Romeo and Julie - Chapter 17
Disclaimer - Don't own.
Notes - Just read. Do me a favour, don't freak out.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~
Guy angled his hockey stick and smoothly intercepted the puck that had just been fired at him. He looked up at his partner, Luis, who was standing on the other blue line, and gently coasted the puck back, along with " 'Why, how now, kinsmen! Wherefore storm you so' "
Luis intercepted the puck, and returned it. " 'Uncle, this is a Montague, our foe, a villain that is hither come in spite, to scorn at our solemnity this night' "
" 'Young Romeo is it?' " Guy asked, shooting the puck back to Mendoza, this time with a bit more force.
Luis had no problem with accepting the puck. " 'Tis he, that villain, Romeo' "
Guy shot it back, then stood, leaning casually on his hockey stick. " 'Content thee, gentle coz, let him alone; he bears him like a portly gentlemen; and to say truth, Verona brags of him. To be virtuous and well govern'd youth: I will not for the wealth of all the town here in my house do him disparagement: Therefore, be patient, take no note of him: it is my will, the which if thou respect, show a fair presence and putt off these frowns, and ill-beseeming sembalance for a feast.' "
The Ducks all paused and stared in shock at their friend, who had just recited all that from memory. Connie smiled and patted him on his heavily padded arm. "Well done Guy"
"Thanks" Guy grinned.
"Show off" Russ muttered good naturedly under his breath.
" 'It fits when such a villain is a guest, I'll not endure him' " Luis replied, passing the puck back to him.
A whistle blew. "And what on earth do you think you two are doing" Orion asked, skating up to Germaine and Mendoza. "Look at your feet"
"What about them coach" Both boys looked at their skates, then at each other, and shrugged.
"Unless I am much mistaken, they are on ice." Orion replied. "You are not in an English room now, stop practicing that damn play"
"Come on coach, we need to start learning the play." Luis replied.
"Yeah" Guy added. "We fail, you have no team"
"You recite Shakespeare on my ice, and I will bench you myself." Orion threatened. A few others soon approached their coach.
"Oh, come on coach" Charlie sad, approaching them. "We need to know this shit"
Orion glared at the young captain. "Language, Conway"
"Coaches pet" Russ muttered. Goldberg grinned and nodded.
"You may need to know Shakespeare, but you also need to know hockey" Orion told his team, who were gather around him.
"With all due respect Coach Orion, we all live, breathe and eat Hockey" Banks spoke up. "We could play hockey in our sleep"
"Which is what it looked like you were doing last Friday" Orion retorted quickly. Averman winced at the shutdown.
"And we still won" Dean told him. Orion glared at him, and Dean shrugged. "I know, laps"
"Coach, you are confident in our abilities, and you know that we can succeed" Ken began, trying to calmly explain it to their coach. "Meredith is confident in our abilities to, but for her, we need the work"
"We don't want to let her down coach, she has gone through a lot to allow us to be able to act instead of write." Fulton added.
Goldberg spoke up then "We don't want all her hard work to go to waste coach"
"And what about my hard work" Orion asked his team. They all looked at their feet. "You think this is all fun and games for me to train you guys"
"But we came to you with talent" Russ began. When he saw the look on the coaches face, Russ grinned and playfully corrected himself. "Well, some talent"
"But with Shakespeare we have to…" Averman smiled. "Starts with a W"
"Work" the rest of the Ducks yelled enthusiastically.
"Don't get smart with me Ducks" Orion replied. A few of them looked scared as their coach went on. "Spending all your training sessions with your head in some play book will not help you beat the Wasps next week"
"Ok, so we will beat the wasps." Charlie told him. "And then you can have a front row seat to our English failure"
Adam felt brave enough to add. "And Bombay cant keep us in this time"
Orion looked around his group, threw his hands up in defeat, and mumbled to her. "Do what you want, you are going to anyway"
"Thanks coach" they all cheered, went back to their skills refinement.
"Hey Banskie" Guy called across the ice at him, shooting him the puck. " 'But Montague is bound as well as I, in penalty alike; and tis not hard, I think, for men so old as we to keep the peace.' "
Adam sighed. He didn't know this part well, he had only started to read it that afternoon when he should have been listening in chemistry. " 'Of honourable reckoning are you both…' " he paused to think of the words.
A voice from the other side of the ice startled the team. " 'Of honourable reckoning are you both; and pity is you lived at odd so long. But now, my lord, what say you to my suit?' "
Every one stared at Orion as he finished Adam's lines.
Orion looked at them, then at the ice. "What, get back to work!"
~ ~ ~ ~ ~
"Jules" Connie looked up at her friend as she pulled on her shoes. Julie was standing at her locker, about to throw on her shirt. Neither of the girls showered in the hockey locker rooms, because all the boys used it. It was just one room, and no privacy what so ever. "Wanna go through one of the Nurse and Juliet scenes."
