Romeo and Julie - Chapter 25
Disclaimer - not mine.
Notes - Hope you like
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Dean wondered where the last week had gone. It felt like only the night before he had spoken to his sister in the middle on the night, but now, as she lay in bed, procrastinating, he counted back the days. Four days since he had spoken to Joanna, which meant it was Friday. It also meant that the parentals would be showing up tomorrow.
The scariest thought of all was that the play, opening night, The Ducks one and only acting performance, was tomorrow, Saturday. It was amazing to think that it had actually been 12 days since the day that Meredith had screwed up the dates. And it amazed him to realise that in the last 4 days, although he had been busy, and filled every second of the day with something, whether it be learning his lines, practicing for the upcoming hockey game (holy crap, that was tonight, shit, time was getting away from him) or trying to work out what the hell was going on with Julie.
Julie had hardly said two words to him in the last four days. Juliet had spoken to Romeo about a million times, but Julie had not yet spoken to Dean about what had happened between the two of them. Which meant he had had not had a chance to apologise to her about going to fast. He had not had the chance to tell her that what he had said, about loving her was the truth. And he still didn't know what was going on with her. He wished he did, because the situation was giving him a headache.
He knew that she loved him. He had been told by so many people, but all he wanted was to hear the words from her. Her words would be like giving him permission to go ahead with the relationship. A relationship, maybe then he could touch her, hold her, kiss her when he wanted to except for having to wait till she made a move to be sure that that was strictly what she wanted.
Ah, this was giving him a headache already, and he had only just woken up. He had so much other shit he had to do today, and it would be best to do them without pain. He had a play practice, a hockey practice, a hockey game (shit, who are we even playing. I am so far behind), the after game party, and probably a million other things. But none of that could happen if he didn't get out of bed.
Maybe staying in bed all day was the answer.
But there was a knock at the door. Dean groaned and threw a pillow at Fulton's bed, only to realise that the other boy was awake. Dean's mind cleared and he heard the shower and Fulton singing along to Nirvana muffled through the door. (good thing about Nirvana, anyone can sing it, just make it sound like the words.) Right now, Fulton was doing a wonderful rendition of Smells like teen sprit.
There was a knock at the door, and Dean realised that he had used his friends Curbain impersonation to distract him from the person on the other side. They knocked again, growing impatient, and Dean groaned. It was probably one of the team coming to practice a scene or something. Or maybe it was Rebecca looking for Fulton. Or maybe it was Julie, with breakfast, that they could eat off of each others naked…
Now the knocking was a thumping. Way to comfortable in bed, he called "Come in". If they expected him to get up, they would have to bring Julie and breakfast.
The door opened, and Dean closed his eyes, expecting to hear Charlie, Or Averman, or someone. And he was about ready to tell them where to stick it to, but the voice he heard shocked him. "What, still in bed at this hour?"
Dean opened his eyes, looked at his guests, rubbed his eyes, looked at his guests again, and then sat up. This could not be happening. He was in shock. "Mom! What are you doing here?"
"Dean, close your mouth" Mrs Lillian Portman told her son, crossing to him in bed and snapping his jaw shut. In the doorway of the room, was Deanie, leaning against the doorframe.
"What are you doing here?" Dean managed to choke out. They were not suppose to be there till tomorrow. That would give him time to do things, like, clean up his room, and convince his friends to lie on his behalf so that he would not get in trouble for breaking the rules so much. But they were here, his mom and his sister, in his bedroom, and he was still in bed, in his boxer shorts. Why couldn't it have been Julie and breakfast. Or Beck and Breakfast for Fulton. Hell, Goldberg and a bagel for himself would be easier to manage at this hour of the morning.
Not that he didn't love his mother. He adored his mother, she was a great woman who allowed him to do what he wanted, when he wanted, and supported him immensely, just like his father did. And his sister was one of his best friends in the world. He had lucked out when it came to family, But this, having them all here when he had other things to get done, was all just to much. Not only did he have to do all the things that he had planned, but he had to worry about his mom, sister, and probably his dad as well seeing him. Which meant being on his best behaviour, because his father could easily make the disappointed noise in his direction.
Dean's mother looked around the room, not necessarily in disgust, but Dean knew his mother was a bit of a neat freak. Down to the whole shoe thing. In his mothers closet, the shoes were alphabetised by designer, and then colour coded. It was amazing how a woman like Lillian could have two children like Dean and Joanna, whose shoes lived in piles on top of each other, dangerous types of piles, because you could never quite be sure where the ice skates were. "You knew I was coming"
Dean sat up and wished that his closet was not on the other side of the room. He was proud of his body, he worked hard on it, but he was sure it would produce some sort of comment from his mother, and really, he could live without that. While he signalled to his sister to get a shirt from the closet, he said to his mother. "Yeah, but I thought you were coming tomorrow afternoon"
Lillian turned back to her son just as Joanna threw him a shirt. Dean looked at it, it was one of Fulton's actually, but he was sure that his bash bro wouldn't mind. "Oh, we thought, well, lets come a day earlier. We wanted to surprise you, are you surprised?"
"Surprise is not the right word at all" Dean said cheerily, pulling the plain white shirt over his head and then getting out of bed. He crossed to the door and took her little sisters arm carefully. "Mom, why don't you take a seat, Deanie, I wish to speak to you, outside, you know, where it is private"
"Oh, you kids and your secrets. Take your time" Lillian smiled at her. She was so glad that her kids were close. If you didn't trust and love your siblings, then who could you love. "I will just straighten up in here"
As Dean closed the bedroom door, he saw her making his bed. By the time he entered again, he knew that it would be hospital corners and fluffed pillows. (Dean, as a new millennium bachelor, just pulled his blanket up over his bed and let left it that way. He wondered if Julie would ever try to change that about him, but realised probably not, the whole team, including the girls, made their bed that way, with the exception of Adam, who had a maid to make his bed for him) "Damnit, she is 'straightening up' what on earth are you doing here, you are a day early"
"It is fantastic to see you to brother-dear." Deanie grinned at her distressed brother. It usually took him a little while to get used to their mom again, especially after not seeing her in a while. "No, the flight from Chicago was fabulous, mom read her magazine the whole way and made me sit next to dad."
"What are you doing here…" Dean repeated
"And of course, we both know that Dad gets airsick." Joanna replied, emphasising the word Airsick. Dean did, unfortunately know his fathers weak stomach problems. He knew first hand. He used to always sit beside his dad on flights. "Now, to answer your question, this was not my idea"
"Then whose idea was it?" Dean asked.
