Julie woke up as soon as the sun came through the blinds. She was startled at first, not remembering that she was not alone in her twin bed.

She tried to detangle herself from Dean slowly and quietly but he began to stir with a groan.

She managed to gain enough space to sit up with her back against the headboard and stretched her arms over her head and cracked her neck.

The daily 2 hour workouts from the prior week and the game last night caught up to her.

On top of a cramped nights sleep she was definitely feeling sore.

"Morning." Dean said with a yawn, pulling himself up. He looked around the dorm. "Connie didn't come home I guess."

"No she has been at Guy's a lot." Julie said with a smirk. Dean nodding knowingly and started to get up. "What are you up to today?"

"Oh you know, getting my books and then spending 8 hours with a tutor to catch up on the last month of classes I've missed. I have that to look forward to every Saturday actually. Part of Dean Buckley's conditions to accepting my scholarship late. And he wasn't too impressed with my public school GPA as it is."

"Ouch."

"Yeah tell me about it. Except for Saturdays we have games, and even then I have to make it up during the week or on a Sunday. And according to a little chat with Orion all my other time should be spent in the weight room."

"What?!" Julie pouted. "When I even going to see you?"

"Well practice Monday-Thursday and Fridays and Saturdays for games. Oh and Orion says women are welcome in the weight room as well."

"You know what I meant."

"Become a tutor and you can have me all weekend" He said playfully.

"Hmm that is tempting." She kneeled on her bed and wrapped her hands around his neck. He kissed her lightly. "Who is your tutor?"

"Linda something?" Julie sniggered. "What?!"

"That might be Charlie's girlfriend."

"Conway has a girlfriend now? How much have I missed in a month?"

"A lot."

"Yeah apparently..." He shook his head. He didn't regret his decision but he wished it hadn't happened the way it did. Things felt okay with Julie for now but he felt like he missed something big. He sighed. "Are we good?"

Julie smiled before kissing him as an answer.

"So we are back together?" She kissed him again. "Ok then. Go back to sleep, I'll see you later."

Thankfully Julie was able to fall back asleep when Dean left for tutoring. She was stirred a few hours later when Connie came home.

They talked for a while until they realized how hungry they were so they both took showers and headed down to the cafeteria.

"I am super sick of this food." Connie complained. Julie nodded with a yawn, she was still exhausted.

They sat at a table with Ken and Averman who were deep in conversation.

"...but now that Luis is dating one of them, Mindy can hook us up."

Connie snorted through her nose and Julie shook her head.

She ate her food slowly, she did not feel fully awake, all-in-all not exactly Cat-like. Which is why she did not notice when someone passed behind her and dropped a note on her tray.

Connie was now engrossed with the boys discussion of whether or not cheerleading was a sport, with Russ recently joining and taking the opposition.

Julie unfolded the note "Meet me in the courtyard, -C.E."

Nobody noticed her get up from the table and proceed to the courtyard that was between the guys and girls dormitories. Leaning against a tree was Adam.

"C.E.?" Julie questioned as she walked towards him.

"Cake-Eater, come on Cat." He said with a smirk.

"What's up?"

"I uh...heard a rumor about you."

"Oh?"

"Yeah about Scooter kissing you after the game yesterday?"

She breathed a sigh of relief. Scooter had seen Julie completely naked so that could've gone a much different way.

"Ohh, that." She exhaled again. "Yeah he kissed me on the cheek. It was like this running joke thing."

"Mmmhmm." Adam said, looking at his shoes. "So the part where he was one of your first serious boyfriends in Maine was just a joke?"

"Umm…nope, not a joke." Adam smiled and shook his head. "What?"

"What is it with you and guys like that?"

"Guys like what, Adam?" She could feel the anger boiling in her, this already sounded similar to a speech she had heard from her mother 20 times since she started dating and it was ridiculous coming from Adam.

"I mean don't get me wrong, Scooter, Portman-they are nice guys and all."

"But?" Julie continued for him.

"Look Julie...I know it is too late for this, ok, I really do. I respect Dean and I respect that you want to be with him. But what I should've told you that day..."

He took a deep breath and stepped closer to her. "I thought at first that this was just some crush and I would get over it. But is more than that, and I think you know that too."

"Adam-" She started but he stopped her and took another step effectively closing the gap between them. He held his hand out and linked his fingers with hers.

"Julie...I am exactly the right guy for you. I don't mean to be this intense, I just had to do a lot of thinking the last couple of weeks. Hear me out."

She stared at him. "High school is what it is. And even in college we can both date a bunch of different people. But you are the kind of girl I want to marry.

"Why?" Julie muttered.

"I just have this feeling about you." Julie held her breath, he looked at her so intently. She thought he might kiss her and she was gauging how she would react-she was somewhere between punching him in the face and kissing him really hard. "I'm going to back off, I promise. But I just needed you to know that. We could be perfect together Julie."

"But why do you think that?" Julie sputtered, finally finding her voice.

"Because we are so similar. It would be as easy as breathing. I mean just think about how we grew up."

"And what makes you think I want to live that way?" Adam let go of her hand. "Adam YOU think about it. We hate a lot of the things our parents put us through. The country club silver spoon nonsense doesn't make us better than anyone. Hasn't being on the Ducks taught you that yet?"

"That isn't what I mean Julie, I just-"

"What? So we can be like my brother and his fiancée, Barbie and Ken right? Old money marrying old money? And what, end up our parents? Me with a drinking problem and you staying at work?"

He flinched a little, he wasn't even sure if she was talking about his parents or her own.

"That really isn't what I pictured."

"Adam." She said shaking her head, trying to form the words. "I didn't like you because of your money and family. I got to know you and you are an incredible person-despite your parents." He smiled but it didn't reach his eyes. "And you are kind of beautiful."

They stood there in silence for a while both staring anywhere but at each other. Finally Julie sighed and continued.

"Listen, maybe you are right okay? Maybe after college, the stars will align and my mother would be literally OVERJOYED if I end up with a guy like you, she may even stop drinking. But I really hope that isn't all you liked about me."

"Of course it isn't."

"Good. Better not be."

"So you and Portman?" She nodded. He smiled and shook his head. "Okay. I'll leave you alone." He said and started to walk away, she grabbed his hand.

"I don't want you to leave me alone, I want us to be friends, okay?" Julie said, her eyes wide in earnest. He took the step back towards her, cradled his hands around her face, leaned down and kissed her forehead.

"Okay." he whispered. "But one day..." She smirked and pushed him away.

"Never say never, friend."

He started to walk away again.

"Oh, hey friend!" He turned around and it took all of his self-control not to run back and kiss her. He cleared his throat and shook that thought from his mind.

"Yes?"

"How many people know about me and Scott?"

"Oh well somehow Rick found out and he and Charlie are doing a captain's lunch thing today so I think it's safe to say everyone knows by approximately 15 minutes ago."

Julie nodded. "Perfection." she said sarcastically.