"Matt kissed me" Julie replied, collapsing onto the chair with her shoes.
"Because we really need to work on that one…" Connie replied, then stopped and realised what Julie had just said. "What, Matt kissed you?"
"Connie, not so loud, Dean will hear you" Julie hissed. Julie moved a little closer to Julie on the bench so that she could talk to her without the boys, Dean, Fulton and Ken, who were sitting on the other side of the room, wouldn't overhear their conversation.
"Dean doesn't know" Connie asked. Julie looked at her, amazed.
"Well, I cant really tell him, can I" Julie explained to her. "I cant just walk up and say 'Matt kissed me' he will go ballistic"
"So…" Connie began.
"So what?" Julie asked. Connie rolled her eyes.
"Tell me about it, what happened" She whispered frantically.
"He was reading Dean's…I mean, Romeo's lines for me at lunch, just to help me practice, and it was scripted…" Julie explained casually.
"Is he a good kisser?" Connie asked her. "They say it is the quiet ones that are the best"
"Connie, truthfully, it was…" Julie began.
"Bad?" Connie interrupted, eyes wide. "Matt Goddard is a bad kisser?"
"Not bad, just" Julie began. She had no idea how she was going to explain it to her without it sounding like…ah, screw it, just tell the truth. "Not Dean"
"Not Dean?" Connie asked her. She smiled. "Oh my god…"
"It means nothing Connie, I just, well, comparing the two of them, Dean is a better kisser" Julie tried to dismiss it, but Connie didn't look like she believed it.
"Ok, I will believe you" Connie smiled.
"Connie!" Julie groaned. From the look on the other girls face alone, Julie could tell that Connie was drawing her own conclusions.
"What, I believe you" Connie replied. "So, it was bad, or different"
"Different" Julie replied quickly. "Just different, not bad"
"Did he try to…"
Julie held up a hand to stop her. "No, it was completely innocent, exactly what you would expect from some one like Matt"
"Portman's kisses aren't innocent?" Connie asked quickly, glancing across the room to where the boys were still getting dressed from their shower.
"Connie, Portman's kisses are…" She paused, searching for the right word. "Evil compared to Matt's"
"Girl, you are so gone" Connie grinned.
"What?"
"Nothing, nothing at all" Connie replied, standing and grabbing her watch from her locker. "You will work it out"
"I hope so…" Julie sighed.
Connie sat down again. "So, is Matt like, your boyfriend now?"
"I don't know" Julie sighed.
"Do you want him to be?" Connie asked.
"I don't know" Julie sighed again.
"You have to know that" Connie replied, wrapping an arm around her obviously confused friend. "You cant answer maybe to that questions"
"Sure you can" Julie replied firmly.
"No Julie, you cant" Connie told her. "If you say maybe, then you are going to just hurt people"
"You said maybe once." Julie replied, turning to face Connie. "I asked if you were going to get back with Guy, and you said maybe"
"Different"
"How?" Julie asked.
Connie sighed and turned to explain it to her. "Because there were only two hearts on the line then, not three"
"Three" Julie sighed softly.
"Ignore it all you want Jules. But there are three of you involved" Connie replied, and Julie wanted nothing more then to tell her that there was no way she could ignore it any more. "You, Matt and Dean"
"I know" Was her reply. "I am not ignoring that. It is hard to ignore that"
There was silence between the two girls for almost a minute before Connie asked. "Are you going to tell Dean that Matt kissed you"
"He doesn't need to know" Julie replied.
"He will be angry if he finds out from some one else" Connie warned, looking to where Dean was hardly involved in the conversation with Fulton and Ken.
"He told me that he would not let that sort of thing effect him" Julie shrugged.
"And you believed him?" Connie couldn't believe what she was hearing. "Jules, really"
"When did life get so confusing" Julie whined. "It used to just be eat, sleep, school and hockey"
"Then we hit 13 and it became eat, boys, sleep, boys, school, boys, hockey and boys" Connie laughed a little. "That was when it all got complicated"
Ken was covertly watching the girls. They were now giggling like what they had been talking about was serious. "What do you think they are whispering about over there?"
"Matt probably" Dean shrugged, taking his wallet from the shelf in his locker and shoving it in his beck pocket.
"Oh and the date?" Fulton asked, pulling his bandana over his wet hair.
"The kiss" Dean replied, slamming his locker shut. It was only then that he realised that he had left his watch in there, so he busied himself with getting the combination right again. He had had issues with it the first time around.
"Kiss?" Fulton asked, throwing his towel to the laundry heap in the corner. "What kiss?"
