Later that week, Delanie was wrapped in a blanket while Julie hurried around the room, desperately trying to get her outfit together. She spun on her heel, staring at her roommate with wide eyes. "Does this look okay," she asked, breathing heavily.
Delanie furrowed her eyebrows, "Jules, are you out of breath?"
"Answer the question!" Julie shouted impatiently, throwing her arms up in the air.
Delanie held her hands up defensively, "Geez, sorry." She studied her friend's outfit for a moment before nodding. "Yeah, you look great. Maybe a different pair of shoes though."
Julie looked down at her feet before nodding, "I thought so too. Damn it. Thanks Lanie." She hurried over to their shared closet, kneeling on the ground as she dug through the various pairs of shoes. Delanie was about to ask her a question when the blonde held up a pair of nice black flats. "Are these yours?" she asked without turning around.
"Yes ma'am," Delanie answered. She hadn't even realized that she'd brought formal shoes.
Julie turned to glance over her shoulder, a desperate look in her eyes. "Can I borrow them?" she pleaded.
Delanie laughed softly, "Sure, Jules. They might be a bit big on you, your skates were kinda snug on Wednesday." Julie waved her concerns off before exchanging the pair of sandals she was wearing for the flats. She gave her friend a grin before jogging over to her bed and throwing her arms around her. Delanie giggled as she returned her hug. "Why are you so worked up about this anyway? It's just a team dinner."
Julie and Adam had been discussing this jv-varsity dinner all week, and it was finally the night. In a weird way, Delanie was a bit jealous. This was a missed opportunity to see Adam all dressed up and handsome. But at the same time, she didn't think she could sit at a table with Chris, Cole, and Rick for much longer than ten seconds. For that reason, she pitied the ducks.
Julie shrugged, "I don't even know, honestly." She seemed to think for a moment, as if she was reevaluating her entire outlook on the night. She let out a breath. "I think it's just because I don't get dressed up very often," she explained, "that, and the varsity guys are kind of intimidating. Not to mention some of them are cute."
Delanie scoffed at that. Other than Adam and maybe Nigel, she couldn't quite imagine being attracted to any of them. Cole was too dumb and aggressive to render any sort of respect. While Rick had an arguably handsome face, his superiority complex was a total deal breaker. Zander was too much of an older brother to her, and Chris was... a lot of negative things. "They're definitely not," she rebuked, giving her roommate a somewhat disgusted expression.
Julie threw a shoe at her friend. "You're literally in love with Adam Banks, so you can go ahead and take that right back," she countered. When Delanie rolled her eyes, Julie continued, "besides, it's not like I was talking about Chris or Cole. You know just as well as I do that Nigel is a certified babe. And Scooter..." Delanie smirked as she watched Julie's face redden, her sentence trailing off.
Delanie squealed excitedly, "No way!" Julie just glared, turning her back to the girl. Delanie clapped her hands. "Oh this is so good. So good. Oh my god, you guys would have goalie babies."
"Shut up!" Julie squealed, throwing another shoe at the giggling girl across the room. Delanie deftly leaned out of the way, wincing when the shoe thumped against the wall, just barely missing her lamp.
Julie let out a huff and Delanie laughed under her breath. The brunette let her friend cool down a little bit before beginning a new conversation. "Well, I do have to admit that there are certain... things that make me a bit sad I'm missing out," Delanie confessed. When Julie gave her a pointed look, she rolled her eyes, "Yes, Adam is one of them."
Julie laughed, "Duh." She fluffed her hair in the mirror absentmindedly as she carried on the conversation. "What are the others?" she asked as she checked her teeth for lipstick stains.
"You and Scooter, obviously," Delanie quipped, earning her a glare through the reflection of the mirror. She giggled before continuing, "but also getting to meet the rest of your team would be cool. And seeing Connie and Charlie all dolled up. I kinda miss Zander too, we haven't talked in a while." As she gushed, she began to realize how attached she was becoming to both of the Eden Hall hockey teams. It made her stomach churn a little bit, honestly.
