Well here's the next chapter and yes I do realize that it's been almost two months which is pretty crappy considering I have the next three chapters already typed but for a while there it was hard to post though it's still no excuse. However I don't really have an excuse now because now I've got wireless access in my house and all I have to do is connect in my room. I own nothing enjoy the chapter.
Chapter 24: Truth or dare Princess
"So shall we get this game started?" I asked.
"Certainly, who's going to start?" Tex asked.
"Adam can." Charlie said sitting at Adam's feet on my floor.
"Hey!" Adam exclaimed, but started anyway. "Kenny, Truth or Dare?"
"Truth." Kenny answered.
"Ok um...which is better hockey or ice skating?"
"Hockey." Kenny answered. "ER, truth or dare?"
Normally I can hardly resist a dare but not knowing Kenny well enough I decided to play it safe. "Truth."
"Alright where'd you learn to lie so well?"
"That was bending the truth and I did grow up with four rough housing brothers and Charlie and Fulton. When the six of them got together they couldn't stay out of trouble to save their lives and they usually used me as an alibi because I'm the baby and my daddy loves me." I said putting on my most angelic face and innocent eyes.
"Yeah and there was always that look that got you out of everything." Fulton said motioning to my current look.
"Thank you, now I believe it's my turn to ask, Julie, truth or dare?"
"Truth."
"Who's the hottest guy in the school?"
"Well there are several, but if I had to choose just one I would have to say Mike."
"Mike who?" I asked. She muttered something but I didn't catch what. "Didn't catch that."
She blushed slightly when I said 'catch' but clarified "Mike Marshall."
"My Mike, Mike the Varsity catcher Mike?" She nodded blushing slightly. "Awww, he's really sweet too. Usually the guy I turn to."
"Really?" She asked in awe.
"Yup," I answered.
"And that is the softer, more girly side of Lizzy." Adam said.
"You're lucky I can't reach you or I'd smack you. And in case you haven't noticed I am a girl." I said.
"Oh we've noticed alright." Dean said.
"I would hope so." I answered. "Julie's turn."
"Alright, Cowboy, truth or dare?"
"Dare." He answered confidently.
"Um..." More than likely not the answer she was looking for. "I dare you to...to smell Fulton's feet. Yeah that's it." Julie said.
"Hey my feet are clean." Fulton protested.
"Then you shouldn't have a problem." Averman answered. Fulton shrugged and pulled off his sneakers. Dwayne leaned over and sniffed them.
"Not a problem." Dwayne said and so the game went on.
Adam had to tell us what Charlie was like when he was asleep, he talks occasionally, which Charlie replied with a do not. Fulton had to admit which girl he like that turned out to be a girl in his science class, Dean had to drink some strange concoction of whatever was in my fridge and then proceeded to down three bottles of water, Luis had to tell us what it was like chasing all those girls. He said it was a thrill but got hard sometimes. And lastly Charlie has to tell us what annoyed about each person on the team.
"Averman sometimes doesn't know when enough's enough; Luis needs to chill out with all those girls; Russ back talks a bit too much; Julie, half the time I don't know if she's going to hit me or hug me; Goldie needs to learn how to skate better; Kenny's a bit too shy for me; Guy needs to cut down on the PDA; Connie can get too rough; Cowboy shows off too much; Portman scares me..." He said.
"That doesn't annoy you Charlie that's different." I stated.
"No, it's the same he scares me and I'm a bit annoyed that I have a hard time standing up to him."
"And Adam?"
"Adam's better than me at hockey and that sucks."
"What about Fulton?" Adam asked.
"It annoys me that he's closer to Lizzy than I am." Charlie admitted.
"Why's that annoy you?" I asked.
"Because he's just your best friend and I'm family." I got up and sat down next to Charlie.
"Yeah, but that doesn't mean I'm going to walk out of your life just because I'm closer to Fult, you're stuck with me. Fulton and I could have a major fight and never talk again unless it comes to an event that Ben's planning seeing as how Ben treats Fulton like the little brother he'll never get to have. But for you and me if we fight we'll be forced together on several different occasions. You're family Charlie you're stuck with me." I said.