"I don't know… Mom's I guess." Joanna shrugged and the smirked, hitting him on the arm playfully. "She missed you Jakey-Poo"
"Don't call me Jakey-Poo, or I will have to call you Deanie-Weanie" he told her. Then opened the door to see his mom had finished the bed making. "Now, come inside before Mom cleans my room and I can not find anything."
When he entered his room, he saw that his mom was going though his dirty laundry pile. Could this day get any worse? "Mom, you didn't have to"
"Oh, be quiet" Lillian replied, waving her hand dismissively. She quickly finished what she was doing and then crossed the room to sit on Fulton's bed, leaving the Portman siblings to sit on his bed, which was now neatly made, to a point that they were scared to sit on it. But they did, and then, their mother started up the conversation, as she always did. "Now, tell me, how is school? How is the play going? Are you still enjoying hockey? Have you met any nice girls? And where, oh where, is that wonderful roommate of yours?"
Dean smirked. "Good. Fine. Of course. Maybe and showering. In that order"
"Don't get cheeky with me Jake" Lillian smiled at Dean.
Dean smiled at his mother. He liked talking to her, because no matter how busy she was, or how busy she acted, his mother would always make time for him. "Everything is going great mom. I am doing really good"
"Well, that is good to hear" Lillian smiled at them. "Your father really wishes he could have come to say hello, but he is still a little sick from the flight, so he is sleeping it off back at the hotel. I, however, have come to take you and Fulton to lunch"
"Lunch?" Dean asked, looking at his watch. Wow, he had slept much longer then he had thought. When he woke up, he had thought that it was about 8 in the morning. Turns out it was closer to 11. And he had a hockey practice in, shit, forty minutes. "Oh, I cant, we cant, I mean. We have a hockey practice. Coach Orion traded a few days with out English teacher so that she would have more days to practice the play with us, so we really need to practice before the game tonight."
Lillian smiled. "Then I can take you out for an afternoon meal?"
"Last minute dress rehearsal" Dean replied, thinking ahead.
"Dinner?" She asked him.
Dean sighed and shook his head, honestly disappointed. "Hockey game tonight"
"Well, how about after the game?" She asked him. "Supper?"
"After party" Dean replied. It was tradition that the team go to Mickey's dine car, win or lose (not that they had lost in a while, but either way) and got Sundays and ice cream sodas. They probably wouldn't stay for that long because they had so much stuff to do tomorrow, but tradition was tradition, an he didn't want to mess with that.
"Brunch tomorrow?" Lillian asked. Joanna smiled, her mother sounded like she should have a day planner in her hand, scheduling in a visit with her own son.
"Last minute group run through" Dean replied.
"Tomorrow afternoon" Lillian asked, exasperated.
It was his only time off, but there was only one thing that he wanted to do. "Sleep"
"Tomorrow at about 6?" His mother asked. She knew it was probably not going to get a yes, since the play started at 8.
"I will be in Make up" Dean shrugged.
"Make up?" Joanna laughed softly.
Dean playfully elbowed her in the arm. Joanna just smiled at him even more. "Shut up Deanie"
"Tomorrow after the play?"
"Cast party" Dean replied. He felt like telling his mother to give up, that the chances of her fitting into all the things that he had to get done in the nest two days was just to slim.
"Brunch on Sunday?"
Joanna, who was now stretched out comfortably on his bed, feet resting in his lap and head on his pillow, muttered just loud enough for him to hear. "In bed with the leading lady"
Dean smiled at her. "I wish"
"What?" Their mother looked over at them, wondering what it was that they had said. When the two of them whispered, she always got suspicious, or at least paranoid.
"Nothing" Both of them grinned together.
Lillian sighed and looked at her son, who she was not ashamed to admit that she missed immensely when he was in Minnesota and the rest of the family were in Chicago. "Well, when am I going to see you on this visit Jake?"
"You are seeing me now" Dean replied sarcastically, but it was unfortunate this could be the only time that he spent with his mom in their whole trip.
"But I want to catch up" Lillian whined.
"Then start catching. I have half an hour before hockey training" he smiled, looking at his watch. "What do you want to know?"
Lillian grinned. If this was all she could get, then she would have to take advantage of it. "What do you want to tell me?"
"Mom. You know I cant have conversations like that." Dean replied. "Small talk is not my strong point"
"Then, well, this play, are you ready for it?" She asked him
"If I am not ready by now, I don't think I will ever be." Dean smiled at her, making Joanna smile as well. "I didn't think I would mom, but I really enjoy being on stage. And the lines are easy to learn."
Joanna grinned at him. "Prove it"
"Prove what?"
"That you know your lines" she challenged.
Lillian gave her a warning look. "Deanie, leave your brother alone"
But Dean was always up for a challenge, especially if it meant proving himself to his sister. " 'Draw Benvolio; beat down their weapons. Gentlemen, for shame, forbear this outrage! Tybalt, Mercutio, the prince expressly hath forbidden bandying in Verona's streets: Hold Tybalt, good Mercutio' "
" 'I am hurt. A plague o'both your houses! I am sped. Is he gone and hath nothing?' " Fulton recited as he exited the bathroom. He paused when he realised he was being stared at, but didn't know if the two Portman women were staring at his bare chest, or the fact that he had recited Shakespeare. He smiled nervously at them. "Oh, hello"
Joanna stood and launched herself at the other boy. Fulton held her arms out to hug her, pulling her into a tight embrace. Joanna was as much his sister as she was Dean's. And Fulton really missed her sometimes. "Fulton! I missed you"
"Hey Joanna" he grinned.
Lillian stood and smiled at Fulton, a young man who had settled into her family very easily. "Deanie, don't hug the boy when he is half dressed like that" When Joanna pulled away, Lillian hugged him. Fulton, although he was embarrassed, hugged back.
From his bed, Dean said. "Yeah, his girlfriend may get jealous"
"Girlfriend" Lillian cried. "Oh Fulton, how exciting for you"
"Fult, she may be hiding it, but she is heart broken." Joanna laughed as Fulton pulled on a shirt. "Mom wanted us to get married"
Fulton looked at the other girl. "I thought you wanted us to get married"
Joanna smiled. She could never have a romantic attachment to Fulton, he was like a brother to her, but she often joked that she and him were soul mates. Maybe they were, in that close type of friend way. "Only to annoy dean"
"And it would have annoyed Dean." Dean told the others. Hen he slapped Fulton on the shoulder. "But it would have been cool to have you as a real brother"
"Thanks man, but we don't need blood for that to happen" Fulton replied.