Julie was just finishing her last once over when there was a knock at their door. Delanie jumped to her feet, not bothering to leave her blanket behind, and pulled the door open. Luis and Kenny were on the other side, standing with two boys Delanie hadn't met. Luis grinned, "Hi Delanie."
Delanie smiled, "Hey, nice to see you again." She offered an identical smile to Kenny, who grinned right back. Her eyes traveled to the other two boys. One was wearing a cowboy hat and the other had a comical smile on his lips. Delanie didn't quite know what to make of them.
Noticing her stare, Kenny cleared his throat. "Delanie, that's Russ and Dwayne. Guys, that's-" his introduction was cut short by Russ's voice.
"Jett's little sister," he detected easily. When Delanie raised an eyebrow, he shrugged, a grin on his lips. "You two look identical, really."
Dwayne shook his head, his hat teetering ever so slightly. "Naw, I wouldn't say identical. I do see the resemblance, though," he nodded as he spoke, a soft smile appearing on his lips. Delanie just stared blankly, still not sure how to handle the whole situation. Sensing her unease, Dwayne continued, "I was more going to say that I've heard Adam talk about you. You're just as pretty as he always swore you were."
Luis elbowed the taller boy as the girl in the doorway blushed, mumbling a thank you under her breath. Luis and Kenny both gave Dwayne a look, causing the tips of his ears to redden. "Sorry," he muttered as Luis shook his head, sending Delanie an apologetic smile.
Julie appeared before Delanie had to come up with some sort of conversation topic - something she was very grateful for. The blonde put her hands on her hips. "Stop harassing my roommate," she scolded, eyeing each and every one of the boys in front of her.
Dwayne and Russ both smiled sheepishly. "You look nice, Jules," Luis complimented, "but I'm tired of waiting for you. Can we please go now? I feel bad for making Scooter wait after he offered us a ride."
Delanie sent Julie a look that the blonde girl deftly avoided. She gave her roommate a one-armed hug before joining her group of boys in the hallway. "Say hi to Jett for me," Delanie said smoothly, though everyone knew whose name she really meant to say.
Julie chuckled dryly, "Not happening, your brother scares me." Delanie rolled her eyes as her roommate continued, "I will give your best regards to my pal Banksy though. I know how much you're missing out on seeing his butt in dress pants."
Delanie reached out to smack her friend, but the blonde's reflexes were quicker, and she hurried to the front of the group. When they were halfway down the hallway, she called out a goodbye that fell on deaf ears. Delanie had already closed the door with a slam.
- -
For a while, the formal dinner was going better than Julie had anticipated. She joked around with her teammates, shared gossip with Connie, and even got to steal a couple of glances at the handsome upperclassman that sat a little ways down the table from her. She had made sure to drop Delanie's name to Adam, glee filling her soul when his ears turned bright red. She nearly jumped out of her skin when her chirp was answered by a voice that was very much not Adam's.
"You know, I used to give Delanie a lot of crap for quitting hockey," Jett said, his eyes darting from the freshman next to him to the one across from him. A humored smile fell onto his lips, "but now I think I'm really glad she did."
Julie's face turned bright red and she nervously avoided the older boy's gaze. Seeing her demeanor, Jett let out a sigh. He thought back to his conversation with his sister regarding the younger team. Maybe he should've done more to stop Rick and Cole. Maybe then these kids wouldn't be so terrified of him.
For the majority of dinner, Jett took it upon himself to chat with Adam. They talked about hockey a lot, but he also was able to placate the boy's nerves enough to get him to talk about more personal things - college plans, childhood stories, favorite local restaurants. Jett's heart softened every time he noticed his new friend's blue eyes light up when the older boy began a new story about his sister when she was younger. Nice pick, Lanie, he thought with a silent chuckle, this one might be a keeper.
In fact, Jett had become so comfortable that he had completely forgotten about the cynical turn that the evening was prepared to take. He was reminded of this only when Rick rose to his feet from his position further down the table. The captain began an overly-prepared speech about tradition and acceptance, clearly displaying his best fake cordiality. It was when he promised the younger team that they would be back with a surprise shortly that Jett's stomach dropped.