"I love you Gator." He said hugging me.
"Love you too, Spaz-oid." I answered. We sat there for a bit until Fulton rolled his eyes.
"You've had your touching family moment get on with the game." He said.
"Alright ER, truth or dare?" Charlie asked.
"Wait a minute you haven't told us what annoys you about ER." Russ pointed out.
"Good point." Ken added.
"It's not so much something that you do it's more of...more of a characteristic." Charlie said.
"What are you talking about?" I asked.
"Your quick temper."
"I do not have a quick temper." I snapped. Half the team gave me disbelieving looks. "Ok may-be I do." Charlie raised an eyebrow. "Fine, what do you want a fully written statement saying I'll admit you were right about me having a temper? But why does that annoy you?"
"Because the tiniest thing will set you off."
"Oh well it happens Char there isn't much I can do about that."
"Ok now is everyone satisfied?" He asked and everyone nodded. "Good now Lizzy, truth or dare?"
I rolled my eyes and looked at him. "I'm always up for a dare."
"Good 'cause I dare you to answer a question from each of us truthfully." Charlie said.
"Fine who's willing to start?" I asked.
"I will," Goldberg stated. "Is Fulton really better than Portman?"
"In hockey, no offense, but yes, as a boyfriend I wouldn't know I've never dated him." Fulton and I both chuckled.
"Do you miss us?" Dwayne asked in a little more than a whisper. Of the questions I wasn't prepared to answer this and another one were probably the biggest. I swallowed hard then sighed before answering.
"Sometimes, like when Dean gets severely jealous, yes."
"Why did you put on that act?" Averman asked. 'Leave it to Averman to successfully save the day.' I thought.
"What act?"
"The one at dinner."
"I was bored." Ok so maybe that wasn't the only reason but as far as I knew only Julie and Connie knew the other reason.
"Did you like kissing Fulton?" Dean asked. 'Wow both of the big questions I was avoiding brought up in under 20 minutes.' I looked at the floor.
"He was good, I can't deny that, but it proved there was nothing between us." I answered.
"That's not what I asked. I asked if you liked it."
"At first yes, but then I realized that you would hate him for it so not so much."
"Why would I hate him when you said it was all your fault?"
"Because although it was my fault he was still involved and shouldn't have allowed it to happen." Dean glared at me but let it drop.
"What did you mean when you said you stand by what you said at Christmas?" Luis asked, partially changing the subject but still keeping it slightly personal.
"My big brother Matt kinda caught Dean and I locked in Dean's guest bedroom and he wondered what we were doing. Long story short he said if we had to do it to be careful and I told him and Dean I wasn't ready for that and I still stand by that although it's none of your business." I informed them.
"You're a virgin?" Adam blurted.
"That doesn't count, as it is related to the last question, but yes I am and I'm damn proud of that." I answered. "You know if somehow it did happen before we graduated from high school I'm sure Adam, Charlie, Fulton, and Jesse would find out quickly."
"Um...next question I know you got your nickname ER before you played softball, how'd you get it? That is if you don't mind telling us." Adam asked. I stood from where I had been sitting next to Charlie and sat down on my spare bed next to Fulton. I looked up at him and he shrugged. Then he gave me a look that said 'it's really up to you.'
"Fulton gave it to me after a really unexpected trip to the emergency room when I was ten, but I'm not going to say anymore." I said.
"Have you ever done anything against both of your parents?" Kenny asked.
"And my big brothers." I said nodding. "I got this." I stood up and took off Dean's jacket. I pulled my shirt up to my shoulders and showed all of them my tattoo which was right between my shoulder blades. It was almost the same design as the one on their jerseys except instead of a duck hockey mask it was a human skull.
Above the picture were the initials M.A.J. and C.R.J. Below the picture were the initials S.T.J. and B.Z.J. On the left were the initials C.J.C. and the to the right side was blank. I pulled my shirt back down after I was sure they all saw it. "Is it real?" Averman asked.
"Yup and it hurt like hell. It wouldn't have been against my parents if it wasn't." Fulton grabbed me by the waist and pulled me back down into Dean's lap.