"Of course not. Fulton, you will always be welcome in our home, no matter what happens" Lillian replied. He would always be welcome because he was already a member of the family. "You are the second son I always wanted
Fulton blushed a little and smiled at the older woman. "Thanks Momma Portman"
"Oh, that name." Lillian smiled, but still brought her hand to her head as though she was in pain. Momma Portman was something that they had started calling her the summer before, and although she recognised it as a term of endearment, she had heard it so many times it was beginning to annoy her. Plus, it made her feel old. "I thought you three had gotten over that"
"Not at all" Fulton smiled, then looked at his watch. They had ten minutes to suit up and be on the ice, Orion would blow a gasket if they were late again. "Dean, we have to get to practice."
"Yes, I should be heading back to the hotel, check up on your father." Lillian smiled, kissing both of the boys on the cheek, she got close to kissing Joanna on the cheek before realising that she would be taking her daughter with her. "We will have to fit in more time. I want to catch up with my two favourite boys. And I want to meet this girlfriend of your's Fulton."
Fulton grinned. A chance to show off Rebecca to someone whose opinion meant something to him. "Sure, sounds like fun"
Deanie hugged her older brother and looked up at him, pouting. "Jakey-Poo"
"What Dean" he asked, looking down at her. She was about to ask a favour, he could tell.
"Can I come and watch your hockey practice?"
"You hate hockey" Dean reminded her.
"But I want to meet the team" Joanna shrugged.
Dean sighed. He knew that she would ask him at some point to meet his friends. And he didn't know what is was, but he didn't want her to meet them. Maybe he feared that the other members of the team (aka Mendoza) would corrupt his sweet (ok, some times sweet), innocent (ok, so maybe not that innocent) little sister (that was one thing that would never change, thank god) "You will meet them at the ducks 20 year reunion when you are no longer my 15 year old sister"
"But then I will be your 35 year old sister" She exclaimed. "Past my prime"
Lillian smirked and stroked her daughters hair. "Now darling, a woman's prime is not until later in life. It will only be Jake who has passed his prime in 20 years"
Joanna turned to pout up a little bit so that she looked truly sad. She tugged his sleeve like she used to when she was little and he had to take her places. "Please Jake, I want to meet the team. You tell me all those interesting stories about them…"
"Yeah, and I don't want you to be one of the next stories I have to tell." Dean replied. He could tell that he had little chance of winning this argument. "Ok, maybe I will let you meet them at the play, but just not now"
"Why do you do that?" She yelled. Joanna could not believe it, she had been given the brush off by her favourite person in the world. Jerk. "You treat me like I am so much younger then you. There is only a year between us"
"I know the Duck's better then you do"
"Why do you think that is, because other then Fult, I don't know any of them" She yelled, hands on hips. Dean rolled his eyes. It was funny, but for once, it felt like they were both acting their age. "You annoy the shit out of me Jake"
In the doorway, Fulton was holding his hockey things and Dean's mother was holding Dean's. As much as neither would have minded just watching them pull each other limb from limb, Dean had a practice to get to.
Fulton cleared his throat and Dean nodded. "Ok, I really have to go, so lets walk and yell"
"As long as we walk in the direction of the team" Joanna muttered, following her brother out.
"You know, some people forget that the two of them are siblings." Lillian said to Fulton as they watched her children argue all the way down the hall. "Then they do that and it becomes so obvious"
The boys walked the women to their rented car to say a quick goodbye. They were 5 minutes late, so another 5 minutes wouldn't hurt. Lillian kissed her son on the cheek. "So, call me on my cell when you get a free moment"
"I will mom" Dean told her, and then looked at his sister who was brooding in the front seat. "Come on Deanie…don't be like that?" He smiled, reaching into the car to tap her nose. Joanna glared, wound up her window, and then pressed her finger against the glass. It was the rude finger. Dean laughed and kissed the glass. She stuck her tongue out at him. "Oh, that's charming"
Joanna turned to her mother. "Mom, can we get the balls rolling on legally adopting Fult and getting rid of Jake"
"Don't be mean to your brother" Lillian replied. But she had to admit that it was good to have to two of them back together.
"We would make sure he gets placed in a nice orphanage" Joanna replied. "One that doesn't feed him gruel and make him sing as he scrubs the floors"
"Jokes on you" Dean laughed at his sister "I am old enough to be an emancipated minor"
"Dick!"
"Mom, did you hear that, wash her mouth out with the mini hotel soaps when you get home!" Dean laughed. Again Joanna made a rude gesture against the glass.
Suddenly, Joanna rolled down her window. "You know, you should be nice to me, because one day mom and dad are going to be old, and they are not going to be able to look after themselves. You are going to want me to look after them."
"Wow, you are the best daughter a woman could ask for" Lillian laughed as she started the rented car. She turned back to Dean and Fulton. "Get to practice boys"
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Joanna felt guilty. She has said some really rude things to Dean earlier that morning. She was angry at him and thought that they were justified, but then she realised that none of it was justified. Just because he was a jerk and would not let her meet his friends didn't mean that she had to be a bitch to him.
So now she was back. At Eden Hall, trying to find his bloody dorm room so that she could apologise to him. But it was actually quite smart, she realised, visiting him here on campus, maybe she could, accidentally, of course, run into a few of the ducks. And then, he would have no choice but to introduce her to them.
This prep school was huge. About three times the size of her school back in Chicago. Joanna went to what was called a minimum security school, or at least that was what she called it, because it was run like a prison. But this place, it was like, the Hilton of schools compared to her cheap motel school. She wondered why Dean and Fulton fit in here.
She was looking around, lost, when some one approached her. "Can I help you?"
"I hope so, I am kind of lost" Joanna turned to the other girl who was offering her help, and smiled at her.
"Lost" Julie smiled at the girl. "I know the feeling. What are you looking for?"
"A single, sexy, loyal, charming, multimillionaire who loves me for who I am." Joanna smiled, and Julie laughed. "But I will settle for finding the boys dorm rooms"
"Well, I can definitely help with the dorm rooms." Julie replied. "As for the man, well, Eden Hall is a good place to start"
Joanna tapped her nose. "My thoughts exactly."
Julie smiled. "I am heading towards the girls dorm, which is just along the path, past the boys dorm, so I can walk you there"
"Thank you, that's nice of you" Joanna grinned. She had thought that every one at this school would be preppy and bitchy and mean, but this girl, who ever she was, was really nice. "So how on earth did you find your way around this place, it is so big and overwhelming and … preppy"
"You get used to it" Julie smiled. "Are you planning on coming to Eden hall?"
"I would never fit in here." Joanna admitted to her. "I hear you lot don't even have a ball team"
"No, mainly hockey" Julie shrugged. Eden Hall was a mainly Hockey game, and she never realised that it was strange. The only reason why Hockey was so big was because when it snowed in a Minnesota Winter, it was impossible to get onto a football field. But this other girl played ball. "So you play basketball?"
