~*~
I licked my lips as she lied down beside me on the grass. I heard her sigh as she tucked black hair behind her ear.
"So. . ." I said smiling at her.
She turned to me and lowered her sunglasses so she would be looking me straight in the eyes. She took them off and leaned over to me. Her lips caressed mine lightly. I felt her move closer to me. She pulled away from me and smiled. "Banksie, it's time for practice." Josie whispered, putting her sunglasses back on.
I frowned. "Josie what are you talking about?"
**
"What the hell! Banksie, its Charlie!"
I jumped opening my eyes. I was asleep? What a rip off! I groaned and covered my head with my blankets. "I'm sleeping."
Charlie snorted. "No you're not. You're talking. By the way, don't call me Josie, it's creepy." He began to tug at the blankets that were wrapped tightly around me like a cocoon.
"It's called sleep talking. I just happen to be one of the few who can carry on full conversations."
Charlie wouldn't give up. "Come on Averman couldn't get you up. If I can't Portman and Fulton are right outside the door."
I groaned again and began to untangle myself from the sheets around me. "Ok. Why is this practice so important?"
Charlie shrugged. "Don't you remember Coach saying, 'Next practice is going to be very important, and if any of you are late . . ." and then he began rambling on about bloody and painful ways he could kill us with a hockey stick, which I tuned out."
I sighed and reluctantly got out of bed. I hurt all over and I just wanted to sleep.
"Weren't you listening to Orion's crazy ramblings on the bus?" Charlie asked as I slowly pulled on a shirt and began to search for some pants. I sighed. Averman probably hid them all again. Where were they the last time? "Oh, I know why you weren't listening to Orion. You were making out with that girl who threatened me on the way to the game!"
I sighed again. I was beginning to give up hope in my search for pants. I then realized what Charlie said. "When was I making out with Josie?"
Charlie sighed. "The bus ride home."
I stopped shook my head. "I wasn't making out with her. I was laughing at her. Did you see Orion's face when she offered him a Twix?"
Charlie rolled his eyes. "Well you two should get it over with. Averman and Goldberg have a bet on which day you two are getting together." He then stopped and smiled. "Actually, I'll tell you when to make your move. We could split the pot."
I scoffed and rolled my eyes. "I'm not that interested in that right now. I'm looking for pants. I have a feeling Averman hid them . . . again."
Charlie frowned and looked around the room and he looked up. "Um. . . Their up there." He pointed to the ceiling.
I followed his gaze and realized that Averman had most of my pants on the rungs of the ceiling fans. "How the hell . . ." I started frowning.
Charlie shook his head, his expression matching mine. "No clue."
~*~
I stepped off the ice from morning practice completely exhausted. I never really enjoyed morning practice; I was always tired and could never work my hardest. The coach had come up with some new play he wanted to try next game which was in about a week and it was simple, but difficult to actually do if you weren't concentrating or like me, tired as hell.
I admit it. I was thinking about her again. Her eyes, her smile; just everything about her and it bugged me that we were just friends, even though Connie had pointed out that we had more moments that Guy and her do. I think we had a few during the game against the Cougars. Like the game would stop for a few moments and I would just look up at her and our eyes would lock and that feeling of attraction would just flood me.
I couldn't wait to get to English that morning. I grabbed a coffee and rushed to it, early, as usual and there she was; the only other person in the room. Today however she was different. She was focusing on papers that were spread across her desk randomly.
"Hey you." I say immediately getting her attention.
Her eyes meet mine quickly and she looks away back to the papers. "Hey." She replies quietly, not even looking at me when she says it.
I sit down and lean towards her desk. "What'cha doing?" I figure if I'm annoying she'll at least pay attention to me.
She licks her lips and raising her hand to her forehead, blocking her eyes from mine. Something is definitely up. "Reading."
"What's wrong? You're speaking to me in only one syllable answers."
She didn't move. "Read . . . ing. Two syllables."
I sigh. "Ok. Then what are you reading." I'm going to get an answer out of her no matter what.
She pauses for a second. I see her chest rise and fall as she took a deep breath. "Letters." She pauses again hesitating on whether or not to tell me. "From Peter's mom and dad."
I blink stupidly. There he is again. Peter. I didn't even know the guy and his name keeps on popping up in my conversations with this girl.
