A/N: Everyone, thank you sooooooo much for the great reviews!! I have no idea how much longer this will be. I want to get to 20 chapters, and I've got five days until the JV/Varsity showdown. I really appreciate every single one of you for making me stick with this story. Hopefully you'll be just as happy with these last few chapters as you were with the rest. Now, the show must go on.

Chapter 16: Board Meeting Blues

He'll look so cute, I thought, filing into a seat in the back of the room. Just like he did on our first date. I tried to hold back the tears welling up in my gray-green eyes…they were always that color when I'm sad.

I straightened myself in my chair and regained control of my emotions. I peered to the front, left portion of the room. My brother and his teammates were sitting there, looking extremely somber.

Geez, Rickie! Nobody died! It's just a stinking board meeting, for crying out loud.

I looked at the door and watched the board file in to their seats. I had to duck down when my father passed. We still weren't on the best speaking terms.

That was a close one. I grinned and glanced back at my brother. He had turned around to watch the board enter. He caught my gaze and winked at me, then returned his attention to the front of the room. It was nice to know Rickie was supporting me again.

The door to the room opened yet again and in walked the JV hockey team. Charlie looked to his right when he entered and saw me sitting there. He smiled down at me and tried to get Adam's attention. I made a slashing move over my neck to point out I didn't want him to see me. Charlie winked in response and took his place on the other side of the boardroom.

The rest of the Ducks knew me, but when they saw Charlie not tell Banksy, they followed suit and just kind of glanced at me out of the corner of their eyes. I'm glad they didn't draw too much attention to me.

Finally, Adam walked in. He did look as cute today as he did on our first day. He didn't see me, but as soon as he walked in the door, his eyes came up from the floor and he glanced around the room. For a moment, it looked like he could feel that I was there.

This was a bad idea, I thought. A very bad idea.

But, then, Adam just looked back down at the floor, seeming more melancholy than before and walked up to stand by his teammates. I let out a sigh of relief and relaxed in my chair.

I sat and watched Dean Buckley address the board on the issue. No one would revote on the scholarships, simply because the team wasn't scoring well enough. Then he told Coach Orion that without a vote from a board member and a second, there was no way the scholarships could be reinstated.

"You leave us no choice," Coach Orion said, "but to bring in our attorney."

The door on the other side of the room burst open and in walked Gordon Bombay.

"Dean Buckley and members of the board as council for Coach Orion and the freshmen hockey team, I'm here today to set forth your legal options so you can make the best possible decision for all parties concerned."

"But Mr. Bombay, this isn't a legal proceeding," Dean said.

"Not yet it isn't, but it will be." Then Bombay went on and on in this big spiel about how the scholarships were a binding contract and how they couldn't be revoked without a cause. Since the board didn't have one, he could keep the hearings going on until the Ducks were in college. Then he said a bunch about how the Ducks were great kids and given their full shot, they could do anything.

"Go, Bombay," I whispered, whistling softly.

Everyone stared at the board.

"I vote that the scholarships be reinstated," Mrs. Harrington said, sighing.

"Is there a second?" Dean Buckley asked.

Mr. Harrington seconded it, squeezing his wife's hand.

"All those in favor?"

I held my breath. Then, slowly, the entire board raised their hands. I exhaled in a deep sigh.

"Scholarships reinstated!" Dean Buckley smiled at the Ducks.

I beamed. Rickie and his friends stood up angrily and went out the door by me. Rickie winked at me again as he passed. I winked back.

Scooter stopped by me for a moment and pulled me up into a hug.

"I'm glad they're staying, for you," he whispered. He pulled away and glanced at the JV team. "And for me, too."

I looked at him in confusion, then followed his gaze. He was staring at Julie, who was hugging everyone. "Oh, so I'm not the only Eden Hall Warrior to fall in love with a Duck!" I grinned devilishly at him.

He looked at me and smiled. Then he put a finger to his lips and walked out the door.

I laughed at him and looked up at the Ducks once more before I left. Adam was hugging Bombay. He looked up and saw me. His face got stony, but not before I could smile weakly and bust into tears.

As I turned to leave, I saw the look melt a little off his face. I also saw Charlie come up to Adam and talk to him.

I have no idea what Charlie said, because I ran into the ladies' room. When I came out, Rickie was standing right in front of the Ducks. I got closer so I could hear what he was saying.

"Congratulations in destroying our school," Rickie said. I gaped in horror. Rick had never been so cold before.

"Hey, look. It's our school, too." Ken Wu stood next to Charlie and Linda, who Rick was addressing.

"It's everyone's school, you stupid jock," Linda said exasperated.

"No, it'll never be your school. Don't you get it. You're our own little affirmative action brought in for color to entertain us, but you couldn't even do that. Your fancy lawyer kept you in on a technicality. You'll never belong."

"You'll never be anything more than a bunch of rejects here on a free ride," Cole said venomously.

"Free ride?" Russ was pissed. "Look at you, rich boy! Mommy and Daddy gave you everything, uh?"

"Hey, JV/Varsity game's on Friday. Then we'll show the whole school what a joke you really are. Then maybe you'll leave on your own. It'll be…the only honorable thing to do." Rick and Charlie were pretty much ready to attack each other.

