Disclaimer : I don't own the Ducks. I tried to steal them, but they
wouldn't let me. Meanies.
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~*~
Julie's POV
I hated what Orien did to the team. I loved him for making me starting goalie, but he pulled us apart. People thought I didn't feel it as bad because I wasn't an original Duck, but I did.
God I felt it.
When hurt me most was him taking Banks away. I guess he was trying to do a good thing, and give him a chance, a chance to improve himself. It's really the Ducks I should be angry at – they were the ones who pushed him out. OK, WE were. I'm a Duck too. I got caught up in it at first, I admit. Much as I regret it now I felt a malicious little thrill at attacking his stuff the worst. In retrospect, maybe it was less anger at him being a Varsity player than anger for leaving me.
It all changed that Monday morning when he walked into my class and sat down next to me.
"Julie," he greeted me.
"Banks." I gave him a curt nod and he looked surprised. I'd always called him Adam. Call it Duck loyalty, call it hurt, call it whatever you like. I just couldn't afford myself the familiarity.
We sat in silence until the end of the class. As I gathered my books he laid a hand on my arm to stop me leaving.
"Nice prank, Jules. The liquid nitrogen. Very imaginative.
"Nothing to do with me," I defended myself, though my cheeks were hotting up. Damn my pale skin and tendency to blush when I lied.
"C'mon Jules, you're an awful liar."
"Stop it Banks. You know it was JV."
"So quit defending yourself."
"It was the Ducks, that doesn't mean it was me personally."
"Tip for you Jules." He leant closer and I looked down quickly, not allowing myself to be hypnotized by those eyes, to see him extending a clenched fist. "Next time you pull a prank, make sure the catch on your jewellery isn't loose." He uncurled his fingers, and lying on his palm was a silver bracelet with a tiny hockey stick charm hanging from it. I felt my cheeks explode with heat. I wanted the floor to swallow me up. Of course he knew it was mine – he'd bought it for me, when it was my birthday in LA – and I'd only worn the damn thing every day since then.
I snatched it back from him and dropped it in my pocket, then stalked past him to leave.
"Stay out of it Jules." The seriousness of his tone made me stop and look round. "If Cole or Riley had found that, and found out it was yours, you'd be screwed. Your underwear would probably be hanging from the flagpole right now."
"Great idea for a prank, cheers Banks." He didn't crack a smile.
"I'm serious Jules. They're cruel. They see you and Connie as easy targets. I don't want you getting hurt."
I didn't allow myself to ponder whether he meant me and Connie, or just me.
"I can look after myself."
"Please, Julie, I –"
He had his hand on mine and I was tingling.
"Julie." I looked round. Charlie was standing in the doorway, and he didn't look happy.
"I'll be fine." I couldn't weaken. I couldn't let him see my soft side. I walked out.
-
We talked over the next few classes. Sure it wasn't the same, but in some ways it was better. It was strange being just the two of us, but uncomfortable silences gradually gave way to laughter-filled hours. The Ducks didn't know, they couldn't know. We didn't talk out of class. I was weak - I didn't want them to turn on me. But Adam didn't want me to let on either; he didn't want me to be pushed out.
I trusted him. That's why I believed him when he said the whole dinner deal was "cool". That's why I encouraged the Ducks to go. That's why it hurt so much when it was just a prank.
~*~
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Authors Note : Thanks to everyone who has reviewed!
I'm not sure about it now, it's turned out why different to what I planned, and I'm not sure I like it. It's a completely different style to what I normally write, so it's hard. It was meant to be fluffy and sweetly romantic, now it's just...strange! But if people like it I'll keep going. It's only going to be 5 chapters anyway.
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~*~
Julie's POV
I hated what Orien did to the team. I loved him for making me starting goalie, but he pulled us apart. People thought I didn't feel it as bad because I wasn't an original Duck, but I did.
God I felt it.
When hurt me most was him taking Banks away. I guess he was trying to do a good thing, and give him a chance, a chance to improve himself. It's really the Ducks I should be angry at – they were the ones who pushed him out. OK, WE were. I'm a Duck too. I got caught up in it at first, I admit. Much as I regret it now I felt a malicious little thrill at attacking his stuff the worst. In retrospect, maybe it was less anger at him being a Varsity player than anger for leaving me.
It all changed that Monday morning when he walked into my class and sat down next to me.
"Julie," he greeted me.
"Banks." I gave him a curt nod and he looked surprised. I'd always called him Adam. Call it Duck loyalty, call it hurt, call it whatever you like. I just couldn't afford myself the familiarity.
We sat in silence until the end of the class. As I gathered my books he laid a hand on my arm to stop me leaving.
"Nice prank, Jules. The liquid nitrogen. Very imaginative.
"Nothing to do with me," I defended myself, though my cheeks were hotting up. Damn my pale skin and tendency to blush when I lied.
"C'mon Jules, you're an awful liar."
"Stop it Banks. You know it was JV."
"So quit defending yourself."
"It was the Ducks, that doesn't mean it was me personally."
"Tip for you Jules." He leant closer and I looked down quickly, not allowing myself to be hypnotized by those eyes, to see him extending a clenched fist. "Next time you pull a prank, make sure the catch on your jewellery isn't loose." He uncurled his fingers, and lying on his palm was a silver bracelet with a tiny hockey stick charm hanging from it. I felt my cheeks explode with heat. I wanted the floor to swallow me up. Of course he knew it was mine – he'd bought it for me, when it was my birthday in LA – and I'd only worn the damn thing every day since then.
I snatched it back from him and dropped it in my pocket, then stalked past him to leave.
"Stay out of it Jules." The seriousness of his tone made me stop and look round. "If Cole or Riley had found that, and found out it was yours, you'd be screwed. Your underwear would probably be hanging from the flagpole right now."
"Great idea for a prank, cheers Banks." He didn't crack a smile.
"I'm serious Jules. They're cruel. They see you and Connie as easy targets. I don't want you getting hurt."
I didn't allow myself to ponder whether he meant me and Connie, or just me.
"I can look after myself."
"Please, Julie, I –"
He had his hand on mine and I was tingling.
"Julie." I looked round. Charlie was standing in the doorway, and he didn't look happy.
"I'll be fine." I couldn't weaken. I couldn't let him see my soft side. I walked out.
-
We talked over the next few classes. Sure it wasn't the same, but in some ways it was better. It was strange being just the two of us, but uncomfortable silences gradually gave way to laughter-filled hours. The Ducks didn't know, they couldn't know. We didn't talk out of class. I was weak - I didn't want them to turn on me. But Adam didn't want me to let on either; he didn't want me to be pushed out.
I trusted him. That's why I believed him when he said the whole dinner deal was "cool". That's why I encouraged the Ducks to go. That's why it hurt so much when it was just a prank.
~*~
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Authors Note : Thanks to everyone who has reviewed!
I'm not sure about it now, it's turned out why different to what I planned, and I'm not sure I like it. It's a completely different style to what I normally write, so it's hard. It was meant to be fluffy and sweetly romantic, now it's just...strange! But if people like it I'll keep going. It's only going to be 5 chapters anyway.