Marriage
Daze
Chapter
28: Once and Again
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Notes: From Julie’s point of view.
“You did what?”
Julie folded her arms and gave Charlie a superior look. “I traded partner.”
“I told you...”
“Much is up to you when it comes to this team, Charlie. But you have no control over me when I’ve decided that I rather kill Scott, then spend another minute with him. I can even put up with that idiot Fred, as long as he’s not Scott. That’s how bad things are. So, you wanna bitch about it, or leave it?”
Charlie shrugged. “I am fond of the bitching, but I don’t have time with you right now. Save for later, ‘key?”
“As long as we’re clear on this; we won’t talk about this later, because there’s nothing to talk about. I respect your opinion when it comes to the team, but you can’t tell me what to do off the ice. Especially not who I am and am not married to, that’s up to me.”
“Fine, marry whoever you want, but don’t blame me when you’re up to your neck with children, and your husband left you for someone younger.”
“How many times do I have to tell you; this is a project, it’s not for real,” Julie said slowly. “What’s so hard to understand about that? Did you honestly believe that you were legally married to Assistant Captain?”
“Of course not, and her name’s Cecilia.”
“Whatever. That’s Scott’s headache now,” Julie smirked and patted Charlie on the cheek.
Charlie waited for an explanation while staring at her. “What do you mean?”
“I traded with Adam. Let’s just call it a little revenge for a little holiday called ‘spring break’, shall we?” Julie grinned. “Sometimes I amaze myself.”
Charlie rubbed his temples with his eyes closed. “Why do I even bother? I’ll leave it to you and Scott to solve this. Why did you trade, huh? Just to make my heart stop pounding?”
“Not everything is about you, Charlie,” Julie pointed out. “You traded away your partner, and now I’m doing the same. Thanks for robbing me from my spot on the team, by the way.”
“Oh, it’s revenge on me too? I knew it, you’re still pissed about that.”
“Not pissed, just a little aggravated. I’m going to see how Scott’s being tormented. I got front seat,” Julie smiled. “Don’t take it personal, Charlie. I still like you.”
Charlie growled something behind her back when she walked back to her room. It was true, she didn’t have anything against Charlie at all. If he took it like an insult, he was way off target. She wasn’t trying to be evil at all, she was just standing up for herself. She had the right to do that.
Julie opened the door with her key, walked in and was surprised to find Scott there.
“Nice, Jules. Really nice.”
“Excuse me?” she laughed, knowing exactly what he wanted.
“You traded with Adam, just so I would get Cecilia. You did it on purpose!”
“If I hadn’t done it, you would’ve, and if I know you well enough, I’d be stuck with Fred. A little mad because you weren’t fast enough? Did I beat you to it? Poor Scott, always too late.”
“No patronizing, Julie. I’m planning on getting back on you, you know.”
“I don’t want you on me, I thought I’ve already made that clear.”
“You know what I mean.”
Julie shrugged. “Maybe I don’t. Maybe I’m as air-headed as Pepsi.”
“So that’s what it’s about? Jealousy. I want you to know that me and Pepsi...”
“Patsy,” Julie corrected him.
“Whatever,” Scott replied. “We couldn’t be happier together.”
“Great. I’m off to teach Adam some manners, have fun with Assistant Captain.”
Scott gave her a threatening glare and put his hands into his pockets. “You’ll see,” he hissed. “I’ll make it work with the annoying little foreigner, and you can wave your straight A list goodbye. Bye, bye.”
“It’s my room, I’m the one entitled to say ‘bye, bye’,” Julie explained. “Leave.”
Just as Charlie, Scott growled something behind her back when he went to the door. She closed it behind him and smiled. Was it just her, or did her existence just get a lot more entertaining? Julie didn’t bother thinking it through; she grabbed her jacket and ran out. Not only was she going to get an A on this project, she was also going to rub Scott’s nose in it.
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Notes: From Scott’s point of view.
The whole team was scheduled to go on a tour at place close to the city they were playing in. While most of the players’ thought of it as a break from both school and hockey, Scott thought of it as some extra time to plan how to get rid of his new partner. He didn’t have anything against the assistant captain, but neither did he fancy her to the point of actually wanting to work with her. She was two years younger then him, and they barely spoke to each other outside the team.