She sniffs and drops the hand she has been blocking my stares with. I finally see why. Her eyes are tearing up. "I was scared to open them, and I finally did this morning." She began to explain. She handed me the paper that was on top of the unorganized pile. She bit her bottom lip hard. "Read."
I accepted it and looked at it. Lined paper with swirly feminine handwriting:
"Dearest Josie," I started looking up at her. I don't want to read any farther knowing she begin to cry harder if I do. I swallowed and continued. "We all miss you very much and know that we are still waiting for your first letter. I understand it must be hard to write back but we still wait eagerly. I was excited to hear you were accepted to Eden Hall Academy in Minnesota; congratulations! Peter would have been proud to see you get the chance to go to such a school. I always knew you were the smart one out of the pair of you."
Josie quietly snorted through her tears that were by now spilling onto the sheets of paper that lay in front of her. She waved me on, forcing me to start the next paragraph.
"Josie, I know this may sound harsh and you may not understand but we would rather you not come to Peter's memorial in February. His father and I feel you need to move on and not dwell on such things. Peter would want it that way. Remember that we all love you very much, and our prayers are with you as you move on. Love always, signed G. Ryerson."
I watched her as silent tears rolled down her cheeks and fell onto the many letters that were probably similar to the one that I was holding. The ink; that was obviously from a fountain pen smeared as she cried and made little blue pools on the papers.
I got up and knelt beside her and placed my hand on her back.
She winced and got up immediately, wiping away her tears. "Don't." She grabbed the paper I held and began to collect all the papers off her desk. "Just don't."
I looked at her shocked. "I. . . I. . ." I stuttered quietly.
She shot a look at me which would have been evil, hadn't there been tears in her eyes. "Please Adam." She whispered.
Now, in hindsight, I wished I had listened to her, but I didn't. I reached out to touch her. I couldn't stand to see her crying anymore. I wanted to stop the tears from falling.
She wiped away the tears that were in her eyes and looked at me again, this time, in disgust. She licked her lips and ran; her arms full of the letters and envelopes and I do what I do best, I chased her, right into Fulton.
She slammed into his chest like a speeding car to a wall, and she seemed to make the same sort of noise as she fell, papers flying from her arms into the air like a shower of rain.
"Fuck!" Fulton yelped as he knelt down to the floor making sure she was in one piece, trying to see exactly who crashed into him. He tilted her head up which was now in her hands. "Hey, you're that girl. . ." He started his eyes flew to me who was behind her by now. I reached to touch her back, my eyes looking away from Fulton.
She swatted me away as she winced. "Go away Adam! God don't you get it? Just go!"
Fulton looked at us both as I quickly stepped away from her. He touched her shoulder and smiled lightly. "Hey, it's ok." He whispered quietly trying to calm her down the best he could.
She shook her head violently. "I'm sorry." She said grabbing the papers around her quickly. She suddenly stopped and covered her eyes. She was crying so hard and she was trying to stop.
Fulton looked panicked. He grabbed the rest of the papers and took the ones from her hands and shoved them into the bag that was strapped over her shoulder. He swallowed nervously. "Come on. Let's go ok?" He uttered, gently moving her to her feet. "Where's your dorm; I'll take you there." He looked back at me in confusion. I was never the type to make a girl cry and I could tell that was exactly what he was thinking.
I took a deep breath wondering what the hell happened in there. I stood there a moment in the empty halls as random words came flooding back to me.
"Letters, from Peter's mom and dad. . ."
"You're great. Let yourself be it. . ."
"The greatest mistake in life is to continually fear you will make one. . ."
"I am NOT his girlfriend. . ."
"Just go!"
"It's like this, everyone has a match. Your match would be a cheerleader or something to do with hockey. Fulton would be that new girl's match. . ."
I suddenly felt sick as I remembered Luis' words that one day in history class. Fulton and Josie? Fulton wouldn't do that to me, right? I may have picked on him when we were like nine and ten, but that was before I became a Duck; that was before we even came to Eden Hall. Fulton wouldn't take the girl that everyone knew I liked right?
But what really worried me is the fact I had no clue what I've done wrong. I did exactly what she told me to do. I read the stupid letter. I would have to talk to Fulton, maybe he knows what I've done.
