Orion was tiring all of the Ducks out majorly. He said that since this was their last year here, they needed to be sure to make an impact on their school. They'd never won a Varsity championship with the full team before and winning it together would be a big deal for them. They'd all learned not to complain to Orion at this point, but Russ could be heard muttering under his breath and Dwayne even made the occasional remark that didn't make much sense but could qualify as a complaint.
After practice, they found Jessica outside of the rink. "Adam!" she jumped up and waved as they began skating out. He approached her and kissed her gently, "Hey, what are you doing here?"
She held up a pile of red envelopes. "My parents are out of town," she motioned for the Ducks not to file into the locker room by clapping a few times. A few of them gave her a dirty look, but didn't press the issue. "You're all invited to my house tomorrow night,"
"Didn't you just have a party?" asked Ken.
Jessica nodded. "My parents go out of town a lot. But hey, more fun for us right?"
Portman immediately took an envelope from her, followed by Averman, Goldberg, Luis and Russ. Luis winked at her and she giggled, but Adam was too distracted watching Charlie to notice. He was walking right into the locker room without taking one.
"These are plus one, right?" asked Guy. "I can bring my girlfriend again?"
Jessica smiled. "Of course! The more the merrier,"
The team eventually filed back into the locker room, leaving only Charlie's invite with Jessica. She turned to Adam, "How come Charlie Conway never wants to come over? Does he not like me?"
Adam shook his head. "No, I think he's just busy,"
"Do you think you can try to get him to come? All of the girls on the team think he's really hot. He broke up with Shelley right?" Jessica asked. Charlie had indeed broken up with Shelley at the end of last year school year, then Mary before that, then Lucy before that, then Linda before that. Adam wasn't really interested in inviting Charlie to come just to hook him up with a new girl, but at the same time, he wasn't about to seem suspicious by saying no.
"I can try. You know, anything for you," he forced a smile and Jessica leaned up to kiss him.
"You're the bestest. We're still having lunch tomorrow?"
He nodded.
Jessica kissed him again and then handed him Charlie's invitation. "I gotta go, my dad's waiting. Call me tonight, okay?"
"Of course,"
She waved in a cute way that he would've appreciated if he was attracted to her, or if he wasn't focused on Charlie surrounded by a bunch of pretty girls who all wanted to go out with him. The thought made Adam practically sick to his stomach. And still, Charlie was usually girl crazy and he hadn't brought up anyone and Adam hadn't even seen him leaning up against the lockers flirting. Maybe he wanted to be single this year. And Adam knew that he'd enjoy the party a lot more even if he could just catch a glimpse of Charlie laughing with the guys while Jessica pulled him upstairs to her room.
He entered the locker room to see all the guys talking about the party ("I'm gonna get so much pussy," said Russ. "Yeah, you wish," Goldberg remarked).
"Your girlfriend is so cool, Banksy. A party every other week," said Portman.
"Don't know what she sees in you, though," Russ joked.
Charlie wasn't laughing with the rest of the guys and Adam took a deep breath before approaching him. "Um, Jessica wanted me to give you this. She said she really wants you to come,"
He raised his eyebrows at Adam. "Me? Why?"
Adam almost answered but thankfully Guy interrupted, "I heard a couple of cheerleaders talking about you at lunch yesterday. That's probably why,"
Charlie blushed and continued undressing. "That's nice," was all he said.
"C'mon man, why don't you come?" asked Luis.
He shrugged. "Got a lot of homework I guess,"
"It's a Friday night. Who does homework on a Friday night?"
Fulton stepped in and Adam was thankful. He was usually able to convince Charlie to do things he didn't want to do. "Charlie, just come. We'll all be there, it'll only be for a few hours. You need a break, dude."
"Plus there's mad bitches waiting for you there," Portman chimed in.
Charlie sighed. "I guess I can come for a little while,"
The boys clapped and Fulton patted him on the back.
"But just for a little while!" he insisted.
At Jessica's party the next night, things were as strangely calm for a party like they usually were. There was an obvious separation between the lacrosse team and the hockey team, and Connie was making a point of sitting with Guy and Alexa, but other than it was all pretty tame.
