Disclaimer: ducks dont belong to me. Property of Disney. Chapter 4
A few weeks later Julie and Dean were back in Dean's room studying. Things had gotten relatively back to normal between the two of them. Dean knew now not to pry too much into Julie's personal life. Unless of course he wanted to be avoided for a few days. But he could tell something was off with her today. She seemed distracted and did not even notice the mistakes he purposely made on his homework.
Dean was afraid to say anything to her for fear she'd shut him out, but he just couldn't help it. The best few weeks the two had become good friends and he'd grown to care for her immensely.
"Julie," Dean started off tentatively. Julie lifted her head from the book she was reading. "Before you storm out of here mad at me, I just wanted to know if you're okay. You seem a little off today."
Julie looked back at Dean and saw the sincerity in his eyes. Something had been bugging her lately and did not realize it was that obvious.
"Am I that transparent Portman?" She tried to play if off.
"No. I'm just an excellent judge of reading you. You know if you need to talk to anyone I'm here for you. Seriously Jules, I consider you one of my closest friends. I've always been intrigued by you. Ever since that Iceland game where you got kicked out. That was probably one of the coolest things ever, seriously."
Julie laughed at the memory. That had been good times. Goodness knows it felt good hitting those two Iceland goons. She did not know exactly how to tell Dean what was bothering her. She didn't want to scare him away. That and she was not used to sharing things of this nature with people. But for some reason Julie decided to tell him what was going on. She took a deep breath before beginning.
"Dean you have to promise not to tell anyone. You can't tell Fulton, you can't tell Rachel, nobody. You gotta swear to me." This was certainly an interesting but not too radical demand. Portman solemnly swore that he wouldn't tell anyone.
"Things are real bad back home. My family is falling apart and I don't know what to do any more. I mean they've always been bad, but nothing of this nature. I just don't know anymore." Dean looked at Julie. She looked so defeated and helpless. So he put his arm around her and pulled her into a hug.
"What do you mean they're bad? If you don't want to explain you don't have to?" Julie just shook her head.
"No it's okay. I have to get this off my chest sometime. I just got a letter from my brother today, half-brother actually. Anyways, our dad just got sentenced to prison. Seems he robbed one too many convenience stores. I know it's wrong but it's not fair, my dad doesn't deserve this. He's a good person." Dean was shocked at the revelation. He had no idea of what to say and even if he did he didn't get the chance because Julie kept on talking.
"He was only doing it for my mom. She's such a controlling person and my dad is so devoted to her. We used to joke that he'd go to prison for her and looks like it finally happened. She'll only notice that he's gone when she runs out of alcohol or drugs. Whichever one happens first." Julie cynically laughed at this point. "Things are just so fucked up right now."
At this point Dean almost died of a heartattack. Never in his years of knowing Julie had he heard her swear. She just did not do it. And here she was swearing in front of him.
"Jules, I'm sorry."
"It's not your fault my mom's a crackwhore and my dad is weak. At least I got out. That's why I study so hard. I'll die before I have to go back to that place. Sleeping in a bed with another person, hearing your mom stumble around all night, never knowing when your next meal is going to be. It sucks. I hate it."
Julie looked at Dean and knew she had just dropped a huge bombshell on him, but it felt good to have it off her chest. To know that someone else was there for her. Dean just kept holding her and rubbing her back. And it felt good to be comforted for once.
"So I take it you're not going back to Maine for Thanksgiving next week?" He finally asked.
Julie laughed again. "Yeah no. Orion invited me to go to his house because he knows what's going on, but I don't know I would just feel weird. And I think all of the other Ducks assume I'm going. I mean Ken, Dwayne and everyone else is. But I can't afford it and I'd rather avoid it."
"Wanna come with me to Chicago? My parents won't mind. In fact I think they'd be excited to finally meet you. They have always expressed interest in the girl who's turning my grades around."
"I don't want your pity Portman. I didn't tell you this for pity."
"Jules believe me I know. Seriously, come home with me. I want you there. It'll be fun. Besides my mother would LOVE to have another female in the house. With my three brother, my dad, and I it kinda runs high on testosterone."
"I don't know..."
"Just tell me you'll think about it. I would hate to know you're just sitting up here in this awful place doing homework or something equally nerdy." That elicited a real smile and laugh from Julie.
"Thanks Dean. Good to know how much you love me."
"Anytime. Let's skip studying tonight. How about we go get some ice cream or something. If we walk fast we can get to Amy's before it closes."
"Sure." So the two picked up their books and put them aside. They headed out the door and Julie was happy. She hadn't felt like this in awhile.