"Oh, I didn't tell you, they made out at lunch" Dean shrugged, hoping that his open locker door would hide him from his friends.
Ken was shocked. "Made out"
"In the cafeteria" Dean replied, he got his watch and slammed his locker, only to realise he had left his bandana in there. Cursing to himself, he tried the combination again.
"What?" Ken practically exclaimed. He did think Julie was one who was big on public displays of attention.
"Ok, so it wasn't really making out" Dean replied. He slammed his locker for the third time. If there was anything in there, he would have to leave it there for the weekend because he was not going to open his locker again until practice Monday. "It was just a kiss, but she enjoyed it"
"She told you about it?" Fulton asked.
"I saw it" Dean replied casually.
"Ah man, that sucks" Ken sighed, tying his shoe laces.
"Yeah, my thoughts exactly" Dean sighed, sitting on the bench and waiting for the others to be finished.
"How do you know she liked it?" Fulton asked her
Dean shrugged. "Bedroom eyes"
"What?" both boys asked.
"The way she was looking at him" He replied. "She looked at me once after I kissed her. It is the look she gives when she wants to drag you off to the nearest janitors closet for a quick…"
"Portman" Fulton began. "Sure it wasn't anger. She has looked at you with that emotion before"
"Or at least confusion" Ken added.
"No, it was definitely lust" Dean sighed, rubbing his face.
"Portman, don't read to much into it, you know that you sometimes have issues reading the signals when it comes to girls" Fulton replied, closing his locker a little more gently then Dean had closed his.
"Any one else would have got a left hook to the face for that comment Reed" Dean told him. "But I guess you are right"
Ken sighed, knowing he was going to regret his next statement. "Maybe you should talk to her about it"
"What, are you crazy?" Dean asked him, trying not to be to loud and draw the girls attention to them. "And let her know that it is effecting me?"
"Just be casual about it" Ken shrugged.
"Have you ever known Portman to be casual about something?" Fulton chuckled. "Especially when it comes to girls?"
"True"
"Guys, I am just going to sit back and pretend I don't care" Dean told them. Ken and Fulton looked at each other in disbelief, and then back to Dean. "And then one day, maybe I wont care"
"Portman, that was…" Ken began.
"Wu, say deep, and I will hit you" Dean told him. Both of the other boys laughed.
"And there, the old Dean Portman is back" Fulton slapped him on the back.
"Listen…" Dean began. He was going to tell the boys to keep it under their hats, but he was interrupted.
"Guys, why aren't you gone?" Orion asked from the doorway of the change rooms. "I want to lock up and go home. I have a family to get to, you know"
"Sorry coach" All five of them chorused together.
"What were you talking about anyway?" Orion asked them.
They all looked at one another. "Hockey"
~ ~ ~ ~ ~
" 'I pray thee, good Mercutio, let us retire: the day is hot, the Capulets are abroad, and, if we meet, we will not scape a brawl; for now, these hot days, is the mad blood stirring' " Charlie smiled. "Pass the salt"
" 'Thou art like one of those fellows that when he enters the confines of the tavern he claps me his sword upon the table and says 'God send me no need of thee' and by the operation of the second cup draws it on the drawer, when indeed there is not need' " Fulton replied, reading from his book, but trying to soak as much of it in as possible.
A pair of arms looped around his shoulders, and a head rested on his shoulder. "You are getting better at that"
"I was reading" Fulton blushed at Beck, who grinned and stood straight behind him, resting her hands on his shoulders.
"Hey Beck"
"Hi Ducks" She waved, then turned back to Fulton. "He Fulton, wanna hang out tonight"
"Hang out?" he questioned.
"Well, listen to me play the violin really" she corrected.
"Why are you asking him?" Russ asked her. "He knows nothing about music"
"Because he will automatically reply with 'that was great Beck' even if it was a load of horse shit" Beck smiled, and the rest of the table laughed. Fulton blushed a little and looked to his empty dinner plate. "So, what do you say?"
Fulton smiled up at her, his blush receding. "Help me learn my lines and we have a deal"
"Deal" She smiled, taking his hand and pulling him up from the table. "Lets go"
"Fulton!" Charlie called after him, and Fulton turned back, still proudly holding Beck's hand in his. It was amazing how that still surprised him. "Who am I going to practice with?"
"Get Banksie to do it" Fulton replied and let himself be dragged off. "Bye guys"
"Oh, they are so cute" Dwayne laughed as Fulton and Beck left together.
"Little Fulton, growing up so quickly" Averman laughed, wiping away an imaginary tear. He raised his hand about a foot above him. "I remember when he used to he this big"
"Averman" Dean began when everyone's laughter died down. "We have to go over a few of our scenes at some point this weekend"
"OK" Averman agreed, standing. "I heading home guys"
"Why did you eat here?" Luis asked.