"When did you get it?" Kenny asked.
"Four days after 'it' happened." I answered.
"Those letters, your brothers and Charlie?" Fulton asked.
"Yeah, after Matt I figured I needed away to remember him and it just didn't seem right without the rest of my brothers and Charlie. The right side's blank 'cause I ran out of people."
"You designed that?" Julie asked.
"Yup." I said digging a piece of paper out of my bedside drawer. I handed it to Adam who looked impressed.
"Wow that's pretty nice." He said.
"Yeah I know." After everyone had looked at the original copy I put it back in my drawer.
"I thought you had to be 16 with parental consent to get one in Texas."
"Well you see I did have parental consent. A friend of mine made me a fake I.D. and got me the forms. I changed a few numbers on the form and slipped it in with a few of the papers I needed for school. Usually when it comes to school stuff, even though my dad's a lawyer, he never reads through it. He just signed all the forms and my friend took me to get it."
"Does anyone know about it, besides us I mean?" Dean asked.
"The friend that took me to get it and Ben. He caught me one day after I had gotten out of the pool and before I had finished changing. My swimsuit and what I wear when I exercise cover it. Ben swore up and down to tell Mom and Dad and Chris. It took a long talk, me explaining why I got it, and a crap load of blackmail just to get him to talk to me again and not to tell anyone." I answered looking at the floor.
"Do you regret it?" Julie asked softly.
"Getting it? Never. That Ben found out the way he did? Every time he gives me an evil look because he knows it's there."
"You still have the I.D. that says your four years older than you really are?" Dean asked.
"Yes, but that would only make me 20 I can not buy you beer and even if I could I wouldn't." I said strictly.
"I just wanted to know if you had it." He defended.
"Ben's looks really hurt you don't they?" Fulton asked.
"Yeah sometimes." I answered. "But now I think he knows why I got it and can understand why I did it when I did it. Anyway that's enough on that subject Fulton, Julie, and Charlie still have one free question."
"Then my turn." Fulton said. "Would you ever date anyone besides Port and if so who?"
"That's two questions." Dwayne protested.
"But they are related so I'll answer them both." Dwayne pouted.
"It's only because you love him so much." He spat. My jaw dropped.
"Of course I love him. He's been my best friend since I was in diapers. I thought you understood that." I growled. Dwayne wouldn't look at me. "That was a low shot Tex, you know you deserved it."
"I know I'm sorry Lizzy." Dwayne said after a few moments.
"Good now as an answer to your questions. Yes, I would date someone beside Dean. Who? Well it might surprise you but Tex, he's the only one who could ever take me from Dean, and if he really put his mind to it he could have a really good chance of making me break up with Dean. Dean knows this, he knows the only true threat to this relationship is Tex. Always has been. But if for some reason Dean and I broke up and things didn't work between me and Tex there's always Russ, Adam, Max Straight, and Josh Wilson." I said.
"Max and Josh?" Julie asked.
"Max plays right field and Josh plays first base." I said.
"Baseball guys." Averman stated.
"Would you date them in that order?" Russ asked.
"No, haven't really given it that much thought."
"But you gave it enough thought to say you still have feelings for Cowboy?" Goldberg asked.
"Outside forces took us apart; our relationship never really went wrong. It...you just had to be there." I sighed.
"Sore subject next question." Dean demanded. I knew it was a sore subject for not only me but Dwayne and Dean as well.
"Have you ever smoked?" Charlie asked.
"My mom Alicia does, so when I get really upset I swipe one or two. Then the next morning I run two miles." His jaw dropped. "Sorry Char, but it really does calm your nerves."
"Last question, have you ever drank?" Julie asked.
"I'll never touch a drop of that shit. It tears lives apart, but I can't really object to it if I don't see it." I explained. Dean nuzzled into my neck slightly and Fulton took my hand rubbing the back with his thumb.
"What do you mean it tears lives apart?" Julie asked.
"My Uncle Austin was killed in a car accident by a drunk driver. Must have hurt my grandparents, both of their kids gone."
"But I thought..." Kenny started.
