Twenty-One ~ A Dean Portman Fanfic

Thirteen

"It's Dean, right?" Julianna asked.

The boy had stopped walking down the sidewalk when he'd been cut off by the three friends, two of which weren't aware of what their third friend was doing. The boy had just showered and sported non ripped jeans with a band tee and for once, a sweater with a hood. He stepped back and pulled the headphones off his ears, his Walkman in hand and the metal music could be heard echoing from how loud he was jamming to it.

His backpack hung off one shoulder loosely and he eyed the girl, an eye narrowing on her as he seemed confused. Face contorting and he looked away, feeling the awkwardness between the exchange he didn't ask for. "Yeah." He answered, biting the inside of his cheek.

Evangeline held her arm loosely, staring at the ground quietly as she had nothing to say. She could feel the tension between her and Portman, even if they had no beef among each other. It was just a weird, heavy feeling as she had no idea what was happening. He was making it weirder than it had to be with his uneasiness and his shoulders were tensed, it was clear something bothered him.

He inhaled as it was awkward silent.

The wind rustled the trees nearby and Julianna smiled sheepishly at the taller guy. "You busy?"

"I was." He answered, still confused.

"Oh, cool, cool." She nods. "Evie here," The girl turned away with a headshake as Dean heard the nickname from her friend. "Actually needed your help with something."

"My help?" He shook his head. "What for?"

"See, we were debating on this thing." She ranted, Glory and Evie standing together helplessly, waiting to go. "When someone hits someone else from the front, it's not legal but from behind it is isn't."

He was a little lost with what she was trying to say, but nonetheless answered anyhow the best he could. His hand reached up, rubbing the nape of his neck and he yawned. Portman was tired from the longer day and these girls bugging him wasn't helping. "Short form for you, you can check from the front not the back."

"I see...So, you and Fulton just do it for fun?"

His chuckled was fake, wondering if the girl was being real. "You're for real?" He asked as she nodded. "That's our position, it's our job to defend the net, our players, and the puck...If you're done, I have to go."

Evangeline pressed her eyes closed from second hand embarrassment and Portman walked off, wandering around Julianna and continued through the grass. He pulled his headphones back on and didn't look back. Gloria rose a brow in confusion, unsure how to understand what just happened as Julianna made a complete fool of herself.

The brunette inhaled sharply, lips thin as she watched the boy.

She knew he wasn't himself and he didn't look himself either. He was rowdy and laid back with his friends, but anywhere around her or her friends, he seemed tensed. Like he was annoyed by them or frightened, never knowing what to expect.

"I'm gonna meet you guys back at the dorm." She said, walking away slowly.

"Where are you going?" Julianna asked.

"Evie's gonna find the Duckie." Glory smiled, motioning to the hockey player.

"I hate being a nice sentimental person who cares." She admitted, wandering off down the sidewalk with her hands stuffed in her jacket still.

"We'll be here." Gloria waved and Julianna agreed, backing away as they watched her go.

Evangeline left her friends and made her way to find Dean Portman, she was unsure how the exchange would go but hoped it would be better than nothing. She had this aching feeling that maybe she was the blame for however he felt and if she was, she wanted to fix it. Friends helped each other and the last two days had been very awkward between them.