"Because as much as I love my mom" Averman sighed. "She cant cook for shit"
"See ya Averman" They all replied.
"Later days" he saluted and left the room.
Julie grinned. "It is cute you know"
"Who, Averman?" Dean asked her from across the table.
Julie laughed at him. "No. Beck and Fulton"
"Yeah" Dean smiled. He was truly happy for Fulton, who was a great guy and deserved a great girl like Beck. "I see a future of violin playing, combat boot wearing hockey enforcing children"
"With us as god parents" Julie replied.
"Yeah" Dean smiled hollowly.
Julie bit her lip, and then decided to just go for it. "Dean, are you ok, you have been real quiet all afternoon"
"Just having a bad day" he dismissed.
"Usually hockey practice makes you feel better" Julie replied.
Dean smirked. "Nothing could make me feel better from this Jules"
"Oh" Julie replied. "Do you want to talk about it?"
"Not with you" Dean said harshly. Julie looked away, and Dean silently cursed himself. "Sorry, that sounded…"
Julie knew why he had said it. This, whatever it was, was about her. "I understand Dean"
"Do you?" he asked softly.
"Dean" Julie asked after a few seconds of heavy silence. "At least talk to some one?"
"I will" he promised her.
"Want to practice tonight, just read over some sections." Julie smiled, trying to change the subject. She couldn't go back to her room, because she would bet that that was where Fulton and Rebecca were, so hanging out with Dean would be one of her options. "Or, maybe not, we have all been on an overload today, want to just hang out…"
"You kissed Matt" Dean interrupted.
"Oh" Julie whispered.
"Yeah" he sighed, looking down at the table.
"Dean…" Julie began.
"It is none of my business, I know" Dean replied, thinking he knew what she was going to say. "I just wanted you to know that I know"
"Can I explain?" Julie asked.
"No need to" Dean told her, pushing away his half empty plate. "Me, backing off. You, moving on."
"Dean…"
"Back off, move on" Dean snapped.
"I am sorry" Julie whispered.
"Stop saying you are sorry" Dean told her softly, trying not to let their conversation, or argument, bleed out into the whole table. He was sure the other Ducks were so sick of hearing them fight. "I don't want to hear it anymore"
"And don't say we are still friends" Dean added. "I know we are, I just, don't need to hear it again"
Julie looked at her plate, unsure of what to say next. Dean looked around the table. Only the Ducks closest to him realised that the two of them were arguing again.
"You are right" Dean began, running his hand through his hair and standing. "I am on an overload, can I get a raincheck on practicing tonight? And on hanging out together?"
"Sure" she whispered.
"See you tomorrow" He replied, then waved to the others.
Julie watched Dean walk out of the room and then pressed her hands to her face. Things were seriously complicated now. She didn't even know what she wanted. It was scaring her to be so out of control. It was spinning, she needed it to stop.
Acting on an impulse, she called to the other ducks. "Night guys"
The others watched as Julie stood, and crossed the room. "Hey Matt"
Matt looked up and smiled. His smile left when he saw the look on her face. "Julie, what's wrong"
"Nothing" She replied. "Are you busy tonight?"
"Nothing that cant be changed." Matt told her, looking at his friends and then back to Julie. "Why?"
"I just really need some one to talk to"
"Sure Jules" He stood. "Where do you want to go?"
"To your room" Julie whispered, taking his hand in hers. "Lets go"
~ ~ ~ ~ ~
IT IS NOT WHAT YOU THINK
Seriously, it is not what you think. Please read next chapter to find out what is going on.
Linnie22 - I am glad that you liked this chapter. As always, I was a little iffy about it, but thank you for assuring me that it was good. I agree, go Fulton.
Kayla - CALM DOWN WOMAN. I know you are chucking a fit, and believe me, it is not what you think it is. I need you to promise me you will keep reading. Please. I am a huge fan of Billy Shakespeare to. He is the man. Anyway, review and tell me what you think.
Bloody Raine - Don't cry.
Cake Eaters Girly 99 - Don't kill him with a spork. Actually, go for it. Kill matt with a spork. You can bitch fight Connie for Guy, but Fulton is never leaving my side.
KShyne99 - Drama? Never?
Snorts 90 - Thanks for the review.
Xomegsxo - First time reviewer, long time reader. Thank you for your review. You don't sound silly, Rebecca is brave with her. And Fulton is brave with Beck. They get strength from each other. I am glad you like this fic, please keep reading and reviewing.
Amy77 - Are they together? Are they not together? Are they together? I don't even know. They are just in that really fun stage. The promise stage, I call it. How could she kiss Matt? Well, easy, she lent over and… well, you get it. Kill Matt? get in line, Cake Eaters Girly wants to kill him with a spork.
