I want to say thank you to everyone reading this story. It means a lot to me.

Chapter 15: Larson

Staring out the window was always the best way to see what was coming and get a true picture of the people walking past. "Miss? Miss? Can I get you something?" a waitress asked, interrupting her people watching.

Lizzy looked away from the window and smiled up at the waitress. "Just a water, I'm waiting for a friend," Lizzy said. By the time Lizzy received her water, Joey was walking in the door. He smiled as he sat down across from her. "Good to see you." Lizzy smiled.

"Sorry, I'm late," Joey said apologetically.

"It's cool, I'm actually early." Lizzy smiled and watched him for a few moments. She was trying to see what Fulton was so worried about. She couldn't see anything. Of course he was cute, light brown hair, a charming attitude and enough charism to make her wonder about his girlfriend but then she thought of Dwayne and smiled lightly. She shook her thoughts clear and looked at Larson. "Joey, you're a great guy, but—"

"We're just friends. Whichever one of your friends is worried, they shouldn't be. I'm not going to be a threat to anyone."

"Why would you think that?"

"Why would you bring it up randomly if you or a good friend wasn't worried?"

The waitress returned and they ordered. "It was Fulton, but I don't think he was worried about us being ..." Lizzy trailed off unsure how to phrase it. "Do you have a girlfriend?"

"That was personal, but no," Joey answered. "I hear, though, that you have a boyfriend."

"Yeah," Lizzy smiled. "Dwayne Robertson. Plays hockey for Eden Hall."

"He a good guy?" Joey could see he was, the way she smiled when she talked about him was a big indicator. He must have been really good for her.

"Very good, but I'm afraid I haven't been good to him."

"You're not cheating are you?"

"Of course not, I just don't spend a lot of time with him."

"Well, that isn't good but you have a valid reason?"

"Yeah, and he understands but ... It's still not fair to him."

"Just—I don't know if I should say try harder or if maybe you shouldn't worry about it."

"Yeah," Lizzy said.

"She's cute. Not as cute as some of your previous girlfriends, but cute," a voice said behind Joey.

"Lizzy has a name, Parker," Joey said, not looking away from Lizzy. He did his best to keep a smile on his face and his tone light. The last thing he wanted to do was get into a fight with Parker. He and the boy still hung out and Joey didn't want to make things awkward. Despite a budding friendship with this girl, Parker still came first. Lizzy looked up and saw the kid looked like she expected a kid from Edina to look like; snobby, preppy, and full of himself. Then she noticed his bright blonde hair and dark blue eyes. Those eyes were settled on her.

"Nice jersey, you go there?" Parker asked, ignoring Joey completely.

Lizzy looked down at her baby blue and white baseball jersey that read 'Stillwater' across the front. "Nope, it was my brother's. He just graduated college before you ask." Lizzy wasn't sure she liked this new kid but he didn't seem evil or dangerous.

"College?" Parker looked shocked. "Are you two close?"

"Close enough," Lizzy answered.

"Parker, what do you want?" Joey asked, finally turning to look at the other boy.

"To know why she's slumming it with you when she could have—"

"If you say "all this" I will slam you into this table," Lizzy snapped.

"She is definitely not your type, Larson, where did you find her?" Parker grinned.

"Eden Hall, now please, go away before you make her angrier," Joey told him.

"She is sitting right here, and doesn't like being referred to as if she wasn't!" Lizzy snapped.

"Okay, okay, fine, I'll go." Parker held up his hands and slowly backed away from the table.

He finally turned and walked away then Lizzy turned to Joey. "Did I ever tell you that 95 percent of the Hawks go to Blake Academy for high school?" Joey asked.

"You did not. I think Adam may have mentioned it though," Lizzy answered.

"Well, they do. The other 4.999 percent go to Eden Hall."

"What about the .001 percent? Do they move away or something?"

"That would be me. I chose Hampton Academy."

"Do they take it out on you? The other Hawks, I mean, because you effectively cut yourself off from them by quitting hockey and going to Hampton?"

