Author's Note: Hi guys! Sorry for not updating for a while. Hope you enjoy :)
Averman was beyond pissed off when he heard about Goldberg and Julie's date. He kept going on and on when the guys were out for pizza that night about how he should've been the one who got to take her out, to which everyone but Portman found amusing. ("What makes you think Julie wants to go out with either of your dumb asses? She's probably just trying to be nice,")
Goldberg, however, was more than a little bit nervous about their date that night. Yeah, it wasn't a real date and he knew that (but if you asked him, he'd tell you that it was) but it was still a date – his second in his entire life since he counted kissing Agatha Berenson at her bat mitzfah. Plus, Connie and Guy were going to be there and he didn't feel like watching Connie make googly eyes at Guy all night and throwing jabs at him any chance she could. His only real goal in all of this was to sleep with Julie – but he wasn't even all that excited about that. He liked Julie a lot, but it was more like as a sister than anything, which was pretty disgusting if he thought about it. He had kind of just been joking when he'd made the bet but Averman took it seriously and Russ and Ken and Dwayne and Fulton and Portman were all there and he couldn't just say that he was kidding with all of them watching. Goldberg's only way out of this was to somehow convince Julie into sleeping with him (which he knew wasn't going to happen) or lie and tell everyone that he did.
He picked Guy up early so that they could talk before they went in. He needed to make sure that he had at least one person on his side in case Connie starting PMSing or something on him and Julie took her side.
Guy was smiling as per usual as he basically skipped out of his house and into Goldberg's parents' van. "Hey, man. You nervous?" he asked.
Goldberg shrugged. "More about Connie than Julie,"
"Really, why? Connie's so nice," Goldberg started the van and rolled his eyes. He should've expected this – in all time that he'd known Guy, he never had anything really bad to say about Connie.
"Okay, man, if you want to be delusional, it's fine, okay. She's always fucking yelling at me, always fucking complaining for no reason and I'm hoping she's fine tonight because you and Julie will be there and I've never heard her yell at either of you, but like if she does start bitching I need you to be on my side,"
Guy raised his eyebrow. "Um . . . I don't know . . ."
"Dude, come on, you don't need to take her side. She dumped you like four years ago," he said, exasperated.
"Who said that I'm taking her side?" said Guy, obviously a bit annoyed by Goldberg's words. "I just meant that like . . . you know, I think you're looking for reasons as to why this date could go bad for you. And instead of thinking that might have something to do with you, you're blaming it on Connie,"
Guy gave him a knowing look and Goldberg knew immeaditely that Guy knew about the bet. How could he not know? Goldberg had made a point of making sure Adam and Guy were not there last night because he knew that they'd go off and tell Connie and Julie about the bet. But Dwayne knew about it and he was more than likely to let something slip to either of them.
Goldberg sighed, figuring it was better to just admit to it rather than lie. "So you know then?"
Guy nodded. "Obviously. Nice try hiding it from me, though. I mean, what did you think I was gonna do?"
"Tell them,"
He shrugged. "I want to but I have a thing about not getting into other people's business. Plus, I mean, you can't hurt her or anything because Connie'll be there and she'd kick your ass,"
"Just, can you just . . . be there for me? Gay as that sounds?" Goldberg asked, almost desperate for some sort of confirmation.
"You don't need me to help you not fuck up. You have to do that for yourself. I'm just here because Connie asked me to be, not because I want to take any part in your misogynistic scheme,"
Goldberg bit his lip and looked away, angry at Guy's words but knowing that he was right. He kept driving and tried to think about the confidence he was going to have to portray to keep up this charade.
Connie and Julie arrived at the restaurant early. They were both dressed casually in jeans, both wearing a touch of makeup. ("I feel really bad, if this is a big deal for Goldberg then I should at least try for him," Julie explained.) The two of them sat on a bench outside the place, Connie listening to Julie tell an animated story about some jerk off she'd talked to in her math class that day.
But while they're both sitting there, the strangest thing happens. Averman of all people, shows up, holding a bouquet of roses and wearing a tuxedo. The girls almost don't realize that it's him at first, until he gets closer to them. "Ladies," he says in a low, deep voice that neither of them recognizes from him.
"Averman?" Julie laughs. "What are you doing here?"
"Hot date?" Connie comments. "Just kidding. I know your mom works super late,"
Averman ignores Connie and gets down on one knee in front of Julie. Julie looks over at Connie, surprised, with her mouth wide open. Connie shakes her head and says nothing, too done with all of this to even comment.
"Julie Gaffney, oh beautiful Julie Gaffney, where for art tho Julie Gaffney? Oh, she is my lady, oh she is my love. Beautiful woman, better goalie," he pronounces in the same deep voice. He holds out the bouquet for her and she takes them, awkwardly. "I have come here today to this lovely establishment – waiting outside of course because it would be rude of me to wait until you meet dear Gregory – to invite you to a dinner with me. At The Capitol Grill, a week from tonight,"
Julie says nothing for a moment. Averman takes her hand and kisses it and then she quickly pulls it away, "Okay, what? What is going on . . . is this a prank? You can't afford The Capitol Grill."
"Of course not, fair, fair Julie. I would never prank such a lovely lady such as yourself,"
She bit her lip and closed her eyes, annoyed because she knew she was going to have to say yes to Averman too to not seem like a terrible person. Thankfully, Connie sensed that she was uncomfortable. "Do you and Goldberg have some sort of fucked up rivalry going on for Julie? Because if you do just admit it now so we could all just forget about this,"
Averman had known Connie his whole life, he knew that she could read him and that's what scared him. "Of course not! Why would you think that?"