"Alicia is my step-mom. My real mom died when I was nine minutes old. Alicia's really the only mom I've ever known, aside from Nat."
"Nat?" Goldie asked.
"Natalie Reed." I answered.
"My mom." Fulton added. "Alicia's never treated Lizzy like a daughter so my mom was delighted to treat her like one. The same goes for Rob. My dad's almost always out of town on business or at the office working, he's a sports writer for a magazine, so Lizzy's dad Robert kinda provided the firm hand my own dad couldn't."
"Firm hand?" Dean asked.
"On more than one occasion Charlie and I crossed the wrong side of Rob. It was one good swat across the butt and we behaved for about a week. The same went for Lizzy, if she got one of my mom's stern looks she was a 'precious angel' until the heat died down. Rob says you can always tell when one of his seven kids had just gotten into trouble because we were little angels."
"You an angel? Why don't I believe that?" Julie asked.
"You can't tell it now but I swear once you crossed Rob you knew you were in hot water for a bit, so you acted innocent until he cooled off or got mad at one of the others. By the time he stopped spanking us we all managed to learn Lizzy's angelic look but no one could pull it off as easily or be as convincing with it as she could." Fulton said. He pulled his puppy dog pout making sure to add the puppy dog eyes and I about melted.
"Now see I believe that." Averman said. I smirked and looked around.
"What now?" I asked.
"Did your uncle have any kids?" I heard Connie ask. I jumped because I hadn't noticed my door open.
"I don't know, I wish I did though. It might be nice to have another cousin aside from Charlie. Alicia's been a spoiled only child for as long as I can remember. How long have the two of you been here?"
"Since Charlie asked if you smoked." Guy answered.
"Well come in and sit down, I guess that mean you get a question answered too." I said. Charlie filled them in on the questions they had missed which of course lead me to showing them my tattoo.
"Ladies first." Guy told Connie once Charlie finished.
"Wow I think you covered just about everything already." Connie paused thinking. "Oh wait I know. You told us that Aaron's been one of your best friends since you moved to Ohio, so what's his story? How'd you meet him, get to be close to him, and why do you call him Romeo?"
"Some how I knew that was going to be brought up." I sighed. It wasn't that I didn't want them to know it was just that the story was tricky to tell without breaking Aaron's trust.
"Well I call him Romeo because in our eighth grade English class he played the part of Romeo and because he climbs in and out of my window most of the time that he comes over. I met Aaron in the seventh grade when he saved me from getting picked on by the little league team captain. Aaron made them leave me alone and then invited me to eat lunch with him and a few of his friends. Slowly we got to know each other and he told me some things that matched what he found out about me later and other stuff. Most of the time we would just hang out and talk, me telling him about how I missed the Ducks and Dwayne and he'd tell me about his best friend that had moved away. I was playing softball seventh grade year and he came to almost all of my games. The next year the middle school put him on their baseball team and me on their softball team so he came to games just not as regularly as he wished he could.
"The summer before ninth grade rolled around and when we weren't practicing we hung out in my room. When I talked to my dad about it he told me to make sure that Aaron was careful if he climbed up the tree to come in my window and for him to keep it to a minimum if it was after dark. I asked my dad if he was ok if I kept my door shut when Aaron came over and he said it was ok as long as we kept it PG. I told Aaron about it he laughed and told me that quote 'No offense but you're too good of a friend to consider even just dating me.' end quote. I wasn't offended because I knew it was the truth and I didn't and still don't think of him that way. It was around Halloween when he really became my best friend."
"Was that when Seth started?" Charlie asked.
"No, that didn't start until around Thanksgiving that year." I answered.
"Can you tell us what happened Lizzy or did he ask you not to?" Connie asked.
"I can tell you to an extent, but don't expect me to break his trust." They all nodded. "I started noticing that he spent more time with me hanging out and practicing than he ever had that summer and just figured that we were getting closer, he said as much when I questioned him about it. When a few other things started standing out I got really suspicious that he was lying to me. He made up another lie when I confronted him just that he was getting picked on and that it was no big deal."
