to get in that locker room, put on your Fulton jersey, and then you and I are going to flatten every single Blake Bear on the ice, ok?"
He gives me a weak grin.
He can do better than that. "And you get bonus points for breaking something – or someone – with that slapshot of yours."
That gets me a proper smile.
He puts an arm around my waist. "Let's go. We've got a game to win."