"Most of them don't care either way, we were never really close. Adam understands and he doesn't blame me. Typically Parker isn't so bad. He gets worse around pretty girls. It's McGill, Riley, Brown, and Herek I have to worry about. Individually they're not so bad but together, things change." He was of course talking about Kyle Riley, Rick Riley's younger brother.

"I didn't realize Riley and McGill were close friends."

"They're not, but without me and Adam, McGill had to find friends somewhere. When they get together, it's real trouble. Like now," Joey said, swallowing hard. He was nervously looking over Lizzy's head.

"Look, boys, first he blows us off by quitting hockey and going to a different school and when he finally makes that up to us, he goes and blows it all for some girl. She's not even that hot," a voice said behind Lizzy. She didn't need to turn around to know it was McGill. What she didn't understand was why he was being a jerk now if he was trying to change his ways. Then again maybe it was all just a show to put the past behind him. The other three boys Larson had just mentioned needing to watch out for encircled the table.

"Don't blow this for me, Todd," Joey warned. "In fact before you embarrass yourself further, just walk away."

"You mean embarrass you or the pretty girl here?" McGill asked as Lizzy set her dishes aside.

"No, he meant what he said. See, you're about to say something I find very offensive and I'm going to have to make you eat your words," Lizzy warned him.

"I know that voice," McGill said as Lizzy narrowed her eyes at Kyle Riley who suddenly looked very nervous as he stood just behind Larson. "That's the voice of the cunning, stuck-up, full of herself, manipulative, under-handed, puppet master—" McGill was cut off when Lizzy grabbed his arm, twisted it behind him, and slammed him face first into the table pressing her arm across his shoulders. The glasses and plates rattled but nothing fell or broke.

"You know, I don't like being insulted either." Lizzy leaned in nice and close and whispered in his ear. "I don't know why you're acting like this. I thought you were all about showing me how it was mostly Coach Riley's fault. The way you're acting now, I wouldn't believe it for a second. Some people grow up and mature, but some only grow old, choosing to remain the same stupid, immature boy they've always been. I'm glad I know the difference."

"Sorry," McGill said, but he didn't sound the least bit sorry.

"I'm sure." Lizzy rolled her eyes sick of immature boys.

"No, really. Let me up." McGill said softly. Lizzy glanced at Larson who nodded then let him go. McGill got up off the table and turned around to look at Lizzy. "Everything I said the other day is true but old habits die hard."

"Just walk away, McGill. I will never forgive you, even if I can understand why you did it."

"I never expected your forgiveness. I told you that." He stopped and stared at her, then shook his head. "You're not worth it."

McGill and his friends walked over Parker and Lizzy collapsed back into her chair. "Well, I'd apologize," Larson said slowly, "but I'm not sure that I want to. He shouldn't have said that or acted that way."

"Thanks," Lizzy said. She switched topics to the Minnesota Twins and they talked pro baseball for a bit. While they talked, she finished her dinner and covertly texted Portman. Though she didn't feel like she was in any danger, she didn't like the way Todd was looking over his shoulder at her from time to time. Joey drew her attention back to him by talking about how she learned to pitch so well. They talked about Chris and Ben and then about Matt.

"So, you benefited from a pro hockey player and a college baseball player?"

"You could say that, but Matt didn't go pro until after I quit hockey."

"Yeah, but he still went on to the pros," Joey said. Lizzy nodded. "Isn't that your boyfriend?"

Lizzy looked over her shoulder and saw Portman and Dwayne by the door. "The one in the cowboy hat," Lizzy said. It took nearly everything in her not to sigh in relief.

"Weren't you dating the other one last time I saw you with them?" Joey had showed up at Mickey's diner when the JV hockey team had been celebrating a win thanks to Lizzy's help.

"Yes, but things went wrong." Lizzy shrugged. "I should go. It's been great. We should do this again."

"I would like that," Joey answered.

Lizzy stood and walked over to Portman and Dwayne. "Thanks guys," Lizzy said.

"You okay?" Dwayne said.

"Yeah, that is Joey Larson. He's cool, but those five guys in the corner worry me," Lizzy explained.

