((Disclaimer: I don't own any part of the ducks. Not the movies' characters or the actual NHL team. Just the non-movie characters are mine. High School is a song by Off By One.))

Julie's POV
I sat on my bed and ran my fingers through my wet hair, surprised at how much lighter it had gotten since I dyed it. With that I threw all the stuff on my bed into the suitcase that lay open on the floor. The only thing that remained was the clothes I planned on wearing the tomorrow for the first day for school. I opened the door and was surprised to see Adam standing there, hand poised to knock.
"Oh hey, um, the phone is for you." From the look on his face I knew it was Dean. I went past Adam, into his room and closed the door behind me. I had no idea what I was going to say to him. I picked up the phone and silently willed myself to be calm.
"Hello?" My voice quivered.
"Hi, Jules, it's Dean."
"Hi."
"I thought you would refuse to come to the phone seeing how well our last conversation ended."
"Well I had hoped to speak to you before today. I had half hoped you would change your mind and show up at school tomorrow."
"No. It's not as great sounding as it used to be. What do I need to be in some prep school for? Besides the only two things I had going for me in Minnesota were the team and you." Julie closed her eyes and felt a pang of guilt in her stomach. "So now with Bombay leaving and us taking a break or whatever the hell we are, it just isn't worth it."
"I really wish you didn't feel that way. The team is still here, and Bombay hand picked this guy and trusts him."
"And what about me and you?"
"I don't know."
"There's someone else, right?" I sighed and tried not to cry. I don't regret falling for Adam, I just wish it wasn't as complicated as it obviously was. I wish it wasn't hurting him like I knew it must be.
"Sort of." I say honestly, sick of lying to him.
"Well you deserve him, whoever he is. I was a dick to let you go, and he's one lucky son of a bitch." If only he knew who he was talking about.
"If you come back you might still have a chance you know. I still care for you, Dean."
"I care about you, too. But it's pointless. I don't belong there and guys like me usually don't go out with girls like you anyway. You're an amazing girl, any guy would be lucky to have you."
"And what about you?"
"It doesn't matter. I don't do relationships well, don't want to add to the hell and drama that school already is." I sighed. Dean had this horrid habit of putting himself down, and it drives me crazy because he has no idea what a great guy he is.
"Are you going to play with Morgan Park again?" If anything I didn't want him to give up hockey, not when he was so good.
"I don't know. Maybe, if I have enough time."
"And what else would you be doing?" This time I heard him sigh.
"I still can't tell you. I'm sorry, Julie." I shook my head. Unbelievable, he was still hiding it from me.
"So what do I tell everyone else?"
"That since Bombay quit, so do I. That I'm way too damn sexy for prep school." I couldn't help but laugh.
"Okay, we'll all miss you."
"I know you will babe. Tell Connie the same." I smiled at the memory from just two months ago. It seemed like forever.
"I will."
"Julie."
"Yeah?"
"I…I think you guys will be just fine without me."
"We'll see. Goodbye, Dean."
"Bye."
As I hung up I felt one hot tear linger on my cheek before falling. So it really was over. I went back to my room and fell asleep.
…
I barely slept the entire night, my anxiety and slight excitement waking up. Ever since I was a little kid I couldn't wait for the first day of school. I got up at six and by six thirty I was dressed and was braiding my hair when I heard the alarm in Adam's room go off. I dragged my suitcase down the stairs and put it next to the front door, where the rest of mine were. Next to my pile was Adam's even larger supply of boxes. They were all doing to be driven to the school later in the day. I heard the shower turn on upstairs and decided to sit outside for a while.
"Hey, Julie." I looked up from my black sneakers and saw Fulton walking toward me.
"Oh hey, what are you doing up so early?" He sat down next to me on the stoop.
"I was heading over to the alley to shoot a little. Banks awake yet?"
"Yeah, I think he's taking a shower."
"So, uh, I'm kind of worried about Portman. Unless he's gonna pull a miracle out of his ass and have his plane land on top of the school or something, he definitely isn't going to make it to orientation." I sighed and kicked at the concrete. Of course I was the one who had to break the news to everyone. I made a mental note to yell at Dean next time I talked to him.
"He's not coming, Fulton."
"Not coming today?"
"Not coming at all. I talked to him last night. He says it isn't worth it without Bombay. That as much as he'd love to stay with the Ducks, he isn't about to come all the way here to go to some stupid prep school."
"This sucks."
"I know."
"And you two?"
"Are broken up, yeah."
"Well this is already starting out to be a shitty day, and we haven't even gone to school yet."
"Hey, at least we have classes together. And then practice after school." I was so happy to get back on the ice again.
"Yeah with a new coach."
"It's still the ducks, Fulton."
"Yeah, I guess. Look I'm gonna go, I'm meeting Charlie. See you at the assembly."
"Okay."
After another fifteen minutes Adam came outside.
"There you are." I looked up at him and very badly suppressed a laugh. He was wearing a light blue button-down shirt, with a navy vest, a red tie and khaki pants. "Yeah, yeah. I know. It's my parents doing, it's just for today."
"Umm sure. You know this is like the basis of the term cake-eater, right?"
"Thanks a lot." I stood up and followed him inside. We ate breakfast then he ran upstairs to get something and I grabbed my book bag.
"Wait a minute you guys are skating there?"
"Yeah. You don't have to. Ken, Russ, Dwayne and Luis are taking the bus, if you want to go with them."
"Even Connie is skating?"
"It's kind of a District 5 tradition of ours."
"I think I'd be better off on the bus. My ankle has yet to fully heal from the last time I was on rollerblades." Adam laughed.
"Yeah, well I'll walk with you to meet the guys at the bus stop."
End POV