"Because you two are idiots and it makes no sense that after how many years you're asking her out at the exact time,"
"I do not know anything of Gregory's intentions, but I have been waiting for dear Julie to be single so that I may take her on a date somewhere," Averman explained.
Julie put the flowers on her lap and sighed, "Let's not draw this out any further. I'll go out with you."
Averman's face lit up, "Yeeeees! Julio! Julia Julia Julio Julie –" he caught his regular attitude and cleared his throat. "I mean, Julie, thank you. I promise that this will be the night of your dreams –"
"Averman, what the fuck?" The three of them looked behind Averman to see Goldberg and Guy walking towards them. Goldberg looked pissed – more pissed than the girls could ever remember seeing him.
"Oh, hello, Gregory. Guy. I'm just here, enjoying this beautiful night with some beautiful women. Is that such a crime," Averman was hamming it up as much as possible, which was obvious to everyone.
"Dude, get the fuck out. Can I please just have this night? You missed your chance,"
Averman made a face. "Oh, really? Because the lovely Miss Gaffney just agreed to an evening with me at The Capitol Grill,"
Guy raised his eyebrows, Connie rolled her eyes and Goldberg practically choked on his own saliva, but none of them said anything. Averman smiled, "Well, my time here is done. Enjoy your night here, ladies, gentleman, Goldberg."
He walked off, straightening the lapel on his jacket, leaving Julie with the bouquet of roses in her lap and Guy and Goldberg staring awkwardly at her.
Goldberg hardly said two words all night. He was beyond irritated that Averman had gone out of his way to ruin this for him, and even more irritated that Julie had actually said yes while she was out with him. He knew it was stupid to be angry, especially because this whole thing was just a scheme, but he was. He also knew that being annoyed was ruining this date for him and he knew that Guy had been right about him ruining this for himself – but he was far too stubborn to admit that.
Julie was incredibly uncomfortable. She'd tried to start a conversation with Goldberg numerous times, but every time she did, he'd just rebuff her attempts. She looked to Connie for help once, but she was too preoccupied giggling at one of Guy's lame stories that wasn't even funny. Eventually, Julie decided that it was better to just pay attention to her food and listen to her friends rather than attempt to talk to her date.
Connie was having the most fun she'd had in a while. She was listening to Guy tell tales of when he and his hippie parents drove out to see the Grand Canyon in their small car over the summer intently, hanging on every word. She hadn't realized how much she missed hearing him talk, hearing his stories that were always nothing but innocent and brought a positive light into her life that only he could bring her.
Guy had forgotten how comfortable he was with Connie. He'd forgotten that she was his best friend and that every time he spoke to her his day brightened up. She was the only one of his friends who liked hearing about his family, liked hearing about all of the weird things they did together. It was only when he said something stupid and Connie laughed and said, "you're so cute!" that he got uncomfortable. He knew that she probably hadn't meant anything by it, but it still didn't stop him from thinking about Alexa. Would she be okay with hearing Connie say that to him? Was it a really not a big deal and he was just overreacting?
Goldberg drives everyone home in his parents' van. Connie and Julie are gabbing away in the backseat about the team that they're versing next week – Julie still uncomfortable – but trying to hide it and Guy saying nothing, looking out the window. He drops Connie and Guy off at their respective houses and then Julie hops into the front seat as he drives her back to the dorms. It's silent until they arrive back at the school and Julie finally turns to him and says, "I really don't understand why you're upset with me. I thought you were really excited about this,"
He takes a deep breath. "I was. And then Averman ruined it,"
She nods, "Yeah, I mean, I guess it was pretty rude of him to ask me out on our date. He could've done it on Monday . . . or really any other time,"
"Then why'd you say yes?" he asks, bitterly.
"The same reason I said yes to you. You're both my friends. I'm not choosing one over the other,"
Goldberg sighs. He knows he shouldn't be disappointed, but he is. He'd made a complete ass of himself, Julie had no reason to like him and yet he was still hoping she would. That any girl would.
"I'm sorry I ruined our date with my pathetic sulking," he says.
Julie smiles shyly. "It's okay. It wasn't even that bad, I had fun."
"With Connie and Guy, though. I didn't even talk,"
"They barely talked to me! Connie was too busy twirling her hair and giggling –"
"And Guy was too busy pretending he didn't notice," he added.
Julie giggled. "So I was pretty much alone all night, I guess. At least the food was good. Thank you for paying, by the way,"
He shrugged. "Least I can do for being such an asshole,"
She hesitated for a moment and then leaned in and kissed him on the cheek. He looked back at her almost in shock, but said nothing. Julie smiled, and it was then that for the first time that he truly saw her for what she was – not just a hockey player, not just someone that he needed to fight over the goal with, not just a beautiful girl – a person. A kind, naïve person who he was taking advantage of.
Julie opened the car door. "Well, I'll uh, see you on Monday, Goldberg."
"Julie," he calls for her.
She turned.
"Um, thank you. For saying yes. You're really cool,"
She nodded, "Yeah, you too. But I've always thought that – you know, really deep down under all the snark you were,"
Goldberg feels himself blush and Julie closes the door and he watched her walk back into her building. She waved to him just before going inside.
It didn't matter what the guys thought of him. He decided right then that he wouldn't say that he slept with Julie. He'd have far more respect for himself – the amount of respect Julie seemed to have for him – if he didn't say anything. If he told the truth and didn't take Averman's money.
Guys, please leave reviews! They let me know that you like the story and give me motivation to continue. Preview of the next chapter: Yet another party at Jessica's and Charlie reveals something about his sexuality ;)