"Hawks?" Dwayne asked as both he and Portman looked towards the corner.

"Yeah, however two of them go to Eden Hall now."

"Let's get outta here," Portman said.

The following day at breakfast, Lizzy plopped down across from Adam. "Tell me about Parker Preston."

"What about him? Blond, blue eyes, shorter than me, can be a jerk but not like McGill," Adam answered, shrugging.

"Why are you asking about a Hawk?" Guy asked.

"He was there at the diner, wasn't he? With those other boys?" Dwayne asked.

"Yeah and he was kinda being a jerk to Joey. I didn't know if that was normal for him."

"He gets that way when he's trying to impress a pretty girl," Adam explained.

"That's what Joey said last night, but awe, thank you. No, that's actually kinda mean."

"Why were you having dinner with a Hawk?" Connie asked her curiously.

"He's not a Hawk anymore and what's more is he doesn't even play hockey. After he quit and switched schools; he lost a lot of friends." Lizzy bit her tongue to keep from going off.

"That doesn't mean you have to be friends with him," Connie said not backing down.

"No, it doesn't but it also—hanging out with Joey is not going to interfere with my friendship all of you. You don't just stop being a Duck. I've told all this before. You guys will always be more important than any other friend. I don't—I shouldn't—" Lizzy fumbled over her words.

"Why are we making her defend herself?" Portman asked, stopping Lizzy. Everyone stopped and looked at him. "Sure, I wasn't here during Pee Wees and I don't have the same stigma against the Hawks, but this is Lizzy we're talking about. The girl who has been nothing but supportive of the entire team. Yeah, I get it, the Hawks were terrible to you and did their best to make sure you know how awful you were, but isn't it more important how he acts now?"

"And the fact that I'm also friends with him?" Adam asked.

"I'm sorry I even brought him up," Lizzy sighed. The rest of breakfast was awkward right up until the end when Kyle approached the table. "Riley," Lizzy said softly.

"My good manners are telling me to apologize for yesterday and the confused look on your face when I said apologize, tells me to be very specific," Kyle told her. "I don't want to apologize for McGill. What he did was rude and completely uncalled for. Instead I apologize for not coming to your defense. My mother raised me better than that. Most of what I can say to explain it, you'd take as an excuse. Sometimes I get a little stupid when it comes to McGill and Herek. Herek's uncle is a big movie producer. Who doesn't want to be in the movies?"

"I guess I get it," Lizzy shrugged.

"We cool?" Riley asked.

"Yeah, we're cool." That afternoon after thoroughly crushing the Rams 5-0 and 7-2 in their doubleheader, Lizzy had dinner with Dwayne at Mickey's. He was understanding when it came to her friendship with Joey Larson. Thursday, when she showed up to play practice, Ms. Jones was beyond angry with her and Doug. They were the only two baseball players in the musical.

"Where have you two been all week? We've had practice for the past two days and you haven't been there. I had to use an understudy and half my cast isn't going to hit their marks without the right lighting cues. Tomorrow is our first show and I know that this is just a high school play to you but my seniors take this seriously. If you couldn't do the same you should have told me when we started."

"You're the one that cast a baseball player in your play and convinced another to do the lighting. It's playoffs and—" Lizzy started.

"And while we didn't expect to get this far, we couldn't let the team down," Doug cut her off.

"So instead you let me down?" Ms. Jones asked.

"We're sorry. We made a choice in a no-win situation," Doug said gently.

"When is your next game?" Ms. Jones asked.

"Tomorrow." Doug cringed.

"Tomorrow? As in the day of the dress rehearsal and first showing?"

"Yes, but it's okay because the game starts at two, the dress rehearsal at four and the show at seven. We'll be on time, I promise," Lizzy promised.

"Fine, get to your spots," Ms. Jones said. Practice passed without a hitch and Ms. Jones, though still a bit upset, didn't say anything to Lizzy or Doug as they left for dinner. Sure enough Friday afternoon Lizzy pitched an 11-0 game in just under an hour and they had plenty of time to get to the dress rehearsal. The rehearsal went well and Ms. Jones gave them general advice before letting them break for dinner.