Joanna smiled. "Baseball"
"I thought most girls play softball" Julie grinned. But then again, she couldn't exactly say much about girls in men's sports, she was a goalie on a Hockey team.
"I am the exception" Joanna shrugged. Then she looked around her again at the huge school. "So, you like it here?"
Julie shrugged. "Its alright, I miss home sometimes. I have friends here"
"Yeah, so do I" She smiled. "My best friend in the world is here. And I just realised how sad it is that he is my best friend"
"Why?" Julie asked.
"He is a loser. An annoying loser" Joanna grinned at her. "And my brother"
Jules smiled. "Nothing wrong with loving your brother"
"I know" Joanna admitted. She was not ashamed of her friendship with Dean. He was one of the closest friends that she had. But at the moment, there was something else she wanted to know. "So…tell me truthfully, what are the guys like here?"
Julie chuckled. "Well, great, if they are not annoying, confusing and pig headed, yet addicting…"
"That is the sound of a woman scorned" Joanna smiled at the other girl.
"Not scorned, just confused" Julie sighed.
Joanna knew that she did not know this girl very well, but something told her that she needed to talk. "You know, I have been told I am very easy to talk to."
"I only just met you"
"So, I can be your exclusive third party." Joanna smiled brightly. "Come on, tell me what happened"
Julie sighed, what would it harm be. And really, maybe this could bring a new out look to it all. "Have you ever wanted a boy so much you cant think straight"
Joanna grinned. "Oh, I love it when that happens"
"I hate it, I am so out of control" Julie exclaimed. She guess she could see how what she had been feeling lately could be exciting to others, but to her is was scary and painful. "When I am around him, all I want to do is…well"
Joanna nodded, understanding completely. "I get it, but that is the problem isn't it"
Julie decided to explain herself. "For so long I didn't want to love him, but now I do love him, but I cant find the words, and I don't want to go forward with anything until I tell him, but now I just cant…I cant approach him, or the subject"
"Have you tried" the other girl asked.
"I was going to tell him last week, but the words were just…beyond my reach" Julie replied.
Joanna thought for a second, and then asked. "Are you sure you have given yourself enough time to make the right decision. "
"This is the right decision, it has to be the right decision." Julie replied firmly. She could not think about whether or not this was a right decision or not. She had spent so much time thinking about it lately, and her decision was final. It was something else completely, she knew it. "He is sending me crazy. He makes my heart beat so fast and my palms sweat. Every time I look at him, all I want it to kiss him. He has so much power over me."
Joanna smiled "Scary when that happens huh?"
"This is the first time this has happened to me" Julie admitted softly.
"Well, believe me, it doesn't get any easier" Joanna mused. "Each new boy brings it all back"
Julie's jaw dropped. This girl had been in love before. "How many times have you been in love?"
"Millions of times" Joanna smiled brightly. "I am one of those people who falls in love so easily. Falling out of love is the hard part. I am still waiting for the day that I can find some one who will make me happy for more then just a day"
"You look so young" Julie replied.
"I am" Joanna shrugged. "I am probably younger then you"
"I am only 16"
"15" Joanna grinned. "I know, you are shocked, I don't act it"
"You seem so…" Julie paused, waiting for the right word. "Mature"
"It's a gift, I turn the maturity on and off." Joanna laughed. "I am the only girl on an all boy ball team, some one has to be the mature one, it might as well be me"
"I know the feeling" Julie smiled. She knew what it was like to be one of the only girls on a boys team, and to have to be mature. Although sometimes, she and Connie could be as immature as the boys, sometimes worse. "Believe me, I know the feeling"
"Can I give you some advice?" Joanna ask her as they walked along slowly.
Julie looked at her and nodded. "Advice? Sure"
"You love him right?" Joanna clarified.
"Yeah, I really do" Julie grinned. It was good to say it. She could say a million times, just not to Dean, which was her problem. She could admit to complete strangers, but not to Dean. She was crazy.
"Then tell him. Stop waiting for the perfect moment, because that will never come. Tell him now. Even if it means telling him in the most unromantic place imaginable." Joanna told her. It felt weird to relay her wisdom on to this girl, but she also looked as though she needed it. "It will be so much easier after he knows. It may not seem it, because there will always be that second, that minute, hour, day, whatever in which you are waiting for him to reply, but you cant have a rainbow without a little rain first right"
"It has been storming for us lately" Julie grinned. "But I love him, and he loves me…"
Joanna stopped her. "Wait, he has told you that?"
"Yeah"
"Then what on earth are you waiting for." Jo asked, amazed. "If he has already told you he loves you, the only reason you should have hesitated is because you don't love him."
Julie grinned at the other girl. "You really are easy to talk to"
"See, told you" Joanna smiled. "I just hope that what I had to say helped you"
"It did, thank you" Julie replied. It was amazing that this girl who she didn't even know, could help her so much. "Here you go, boys dorm. Do you know what room you are looking for?"
"Yeah, thanks" Joanna replied.
Julie did something impulsive and hugged her. Joanna smiled and hugged back. She was not really one orf girly bonding, but there was something about this girl, it was something sisterly, unexplainable. "Thank you for the advice"
Joanna pulled away. "I hope it all turns out for you and this guy"
"Thank you" Julie smiled. "Hope you can find yourself a single, sexy charming, multimillionaire who loves you for who you are"
"You know, I am not picky, I would be fine with just a boy who treats me good." Joanna admitted. "A little bit of money wouldn't hurt"
Julie looked at her watch. She had to go shower, find Beck, and then get to the dress rehearsal. "Well, I got to get going"
Joanna smiled and looked up at the building she was about it enter. "Yeah, I should go see my bro. I came here to 'apologise' for some things I said to him this morning. Running my mouth of at him, like always"
"Oh, by the way, my name is Julie." Julie smiled, holding out her hand for the other girl to shake. "Julie Gaffney"
Joanna shook her hand and smiled. "Joanna Portman"
And then it all clicked into place.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~
Shout Outs.
Due to time, I cant have a lot of shout outs tonight, so here is a list of the reviewers for last chapter, thank you thank you. Sassy4eva. Dianamite. HighOnLife. Snorts90. CakeEatersGirly99. Melanie. Cathryn. Squidslilpyro. Pixie13. Shelbers. Nastyubervamp.
Ok, I lied, one quick message…
Linnie22 - Shirtless Fulton = Yummy? I think I agree. And I agree, you cant resist sexy Portman. Seriously, if he was making out with you, would you run from the room? I sure as hell wouldn't! And the leather jacket…ummm, well, keep reading. And shy girl. I think she has a name. It came to me last night.
Oh, and due to amazing response, there will be a sequel to this. I just don't know when it would be up…
Disclaimer - not mine.