Adam's POV
I skated in the middle of the V, across from Charlie. I was happy to see that summer hadn't completely changed everything. Averman was as usual taking us in the wrong direction and Goldberg was extremely bad at skating. Eventually he veered off to the side road and Charlie followed him. With those two gone it was relatively quiet between Me, Guy, Fulton, Connie. Well Averman was talking but nobody was paying him any mind. Usually we'd have Jesse at the front, leading the quacking. And there was one other very notable difference. Usually the two people in front of me were holding hands, but now it seemed like they were avoiding skating within two feet of each other. Julie had told me that they had broken up, but it was definitely going to take some getting used to. Connie and Guy had been together for what seemed like our entire lives, and it was going to be weird to see them apart. Now if we go somewhere Connie will actually have to find a chair, and not just be on Guy's lap. They both looked okay, but being friends with them for so long gave me the ability to see past the act they were putting on. They were both miserable. Once Charlie and Goldberg found their way back to us we skated full speed to Eden Hall, realizing it was now 8:10 and the assembly started at eight sharp. Following Charlie's master plan we snuck in through a side entrance. I instantly realized we were in the wrong place when Charlie closed the door behind him and we plunged in complete darkness. Then I heard the unmistakable sound of a microphone feedback. This could only mean thing…
I felt myself trip over Guy's skates and then Fulton landing on top of me. Then all of a sudden there was light, and about 300 people staring at us. I looked around and saw that we were at the back of stage, tangled up in the curtain. I saw Julie and the rest of the team in the crowd, laughing.
"Uh, hi. We're the Ducks." Shit…