Melanie - Thanks for the review.
Disclaimer - Don't own.
Notes - Just read. Do me a favour, don't freak out.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~
Guy angled his hockey stick and smoothly intercepted the puck that had just been fired at him. He looked up at his partner, Luis, who was standing on the other blue line, and gently coasted the puck back, along with " 'Why, how now, kinsmen! Wherefore storm you so' "
Luis intercepted the puck, and returned it. " 'Uncle, this is a Montague, our foe, a villain that is hither come in spite, to scorn at our solemnity this night' "
" 'Young Romeo is it?' " Guy asked, shooting the puck back to Mendoza, this time with a bit more force.
Luis had no problem with accepting the puck. " 'Tis he, that villain, Romeo' "
Guy shot it back, then stood, leaning casually on his hockey stick. " 'Content thee, gentle coz, let him alone; he bears him like a portly gentlemen; and to say truth, Verona brags of him. To be virtuous and well govern'd youth: I will not for the wealth of all the town here in my house do him disparagement: Therefore, be patient, take no note of him: it is my will, the which if thou respect, show a fair presence and putt off these frowns, and ill-beseeming sembalance for a feast.' "
The Ducks all paused and stared in shock at their friend, who had just recited all that from memory. Connie smiled and patted him on his heavily padded arm. "Well done Guy"
"Thanks" Guy grinned.
"Show off" Russ muttered good naturedly under his breath.
" 'It fits when such a villain is a guest, I'll not endure him' " Luis replied, passing the puck back to him.
A whistle blew. "And what on earth do you think you two are doing" Orion asked, skating up to Germaine and Mendoza. "Look at your feet"
"What about them coach" Both boys looked at their skates, then at each other, and shrugged.
"Unless I am much mistaken, they are on ice." Orion replied. "You are not in an English room now, stop practicing that damn play"
"Come on coach, we need to start learning the play." Luis replied.
"Yeah" Guy added. "We fail, you have no team"
"You recite Shakespeare on my ice, and I will bench you myself." Orion threatened. A few others soon approached their coach.
"Oh, come on coach" Charlie sad, approaching them. "We need to know this shit"
Orion glared at the young captain. "Language, Conway"
"Coaches pet" Russ muttered. Goldberg grinned and nodded.
"You may need to know Shakespeare, but you also need to know hockey" Orion told his team, who were gather around him.
"With all due respect Coach Orion, we all live, breathe and eat Hockey" Banks spoke up. "We could play hockey in our sleep"
"Which is what it looked like you were doing last Friday" Orion retorted quickly. Averman winced at the shutdown.
"And we still won" Dean told him. Orion glared at him, and Dean shrugged. "I know, laps"
"Coach, you are confident in our abilities, and you know that we can succeed" Ken began, trying to calmly explain it to their coach. "Meredith is confident in our abilities to, but for her, we need the work"
"We don't want to let her down coach, she has gone through a lot to allow us to be able to act instead of write." Fulton added.
Goldberg spoke up then "We don't want all her hard work to go to waste coach"
"And what about my hard work" Orion asked his team. They all looked at their feet. "You think this is all fun and games for me to train you guys"
"But we came to you with talent" Russ began. When he saw the look on the coaches face, Russ grinned and playfully corrected himself. "Well, some talent"
"But with Shakespeare we have to…" Averman smiled. "Starts with a W"
"Work" the rest of the Ducks yelled enthusiastically.
"Don't get smart with me Ducks" Orion replied. A few of them looked scared as their coach went on. "Spending all your training sessions with your head in some play book will not help you beat the Wasps next week"
"Ok, so we will beat the wasps." Charlie told him. "And then you can have a front row seat to our English failure"
Adam felt brave enough to add. "And Bombay cant keep us in this time"
Orion looked around his group, threw his hands up in defeat, and mumbled to her. "Do what you want, you are going to anyway"
"Thanks coach" they all cheered, went back to their skills refinement.
"Hey Banskie" Guy called across the ice at him, shooting him the puck. " 'But Montague is bound as well as I, in penalty alike; and tis not hard, I think, for men so old as we to keep the peace.' "
Adam sighed. He didn't know this part well, he had only started to read it that afternoon when he should have been listening in chemistry. " 'Of honourable reckoning are you both…' " he paused to think of the words.
A voice from the other side of the ice startled the team. " 'Of honourable reckoning are you both; and pity is you lived at odd so long. But now, my lord, what say you to my suit?' "
Every one stared at Orion as he finished Adam's lines.
Orion looked at them, then at the ice. "What, get back to work!"
~ ~ ~ ~ ~
"Jules" Connie looked up at her friend as she pulled on her shoes. Julie was standing at her locker, about to throw on her shirt. Neither of the girls showered in the hockey locker rooms, because all the boys used it. It was just one room, and no privacy what so ever. "Wanna go through one of the Nurse and Juliet scenes."