~*~
I sat down at lunch, my stomach in knots waiting for Fulton's arrival. Ok, I may sound like a complete prep when I say that, but believe me, when Fulton enters a room, usually with Portman by his side, it's a major entrance; for lack of a better word, huge.
I looked over at Charlie who was eating like always. I stared down at the tray that sat in front of me. It made me nauseas. I frowned and pushed it away.
"Banksie, what's up?" Charlie asked stopping his discussion with Russ.
Goldberg patted my back. "Eat! You're going to pass out on us again if you don't."
I shook my head.
"Ladies!" I heard Portman yell as he entered the dining hall. He's been here for almost two semesters and yet he can't enter this room without flirting with the Varsity cheerleaders. The table shakes their heads. They think the exact same thing as I do.
Fulton comes in behind him, silent; quite a change from the usual. They make their way to our table and collapse into the chairs.
"Detention! I swear the teachers in this school have it out for us Bash Bros!" Portman explains without being asked as he sits two seats down from me. Fulton takes the one beside me and avoids looking at me.
"Fulton," I hiss quietly. "We got to talk."
Fulton's eyes slide to meet mine. "I've heard enough for one day from her."
I feel my face go numb. "What did she say?"
"I believe her exact words were, 'The biggest jerk in the world who doesn't know how to keep his nose out of his own business.' But you know me; I'm not the type to spread rumors."
"Fulton, I didn't do any_"
Fulton frowned and got up quickly. "Not hungry." He grunted, his eyes burning into mine. He trudged out of the hall ignoring the stares from the rest of the team.
I sigh. Well, gee whiz, that went swell.
~
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A/N: Yay! I'm here to stay! And don't worry, this is FAR from over, I think. I'm never sure where my stories are going. I feel so loved! And Rachel- you don't have to tie me to my computer! I love this story too much to stop! I broke out The MD 1-3 videos out so I got some MAJOR inspiration. Although, my brother, my dad and I have this debate going on; Topic: Queen is the best band ever, yes or no? Hm. . . I have to think about that. OH!! And the whole Fulton thing a little inside info- inspired by a dream! I swear to God! I was really creeped. Review as always!!
~Toodles!
I licked my lips as she lied down beside me on the grass. I heard her sigh as she tucked black hair behind her ear.
"So. . ." I said smiling at her.
She turned to me and lowered her sunglasses so she would be looking me straight in the eyes. She took them off and leaned over to me. Her lips caressed mine lightly. I felt her move closer to me. She pulled away from me and smiled. "Banksie, it's time for practice." Josie whispered, putting her sunglasses back on.
I frowned. "Josie what are you talking about?"
**
"What the hell! Banksie, its Charlie!"
I jumped opening my eyes. I was asleep? What a rip off! I groaned and covered my head with my blankets. "I'm sleeping."
Charlie snorted. "No you're not. You're talking. By the way, don't call me Josie, it's creepy." He began to tug at the blankets that were wrapped tightly around me like a cocoon.
"It's called sleep talking. I just happen to be one of the few who can carry on full conversations."
Charlie wouldn't give up. "Come on Averman couldn't get you up. If I can't Portman and Fulton are right outside the door."
I groaned again and began to untangle myself from the sheets around me. "Ok. Why is this practice so important?"
Charlie shrugged. "Don't you remember Coach saying, 'Next practice is going to be very important, and if any of you are late . . ." and then he began rambling on about bloody and painful ways he could kill us with a hockey stick, which I tuned out."
I sighed and reluctantly got out of bed. I hurt all over and I just wanted to sleep.
"Weren't you listening to Orion's crazy ramblings on the bus?" Charlie asked as I slowly pulled on a shirt and began to search for some pants. I sighed. Averman probably hid them all again. Where were they the last time? "Oh, I know why you weren't listening to Orion. You were making out with that girl who threatened me on the way to the game!"
I sighed again. I was beginning to give up hope in my search for pants. I then realized what Charlie said. "When was I making out with Josie?"
Charlie sighed. "The bus ride home."
I stopped shook my head. "I wasn't making out with her. I was laughing at her. Did you see Orion's face when she offered him a Twix?"
Charlie rolled his eyes. "Well you two should get it over with. Averman and Goldberg have a bet on which day you two are getting together." He then stopped and smiled. "Actually, I'll tell you when to make your move. We could split the pot."