Notes - Hope you like
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Dean wondered where the last week had gone. It felt like only the night before he had spoken to his sister in the middle on the night, but now, as she lay in bed, procrastinating, he counted back the days. Four days since he had spoken to Joanna, which meant it was Friday. It also meant that the parentals would be showing up tomorrow.
The scariest thought of all was that the play, opening night, The Ducks one and only acting performance, was tomorrow, Saturday. It was amazing to think that it had actually been 12 days since the day that Meredith had screwed up the dates. And it amazed him to realise that in the last 4 days, although he had been busy, and filled every second of the day with something, whether it be learning his lines, practicing for the upcoming hockey game (holy crap, that was tonight, shit, time was getting away from him) or trying to work out what the hell was going on with Julie.
Julie had hardly said two words to him in the last four days. Juliet had spoken to Romeo about a million times, but Julie had not yet spoken to Dean about what had happened between the two of them. Which meant he had had not had a chance to apologise to her about going to fast. He had not had the chance to tell her that what he had said, about loving her was the truth. And he still didn't know what was going on with her. He wished he did, because the situation was giving him a headache.
He knew that she loved him. He had been told by so many people, but all he wanted was to hear the words from her. Her words would be like giving him permission to go ahead with the relationship. A relationship, maybe then he could touch her, hold her, kiss her when he wanted to except for having to wait till she made a move to be sure that that was strictly what she wanted.
Ah, this was giving him a headache already, and he had only just woken up. He had so much other shit he had to do today, and it would be best to do them without pain. He had a play practice, a hockey practice, a hockey game (shit, who are we even playing. I am so far behind), the after game party, and probably a million other things. But none of that could happen if he didn't get out of bed.
Maybe staying in bed all day was the answer.
But there was a knock at the door. Dean groaned and threw a pillow at Fulton's bed, only to realise that the other boy was awake. Dean's mind cleared and he heard the shower and Fulton singing along to Nirvana muffled through the door. (good thing about Nirvana, anyone can sing it, just make it sound like the words.) Right now, Fulton was doing a wonderful rendition of Smells like teen sprit.
There was a knock at the door, and Dean realised that he had used his friends Curbain impersonation to distract him from the person on the other side. They knocked again, growing impatient, and Dean groaned. It was probably one of the team coming to practice a scene or something. Or maybe it was Rebecca looking for Fulton. Or maybe it was Julie, with breakfast, that they could eat off of each others naked…
Now the knocking was a thumping. Way to comfortable in bed, he called "Come in". If they expected him to get up, they would have to bring Julie and breakfast.
The door opened, and Dean closed his eyes, expecting to hear Charlie, Or Averman, or someone. And he was about ready to tell them where to stick it to, but the voice he heard shocked him. "What, still in bed at this hour?"
Dean opened his eyes, looked at his guests, rubbed his eyes, looked at his guests again, and then sat up. This could not be happening. He was in shock. "Mom! What are you doing here?"
"Dean, close your mouth" Mrs Lillian Portman told her son, crossing to him in bed and snapping his jaw shut. In the doorway of the room, was Deanie, leaning against the doorframe.
"What are you doing here?" Dean managed to choke out. They were not suppose to be there till tomorrow. That would give him time to do things, like, clean up his room, and convince his friends to lie on his behalf so that he would not get in trouble for breaking the rules so much. But they were here, his mom and his sister, in his bedroom, and he was still in bed, in his boxer shorts. Why couldn't it have been Julie and breakfast. Or Beck and Breakfast for Fulton. Hell, Goldberg and a bagel for himself would be easier to manage at this hour of the morning.
Not that he didn't love his mother. He adored his mother, she was a great woman who allowed him to do what he wanted, when he wanted, and supported him immensely, just like his father did. And his sister was one of his best friends in the world. He had lucked out when it came to family, But this, having them all here when he had other things to get done, was all just to much. Not only did he have to do all the things that he had planned, but he had to worry about his mom, sister, and probably his dad as well seeing him. Which meant being on his best behaviour, because his father could easily make the disappointed noise in his direction.
Dean's mother looked around the room, not necessarily in disgust, but Dean knew his mother was a bit of a neat freak. Down to the whole shoe thing. In his mothers closet, the shoes were alphabetised by designer, and then colour coded. It was amazing how a woman like Lillian could have two children like Dean and Joanna, whose shoes lived in piles on top of each other, dangerous types of piles, because you could never quite be sure where the ice skates were. "You knew I was coming"
Dean sat up and wished that his closet was not on the other side of the room. He was proud of his body, he worked hard on it, but he was sure it would produce some sort of comment from his mother, and really, he could live without that. While he signalled to his sister to get a shirt from the closet, he said to his mother. "Yeah, but I thought you were coming tomorrow afternoon"
Lillian turned back to her son just as Joanna threw him a shirt. Dean looked at it, it was one of Fulton's actually, but he was sure that his bash bro wouldn't mind. "Oh, we thought, well, lets come a day earlier. We wanted to surprise you, are you surprised?"
"Surprise is not the right word at all" Dean said cheerily, pulling the plain white shirt over his head and then getting out of bed. He crossed to the door and took her little sisters arm carefully. "Mom, why don't you take a seat, Deanie, I wish to speak to you, outside, you know, where it is private"
"Oh, you kids and your secrets. Take your time" Lillian smiled at her. She was so glad that her kids were close. If you didn't trust and love your siblings, then who could you love. "I will just straighten up in here"
As Dean closed the bedroom door, he saw her making his bed. By the time he entered again, he knew that it would be hospital corners and fluffed pillows. (Dean, as a new millennium bachelor, just pulled his blanket up over his bed and let left it that way. He wondered if Julie would ever try to change that about him, but realised probably not, the whole team, including the girls, made their bed that way, with the exception of Adam, who had a maid to make his bed for him) "Damnit, she is 'straightening up' what on earth are you doing here, you are a day early"
"It is fantastic to see you to brother-dear." Deanie grinned at her distressed brother. It usually took him a little while to get used to their mom again, especially after not seeing her in a while. "No, the flight from Chicago was fabulous, mom read her magazine the whole way and made me sit next to dad."
"What are you doing here…" Dean repeated
"And of course, we both know that Dad gets airsick." Joanna replied, emphasising the word Airsick. Dean did, unfortunately know his fathers weak stomach problems. He knew first hand. He used to always sit beside his dad on flights. "Now, to answer your question, this was not my idea"
"Then whose idea was it?" Dean asked.
"I don't know… Mom's I guess." Joanna shrugged and the smirked, hitting him on the arm playfully. "She missed you Jakey-Poo"
"Don't call me Jakey-Poo, or I will have to call you Deanie-Weanie" he told her. Then opened the door to see his mom had finished the bed making. "Now, come inside before Mom cleans my room and I can not find anything."