Jessica was in the kitchen making pizza rolls for everyone, and the guys on the Ducks plus Julie sat in the basement in a circle playing Would You Rather?. It was all the same usual dirty questions, which guys like Portman and Goldberg answered loudly and proudly, and which guys like Adam and Dwayne blushed at and mumbled whatever answer the majority of the guys did.
It wasn't until it was Luis' turn that things reached the uncomfortable vibe they usually did whenever they played this game. "Would you rather spend life in prison or be gay?"
Dwayne smiled, "Obviously I want to be happy,"
Julie put her hand on his shoulder and giggled. "No, Dwayne, gay as in like boys the way you like girls,"
"Oh . . . well . . . am I still happy?" he asked Luis.
"I don't know how happy you can be being a fag but I guess,"
Adam could feel the heat rising to his cheeks, embarrassed and uncomfortable. He tried to focus on Julie next to him rather than the silence that spoke a thousand words from the other guys.
"Then I'd want to be gay, I guess,"
Only Julie smiled. The rest of the guys either said nothing or made a face.
"What the fuck?" said Portman. "You'd want to fuck a dude?"
"Disgusting, man," Luis commented.
Dwayne turned his head and sighed, "Well, I don't want to go to jail,"
"Leave him alone. There's nothing wrong with being gay," Julie insisted.
Fulton made a face. "It's just weird,"
"And gross," Luis added.
"And unnatural," said Goldberg.
"Actually," Ken piped up for the first time. "Homosexuality is completely natural. It's something you're born with. Kind of like being an asshole, Goldberg,"
Adam smiled appreciatively.
"Exactly. If I was gay would you stop talking to me or something?" Julie added.
"If you were gay I'd follow you everywhere with a camera to catch you and your girl making out," Portman smirked.
Adam rolled his eyes. "Leave her alone, man,"
"What if it was me?" Charlie asked finally.
Everyone turned to look at him silently. "I mean, like what if one day I told you guys I had a boyfriend. Would that be it, would you all just drop me like a fly?"
"Wait, you're gay?" asked Russ.
Charlie sighed. "I didn't say that. But I also didn't say no. I'm open minded, you know? Like one day, if I fell in love with a guy it wouldn't mean much to me. And if it would mean much to you guys then you're pretty shitty friends,"
"Well said, Charlie," said Julie.
Adam felt his heart drop in his chest. I'm open minded. For the first time, it crossed Adam's mind that Charlie might not be straight. He certainly wasn't gay but he could be something else. Something else that was attracted to guys, something that was attracted to him.
The thought immediately made him feel guilty. Jessica was right upstairs and they were planning on doing it later. But still, he couldn't help it. He loved Charlie and as much as he would've loved to deny it, he couldn't. Adam made an effort to ignore Julie's knowing glance at him.
"As the captain of this team, I'm telling you guys that discrimination isn't gonna be tolerated. So if you have anything to say, say it to me so I can report it," Charlie insisted.
The guys went quiet at that point, realizing how seriously Charlie seemed to be taking this whole situation. Adam's heart soared in his chest, thankful that Charlie was a real person.
It's towards the end of the night. Connie and Julie left together a little while ago, Adam was upstairs with Jessica and hadn't been heard from for a few hours, Russ and Averman are drunk off their asses and making lame jokes.
Portman's wasted, like he usually is at this point. Fulton is somewhat sober, but only somewhat. They're in the basement talking to a few cheerleaders who are just as drunk as them and stumbling on their words.
He's calm, he's relaxed, the way that he only is when he's on something. Portman hated admitting it, but he loved his teammates and getting to spend Friday nights with them was one of his favorite things in the world. There were few things he liked more, one of them being a certain team mate's bright smile. When he's drunk, he ends up letting everyone know he loves them, hanging all over Guy and Connie's shoulders, leaning on Dwayne.
He's not known to be an angry drunk in the slightest. It isn't until that night that it comes out for the first time.
Goldberg and Ken walk into the basement with their red solo cups, talking. He listens in, unbeknownst to them.
"So things went well with Julie last week?" Ken asked.
Goldberg shrugged. "Think I kinda fucked up, but it was cool. She's cool,"
Ken nodded, "And beautiful. It's not every day you get a date with a beautiful girl,"
"The Cat Lady certainly is a fine specimen," he chuckled.
