Connie immediately pulled Julie aside. She was dying to know what was going on.
"So what happened?" she asked excitedly.
Julie kept her cool. Time to execute the payback plan.
"Nothing happened" she said with a poker face.
"What do you mean nothing happened? Something must've happened" Connie argued.
"Nothing happened because he doesn't like me like that" Julie replied. She could feel Dean's eyes on her as he walked past them. She fought all urge to glance at him.
"What? Why? What did he say to you?" Connie was torn between angry as hell and sad for her friend.
"Just that he didn't see me like that anymore and that he's gotten over our little 'high school thing', pft, I wasn't aware we even had a 'thing' in high school!" Julie was acting as if she were repulsed by Dean Portman now.
"I'll kill him" Connie felt bad for her friend.
"Nah, it's okay, I can get over him now" Julie felt a plan forming in her mind.
"Do you like someone new?" Connie asked.
"Yeah" Julie replied feeling guilty and evil. She hoped her friends would see the funny side of things later on.
But they deserve it for setting us up! she thought.
"Who?"
"Charlie, but don't tell anyone okay" Julie warned trying to read the look on Connie's face.
Damn I should probably tell Dean before he beats the crap out of Charlie later.
"Really? I thought you guys were just friends" Connie replied carefully trying not to let her feelings show.
Julie felt bad for raining on Connie's parade but she'd gone too far to stop now.
"We are but lately I think it might be a little more than that, like the way he touches me when he's talking to me or the way he calls me from wherever he is just to say hi. You know the little stuff" Julie was laying it on thick.
"Oh well that's good. Charlie's a great guy" Connie said not quite looking Julie in the eye. She was thoroughly shocked and a little jealous.
"Yeah he is" Julie sighed taking the opportunity to glance around the room pretending she's looking for Charlie but really looking for Portman.
She saw him being grilled in the corner by Fulton.
"Hey girls you need to get more beer into yas" Charlie came up behind Julie and threw a careless arm around her shoulders.
Great timing Charlie Julie thought accepting the beer Charlie was offering her and flashing him a sexy smile.
Charlie was too drunk to notice and smiled right back at Julie.
Connie also accepted the beer Charlie was offering and ripped the top off chugging back a great deal of the amber contents.
"Thatta girl!" Charlie laughed and patted Connie on the back before being called away by Adam.
"You're right Julie I think he does like you" Connie said through a forced smile. She was insanely jealous now.
"You really think so?" Julie tried her best imitation at sounding like a schoolgirl again. To make it seem more real she pretended it was Dean she was talking about.
"Yeah I do, Hey listen, I'm gonna go get some fresh air, it smells like stale beer and pizza in here" Connie told her making a hasty exit.
I'm such a bad friend Julie watched her leave sadly.
"What's wrong kitty?" Portman whispered from behind her.
Julie spun around and glared at him.
"Hey, what did I do?" Portman asked, he was really struggling to keep his hands off of her.
"Nothing, I'm just pretending that I hate you" Julie said quietly through clenched teeth.
"Oh right, so do I glare back at you?" Dean was confused.
"It might help" Julie replied wanting nothing more than to just break out in a grin and kiss him.
Dean narrowed his eyes and furrowed his eyebrows. The effect was comedic.
Julie had to turn away before she burst out laughing.
"Okay so you're gonna be mad at me" Julie controlled herself long enough to hiss at him.
"Why? I could never be mad at you!" Dean replied in an equally icy tone.
"I told Connie that I didn't like you anymore and that I now like Charlie" Julie waited for his outburst.
"That's cool, I told Fulton I liked Connie" Dean replied.
"Damn, I think we've gotten ourselves in over our heads" Julie thought aloud. She didn't want to ruin her friends chances of getting together.
"Why?" Dean was confused again.
"Because Charlie likes Connie and I think Connie likes him too" Julie said.
"Oh damn"
"Can't you two at least try to get along for five minutes?" Fulton interjected. He'd been watching the exchange between the two and was worried they were about to start fist fighting.
"NO!" Portman and Julie said at the same time before storming off in opposite directions.
Fulton shook his head why did they have to be so damn stubborn?
"Cons are you okay?" Charlie stepped out onto the small balcony that overlooked the mutual backyard of the apartment complex.
Connie nodded "Yeah just getting some fresh air"
"So what's up with Julie and Portman? They all of a sudden hate each other" Charlie tried to strike up a conversation.
Why can't I just tell her that I love her and be done with it?
"Dean told her he didn't like her the way she likes him" Connie replied biting her lip.
Julie's earlier words about her now wanting Charlie were replaying in her mind.
"What? Fulton was so sure Dean wanted Jules" Charlie mused wondering what the hell had happened on the pizza run.
"Yeah well he doesn't" Connie replied a little too harshly.
Charlie was trying to read Connie's face.
And he came to the wrong conclusion.
Connie is in love with Dean Portman.
"I'd better get back inside" Charlie said wanting an excuse to get away before he said or did something he might regret later.
Connie watched him leave the balcony and hung her head when he closed the door behind him.
Scanning the immediate area her eyes fell on a pack of Casey's cigarettes on a small table.
Picking up the pack Connie removed a stick and lit up. She hadn't smoked for a few years now and the urge was getting stronger and stronger.
Inhaling the toxic smoke deeply she was sure of one thing.
This reunion sucks.
a/n - thanks for all of the reviews, I've replied to each one separately.