Things with school and hockey may have been going great, but in the last day or two Julie's nausea had started to get worse. She'd actually been getting sick which she contributed it to a virus that she couldn't shake. Then there was still the slight fatigue, but that too she explained away as just being exhausted from practice. So, far she was able to attribute any symptoms she had to something else. Today though things were going to take a slightly different turn.
Once again she was the last one in the locker room before practice. She was sitting on the bench leaned over with her head between her knees. She closed her eyes and breathed deeply, but that didn't help. "Not again!" She clasped her hand over her mouth and ran into a bathroom stall. She sat on the floor a few minutes leaning against the door. "There can't possibly be anything left to come up." She was truly thankful however, that she was alone in there. Once she felt well enough to move again she got herself up out of the floor. She walked out of the stall and over to the sink where she rinsed her mouth out. "Gaffney!! On the ice NOW!!" Orion's impatient voice echoed down the hall from the ice to the locker room. "I'm coming. I'm coming." She muttered splashing some cold water on her face. Julie took a deep breath and made her way to practice.
She sluggishly skated onto the ice and to her goalie post. She still wasn't feeling well, but she couldn't admit to it. She needed to practice, so she just sucked it up. "Come on show me what you got?" She lowered her helmet shield and took her position.
In a few minutes she was really wasn't feeling too well. She shook her head trying to clear it. She watched the puck as it was sliding across the ice and then there were two of them. She closed her eyes and reopened them slowly. Then within five minutes Julie didn't know what had happened. The last thing she remembered was seeing two pucks headed her way and feeling like she was going to hurl.
She opened her eyes slowly to see that she was in Orion's office. Orion was sitting behind his desk a very unpleasant look on his face. " What happened?" Orion leaned forward folding his hands on the top of his desk. "You fainted." Julie sat up still feeling a little woozy. "I what?" Orion looked down at his desk then back at Julie. "Julie, you've not been you're self lately. I don't know what's going on, but I won't you to see a doctor. I can't take a chance on you fainting again. What if it were to happen in a game?" Julie frowned and sighed. "I just have a virus. I'll be fine." Orion shook his head. "No, you will go to the doctor. Either on your own, or I'll take you." Julie sighed and nodded. "Okay fine. I'll go." Orion nodded with approval. "Good, You may leave now. One more thing. I don't want you practicing until you know something from the doctor." Julie stood up all too quickly and had to hold on the couch she'd just been laying on. "What? Coach come on. It's nothing serious. I'm perfectly capable of practicing. I need to practice. I can't let the team down." Orion gave Julie a stern look. "Gaffney! You've almost been late to practice because you were feeling sick, and today you fainted. That is something I take seriously, and you'd be letting the team down more if you allow something to happen to yourself." Julie grabbed her things which were in the floor next to the couch. "IT'S NOTHING!" she opened the door and slammed it behind her when she left. Orion sighed as she stormed out. "I hope you're right."
Julie left in a fowl mood. How could Orion do that to her? She slung her duffle bag over her shoulder and walked out. "Hey Jules! Wait up!" Portman yelled jogging over towards her. Julie dumped her bag on the ground and turned around. "Hey! What's up? " She smiled trying to appear to be in a better mood than she really was. Portman grinned and kissed her passionately. Indicating what he would like to be up to. Julie returned the kiss and whispered in his ear. "May be later." Portman raised an eyebrow. "Really? Well I look forward to later then."
"Hey. We're going out to eat and then we're going to play some street hockey. Want to join in?" Julie felt her stomach rumble for the first time in a couple of days. "Yeah…that sounds great. I'm starving."
Portman grabbed her bag and slung it over his shoulder then he wrapped his other arm around her shoulders.
Julie and Portman took his truck and the others took Fulton's car. For the most part the ride was in silence. Portman eventually ended up being the one to break the silence. "What happened at practice today Jules?" Julie scooted closer to Portman and propped her feet on the dash board. "I can't seem to fight that bug. I just fainted. No big deal. But Orion seems to think it is. He's making me see a doctor, and I can't practice until I do." Portman looked at her with concern on his face. "Is that really all there is to it?" Julie kissed his cheek and smiled reassuringly. "Yes…" Portman smiled back. "Good. So, he won't even let you practice? That sucks."
They stopped to eat before starting their game. Nothing got you ready for a good game of street hockey than stuffing yourself with greasy pizza. They went to this little pizza place about ten minutes from the campus of Eden Hall. It looked like some little hole in the wall. If you weren't' looking for it you could easily miss it. The food wasn't that great either, but they got discounts because Goldberg worked there. "The foods really good today." Julie said stuffing her third piece into her mouth. "Hey Jules you might want to slow down there, or you won't be able to block any shoots." Portman smiled sweetly and took her plate from her. "Hey!" She frowned and tried to take her plate back from Portman. He held it out of her reach and when she gave up he sat on the table behind them out of her reach. Just to make sure she didn't try to get it. She folded her arms and sulked. "Okay, I guess your right." Portman nodded. "I'm always right."
Their hockey game was crazy. It had been going on for way longer than it really needed too, but the guys were trying to show each other up. Portman was getting highly frustrated. First off he'd been checked more than times than his ego could handle. And on top of that he hadn't got one shot past Julie. Portman skated by Julie and looked her over like a bird of prey about to descend on it's unsuspecting victim. "Come on Jules! Can't I have one score? I am your boyfriend after all." He stopped in front of her and gave her push. Julie stumbled back, but managed to keep her balance. She skated back towards Portman and pushed him back and folded her arms. "If I let you score now, you won't score later." Portman frowned giving Julie the puppy dog face. "Jules….." he whined. Julie kept her composure and stared Portman down. "It's your call. Score now, or score later. Which would you rather do?" Portman sighed in defeat. "I'll you back for this…" he smirked and skated off. When the game finally did end they all looked raged. It looked like they'd just come out of some battle. They were harder on themselves in fun sometimes than in actually games.
As they were heading out Julie walked next to Portman. She put her arm around his waist and smiled. "Are you still upset?" Portman looked at her and nodded. "Yeah…" Julie had to try hard to keep from laughing. "Awe…Poor baby. I'll have to make it up to you somehow." She leaned up kissing his cheek. "Yeah…I think you will." He smirked picking Julie up and throwing her over his shoulder as they walked back to his truck. "Portman! Put me down!" Julie laughed. "I don't think so. Not yet."
They reached Portman's truck and he sat Julie back down, and tossed his and Julie's gear into the bed of his truck. He turned around taking Julie in his arms. He kissed her lips and down her neck and across her throat. She wrapped her arms around his neck returning the kiss. "My place or yours?" he asked in voice already getting husky. "Oh who needs a room….?" He turned Julie around pinning her between his truck and his self. He spread more kissed down her neck while she ran her hands over his back. He pulled back and nodded towards the truck. "Get in." They didn't make it back to the dorms by curfew that night. They'd driven down to their favorite make-out spot.
Julie curled up in his arms. Feeling safe and content. It never ceased to amaze her how he made her feel whenever they made love. The world was perfect, it was just the two of them, and nothing could come between them. Portman brushed some hair from Julie forehead and kissed her softly. "I love you Julie." Julie closed her eyes sighing contently. "I love you too."