"You know we're gonna hurt you." Cole really is too dumb.

Charlie scoffed. "Listen, you guys had an unfair advantage last time. You had one of us, Banksy."

"Oh, well, keep him. He never had the heart of a Warrior anyway." Rick's hate ebbed a little. I guess he probably knew I was listening.

"Hey, Biff, one more thing. After we beat you, the Warriors die and the Ducks fly." Russ was pretty good at putting my brother in his place.

"Yeah, anything you say, loser." Then they walked away.

I almost burst into tears again. Rick was so mean sometimes. Charlie and the team were talking but I couldn't hear what they were saying. Then they walked off.

As they were turning away, Adam looked my way. His face wasn't as mean as it had been only moments before. Now it just looked sad.

I smiled a little at him and waved. He slightly waved back. Just as he was going to walk away, I mouthed, "Congratulations." He half-smiled and mouthed, "Thanks." Then he walked away to join his friends.

I ran from the building and towards my dorm. I couldn't take it…How could he look at me like that, like it was just a bad memory? I still care about him, and he just thinks he's the only one who got hurt.

Oh, well, I guess he was the one who got most hurt. I don't know why I feel so rotten. Oh, maybe because I don't deserve to even be on speaking terms with his friends.

I opened the door to my dorm and ran inside before I burst into tears. I leaned on the door and opened my eyes into the room. There, in the middle of the room, stood my father.

"Hello, Lillian." He looked up at me from one of my open textbooks on the table.

"Hi, dad," I whispered. I cleared my throat and crossed my arms across my chest. "What can I do for you?"

"Lillian, I'm going to get right to the point. I've just come to realize that recently you've been under a lot of stress. You've had major projects every week, jobs for the band, and of course, your little plan at getting back at your brother. Then, something you didn't even expect to happen happened: you fell in love with Adam. I realize now that you didn't plan it, that at the beginning you didn't even want it. I'm sorry I lost my temper with you, but," he sighed and collapsed onto a chair.

"Daddy!" I ran up to him and fell on my knees in front of him, putting my hands on his shoulders to hold him up. I looked up into his face and saw he was…crying?

"Lilly," my dad said in the most depressing voice he's ever used. He looked into my eyes. "I thought I was losing you, too. Rick was consumed by anger, Chris was in a terrible melancholy. I was so mad at those kids for coming here, and, in fact, I still am. When Myranda called last night, I thought I'd have a heart attack. I kept thinking, 'oh, no. What have I done?' Sweetheart, I never want to feel like that again. But I know if I keep rejecting this…thing with Adam, you'll never speak to me again. I'm so sorry, sweetie, I really am." My dad was sobbing by now.

I couldn't take seeing my dad cry. I wrapped my arms around him and gave him a hug. "Daddy, you don't have to worry about that anymore." I pulled away and stood up, turning away so my dad couldn't see my tears. "I told him the truth and he wants nothing to do with me. Even though," I sobbed. "Even though I still love him."

Now my dad was furious. "What? He won't speak to you even for you to apologize?" My dad stormed up to me. "And you're just going to lay down and take this, Lillian?"

I shrugged. "What choice do I have?"

My dad whirled me around. "Lillian, you are not going to give up. This week, somehow, you will apologize to him and get him back."

"But how?" I whimpered

"Be honest with him and don't give up." Then he gave me a kiss on the cheek and said good-bye.

After I'd had a good cry, I thought about my family. They hate Adam, but they want me to be happy. It was all very confusing.

Ring

I got up and answered the phone. "'Ello? Lilly and Randa's residence, Lilly speaking."

"Hi, Lilly. It's Charlie."

"Oh, hey! What's up?" I collapsed onto the bed, filling my voice with fake enthusiasm.

"I talked to Banksy. You know, before the run in with your brother." Charlie sighed. "He's still really mad."

I sat up straight. "Tell me everything."

"Well, we'd just got the scholarships back and Banksy was thanking Bombay. He looked over Bombay's shoulder and saw you. At first he was really mad. I came up to talk him down, but when I got over to him, you'd turned away because you were crying. Adam said, 'I can't believe she's crying.' I was pretty surprised by this, so I asked him why. Adam sighed and said, 'Because it's obvious someone who'd treat another person like that is void of human emotion.' I was all, 'Banksy, that's harsh.' We didn't say anything for a while. Then he asked, 'How long did you know?' I told him only a couple of days. 'So you were in on it, too?' 'No, man,' I said, 'I told her to tell you…Because I thought you'd forgive her since she loved you so much.' Then I walked away."

I sighed and wiped the new tears in my eyes away. Then I laughed. "He thinks I'm void of human emotion, uh?"

"Yeah, sorry." Charlie sounded as disappointed as I felt.

"Well, maybe I should show him how 'void' I am." I felt like my old self again. "Charlie, I'll need your help, as well as the rest of the team's."

"Okay, anything to help."

Charlie listened intently as I explained my plan to him. Then he laughed.

"What's so funny?" I asked.

"I just thought about the funny look Banksy will have on his face."

I smiled. "You don't even know the half of it."

A/N: The great middle part with all the arguing between Rick and the Ducks was written by the brilliant writers of the Ducks movies. I just borrowed it so you could get Lilly's reaction. R/R, please! Nellie