“I’ll do your homework for a month,” Scott begged.
“Uhm, no,” Adam answered. “I just got rid of her, you think I want her back?”
“I’ll make your bed every day for a month,” Scott continued. “And the dishes.”
“I rarely get any dishes,” Adam said. “It’s just a week left. I have to deal with her all day long, every day of the week. Don’t I get some credit for that? Ask Luis, he’s tired of his partner.”
“Of course I can’t ask him,” Scott muttered. “He’s not one of the special-project people, you see. Why did I have to be a special person? I rather be ordinary. Besides, Fred would kill all three of us.”
“So? Problem solved.”
Scott got up from his seat on the bus and walked over to Fred. “Trade with me.”
“No.”
No matter whom he asked, no one wanted to trade. Were they all so incredibly satisfied with their partner, or did they do it just to annoy him? He continued to the front of the bus, tapping Cecilia on the shoulder. “No one wants to trade!”
“Does it look like I care? Ask Julie, if you plead, she’ll take you back.”
Scott gave her a horrified look. Plead to Julie? Was she out of her mind? Instead he picked his next target, the younger squad of the team.
“I have an offer for you,” he told Travis. “You’re a hockey-player, right?”
“I think so.”
“What would you say if I got you... season tickets for every NHL-game being played in Los Angeles for the next... five months.”
“Ooo, season tickets for five months, what an offer,” Travis mumbled, deep into his book. “Ask Nish, he’ll do anything for the right prize.”
Scott leaned over the aisle towards Nish. “Nish?”
“Forget it, I rather drown myself in a bucket of ice. No way I’m trading Lila Summers off to get Cecilia,” Nish said. “I might be stupid, but I’m not THAT dumb.”
Scott turned to Travis again. “I’ll make your bed, wash your clothes, buy you breakfast, do your homework and water your plants,” he offered. “I can even clean your room. And buy you new skates.”
“You’d walk to my room everyday at seven to make my bed? And I actually take my clothes out, plus I eat the free breakfast provided every day at school, rather do my own homework, I don’t have any plants and my room is already cleaned. And I got new skates last month.”
“God, you’re impossible! Let’s put it like this; is Charlie going to bring home an A on this project?”
“Probably not,” Travis answered. “But neither will Cecilia.”
“But I will! Trade with me, Charlie gets Cecilia, and I’ll help you finish the project so we both can get an A!”
Travis didn’t look all that sure. “I don’t know...”
“It’s the best plan!” Scott explained enthusiastically. “I’m just like Adam, and I did this project when I was a freshman at Eden Hall. I know this, I got an A back then, so I’ll get an A now too, trust me.”
“Well I guess it couldn’t hurt, Charlie just complains anyway. I’ll trade.”
Scott jumped up from the seat and went over to Cecilia. “I’ve traded now,” he cheered.
“Congratulations. Who’s the lucky one?”
“You’re with Charlie.”
“Again? Seriously, Scott, do you hate me that much?”
“It’s nothing personal, just business.”
“Screw you.”
“I’d be offended, but I’m to happy to give a damn. It was nice being married to you. You can have the children if you want.”
“How many were they again?” Cecilia wondered. “Three?”
“Two.”
“Just as bad,” Cecilia muttered. “Give me the little offspring, I’ll handle the up-bringing from now on.”
Scott dug the two eggs up from his bag. Cecilia looked at them. “Why does this one have a plaster on the shelf?”
“He kind of bumped into my skates, but I managed to save him anyway. He lost some goo, but I think he’s pretty much okay anyway. Oh, and be careful, the other one has a crack. I dropped it into the sink earlier.”
“Goo?”
“You know, sticky things.”
“Oh.”
Scott waved her away, and watched as she sat down next to Charlie. “Scott traded me with Travis,” she said.
“So? Isn’t that Travis’s headache?” Charlie smirked. “What’s with the eggs?”
“It’s our eggs. They increased in numbers when Scott and Travis decided to work together.”
“Oh God, no! Not again, I refuse! Get away, I’ll disown you or something. Get away!”
Scott smiled to himself, listening to Charlie’s yelling. And Julie thought she’d win? Wouldn’t think so.
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