I scoffed and rolled my eyes. "I'm not that interested in that right now. I'm looking for pants. I have a feeling Averman hid them . . . again."
Charlie frowned and looked around the room and he looked up. "Um. . . Their up there." He pointed to the ceiling.
I followed his gaze and realized that Averman had most of my pants on the rungs of the ceiling fans. "How the hell . . ." I started frowning.
Charlie shook his head, his expression matching mine. "No clue."
~*~
I stepped off the ice from morning practice completely exhausted. I never really enjoyed morning practice; I was always tired and could never work my hardest. The coach had come up with some new play he wanted to try next game which was in about a week and it was simple, but difficult to actually do if you weren't concentrating or like me, tired as hell.
I admit it. I was thinking about her again. Her eyes, her smile; just everything about her and it bugged me that we were just friends, even though Connie had pointed out that we had more moments that Guy and her do. I think we had a few during the game against the Cougars. Like the game would stop for a few moments and I would just look up at her and our eyes would lock and that feeling of attraction would just flood me.
I couldn't wait to get to English that morning. I grabbed a coffee and rushed to it, early, as usual and there she was; the only other person in the room. Today however she was different. She was focusing on papers that were spread across her desk randomly.
"Hey you." I say immediately getting her attention.
Her eyes meet mine quickly and she looks away back to the papers. "Hey." She replies quietly, not even looking at me when she says it.
I sit down and lean towards her desk. "What'cha doing?" I figure if I'm annoying she'll at least pay attention to me.
She licks her lips and raising her hand to her forehead, blocking her eyes from mine. Something is definitely up. "Reading."
"What's wrong? You're speaking to me in only one syllable answers."
She didn't move. "Read . . . ing. Two syllables."
I sigh. "Ok. Then what are you reading." I'm going to get an answer out of her no matter what.
She pauses for a second. I see her chest rise and fall as she took a deep breath. "Letters." She pauses again hesitating on whether or not to tell me. "From Peter's mom and dad."
I blink stupidly. There he is again. Peter. I didn't even know the guy and his name keeps on popping up in my conversations with this girl.
She sniffs and drops the hand she has been blocking my stares with. I finally see why. Her eyes are tearing up. "I was scared to open them, and I finally did this morning." She began to explain. She handed me the paper that was on top of the unorganized pile. She bit her bottom lip hard. "Read."
I accepted it and looked at it. Lined paper with swirly feminine handwriting:
"Dearest Josie," I started looking up at her. I don't want to read any farther knowing she begin to cry harder if I do. I swallowed and continued. "We all miss you very much and know that we are still waiting for your first letter. I understand it must be hard to write back but we still wait eagerly. I was excited to hear you were accepted to Eden Hall Academy in Minnesota; congratulations! Peter would have been proud to see you get the chance to go to such a school. I always knew you were the smart one out of the pair of you."
Josie quietly snorted through her tears that were by now spilling onto the sheets of paper that lay in front of her. She waved me on, forcing me to start the next paragraph.
"Josie, I know this may sound harsh and you may not understand but we would rather you not come to Peter's memorial in February. His father and I feel you need to move on and not dwell on such things. Peter would want it that way. Remember that we all love you very much, and our prayers are with you as you move on. Love always, signed G. Ryerson."
I watched her as silent tears rolled down her cheeks and fell onto the many letters that were probably similar to the one that I was holding. The ink; that was obviously from a fountain pen smeared as she cried and made little blue pools on the papers.
I got up and knelt beside her and placed my hand on her back.
She winced and got up immediately, wiping away her tears. "Don't." She grabbed the paper I held and began to collect all the papers off her desk. "Just don't."
I looked at her shocked. "I. . . I. . ." I stuttered quietly.
She shot a look at me which would have been evil, hadn't there been tears in her eyes. "Please Adam." She whispered.
Now, in hindsight, I wished I had listened to her, but I didn't. I reached out to touch her. I couldn't stand to see her crying anymore. I wanted to stop the tears from falling.
She wiped away the tears that were in her eyes and looked at me again, this time, in disgust. She licked her lips and ran; her arms full of the letters and envelopes and I do what I do best, I chased her, right into Fulton.