"Matt kissed me" Julie replied, collapsing onto the chair with her shoes.
"Because we really need to work on that one…" Connie replied, then stopped and realised what Julie had just said. "What, Matt kissed you?"
"Connie, not so loud, Dean will hear you" Julie hissed. Julie moved a little closer to Julie on the bench so that she could talk to her without the boys, Dean, Fulton and Ken, who were sitting on the other side of the room, wouldn't overhear their conversation.
"Dean doesn't know" Connie asked. Julie looked at her, amazed.
"Well, I cant really tell him, can I" Julie explained to her. "I cant just walk up and say 'Matt kissed me' he will go ballistic"
"So…" Connie began.
"So what?" Julie asked. Connie rolled her eyes.
"Tell me about it, what happened" She whispered frantically.
"He was reading Dean's…I mean, Romeo's lines for me at lunch, just to help me practice, and it was scripted…" Julie explained casually.
"Is he a good kisser?" Connie asked her. "They say it is the quiet ones that are the best"
"Connie, truthfully, it was…" Julie began.
"Bad?" Connie interrupted, eyes wide. "Matt Goddard is a bad kisser?"
"Not bad, just" Julie began. She had no idea how she was going to explain it to her without it sounding like…ah, screw it, just tell the truth. "Not Dean"
"Not Dean?" Connie asked her. She smiled. "Oh my god…"
"It means nothing Connie, I just, well, comparing the two of them, Dean is a better kisser" Julie tried to dismiss it, but Connie didn't look like she believed it.
"Ok, I will believe you" Connie smiled.
"Connie!" Julie groaned. From the look on the other girls face alone, Julie could tell that Connie was drawing her own conclusions.
"What, I believe you" Connie replied. "So, it was bad, or different"
"Different" Julie replied quickly. "Just different, not bad"
"Did he try to…"
Julie held up a hand to stop her. "No, it was completely innocent, exactly what you would expect from some one like Matt"
"Portman's kisses aren't innocent?" Connie asked quickly, glancing across the room to where the boys were still getting dressed from their shower.
"Connie, Portman's kisses are…" She paused, searching for the right word. "Evil compared to Matt's"
"Girl, you are so gone" Connie grinned.
"What?"
"Nothing, nothing at all" Connie replied, standing and grabbing her watch from her locker. "You will work it out"
"I hope so…" Julie sighed.
Connie sat down again. "So, is Matt like, your boyfriend now?"
"I don't know" Julie sighed.
"Do you want him to be?" Connie asked.
"I don't know" Julie sighed again.
"You have to know that" Connie replied, wrapping an arm around her obviously confused friend. "You cant answer maybe to that questions"
"Sure you can" Julie replied firmly.
"No Julie, you cant" Connie told her. "If you say maybe, then you are going to just hurt people"
"You said maybe once." Julie replied, turning to face Connie. "I asked if you were going to get back with Guy, and you said maybe"
"Different"
"How?" Julie asked.
Connie sighed and turned to explain it to her. "Because there were only two hearts on the line then, not three"
"Three" Julie sighed softly.
"Ignore it all you want Jules. But there are three of you involved" Connie replied, and Julie wanted nothing more then to tell her that there was no way she could ignore it any more. "You, Matt and Dean"
"I know" Was her reply. "I am not ignoring that. It is hard to ignore that"
There was silence between the two girls for almost a minute before Connie asked. "Are you going to tell Dean that Matt kissed you"
"He doesn't need to know" Julie replied.
"He will be angry if he finds out from some one else" Connie warned, looking to where Dean was hardly involved in the conversation with Fulton and Ken.
"He told me that he would not let that sort of thing effect him" Julie shrugged.
"And you believed him?" Connie couldn't believe what she was hearing. "Jules, really"
"When did life get so confusing" Julie whined. "It used to just be eat, sleep, school and hockey"
"Then we hit 13 and it became eat, boys, sleep, boys, school, boys, hockey and boys" Connie laughed a little. "That was when it all got complicated"
Ken was covertly watching the girls. They were now giggling like what they had been talking about was serious. "What do you think they are whispering about over there?"
"Matt probably" Dean shrugged, taking his wallet from the shelf in his locker and shoving it in his beck pocket.
"Oh and the date?" Fulton asked, pulling his bandana over his wet hair.
"The kiss" Dean replied, slamming his locker shut. It was only then that he realised that he had left his watch in there, so he busied himself with getting the combination right again. He had had issues with it the first time around.
"Kiss?" Fulton asked, throwing his towel to the laundry heap in the corner. "What kiss?"
"Oh, I didn't tell you, they made out at lunch" Dean shrugged, hoping that his open locker door would hide him from his friends.