When he entered his room, he saw that his mom was going though his dirty laundry pile. Could this day get any worse? "Mom, you didn't have to"
"Oh, be quiet" Lillian replied, waving her hand dismissively. She quickly finished what she was doing and then crossed the room to sit on Fulton's bed, leaving the Portman siblings to sit on his bed, which was now neatly made, to a point that they were scared to sit on it. But they did, and then, their mother started up the conversation, as she always did. "Now, tell me, how is school? How is the play going? Are you still enjoying hockey? Have you met any nice girls? And where, oh where, is that wonderful roommate of yours?"
Dean smirked. "Good. Fine. Of course. Maybe and showering. In that order"
"Don't get cheeky with me Jake" Lillian smiled at Dean.
Dean smiled at his mother. He liked talking to her, because no matter how busy she was, or how busy she acted, his mother would always make time for him. "Everything is going great mom. I am doing really good"
"Well, that is good to hear" Lillian smiled at them. "Your father really wishes he could have come to say hello, but he is still a little sick from the flight, so he is sleeping it off back at the hotel. I, however, have come to take you and Fulton to lunch"
"Lunch?" Dean asked, looking at his watch. Wow, he had slept much longer then he had thought. When he woke up, he had thought that it was about 8 in the morning. Turns out it was closer to 11. And he had a hockey practice in, shit, forty minutes. "Oh, I cant, we cant, I mean. We have a hockey practice. Coach Orion traded a few days with out English teacher so that she would have more days to practice the play with us, so we really need to practice before the game tonight."
Lillian smiled. "Then I can take you out for an afternoon meal?"
"Last minute dress rehearsal" Dean replied, thinking ahead.
"Dinner?" She asked him.
Dean sighed and shook his head, honestly disappointed. "Hockey game tonight"
"Well, how about after the game?" She asked him. "Supper?"
"After party" Dean replied. It was tradition that the team go to Mickey's dine car, win or lose (not that they had lost in a while, but either way) and got Sundays and ice cream sodas. They probably wouldn't stay for that long because they had so much stuff to do tomorrow, but tradition was tradition, an he didn't want to mess with that.
"Brunch tomorrow?" Lillian asked. Joanna smiled, her mother sounded like she should have a day planner in her hand, scheduling in a visit with her own son.
"Last minute group run through" Dean replied.
"Tomorrow afternoon" Lillian asked, exasperated.
It was his only time off, but there was only one thing that he wanted to do. "Sleep"
"Tomorrow at about 6?" His mother asked. She knew it was probably not going to get a yes, since the play started at 8.
"I will be in Make up" Dean shrugged.
"Make up?" Joanna laughed softly.
Dean playfully elbowed her in the arm. Joanna just smiled at him even more. "Shut up Deanie"
"Tomorrow after the play?"
"Cast party" Dean replied. He felt like telling his mother to give up, that the chances of her fitting into all the things that he had to get done in the nest two days was just to slim.
"Brunch on Sunday?"
Joanna, who was now stretched out comfortably on his bed, feet resting in his lap and head on his pillow, muttered just loud enough for him to hear. "In bed with the leading lady"
Dean smiled at her. "I wish"
"What?" Their mother looked over at them, wondering what it was that they had said. When the two of them whispered, she always got suspicious, or at least paranoid.
"Nothing" Both of them grinned together.
Lillian sighed and looked at her son, who she was not ashamed to admit that she missed immensely when he was in Minnesota and the rest of the family were in Chicago. "Well, when am I going to see you on this visit Jake?"
"You are seeing me now" Dean replied sarcastically, but it was unfortunate this could be the only time that he spent with his mom in their whole trip.
"But I want to catch up" Lillian whined.
"Then start catching. I have half an hour before hockey training" he smiled, looking at his watch. "What do you want to know?"
Lillian grinned. If this was all she could get, then she would have to take advantage of it. "What do you want to tell me?"
"Mom. You know I cant have conversations like that." Dean replied. "Small talk is not my strong point"
"Then, well, this play, are you ready for it?" She asked him
"If I am not ready by now, I don't think I will ever be." Dean smiled at her, making Joanna smile as well. "I didn't think I would mom, but I really enjoy being on stage. And the lines are easy to learn."
Joanna grinned at him. "Prove it"
"Prove what?"
"That you know your lines" she challenged.
Lillian gave her a warning look. "Deanie, leave your brother alone"
But Dean was always up for a challenge, especially if it meant proving himself to his sister. " 'Draw Benvolio; beat down their weapons. Gentlemen, for shame, forbear this outrage! Tybalt, Mercutio, the prince expressly hath forbidden bandying in Verona's streets: Hold Tybalt, good Mercutio' "
" 'I am hurt. A plague o'both your houses! I am sped. Is he gone and hath nothing?' " Fulton recited as he exited the bathroom. He paused when he realised he was being stared at, but didn't know if the two Portman women were staring at his bare chest, or the fact that he had recited Shakespeare. He smiled nervously at them. "Oh, hello"
Joanna stood and launched herself at the other boy. Fulton held her arms out to hug her, pulling her into a tight embrace. Joanna was as much his sister as she was Dean's. And Fulton really missed her sometimes. "Fulton! I missed you"
"Hey Joanna" he grinned.
Lillian stood and smiled at Fulton, a young man who had settled into her family very easily. "Deanie, don't hug the boy when he is half dressed like that" When Joanna pulled away, Lillian hugged him. Fulton, although he was embarrassed, hugged back.
From his bed, Dean said. "Yeah, his girlfriend may get jealous"
"Girlfriend" Lillian cried. "Oh Fulton, how exciting for you"
"Fult, she may be hiding it, but she is heart broken." Joanna laughed as Fulton pulled on a shirt. "Mom wanted us to get married"
Fulton looked at the other girl. "I thought you wanted us to get married"
Joanna smiled. She could never have a romantic attachment to Fulton, he was like a brother to her, but she often joked that she and him were soul mates. Maybe they were, in that close type of friend way. "Only to annoy dean"
"And it would have annoyed Dean." Dean told the others. Hen he slapped Fulton on the shoulder. "But it would have been cool to have you as a real brother"
"Thanks man, but we don't need blood for that to happen" Fulton replied.