"What did you say, Goldberg?" Portman stuttered out, throwing his own cup to the side angrily.
Goldberg and Ken looked at him strangely. "Just that you know, Julie's cute,"
"Yeah? And what gives the right to say that? She only went out with you to be nice," he insisted, talking somewhat above normal final volume. He caught Fulton's attention, who walked away from the girl he was talking to listen to the situation.
"Man, all I said was that she's cute. Would you rather I lie and say she was ugly?"
Portman practically jumped in his face. "I'd rather you not say anything at all, asshole,"
Fulton put a hand on his friend's back, "Whoa, Portman, calm down, man."
Kenny too, nodded. "It's alright – uh, come on, let's just go upstairs," he reached for Goldberg.
"No, what the fuck is your problem, man?" Goldberg demanded. "You've been trying to start shit with me for weeks,"
Portman shoved him on instinct. "Fuck you," was all he said in retaliation.
Goldberg shoved him back, which caused Portman to punch him square in the face. A couple of the girls squealed and Fulton immediately grabbed Portman and pulled him away from Goldberg who was being held back by Ken. "Don't fucking come near her!" Portman stuttered out.
"You're such a fucking prick, man!" Goldberg yelled. Thankfully for him, Luis and Dwayne came downstairs and were able to help Ken take him upstairs and away from Portman who probably would've killed him otherwise.
Once everything had calmed down, Fulton led his friend over to the couch to sit down. Portman began tearing at a piece of his t shirt, trying to rip off tiny bits of it. "What was that?" Fulton asked him.
He said nothing, closing his eyes, trying to calm down.
"Portman, dude, what happened? What did he say to you?"
"Not to me," he slurred out. "About Julie,"
Fulton leaned away from him and then nodded knowingly. "Oh . . . I see,"
Portman tore at the same place on his shirt, frustrated. "It's just . . . why the fuck did the Cat go out with him? He's such a fucking piece of shit . . ."
"He's your friend, don't say that," Fulton said, attempting t calm him.
"It's true. Julie can do so much better."
"You mean like you?"
Portman turned away from his shirt so fast it took Fulton aback a bit. "What the fuck?"
"I know you like her. You're my best friend, of course I know," he whispered. "It's okay. I won't tell anyone,"
Portman said nothing not confirming confirming or denying the accusation. It wasn't even a big deal that Fulton knew. He had bigger issues in his life to worry about then his best friend knowing his feelings for her.
Charlie had stayed the entire party, even though he hadn't planned on it. He worried about his mother the whole time, but she'd assured him before he left that she was working the night shift at the diner and wouldn't be home until really late. In all honesty, it was nice to get out of the house. He'd missed being able to hang out with his friends outside of school and hockey practice. It was just like old times, like his earlier years in high school where his hardest problems were about girls.
He stood in the kitchen leaning against the marble island eating chips. Apparently there'd been a fight between Goldberg and Portman earlier and Goldberg had left, pissed off and complaining about how he wasn't given a fair chance to properly kick his ass. Everyone knew it was bullshit, but it was still all anyone who wasn't totally shit faced was talking about.
"So, I'm assuming you heard about what those friends of yours were up to?"
Charlie turned his head to see Linda standing there, her arms crossed over her chest and her head cocked to the side. He smirked, "What are you doing here? I thought this whole jock party thing wasn't your scene,"
They'd broken up towards the end of their freshmen year purely because they'd gotten sick of each other, both stating that they weren't what the other was looking for. Although it had been mutual, they didn't really talk much and tended not to say hello to each other in the hallway.
Linda shrugged. "Eh, what can I say? I love watching idiots get wasted,"
"Yeah, really sounds like a great way to spend a Friday night," he said sarcastically.
She popped a chip into her mouth. "And what are you doing here? I've been coming to a lot of these things and you never seem to show up,"
He turned away from her, biting his lip and then looked back her way. "Been busy I guess,"
Linda said nothing.
"Nice of you to notice my absence," he smirked. She rolled her eyes and hit him playfully.
"We did go out for a while, Conway. I didn't erase you from my memory,"
Charlie felt himself blush. He didn't say anything to it because he couldn't think of anything to say.
