"So Fulton, are you gonna talk to Portman today?"
"Well, he's kinda in a bad mood."
"That's what you said 2 days ago."
"Yeah, I know, but he is always in a bad mood."
"Dude it's Friday, tell him to come to the movies with us this weekend."
"Yeah sure, I will."
"Go do it now."
"Ok, ok, I'll go. Geez."
"Hey Portman?"
"Hey yeah?" Dean said without looking up from his work.
"Me and some of the guys are worried about you." Fulton said.
"Heh, oh yeah, why?" He said sarcastically.
"Well you don't hang out anymore."
"I don't have time."
"Well we want you to come to a movie with us this weekend."
"Sure ok." He said, still looking at his work.
"Well, okay, then, I'm gonna get going." Fulton said somewhat with a question in his voice.
"Ok."
Fulton went to the door and backed out of the room, but before closing the door he said "you know, if you ever want to you know, talk, we're all here for you."
"Talk about what? There is nothing to talk about."
"Yeah, sure. Whatever you say."
"Look! I'm fine! Stay outta my business!" Dean said angrily, picked up his books, pushed Fulton to the side with his shoulder, and exited the room.
Fulton stood there with a puzzled look on his face for a sec, and then went back to Charlie's room.
"What happened?" Charlie asked him.
"He got mad at me for getting his business. And told me to stay outta his business."
"What did you say?" asked Guy.
"I told him that we were kinda worried about him, and if he wanted to talk, we were here for him."
"And he got mad?"
"Yeah, he pushed me with his shoulder, after he said there's nothing to talk about."
"Geez." Said Charlie.
"He said he would come to the movie though. But that was before he exploded at me."
"Well I guess we shouldn't push him to talk about it, he'll come to us if he wants to talk."
"Actually," said Dean at the door, "can I shout at you for a sec Fulton?"
Fulton looked up at him and could tell he was in a better mood.
"Yeah, sure." He said and got up from the couch, "If you guys don't see or hear from me, you will know this guy did it." He said mockingly.
"Oh yeah, sorry bout that." Dean said.
"Don't sweat it, I'm not made of glass."
Portman chuckled and they went to their dorm room.
"Yeah, Fulton, I am really sorry for snapping at you."
"Don't sweat it."
"I haven't really been dealing with this whole Julie thing well."
"Yeah,"
"I just kind of ignored it."
Fulton just sat there and didn't say anything.
Dean sat at the edge of his bed and just stared at the floor.
"I can't even believe it." Dean finally said.
"Did you try calling her?"
"Yeah, the number was disconnected."
"Ouch."
"Yeah."
"So what are you gonna do?"
"Heh, get on with life."
"That's good. Do you know if you want to play Pro Hockey or what?"
"I don't know."
"You?"
"Not sure. I think I wanna go pro. But other days I'm not sure."
"Yeah, but I will never forget her if I keep playing hockey."
"But Portman, you are so good."
"Yeah? Thanks."
"Well."
"Well, I guess that's it. Thanks for listenin' man."
"Yeah sure. No problem."
"Thanks you guys out in the hall way for listenin too. You can come in now!" Dean said loudly.
Chuckles irrupted outside the door, and the whole team came in.
"Geez you guys." Fulton said.
"Come on you didn't hear them breathing all loud?" Dean said with a smile on his face.
Dean just shook his head, "you all are a bunch a girls!"
"Hey! I resent that!" Said Connie.
Dean laughed. It felt good to laugh he missed his friends.
"Hey sorry I haven't had time for you guys either."
"Yeah! You should be sorry!" Said Goldberg and got a shove in the side "Aooow!"
"Sorry" said Goldberg.
"We missed you!" Said Connie, sat on his lap, and kissed his cheek.
"Hey!" Said Guy.
Connie laughed, and Dean stuck his tongue.
"Well fine, she's on loan till you feel better," said Guy.
Then everyone laughed.
"So how bout that movie?" Suggested Dean.
*******
"Julie" her mother called as she saw her daughter head up the stairs to her room.
Julie stopped turned and came back down the stairs.
"Julie, I am your mother, I command you to speak."
Julie kept silent.
"You haven't spoken to me for months."
Julie just looked past her mother in to the air behind her.
"It's because I had to take your father's side isn't it."
Julie looked at her mother in the eyes then again past her as if she didn't exist.
"Fine. If that is the way you want it."
Julie turned and went back up the stairs.
She changed her clothes and put on her riding gear and headed for the stables.
"Hello Dean." She said to her horse.
"I've missed you today."
Her horse nodded his head and rubbed up against her with his nose.
She smiled genuinely and pat his neck.
She went for the brush and started to groom him.
"My parents think they have won." She began as she started on his neck.
"They haven't won anything. They want me to join the corporation, that is fine, but they wont have me. In their schemes they didn't plan on loosing me."
The horse just stood there, that was his job, he just needed to listen. Not like he could do anything or even cared. But it made Julie feel better.
"I will go finish college" she continued working on his flanks.
"I will even work at that stupid corporation, but I wont have a relationship with either one of them anymore." She thought about that statement, "well at least not my dad."
She started on the other side and continued talking to her horse that they bought, and she named Dean.
"I cant even play hockey anymore. I wouldn't be surprised if my father paid him to say that. I wouldn't have any doubt except for the fact that I got a second opinion and he did confirm that I have a weak heart. I feel bad, I haven't even called any of the ducks…but I cant do that. They will want to talk about Dean, and I cant bear it. I refuse, since I cant play hockey anymore, and Dean is…it's just as well that I have nothing to do with it ever again….ever."