A week later Julie sat in the locker room after a very spirited practice with the team. She was working on getting her gear off and half listening to the random conversations being tossed around the room. Averman was still going on about actually having a date, Russ was annoyed with having extra class work. Dwayne was happy about his new cowboy hat, Connie and Guy were having another tiff, Charlie was limping after taking a slap shot on the ankle from Fulton. Dean was at the moment laughing at something Kenny had said. And Luis, well Luis was having a breakdown after taking an inadvertent high stick to the face.
"Look at it!" He was whining to anyone who would listen.
"Oh put ice on it and hush." Banks said taking his skate off and hanging it up on the side of the locker.
"Hush? It's huge!" Luis cried.
"It's barely a red mark look at my ankle!" Charlie
"You are such a drama queen." Connie shook her head.
"I am not!" Luis cried. "Juliet save me." He pleaded looking at Julie across the room.
"Not even she can save you from that fate." Fulton laughed.
"Didn't you go see the trainer?" Julie asked.
"Well yes, he says it doesn't need stitches but I think it does." Luis whined walking across and flopping down on the bench next to her with a pouting look.
"It just looks a little swollen is all I think." Julie said taking a closer look. "Maybe just ice it for a bit first then see if you still think it needs stitches." She smiled at him then went back to taking her pads off.
"Can't you just kiss it and make it better?" Luis smirked.
"Not unless you'd like me to really give you a gash worthy of stitches." Dean replied.
"Boys." Julie shook her head, kissed her fingers and patted Luis on the head. "There all better, and no foul committed, happy?" She asked looking at both Luis and Dean.
"Yes." They both answered in unison.
"I think you should take over as coach if you have that kind of power over those two." Coach Orion said to Julie walking in the room.
"That means I'm back in goal! Yes!" Goldberg yelled.
"That's still my net Goldie." Julie smirked at him.
"Dang it." He muttered but smiled.
"Ok Ducks, tomorrow is the last game of the conference tourney. I know we've had some struggles against these guys this season, and they play a bit dirty at times. But I want you to work harder then them, and not stoop to playing dirty to win. You're the better team and they know it, so let's go Ducks." Coach Orion finished with cheers going around the room.
"One more thing, good luck Averman on your date." Coach Orion laughed and walked back to his office.
"See I told you he hears everything." Averman said eyes wide.
"Hard to not hear your big mouth." Russ said tossing stick tape at him.
The banter went on as everyone got showered and back in their normal clothes. Julie waited outside the locker room with Caleb for Dean.
"Do you ever let a shot get past you?" Caleb asked.
"Not often." She smiled in return.
"Very impressive." He smiled back, "Actually looking forward to the game tomorrow, haven't watched ice hockey before."
"You're in for a wild first game then, the Spartans don't like us very much." She shook her head, not overly looking forward to the crashing of the net.
"Poor sports are they?" He asked.
"Some of them, not all." Julie shook her head hoping she'd not get picked on about Scooter being the Spartans assistant coach now since he tore his knee a few seasons ago and had to stop playing.
"OK I'm ready." Dean said walking out with Fulton.
"Yeah like she was really waiting for you, we all know it's me she loves." Fulton said running up and throwing an arm around Julie.
"Shush Fulton I thought we agreed to keep this between us!" She laughed.
"Yeah right." Dean rolled his eyes pulling Julie away and replacing Fulton's arm with his own.
They still had a full day of classes to content with Julie said her goodbyes to the bash brothers and walked with Caleb to the rest of her classes. Once done, Caleb called for the car and after checking it over of course she sat down inside and headed home.
"Long day?" Caleb asked once they were safely started towards home.
"You have no idea. I don't know why I took some of this stuff, just a headache." She muttered moving her book bag around.
"You strike me as being more then capable of handling it. Much like you handled Mitchell." Caleb answered more as a curious question rather then a statement.
"Don't you know it's simpler to just come out and ask a question rather then maneuver around it?" She said looking up at him.
"Ok what happened with him? Dominic won't say a word, which isn't a surprise as much as he hates him." Caleb answered.
"I'll answer your question If you'll answer mine." Julie asked dying to know the details on Dominic and Mitchell." Julie proposed.
"Deal, now tell me how it all came down." Caleb asked sitting forward staring intently at her.
"Well.." Julie began then set forth spilling everything that happened leading up to and after Mitchell was brought down.
"You are more capable then even I thought." Caleb answered with a smile. "Well done."
"Thank you, I was rather proud of myself." Julie smiled.
"Now you wish to know about Dominic and Mitchell." Caleb said running a hand threw his dark short hair.
"I'm guessing your wondering if you should tell me or not, Dominic wouldn't be happy about it would he?" Julie said reading the tenseness of his face.
"Yes and no, he doesn't talk about it. I only know cause I am family and I was told certain things. I don't know all the details honestly." He paused and looked out the window taking a breath before continuing on.
"It has to do with his sister Evelyn, I don't know the details but from what I figure Mitchell apparently messed around with Evie and then left her." Caleb answered with a shrug.
"It goes deeper then that doesn't it?" Julie said.
"It does, but you must understand I was away at school when all of this happened. I only got bits and pieces of it myself. Evie and Dom both won't say a word about it to me. I've asked Dom, but I wouldn't dare ask Evie. I just used my humm listening skills to get most of my info." He smiled devilishly.
"How typically spy like of you." She laughed.
"I knew my calling in life early." He agreed.
Julie thought for a moment then asked, "What does Evelyn do? Is she a socialite?"
"No she isn't, why?" Caleb asked curiously.
"When we were in Mitchell's office I read some papers that proved true a rumor that he has a kid in Europe with some socialite." She answered.
"Evie isn't the social kind of girl. She likes to stay in her bookshop most of the time." Caleb smiled, "A kid then, perhaps that's something with this story."
"Perhaps it is." Julie smiled back at him both knowing very well they'd be sharing information and putting this mystery all together one step at a time.
"Home we are." He announced and stepped from the car, turning to take her book bag from her.
"Thanks." She smiled handing him the bag and taking his hand to get out of the car.
"Not a problem" He answered.
"Did you finally get rid of that muscle head moron boyfriend of yours or are you just a slut now little sis?" A voice asked.
Julie looked around Caleb who'd instinctively had positioned himself between her and the approaching threat.
"Great." She muttered looking at Alex.