"Of course not. Fulton, you will always be welcome in our home, no matter what happens" Lillian replied. He would always be welcome because he was already a member of the family. "You are the second son I always wanted
Fulton blushed a little and smiled at the older woman. "Thanks Momma Portman"
"Oh, that name." Lillian smiled, but still brought her hand to her head as though she was in pain. Momma Portman was something that they had started calling her the summer before, and although she recognised it as a term of endearment, she had heard it so many times it was beginning to annoy her. Plus, it made her feel old. "I thought you three had gotten over that"
"Not at all" Fulton smiled, then looked at his watch. They had ten minutes to suit up and be on the ice, Orion would blow a gasket if they were late again. "Dean, we have to get to practice."
"Yes, I should be heading back to the hotel, check up on your father." Lillian smiled, kissing both of the boys on the cheek, she got close to kissing Joanna on the cheek before realising that she would be taking her daughter with her. "We will have to fit in more time. I want to catch up with my two favourite boys. And I want to meet this girlfriend of your's Fulton."
Fulton grinned. A chance to show off Rebecca to someone whose opinion meant something to him. "Sure, sounds like fun"
Deanie hugged her older brother and looked up at him, pouting. "Jakey-Poo"
"What Dean" he asked, looking down at her. She was about to ask a favour, he could tell.
"Can I come and watch your hockey practice?"
"You hate hockey" Dean reminded her.
"But I want to meet the team" Joanna shrugged.
Dean sighed. He knew that she would ask him at some point to meet his friends. And he didn't know what is was, but he didn't want her to meet them. Maybe he feared that the other members of the team (aka Mendoza) would corrupt his sweet (ok, some times sweet), innocent (ok, so maybe not that innocent) little sister (that was one thing that would never change, thank god) "You will meet them at the ducks 20 year reunion when you are no longer my 15 year old sister"
"But then I will be your 35 year old sister" She exclaimed. "Past my prime"
Lillian smirked and stroked her daughters hair. "Now darling, a woman's prime is not until later in life. It will only be Jake who has passed his prime in 20 years"
Joanna turned to pout up a little bit so that she looked truly sad. She tugged his sleeve like she used to when she was little and he had to take her places. "Please Jake, I want to meet the team. You tell me all those interesting stories about them…"
"Yeah, and I don't want you to be one of the next stories I have to tell." Dean replied. He could tell that he had little chance of winning this argument. "Ok, maybe I will let you meet them at the play, but just not now"
"Why do you do that?" She yelled. Joanna could not believe it, she had been given the brush off by her favourite person in the world. Jerk. "You treat me like I am so much younger then you. There is only a year between us"
"I know the Duck's better then you do"
"Why do you think that is, because other then Fult, I don't know any of them" She yelled, hands on hips. Dean rolled his eyes. It was funny, but for once, it felt like they were both acting their age. "You annoy the shit out of me Jake"
In the doorway, Fulton was holding his hockey things and Dean's mother was holding Dean's. As much as neither would have minded just watching them pull each other limb from limb, Dean had a practice to get to.
Fulton cleared his throat and Dean nodded. "Ok, I really have to go, so lets walk and yell"
"As long as we walk in the direction of the team" Joanna muttered, following her brother out.
"You know, some people forget that the two of them are siblings." Lillian said to Fulton as they watched her children argue all the way down the hall. "Then they do that and it becomes so obvious"
The boys walked the women to their rented car to say a quick goodbye. They were 5 minutes late, so another 5 minutes wouldn't hurt. Lillian kissed her son on the cheek. "So, call me on my cell when you get a free moment"
"I will mom" Dean told her, and then looked at his sister who was brooding in the front seat. "Come on Deanie…don't be like that?" He smiled, reaching into the car to tap her nose. Joanna glared, wound up her window, and then pressed her finger against the glass. It was the rude finger. Dean laughed and kissed the glass. She stuck her tongue out at him. "Oh, that's charming"
Joanna turned to her mother. "Mom, can we get the balls rolling on legally adopting Fult and getting rid of Jake"
"Don't be mean to your brother" Lillian replied. But she had to admit that it was good to have to two of them back together.
"We would make sure he gets placed in a nice orphanage" Joanna replied. "One that doesn't feed him gruel and make him sing as he scrubs the floors"
"Jokes on you" Dean laughed at his sister "I am old enough to be an emancipated minor"
"Dick!"
"Mom, did you hear that, wash her mouth out with the mini hotel soaps when you get home!" Dean laughed. Again Joanna made a rude gesture against the glass.
Suddenly, Joanna rolled down her window. "You know, you should be nice to me, because one day mom and dad are going to be old, and they are not going to be able to look after themselves. You are going to want me to look after them."
"Wow, you are the best daughter a woman could ask for" Lillian laughed as she started the rented car. She turned back to Dean and Fulton. "Get to practice boys"
~ ~ ~ ~ ~
Joanna felt guilty. She has said some really rude things to Dean earlier that morning. She was angry at him and thought that they were justified, but then she realised that none of it was justified. Just because he was a jerk and would not let her meet his friends didn't mean that she had to be a bitch to him.
So now she was back. At Eden Hall, trying to find his bloody dorm room so that she could apologise to him. But it was actually quite smart, she realised, visiting him here on campus, maybe she could, accidentally, of course, run into a few of the ducks. And then, he would have no choice but to introduce her to them.
This prep school was huge. About three times the size of her school back in Chicago. Joanna went to what was called a minimum security school, or at least that was what she called it, because it was run like a prison. But this place, it was like, the Hilton of schools compared to her cheap motel school. She wondered why Dean and Fulton fit in here.
She was looking around, lost, when some one approached her. "Can I help you?"
"I hope so, I am kind of lost" Joanna turned to the other girl who was offering her help, and smiled at her.
"Lost" Julie smiled at the girl. "I know the feeling. What are you looking for?"
"A single, sexy, loyal, charming, multimillionaire who loves me for who I am." Joanna smiled, and Julie laughed. "But I will settle for finding the boys dorm rooms"
"Well, I can definitely help with the dorm rooms." Julie replied. "As for the man, well, Eden Hall is a good place to start"
Joanna tapped her nose. "My thoughts exactly."
Julie smiled. "I am heading towards the girls dorm, which is just along the path, past the boys dorm, so I can walk you there"
"Thank you, that's nice of you" Joanna grinned. She had thought that every one at this school would be preppy and bitchy and mean, but this girl, who ever she was, was really nice. "So how on earth did you find your way around this place, it is so big and overwhelming and … preppy"
"You get used to it" Julie smiled. "Are you planning on coming to Eden hall?"
"I would never fit in here." Joanna admitted to her. "I hear you lot don't even have a ball team"
"No, mainly hockey" Julie shrugged. Eden Hall was a mainly Hockey game, and she never realised that it was strange. The only reason why Hockey was so big was because when it snowed in a Minnesota Winter, it was impossible to get onto a football field. But this other girl played ball. "So you play basketball?"