"So how was your game?" Portman asked.

"Won, 11-0. I'm sorry I haven't been at practice but I'm sure Julie kept you company."

"She did and did her best to do the lighting but I don't blame you. It's not like you volunteered to do the lighting. Ms. Jones approached you. How is everything for the car wash?"

"Sorted. Emma says she has everything and they ran ads in the newspapers and around town so we just have to wait to see if anyone shows up."

"I'm sure they will. At least a few parents and students will."

"Thanks, Port," Lizzy said.

After the show ended and Ms. Jones said her thank yous, the cast and crew went out into the hallway where the audience got to congratulate them in person. Once most of the crowd had abated Dwayne pulled Lizzy aside.

"I know you're going to hate me for saying this, but I think we need to talk about us," he said.

"I don't hate you for that. I respect you."

"Why do you gotta make this harder?" he asked. Lizzy only smirked. "I know we got back together to see where we would go and because there was still a spark. I think, though, that maybe we have run our course."

"I'm sorry I'm not that great of a girlfriend." Lizzy looked down not feeling great.

Dwayne cupped her cheek then lifted her chin. "You are, just not the kind I need. I'm sorry I didn't say anything sooner."

"It's okay, I understand." Dwayne looked down at his broken-in boots. "Babbit, I understand really, I do. We'll always be friends," Lizzy told him gently. He gave her his heartbreaking smile then Lizzy walked over to Fulton. "Hug me." Lizzy demanded.

"Okay," Fulton laughed and hugged Lizzy. When he realized how stressed she was, he pulled her tighter. "What's wrong?"

"It may have been obvious but it still hurts."

"Obvious?"

"Dwayne." Lizzy tried to say more but couldn't. Fulton just held her unable to console her in any way. He wasn't completely sure what was wrong so he wasn't sure what else to say.

"What's wrong with Mav?" Portman asked slowly.

"Cowboy ..." Fulton shook his head.

"It'll be okay, Mav, you'll get through this."

"Yeah, you're right. Fult, where's your dad?" Lizzy looked up at her best friend.

"Talking to ... oh look, Chris is here," Fulton answered, pulling Lizzy over to her brother.

"Congrats," Chris said when they reached him.

"Thanks," Lizzy sighed.

"I know that what you did was behind the scenes but you were amazing at it. It looked great. Mom would have been proud."

"Ya think?" Lizzy looked up hopefully.

Chris smiled and nodded. "I know. Dad's got tickets for tomorrow and is bringing Nonna."

"Aunt Casey?"

"She's here tonight, right over there talking to Nat, Jim, and Bombay. I see I shouldn't have said that," Chris finished his sentence regretfully. Lizzy looked up to see Fulton and Portman trying to look innocent; trying and failing. They must have tried to stop him.

"What's Bombay doing here?" Lizzy asked, trying to keep her tone curious and not accusatory.

"You're a Duck; you don't stop being a Duck," Portman told her.

"Don't use my words against me," Lizzy pouted.

"Beside, me and Dwayne were in it too. Not everything's about you," Portman teased.

"Right. Sorry. Chris, what about our brothers?"

"Matt and Star have tickets for Sunday, Ben can't make it, and I think Seth is coming with Dad. I don't know what time they're getting here though."

"It's too much to ask for him to show up to my game. Doubleheader against the Goats. Beat them 11-0 today."

"And she did it in an hour," Fulton added.

"Congrats, kiddo. Hey, Jim," Chris said. He looked so proud of her before he turned to Jim.

Lizzy turned and smiled at her godfather who swept her into a hug. "How'd they do today?"

"Lost. 12-1 l," Jim answered.

"Detroit." Lizzy sighed. "Love the hockey team; hate the baseball team."

"Maybe tomorrow will be better."

"Maybe. I should get to bed. Busy day tomorrow. Doubleheader, car wash, and another show."

"Good luck," Jim said. He kissed the top of her head then she and the Bash Brothers were off to bed.