Flashback
Halloween rolled around and after I went to bed the streetlight outside my window went out. There is practically no floor in my room because of the queen size sleigh bed. I was deep in a dream filled sleep when I heard someone calling my name. I thought it was in the dream until I woke up and saw that the reading lamp over my bed was on. I could have sworn I turned it off but I guess not.
"Who's there?" I asked.
No one answered so I reached up to turn the lamp off and a hand grabbed my wrist. "Don't turn it off." Aaron whispered from the shadows. "Please." He begged. I dropped my hand which pulled him out of the shadow and into the light. He sat down on the edge of my bed as I sat up.
"Didn't I just see you?" I asked wiping the sleep out of my eyes.
"Yeah." He said hesitantly. I looked at him closer and the look on his face really woke me up. It was the same thing that I had been seeing for the past few months. I asked him about it and he lied to me again.
"If that's what really happened then why are you in my room at..." I trailed off looking at the clock, "...12:30 in the morning?"
"I just don't want to go home." He said begging me to let him stay.
"Aaron I want the honest to god truth about what's been going on." I begged. He finally broke down and confessed what had really been happening. We talked a bit more before his profuse begging convinced me to let him stay. I pulled back my blankets and he climbed in and lay down. "Good night my sweet Romeo." I told him.
"Good night my fine Juliet and thank you." He whispered before turning the light off.
End Flashback
"My friendship was put to the test that day because he begged me to not say anything to anyone about what he told me, and although I probably should have I didn't and he returned the favor when he found out about Seth." I said ending that night's tale. "Aaron still plays baseball but for our high school now and like I said he's always been supportive."
"Wow sounds like you've been through a lot with him." Luis commented.
"Yeah you could say that." I answered.
"Seth has been beating you for over a year and you never said a word about it." Charlie barked. I snuggled back into Dean who tightened his grip on me.
"Who could I tell besides my dad? Seth knew Ben could never do anything, Seth out weighs him and Ben would never say anything to Dad about it Seth would have made sure of that. I thought Matt was dead and Chris was in Tennessee for all but four months of the year I couldn't complain to him. I could have if it happened during the summer but Seth knew to lay off then because Chris and Ben shared the room right across the hall. Even though Seth out weighs Chris, Chris has been kicking Seth's butt since Seth was five." I said looking at Guy.
"Alright away from that subject, what's you're favorite movie, food, and type of flowers?" Guy asked.
"Movie is Top Gun, I've seen it about a billion times, favorite food is still extra cheese and pepperoni pizza, and flowers I don't have a favorite type but I'll kill anyone who gives me red roses."
"Why?" Fulton asked.
"Don't know I just can't stand them."
"You think they're too cliché." Julie said.
"Sure we'll go with that."
"Speaking of favorite flowers Portman, you want a surefire way to get her to forgive you in case for some reason you screw up?" Dwayne asked.
"Again." Fulton muttered. Dean shoved him over slightly and Fulton just grinned.
"Sure." Dean answered. My eyes widened before I hung my head.
"Chocolate ice cream and yellow carnations." I knew by then my face was turning bright red.
"Aw come on Lizzy it ain't that bad." Adam said laughing slightly.
"Why not roses?" Dean asked.
"Because yellow roses are Matt's gift to her." Fulton said. Dean nodded.
"Another way to cheer her up, note that's cheer her up not get her laughing, is chocolate ice cream and some sappy love story movie." Dwayne told him. My blush continued to grow until I thought I couldn't turn any more red.
"And I thought only Dwayne could turn that red." Goldberg said. Then Dwayne's words sunk in.
"Sappy?" I asked pouncing on him. He flipped me over causing a wrestling match to break out. Finally I got him pinned. "Ha pinned ya." He relented and I smirked straddling him. Well I did until he flipped me over again and caused another match. I pinned him again making sure to keep him pinned this time. "Ha pinned ya 'gain." I smirked.
"Too much Lion King anyone." Julie suggested.
"No way, Disney is the best." I panted.
"Which part was that again?" Goldberg asked.