Ken was shocked. "Made out"
"In the cafeteria" Dean replied, he got his watch and slammed his locker, only to realise he had left his bandana in there. Cursing to himself, he tried the combination again.
"What?" Ken practically exclaimed. He did think Julie was one who was big on public displays of attention.
"Ok, so it wasn't really making out" Dean replied. He slammed his locker for the third time. If there was anything in there, he would have to leave it there for the weekend because he was not going to open his locker again until practice Monday. "It was just a kiss, but she enjoyed it"
"She told you about it?" Fulton asked.
"I saw it" Dean replied casually.
"Ah man, that sucks" Ken sighed, tying his shoe laces.
"Yeah, my thoughts exactly" Dean sighed, sitting on the bench and waiting for the others to be finished.
"How do you know she liked it?" Fulton asked her
Dean shrugged. "Bedroom eyes"
"What?" both boys asked.
"The way she was looking at him" He replied. "She looked at me once after I kissed her. It is the look she gives when she wants to drag you off to the nearest janitors closet for a quick…"
"Portman" Fulton began. "Sure it wasn't anger. She has looked at you with that emotion before"
"Or at least confusion" Ken added.
"No, it was definitely lust" Dean sighed, rubbing his face.
"Portman, don't read to much into it, you know that you sometimes have issues reading the signals when it comes to girls" Fulton replied, closing his locker a little more gently then Dean had closed his.
"Any one else would have got a left hook to the face for that comment Reed" Dean told him. "But I guess you are right"
Ken sighed, knowing he was going to regret his next statement. "Maybe you should talk to her about it"
"What, are you crazy?" Dean asked him, trying not to be to loud and draw the girls attention to them. "And let her know that it is effecting me?"
"Just be casual about it" Ken shrugged.
"Have you ever known Portman to be casual about something?" Fulton chuckled. "Especially when it comes to girls?"
"True"
"Guys, I am just going to sit back and pretend I don't care" Dean told them. Ken and Fulton looked at each other in disbelief, and then back to Dean. "And then one day, maybe I wont care"
"Portman, that was…" Ken began.
"Wu, say deep, and I will hit you" Dean told him. Both of the other boys laughed.
"And there, the old Dean Portman is back" Fulton slapped him on the back.
"Listen…" Dean began. He was going to tell the boys to keep it under their hats, but he was interrupted.
"Guys, why aren't you gone?" Orion asked from the doorway of the change rooms. "I want to lock up and go home. I have a family to get to, you know"
"Sorry coach" All five of them chorused together.
"What were you talking about anyway?" Orion asked them.
They all looked at one another. "Hockey"
~ ~ ~ ~ ~
" 'I pray thee, good Mercutio, let us retire: the day is hot, the Capulets are abroad, and, if we meet, we will not scape a brawl; for now, these hot days, is the mad blood stirring' " Charlie smiled. "Pass the salt"
" 'Thou art like one of those fellows that when he enters the confines of the tavern he claps me his sword upon the table and says 'God send me no need of thee' and by the operation of the second cup draws it on the drawer, when indeed there is not need' " Fulton replied, reading from his book, but trying to soak as much of it in as possible.
A pair of arms looped around his shoulders, and a head rested on his shoulder. "You are getting better at that"
"I was reading" Fulton blushed at Beck, who grinned and stood straight behind him, resting her hands on his shoulders.
"Hey Beck"
"Hi Ducks" She waved, then turned back to Fulton. "He Fulton, wanna hang out tonight"
"Hang out?" he questioned.
"Well, listen to me play the violin really" she corrected.
"Why are you asking him?" Russ asked her. "He knows nothing about music"
"Because he will automatically reply with 'that was great Beck' even if it was a load of horse shit" Beck smiled, and the rest of the table laughed. Fulton blushed a little and looked to his empty dinner plate. "So, what do you say?"
Fulton smiled up at her, his blush receding. "Help me learn my lines and we have a deal"
"Deal" She smiled, taking his hand and pulling him up from the table. "Lets go"
"Fulton!" Charlie called after him, and Fulton turned back, still proudly holding Beck's hand in his. It was amazing how that still surprised him. "Who am I going to practice with?"
"Get Banksie to do it" Fulton replied and let himself be dragged off. "Bye guys"
"Oh, they are so cute" Dwayne laughed as Fulton and Beck left together.
"Little Fulton, growing up so quickly" Averman laughed, wiping away an imaginary tear. He raised his hand about a foot above him. "I remember when he used to he this big"
"Averman" Dean began when everyone's laughter died down. "We have to go over a few of our scenes at some point this weekend"
"OK" Averman agreed, standing. "I heading home guys"
"Why did you eat here?" Luis asked.