She slammed into his chest like a speeding car to a wall, and she seemed to make the same sort of noise as she fell, papers flying from her arms into the air like a shower of rain.
"Fuck!" Fulton yelped as he knelt down to the floor making sure she was in one piece, trying to see exactly who crashed into him. He tilted her head up which was now in her hands. "Hey, you're that girl. . ." He started his eyes flew to me who was behind her by now. I reached to touch her back, my eyes looking away from Fulton.
She swatted me away as she winced. "Go away Adam! God don't you get it? Just go!"
Fulton looked at us both as I quickly stepped away from her. He touched her shoulder and smiled lightly. "Hey, it's ok." He whispered quietly trying to calm her down the best he could.
She shook her head violently. "I'm sorry." She said grabbing the papers around her quickly. She suddenly stopped and covered her eyes. She was crying so hard and she was trying to stop.
Fulton looked panicked. He grabbed the rest of the papers and took the ones from her hands and shoved them into the bag that was strapped over her shoulder. He swallowed nervously. "Come on. Let's go ok?" He uttered, gently moving her to her feet. "Where's your dorm; I'll take you there." He looked back at me in confusion. I was never the type to make a girl cry and I could tell that was exactly what he was thinking.
I took a deep breath wondering what the hell happened in there. I stood there a moment in the empty halls as random words came flooding back to me.
"Letters, from Peter's mom and dad. . ."
"You're great. Let yourself be it. . ."
"The greatest mistake in life is to continually fear you will make one. . ."
"I am NOT his girlfriend. . ."
"Just go!"
"It's like this, everyone has a match. Your match would be a cheerleader or something to do with hockey. Fulton would be that new girl's match. . ."
I suddenly felt sick as I remembered Luis' words that one day in history class. Fulton and Josie? Fulton wouldn't do that to me, right? I may have picked on him when we were like nine and ten, but that was before I became a Duck; that was before we even came to Eden Hall. Fulton wouldn't take the girl that everyone knew I liked right?
But what really worried me is the fact I had no clue what I've done wrong. I did exactly what she told me to do. I read the stupid letter. I would have to talk to Fulton, maybe he knows what I've done.
~*~
I sat down at lunch, my stomach in knots waiting for Fulton's arrival. Ok, I may sound like a complete prep when I say that, but believe me, when Fulton enters a room, usually with Portman by his side, it's a major entrance; for lack of a better word, huge.
I looked over at Charlie who was eating like always. I stared down at the tray that sat in front of me. It made me nauseas. I frowned and pushed it away.
"Banksie, what's up?" Charlie asked stopping his discussion with Russ.
Goldberg patted my back. "Eat! You're going to pass out on us again if you don't."
I shook my head.
"Ladies!" I heard Portman yell as he entered the dining hall. He's been here for almost two semesters and yet he can't enter this room without flirting with the Varsity cheerleaders. The table shakes their heads. They think the exact same thing as I do.
Fulton comes in behind him, silent; quite a change from the usual. They make their way to our table and collapse into the chairs.
"Detention! I swear the teachers in this school have it out for us Bash Bros!" Portman explains without being asked as he sits two seats down from me. Fulton takes the one beside me and avoids looking at me.
"Fulton," I hiss quietly. "We got to talk."
Fulton's eyes slide to meet mine. "I've heard enough for one day from her."
I feel my face go numb. "What did she say?"
"I believe her exact words were, 'The biggest jerk in the world who doesn't know how to keep his nose out of his own business.' But you know me; I'm not the type to spread rumors."
"Fulton, I didn't do any_"
Fulton frowned and got up quickly. "Not hungry." He grunted, his eyes burning into mine. He trudged out of the hall ignoring the stares from the rest of the team.
I sigh. Well, gee whiz, that went swell.
~
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A/N: Yay! I'm here to stay! And don't worry, this is FAR from over, I think. I'm never sure where my stories are going. I feel so loved! And Rachel- you don't have to tie me to my computer! I love this story too much to stop! I broke out The MD 1-3 videos out so I got some MAJOR inspiration. Although, my brother, my dad and I have this debate going on; Topic: Queen is the best band ever, yes or no? Hm. . . I have to think about that. OH!! And the whole Fulton thing a little inside info- inspired by a dream! I swear to God! I was really creeped. Review as always!!
~Toodles!