A few weeks later Julie and Dean were back in Dean's room studying. Things had gotten relatively back to normal between the two of them. Dean knew now not to pry too much into Julie's personal life. Unless of course he wanted to be avoided for a few days. But he could tell something was off with her today. She seemed distracted and did not even notice the mistakes he purposely made on his homework.
Dean was afraid to say anything to her for fear she'd shut him out, but he just couldn't help it. The best few weeks the two had become good friends and he'd grown to care for her immensely.
"Julie," Dean started off tentatively. Julie lifted her head from the book she was reading. "Before you storm out of here mad at me, I just wanted to know if you're okay. You seem a little off today."
Julie looked back at Dean and saw the sincerity in his eyes. Something had been bugging her lately and did not realize it was that obvious.
"Am I that transparent Portman?" She tried to play if off.
"No. I'm just an excellent judge of reading you. You know if you need to talk to anyone I'm here for you. Seriously Jules, I consider you one of my closest friends. I've always been intrigued by you. Ever since that Iceland game where you got kicked out. That was probably one of the coolest things ever, seriously."
Julie laughed at the memory. That had been good times. Goodness knows it felt good hitting those two Iceland goons. She did not know exactly how to tell Dean what was bothering her. She didn't want to scare him away. That and she was not used to sharing things of this nature with people. But for some reason Julie decided to tell him what was going on. She took a deep breath before beginning.
"Dean you have to promise not to tell anyone. You can't tell Fulton, you can't tell Rachel, nobody. You gotta swear to me." This was certainly an interesting but not too radical demand. Portman solemnly swore that he wouldn't tell anyone.
"Things are real bad back home. My family is falling apart and I don't know what to do any more. I mean they've always been bad, but nothing of this nature. I just don't know anymore." Dean looked at Julie. She looked so defeated and helpless. So he put his arm around her and pulled her into a hug.
"What do you mean they're bad? If you don't want to explain you don't have to?" Julie just shook her head.
"No it's okay. I have to get this off my chest sometime. I just got a letter from my brother today, half-brother actually. Anyways, our dad just got sentenced to prison. Seems he robbed one too many convenience stores. I know it's wrong but it's not fair, my dad doesn't deserve this. He's a good person." Dean was shocked at the revelation. He had no idea of what to say and even if he did he didn't get the chance because Julie kept on talking.
"He was only doing it for my mom. She's such a controlling person and my dad is so devoted to her. We used to joke that he'd go to prison for her and looks like it finally happened. She'll only notice that he's gone when she runs out of alcohol or drugs. Whichever one happens first." Julie cynically laughed at this point. "Things are just so fucked up right now."
At this point Dean almost died of a heartattack. Never in his years of knowing Julie had he heard her swear. She just did not do it. And here she was swearing in front of him.
"Jules, I'm sorry."
"It's not your fault my mom's a crackwhore and my dad is weak. At least I got out. That's why I study so hard. I'll die before I have to go back to that place. Sleeping in a bed with another person, hearing your mom stumble around all night, never knowing when your next meal is going to be. It sucks. I hate it."
Julie looked at Dean and knew she had just dropped a huge bombshell on him, but it felt good to have it off her chest. To know that someone else was there for her. Dean just kept holding her and rubbing her back. And it felt good to be comforted for once.
"So I take it you're not going back to Maine for Thanksgiving next week?" He finally asked.
Julie laughed again. "Yeah no. Orion invited me to go to his house because he knows what's going on, but I don't know I would just feel weird. And I think all of the other Ducks assume I'm going. I mean Ken, Dwayne and everyone else is. But I can't afford it and I'd rather avoid it."
"Wanna come with me to Chicago? My parents won't mind. In fact I think they'd be excited to finally meet you. They have always expressed interest in the girl who's turning my grades around."
"I don't want your pity Portman. I didn't tell you this for pity."
"Jules believe me I know. Seriously, come home with me. I want you there. It'll be fun. Besides my mother would LOVE to have another female in the house. With my three brother, my dad, and I it kinda runs high on testosterone."
"I don't know..."
"Just tell me you'll think about it. I would hate to know you're just sitting up here in this awful place doing homework or something equally nerdy." That elicited a real smile and laugh from Julie.
"Thanks Dean. Good to know how much you love me."
"Anytime. Let's skip studying tonight. How about we go get some ice cream or something. If we walk fast we can get to Amy's before it closes."
"Sure." So the two picked up their books and put them aside. They headed out the door and Julie was happy. She hadn't felt like this in awhile.