"Because as much as I love my mom" Averman sighed. "She cant cook for shit"
"See ya Averman" They all replied.
"Later days" he saluted and left the room.
Julie grinned. "It is cute you know"
"Who, Averman?" Dean asked her from across the table.
Julie laughed at him. "No. Beck and Fulton"
"Yeah" Dean smiled. He was truly happy for Fulton, who was a great guy and deserved a great girl like Beck. "I see a future of violin playing, combat boot wearing hockey enforcing children"
"With us as god parents" Julie replied.
"Yeah" Dean smiled hollowly.
Julie bit her lip, and then decided to just go for it. "Dean, are you ok, you have been real quiet all afternoon"
"Just having a bad day" he dismissed.
"Usually hockey practice makes you feel better" Julie replied.
Dean smirked. "Nothing could make me feel better from this Jules"
"Oh" Julie replied. "Do you want to talk about it?"
"Not with you" Dean said harshly. Julie looked away, and Dean silently cursed himself. "Sorry, that sounded…"
Julie knew why he had said it. This, whatever it was, was about her. "I understand Dean"
"Do you?" he asked softly.
"Dean" Julie asked after a few seconds of heavy silence. "At least talk to some one?"
"I will" he promised her.
"Want to practice tonight, just read over some sections." Julie smiled, trying to change the subject. She couldn't go back to her room, because she would bet that that was where Fulton and Rebecca were, so hanging out with Dean would be one of her options. "Or, maybe not, we have all been on an overload today, want to just hang out…"
"You kissed Matt" Dean interrupted.
"Oh" Julie whispered.
"Yeah" he sighed, looking down at the table.
"Dean…" Julie began.
"It is none of my business, I know" Dean replied, thinking he knew what she was going to say. "I just wanted you to know that I know"
"Can I explain?" Julie asked.
"No need to" Dean told her, pushing away his half empty plate. "Me, backing off. You, moving on."
"Dean…"
"Back off, move on" Dean snapped.
"I am sorry" Julie whispered.
"Stop saying you are sorry" Dean told her softly, trying not to let their conversation, or argument, bleed out into the whole table. He was sure the other Ducks were so sick of hearing them fight. "I don't want to hear it anymore"
"And don't say we are still friends" Dean added. "I know we are, I just, don't need to hear it again"
Julie looked at her plate, unsure of what to say next. Dean looked around the table. Only the Ducks closest to him realised that the two of them were arguing again.
"You are right" Dean began, running his hand through his hair and standing. "I am on an overload, can I get a raincheck on practicing tonight? And on hanging out together?"
"Sure" she whispered.
"See you tomorrow" He replied, then waved to the others.
Julie watched Dean walk out of the room and then pressed her hands to her face. Things were seriously complicated now. She didn't even know what she wanted. It was scaring her to be so out of control. It was spinning, she needed it to stop.
Acting on an impulse, she called to the other ducks. "Night guys"
The others watched as Julie stood, and crossed the room. "Hey Matt"
Matt looked up and smiled. His smile left when he saw the look on her face. "Julie, what's wrong"
"Nothing" She replied. "Are you busy tonight?"
"Nothing that cant be changed." Matt told her, looking at his friends and then back to Julie. "Why?"
"I just really need some one to talk to"
"Sure Jules" He stood. "Where do you want to go?"
"To your room" Julie whispered, taking his hand in hers. "Lets go"
~ ~ ~ ~ ~
IT IS NOT WHAT YOU THINK
Seriously, it is not what you think. Please read next chapter to find out what is going on.
Linnie22 - I am glad that you liked this chapter. As always, I was a little iffy about it, but thank you for assuring me that it was good. I agree, go Fulton.
Kayla - CALM DOWN WOMAN. I know you are chucking a fit, and believe me, it is not what you think it is. I need you to promise me you will keep reading. Please. I am a huge fan of Billy Shakespeare to. He is the man. Anyway, review and tell me what you think.
Bloody Raine - Don't cry.
Cake Eaters Girly 99 - Don't kill him with a spork. Actually, go for it. Kill matt with a spork. You can bitch fight Connie for Guy, but Fulton is never leaving my side.
KShyne99 - Drama? Never?
Snorts 90 - Thanks for the review.
Xomegsxo - First time reviewer, long time reader. Thank you for your review. You don't sound silly, Rebecca is brave with her. And Fulton is brave with Beck. They get strength from each other. I am glad you like this fic, please keep reading and reviewing.
Amy77 - Are they together? Are they not together? Are they together? I don't even know. They are just in that really fun stage. The promise stage, I call it. How could she kiss Matt? Well, easy, she lent over and… well, you get it. Kill Matt? get in line, Cake Eaters Girly wants to kill him with a spork.
Melanie - Thanks for the review.