"Y'know," said Linda. "I heard Marcy Evans and Lorraine Williams talking about you in the living room. Word on the street is is that you're like Eden Hall's most eligible bachelor,"
He blushed again. "That's nice of them,"
"Wouldn't expect you to stay single this long. What has it been, like three months since you dumped the last girl?"
He gave her a look. "What's it to you?"
She threw up her hands in defense. "Nothing, I just . . . I'm kind of surprised, if I'm being honest. You're standing here talking to me instead of flirting with the cheerleaders like you would've last year,"
Charlie sipped from his red solo cup. "Well, I don't know. I guess I'm not really in the mood for games lately. Plus, I'm not as good at flirting as everyone seems to think I am,"
"Really? You roped me in,"
"You were different. The first girl I really liked. Plus, I was kind of an asshole back then. Too cocky or whatever. I still don't know why you fell for me,"
"Who said I fell for you?" They looked at each for a second and then Linda laughed, which caused Charlie to laugh as well. "No, you weren't an asshole. We were fourteen – everyone's an asshole at fourteen. Plus I guess maybe I thought you were kinda cute,"
Charlie raised his eyebrows and smirked. "Maybe I thought you were cute too . . . still do,"
Linda blushed and took another chip. "And I thought you said you were bad at flirting,"
"Guess not when it comes to you,"
There's a silence for a moment, where they're both looking around awkwardly, not knowing what to say. Charlie's surprised, if he's being honest, that Linda's even talking to him. He thought she hated him, realized that maybe she was right about all jocks being stupid and erased him from her memory. But he wasn't about to bring that up. He was happy to have a nice moment with her.
"Charlie," she turned to him, leaning her hands on the counter top. "I came over here because I wanted to tell you that I'm sorry,"
"For what?" he asked, confused.
"I don't know, honestly. I just feel like it needed to be said, like there's some sort of underlying tension between us," Linda explained.
Charlie bit his lip again. "You don't need to apologize. It's probably more my fault then yours anyway. I am kind of a dick,"
"No," Linda shook her head. "You're really great. You're nice, Charlie. That's why people like you, you're a good guy,"
He rolled his eyes, unconvinced. "That seems to be all people are saying to me lately, but I know they're wrong. I haven't done anything to prove myself as one,"
Linda put her hand on his shoulder. "Really? Do you want me to like, try and prove to you that you are?"
"Depends on how you would do that," he smirked, faking confidence.
She smirked back at him and leaned up suddenly, pressing her lips to his and then pulling away. Linda moved her head to the side, her mouth open, like she was surprised at what she'd just done. Charlie was too. "I can't believe I just did that," she said. "I'm sorry,"
"Don't be," he moved her chin so that she was facing him. They eyed each other's lips and then in what seemed like a split second, their arms were wrapped around each other and their lips were pressed together again.
It was a full minute, or maybe two or maybe three before they pulled apart. Charlie's hands on Linda's waist, Linda's hands on Charlie's chest. "Déjà vu," said Linda.
"I know what you mean," he felt dazed and in shock that this was real, that this was happening. He'd hardly talked to Linda in at least two years and now here they were again, making out in some random girl's kitchen. It was like something right out of a movie, rather than something that was real and happening to him. But he couldn't deny the fact that he liked it.
"Was that okay?" Charlie asked before he could stop himself.
Linda laughed, "No, I hated it. Of course it was okay. You've always been a great kisser,"
He kissed her again, not being able to help himself. "Yeah, you too,"
"It's almost like nothing's changed," she said, dazed.
"Wouldn't it be great if it hadn't?" Charlie asked, thinking more about how much easier his home life had been freshmen year than about him and Linda. But she seemed to take it as if he meant her, so he went with it.
She leaned up and kissed him again. Eventually, it led them to the couch in the living room, in front of all the cheerleaders who liked Charlie and who Linda hated and it may have seemed a little rude of them but neither of them could be bothered to care. It was nice to stop caring just for one night.
Woo! I hope you guys enjoyed that chapter. I actually wrote it pretty quickly, shockingly. Please, please, please review! They make me so happy and I love knowing what you guys think and I'd love to know your predictions! A little preview of the next year - The Ducks have their first game of the season and another fight may or may not break out on the ice over a certain captain.