Joanna smiled. "Baseball"
"I thought most girls play softball" Julie grinned. But then again, she couldn't exactly say much about girls in men's sports, she was a goalie on a Hockey team.
"I am the exception" Joanna shrugged. Then she looked around her again at the huge school. "So, you like it here?"
Julie shrugged. "Its alright, I miss home sometimes. I have friends here"
"Yeah, so do I" She smiled. "My best friend in the world is here. And I just realised how sad it is that he is my best friend"
"Why?" Julie asked.
"He is a loser. An annoying loser" Joanna grinned at her. "And my brother"
Jules smiled. "Nothing wrong with loving your brother"
"I know" Joanna admitted. She was not ashamed of her friendship with Dean. He was one of the closest friends that she had. But at the moment, there was something else she wanted to know. "So…tell me truthfully, what are the guys like here?"
Julie chuckled. "Well, great, if they are not annoying, confusing and pig headed, yet addicting…"
"That is the sound of a woman scorned" Joanna smiled at the other girl.
"Not scorned, just confused" Julie sighed.
Joanna knew that she did not know this girl very well, but something told her that she needed to talk. "You know, I have been told I am very easy to talk to."
"I only just met you"
"So, I can be your exclusive third party." Joanna smiled brightly. "Come on, tell me what happened"
Julie sighed, what would it harm be. And really, maybe this could bring a new out look to it all. "Have you ever wanted a boy so much you cant think straight"
Joanna grinned. "Oh, I love it when that happens"
"I hate it, I am so out of control" Julie exclaimed. She guess she could see how what she had been feeling lately could be exciting to others, but to her is was scary and painful. "When I am around him, all I want to do is…well"
Joanna nodded, understanding completely. "I get it, but that is the problem isn't it"
Julie decided to explain herself. "For so long I didn't want to love him, but now I do love him, but I cant find the words, and I don't want to go forward with anything until I tell him, but now I just cant…I cant approach him, or the subject"
"Have you tried" the other girl asked.
"I was going to tell him last week, but the words were just…beyond my reach" Julie replied.
Joanna thought for a second, and then asked. "Are you sure you have given yourself enough time to make the right decision. "
"This is the right decision, it has to be the right decision." Julie replied firmly. She could not think about whether or not this was a right decision or not. She had spent so much time thinking about it lately, and her decision was final. It was something else completely, she knew it. "He is sending me crazy. He makes my heart beat so fast and my palms sweat. Every time I look at him, all I want it to kiss him. He has so much power over me."
Joanna smiled "Scary when that happens huh?"
"This is the first time this has happened to me" Julie admitted softly.
"Well, believe me, it doesn't get any easier" Joanna mused. "Each new boy brings it all back"
Julie's jaw dropped. This girl had been in love before. "How many times have you been in love?"
"Millions of times" Joanna smiled brightly. "I am one of those people who falls in love so easily. Falling out of love is the hard part. I am still waiting for the day that I can find some one who will make me happy for more then just a day"
"You look so young" Julie replied.
"I am" Joanna shrugged. "I am probably younger then you"
"I am only 16"
"15" Joanna grinned. "I know, you are shocked, I don't act it"
"You seem so…" Julie paused, waiting for the right word. "Mature"
"It's a gift, I turn the maturity on and off." Joanna laughed. "I am the only girl on an all boy ball team, some one has to be the mature one, it might as well be me"
"I know the feeling" Julie smiled. She knew what it was like to be one of the only girls on a boys team, and to have to be mature. Although sometimes, she and Connie could be as immature as the boys, sometimes worse. "Believe me, I know the feeling"
"Can I give you some advice?" Joanna ask her as they walked along slowly.
Julie looked at her and nodded. "Advice? Sure"
"You love him right?" Joanna clarified.
"Yeah, I really do" Julie grinned. It was good to say it. She could say a million times, just not to Dean, which was her problem. She could admit to complete strangers, but not to Dean. She was crazy.
"Then tell him. Stop waiting for the perfect moment, because that will never come. Tell him now. Even if it means telling him in the most unromantic place imaginable." Joanna told her. It felt weird to relay her wisdom on to this girl, but she also looked as though she needed it. "It will be so much easier after he knows. It may not seem it, because there will always be that second, that minute, hour, day, whatever in which you are waiting for him to reply, but you cant have a rainbow without a little rain first right"
"It has been storming for us lately" Julie grinned. "But I love him, and he loves me…"
Joanna stopped her. "Wait, he has told you that?"
"Yeah"
"Then what on earth are you waiting for." Jo asked, amazed. "If he has already told you he loves you, the only reason you should have hesitated is because you don't love him."
Julie grinned at the other girl. "You really are easy to talk to"
"See, told you" Joanna smiled. "I just hope that what I had to say helped you"
"It did, thank you" Julie replied. It was amazing that this girl who she didn't even know, could help her so much. "Here you go, boys dorm. Do you know what room you are looking for?"
"Yeah, thanks" Joanna replied.
Julie did something impulsive and hugged her. Joanna smiled and hugged back. She was not really one orf girly bonding, but there was something about this girl, it was something sisterly, unexplainable. "Thank you for the advice"
Joanna pulled away. "I hope it all turns out for you and this guy"
"Thank you" Julie smiled. "Hope you can find yourself a single, sexy charming, multimillionaire who loves you for who you are"
"You know, I am not picky, I would be fine with just a boy who treats me good." Joanna admitted. "A little bit of money wouldn't hurt"
Julie looked at her watch. She had to go shower, find Beck, and then get to the dress rehearsal. "Well, I got to get going"
Joanna smiled and looked up at the building she was about it enter. "Yeah, I should go see my bro. I came here to 'apologise' for some things I said to him this morning. Running my mouth of at him, like always"
"Oh, by the way, my name is Julie." Julie smiled, holding out her hand for the other girl to shake. "Julie Gaffney"
Joanna shook her hand and smiled. "Joanna Portman"
And then it all clicked into place.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~
Shout Outs.
Due to time, I cant have a lot of shout outs tonight, so here is a list of the reviewers for last chapter, thank you thank you. Sassy4eva. Dianamite. HighOnLife. Snorts90. CakeEatersGirly99. Melanie. Cathryn. Squidslilpyro. Pixie13. Shelbers. Nastyubervamp.
Ok, I lied, one quick message…
Linnie22 - Shirtless Fulton = Yummy? I think I agree. And I agree, you cant resist sexy Portman. Seriously, if he was making out with you, would you run from the room? I sure as hell wouldn't! And the leather jacket…ummm, well, keep reading. And shy girl. I think she has a name. It came to me last night.
Oh, and due to amazing response, there will be a sequel to this. I just don't know when it would be up…