Dean Buckley dismissed the students to their homerooms then had us all follow him to the library where we were told to wait.
"Good job, cake-eater." Julie mumbled to me with a smile as she walked to where Connie was standing.
He fed a speech about the rules at Eden Hall and all that kind of crap I got from my father this morning. The first bell rang and I headed off English Honors, which sucks because I'm the only duck taking it. Connie, Ken, Russ, Julie, and Dwayne headed off to math. And Averman, Guy, Charlie, Fulton and Goldberg went to Health. Second period somehow had every single one of us signed up for World History where we took up almost three rows. That was the last class I actually paid any attention too. I vaguely remember going to Chemistry and having Averman assigned as to me lab partner, once again alphabetical order bites me in the ass. But Charlie, Fulton, Julie and Connie where there too. After that we had lunch together. Then gym with Luis and Guy. Health with Ken and Russ, Math Honors, where I was once again alone, Spanish with Goldberg and Dwayne, then the day finally ended. I never thought I'd be so happy to walk into an ice rink before. That was until I saw the Varsity team. My Dad was hammering me to get on Varsity, he had even asked Coach Wilson to do him this favor. My brother was on Varsity as a freshman and by the time he was a senior he was the captain. So for my Dad that means doing it too, and somehow topping it by becoming the captain in my junior year. My Dad is a freaking compulsive maniac, nothing had changed since pee-wees, except his expectations. Those kept getting higher and higher.
We were messing around playing round-up for a good fifteen minutes before I heard a whistle blow.
"My name is Coach Orion. You can call me 'Coach' or 'Coach Orion'." Charlie stood up and I thought silently, Now isn't the time to be smartass, Conway.
"Well, you can call me Charlie." I didn't laugh. This guy wasn't messing around.
"That must be what the C on your jersey stands for, huh? It sure doesn't stand for captain." Ouch, that was pretty harsh. Charlie kept opening his huge mouth and everyone kept murmuring their agreement, except me. I knew it was coming when he assigned Charlie laps. I can only imagine the headache I was going to get in the dorm with Charlie that night. Who the hell does he think he is? I'm the captain…etc. Then it was time for Averman to open his big mouth and I asked myself if he would ever actually shut up.
Then he put Goldberg in the net and I easily scored on him. He has no left, whatsoever. When Julie went in I tried the same move but she stopped it without even moving. After everyone took a shot we did a scrimmage, then twenty laps. It was even worse than the 'Captain Blood' practices had been. It would probably have been better, had we not been so out of practice.
"Stay clear of the Varsity until we play them in the J.V.-Varsity Showdown."
No problem. Those guys were complete assholes. Classic preppy jocks, and my Dad wanted me to be one of them.
"Hey you guys look, he posted our positions." Oh great. I followed Connie up to the board and waited until I could see it. I read down the roster and couldn't find my name. What the hell?
"I'm not even posted."
"Yeah you are. Adam Banks, third-line, center. Varsity?" Shit.
"I made Varsity?" I ask more myself than anyone else. My Dad will be thrilled, but I won't be playing for my team. And according to the roster, I was the only one that got moved up. I didn't even bother going into the locker room. Instead I grabbed my stuff and walked to my dorm. It was the in the Richards building on the first floor. I opened the door to see that all of my stuff had been sent over and put on the first of the two twin size beds. I opened the suitcase, grabbed a towel and headed to the floor shower across the hall. Once I was done I went to the cafeteria for dinner, which was just as horrible as lunch had been. At seven I walked to the bus at the gates and rode twenty minutes to my neighborhood then walked another five to my house. I opened the door and barely walked through the foyer before I heard my father.
"Son. Come here." He was sitting in his office, a glass of bourbon in hand. "I had a long talk with Dean Buckley today."
"So you heard about me being moved up to Varsity."
"That. And you and those idiot friends of yours nearly were destroying the stage." I sighed. Of course he could only see the bad part of all of it. "Coach Wilson is taking a leap of faith letting you on the team. Especially so late in the two month training regime the Warriors have been on. You're going to have to haul ass to catch up and still be on the Honor Roll."
"And what if I don't want to be on Varsity?"
"That's not an option, Adam. It's just a shame that Julie didn't get moved up with you. The two of you belong on Varsity, you belong with those boys, not those delinquents." He always used the term delinquent when describing the Ducks. Of course he would say it to their faces, but he hated Adam's choice of friends. I sighed and submitted to him like I always did.
"Okay, Dad." I went up the stairs as quickly as possible. I wish I could talk to Julie, I was so used to just crossing the hall and knocking on her door.
Everything is about to change.
End POV

Julie's POV
I was lying on my newly made bed staring up at the empty ceiling. Connie opened the door and slammed it behind her.
"What's your problem?" I say without moving, between school, practice and homework I was extremely tired. Plus I'm pretty sure I'm PMSing and craving all kinds of food.
"Guy." She said simply then plopped herself down on her bed.
"Wait, let me act surprised." I say as sarcastically as I could.
"You will be when I tell you that I'm the problem this time." She paused. "I may have loved him but I wanted more with Guy, Julie. He's so immature and indecisive."
"You mean sex?" I heard her sigh.
"That night in the hot tub, when we said we'd never done it, well we only said that because we didn't want anyone to know, but it was a lie. Me and Guy lost our virginities to each other on my sixteenth birthday, last June." I sat up and looked at her. Why hadn't she told me? "Look, I'm sorry I never told you but it was just too weird."
"Weird?"
"We only did it that one time. It was so awkward and I hated it. This sounds stupid but I kind of hoped it would be special or something, and it wasn't. I want to be with somebody a little more experienced."
I thought back to that night, and how shocked I was about Adam having lost his virginity already.
"Thinking about it now I kind of wish I had done it when I had the chance." I say more to myself than anyone else.
"Why didn't you?"
"Because I had this romantic ideal in my head that I should be head over heels in love and I wasn't. It was just me and this guy Scott. He was a few years older than me and we had been going out for a while. I figure it was going to be perfect, right? I mean he knew what he was doing, and he was moving away soon, so there would be no awkwardness if we did. Then I chickened out."
…

7/25/06
Okay, I'm disappointed with the number of reviews. So I was going to ignore this chapter for a while and focus on Duck Pedigree. But for whatever reason I'm blocked on that new chapter and had this whole chapter worked out. School is officially in. Please review!