"It's the part right after Simba's Uncle Scar tells him about the elephant grave yard and he takes Nala to go see it. Nala pins Simba once and then he throws her off of him. He lays there for a second and then pounces on her causing both of them to roll down the cliff side where she pins him again." Averman explained.
"It's also right before they meet the hyenas." Connie threw in.
The rest of the team nodded. "Again you never thought they were sappy when you watched them with me. You suggested it most of the time." I growled.
"Because I knew it would cheer you up and I couldn't stand to see you so hurt or depressed." Dwayne answered. I smiled then got very weak and slumped against Dwayne. "Lizzy?" He asked.
"Mmmm-hmm." I answered.
"Kitten, answer me are you alright?" Tex demanded.
"Mmmm." I answered.
"Damn it Kitten talk to me tell me you're alright." He ordered. He looked past me and nodded.
"I'm fine I think." I told him weakly.
"Baby what's wrong?" Dean asked pulling me to my feet then sweeping me into his arms.
"I think it's the medication I'm on. My dad and my doctor discussed it about two years ago and said I need it to keep me from getting sick in the winter. I've never played sports while I was on it though so I think it's draining my energy along with practice and I have no adrenaline left." I answered wrapping my arms around my very own knight in shining hockey uniform.
"Maybe we all should get some sleep." Fulton suggested pulling Tex to his feet.
"Does chocolate always fix everything?" Russ asked.
"Except for one week out of the month." I answered.
"That's weird that's normally when girls crave chocolate." Charlie said.
"I eat so much chocolate during the month it just sorta formed a reverse effect." I smirked. I looked at Connie and Julie and saw that Connie was glaring at me and pouting. "What's wrong, Cons?"
She glared at me then looked from Dean to Guy and back. "Connie's jealous." Averman taunted. Connie glared at him and he shut up quick.
"Aw Cons just because my boyfriend is a strong hockey enforcer and can hold me without breaking a sweat doesn't mean you have to be jealous of him."
"Who said I was?" She snapped.
"You're pissed Cons and you're one of my best female friends I know what you're feeling most of the time. You know sometimes I get jealous of you and Guy."
"Me why would you? You get everything with Port."
"I get a guy who can defend me, has a sharp tongue, his temper can flare up faster than mine sometimes, and occasionally he's as sensitive as a blunt axe. You see you got a good deal with Guy, most of the time he's sweet and sensitive."
"I oughta drop you on your butt." Dean threatened.
"Don't forget both Fulton and Charlie are standing in the same room."
"I don't got to worry about Charlie."
"Yeah but what about Fult? Who do you think he's going to side with his best male friend or his best female friend he's know all of his life that he would kill for?"
"I hate your logic."
"I know."
"Alright team, bed. Classes tomorrow." Charlie ordered. Everyone cleared out of the room and Dean put me down on my bed.
"You're one of the best things that has ever happened to me." Dean whispered.
"I know, and you're amazing too. Sometimes I just get scared you're going to hurt me."
"You know I've told you I'd never hurt you intentionally."
"Portman put the sweet princess to bed, kiss her good night, tell her you love her, and get to bed. Orion will flip if you get another detention." Charlie hollered.
"Yes Captain." Dean yelled back. He tucked me in and smoothed the covers down not looking at me. I lifted his chin and kissed him sweetly, but I knew Dean could never leave me with just a sweet good night kiss and true enough he turned it into a fiery, sensational, passionate good night kiss. "I love you Maverick." He whispered. "And good night my sweet princess."
"I love you too Goose and good night my fair and kind knight."
"What no prince?"
"You have to work to get to prince-hood haven't you read the old fashioned stories?"
"What must I do to prove to you I can be your handsome prince?"
"I'll tell you later for now I must get some sleep. You are dismissed."
"Yes your royal highness. I love you and I prove it to you."
"I know kind knight."
"Now Portman." Charlie yelled again.
"And that's the pain in the ass princess bodyguard."
"Dude Captain's about to flip let's bolt." Fulton said.
"I know just a minute. I love you Baby, good night."
"Love you too, my knight."
"Sweet dreams." I said. With a soft kiss he left me to sink into dreams of old fashioned princesses and princes.
Let me know what you think. Tune in next time.