Julie sat in her room not sure of what she had herself into this time.  Once again, she had allowed her father to manipulate her into doing exactly what she did not want to do.  On top of all that, she had no idea how Dean would react to all of this…

What a mess.

*******

Dean's POV

"Hey dude, what's goin' on?"

"Oh hey Fulton, nothin'…"

"Dude you are such a liar.   You look like someone dropped a ton of bricks on you or something."

Dean smirked without smiling.

*Sigh*  "Okay, here is the deal, but you cant tell anyone!"

"Ok, You got my word."

"…" Dean just stared into space.  "I asked Julie to marry me."

Fulton's first reaction would have been to yell "YOU DID WHAT???"  However, he resisted and just blinked.

"Okay, say that one more time for me.  For a sec it sounded like you said you asked Julie to marry you."

Dean smirked again without smiling.  "That's what I said."

"Wow."

"Yeah."

"You don't seem happy though."

"Well I'm not sure I am ready for it.  In fact, I know I'm not."

 "Then why did you ask?"

"Because I was desperate not to loose her, and I said it kinda without thinking.  Then she said yes, and I was more than stunned."

"SHE SAID YES?!" …  "Ahem, I mean, she said yes?"

This time Dean did smile.  "Yeah she said yes."

"So.  You mean you really don't want to get married yet?"

"No not really, I mean I am getting ready to go to College, and I don't think I can handle it right now.  I mean I got a scholarship and I am excited about it.  But I can't take care of her you know?"

"Yeah, I know what you mean."

"So tell her that you cant."

"I cant, she went home to defy her parents about the whole family college thing and I can't tell her now after all that she went home to do, that I cant marry her.  You know what I mean?"

"Yeah, I know what you mean.  Well.  I don't have any advice for you.  Sorry dude."

"Humph, don't sweat it.   I don't have any advice for myself."

…  "Well get some sleep, it will all work out, I'm sure."

"What if it doesn't 'work out?"

…

*********

Julie's POV

Ring…Ring…

"Hello?"

"Connie?"

"Yeah, Julie is that you?"

*Sniff* "Yeah its me."

"What's wrong?"

"I got myself in a huge mess, and I have no idea what to do."

"Jules calm down and start from the beginning."

"Okay…. *Sigh* Dean asked me to marry him."

"He WHAT?!"

"Hahah *sniff* yeah, that is what I said."

"Oh my goodness Julie.  What did you say?"

"I said yes."

"OH MY GOD JULIE!  Congratulations!  But wait, why are you crying hysterically?"

"Because, I had to come home and talk to my parents and whatever, and my dad forced me to make a deal with him to stay here and not marry Dean for another 3 years."

"Wow, what did Dean say?"

"I haven't told him yet."

"Ouch."

"Yeah, he is going to be so disappointed, and I can't bear to do that to him.  I don't know what I am going to do."

"Well what ever you do, make sure you are honest and up front, and make sure you tell him as soon as you can."

"Yeah, you are right."

"Hey Jules, can I be in your wedding?"

"Hahah! *Sniff* Yeah."

"So how did your dad trick you?"

I told her what happened and the whole conversation, the agreement from years ago that got me in this mess in the first place.  Argggg, I can't believe I got myself in this mess!

"…Wow, Jules.  I'm sorry."

"Yeah me too.  Oh well, I am gonna get going.  I think I am going to go for a swim and clear my head then call Dean."

"Good luck, call me and let me know how it went, K?"

"Okay, I will."

*******

Ring…Ring…Ring…

"Hello?"

"Hi."

"Julie?"

"Yeah."

"I was just calling you."

"Really."

… Silence filled the line for a few seconds.

"Listen, we can't get married."  They said in unison.

Silence again filled the line.

"Hello?"

"Yeah, I'm here."  Julie said.  "So what is your reason?"

"…*Sigh*  I want to be able to take care of you and be a good provider, I cant do that right now, I am really just too young."

Julie breathed a sigh of relief.  "I agree with you that you are too young, so am I."

This time Dean breathed a sigh of relief.  "So what is your reason."

"My dad."

"Humph.  What is it this time?"

"He wants me to wait till I turn 22."

"That's 3 years!"

"Yeah! I know.  But let's look at the positives, then I will tell you his ultimatum."

"Okay."

She proceeded to tell him all her father said. 

"…Wow."

"Yeah.  But you see why I had to accept his terms, one because I didn't want to become a burden to you, but he challenged our love." 

"Yeah."

"We can do it.  It will just be hard that is all.  If you can't do it, I will understand though."  Julie smiled a bit, she had learned a trick or two from her dear old dad.

"Can't do it?  Ha!  I can do it just fine!  But in his plan, he gave you a year off.  What are you going to do with it?"

"Hum??  Not sure yet.  Come spend it with you."

He smiled.  "So, you are going to be staying there?"

"Yeah, but think of it, we will be totally set after I win!"

"Yeah that's true.  Can't beat that."

"And I said I would go to school, I never said I would stop playing hockey.  I can still play.  The team at this blasted College is kinda lame, but it will be fun anyway just to join it, because he never said I couldn't."

"Yeah that's true.  So I guess it begins?"

"Yeah I guess so.  I will come see you this weekend okay?"

"Sure.  Sounds good."

"Dean?"

"Yeah?"

"I love you."

"I love you too."