Jett stayed rooted to his seat as player after player followed their captain to the door. Cole was first, though Chris wasn't far behind. The rest of the team soon followed suit, filing out of the room in staggered clumps. When Nigel and Zander walked by, the latter caught Jett's eye. He just shook his head, a downcast look on his face. The message he was trying to convey to his friend was clear; this bothered Zander just as much as it bothered Jett.
In a blink, the team was gone, leaving only Adam and Jett seated. The younger boy looked to the senior next to him for guidance as the jv team whispered amongst themselves. He had no idea what was going on - the look on his face made that much clear. His innocence only made Jett feel worse.
In his mind, Jett kept replaying the promises he made to his sister. I'd put a stop to anything I thought they couldn't handle. Could they handle this? He was sure they could. They were smart kids. But maybe they could use a little help.
Jett discreetly removed his wallet from his back pocket, leaving it in his lap. When he didn't get up, Rick called his name from the doorway. Their gazes met, and Rick sent his teammate a seething glare. "Park, let's go," he demanded through gritted teeth.
Undetectably, Jett opened the leather wallet in his lap. In one swift motion, he removed every last bill that was secured inside, tucking it invisibly into his palm. When he stood from his chair, he took great effort to use the table to support himself. No one seemed to notice as he slipped the wad of money underneath his discarded dinner plate. No one, except for the blonde girl across from him.
The senior tapped Adam as he pushed his chair in, signalling for the confused boy to follow his lead. Rick gave a forced chuckle as the pair passed him. "Always one with a flair for the dramatic, eh Jett?" he snarked. Jett didn't even spare him a glance.
Once they were officially out in the entryway, Adam whirled on the older boy. "Wait a second, Jett. What the hell are we doing?"
Jett couldn't force himself to meet the boy's gaze. He instead stared straight ahead, his eyes fixated on the back of Scooter's head. "We're leaving," he said coolly, not turning towards Adam.
The freshman let out an exasperated huff, his countenance darkening. He put a hand out. "Hold on. What do you mean we're leaving?"
"What does it sound like, Banks?" Jett snapped, his head swiveling to stare at the slightly shorter boy. There was a fury in those brown eyes that Adam subconsciously knew wasn't directed at him. He wasn't the least bit angry with Adam. No, he was absolutely pissed at the chimpanzee they were forced to look to as their captain. But even more so, he was furious at himself for not having the nerve to stop him.
Jett raked a hand through his hair, "Come on, Adam. Did you really think Rick would ever do anything nice for those kids?"
Though Adam knew Jett wasn't who he should be mad at, he couldn't bite back his temper. "Those kids are my friends," he practically shouted, stopping dead in his tracks. When Jett turned to look at him, he shook his head disappointedly. "They're Delanie's friends," he added solemnly, watching as the older boy's face contorted.
Jett looked pained for a long moment. He bit the inside of his cheek as his gaze suddenly fixated on the floor. He drew in a staggered breath before letting it go heavily. He sighed, "I know that." He shook his head at himself, "I know exactly how much she cares about those people in that room."
"Oh, you do, do you?" Adam snarked sarcastically. "Well then what the hell are you doing, big brother? Isn't it your job to take care of her? Doesn't that mean helping the people she cares about most?" The fury in his eyes only further convinced Jett that Delanie had made a good choice. This boy couldn't care more about her if he tried. In any other scenario, it would've been endearing. But both boys were far too angry to soften up now.
"I am," Jett growled, his angry gaze fixing into Adam. "When Delanie pounds on my door tomorrow morning - which we both know her annoying ass will - I'll take the blame." When confusion flashed in Adam's blue eyes, Jett sighed, "I'll let her blame me so that she won't blame you." Understanding settled into the place where Adam's confusion had previously rested, and Jett pushed forward. "And later when Rick needs someone to take his anger out on, I'll take the heat. I'll get in his face and tell him off. Anything to keep him from setting his sights on you."
"Why?" Adam asked in a much quieter tone, though his face was still a burning red.
Jett shook his head, adverting his gaze for the final time. "Because she likes you, and for once I'm trying to be the older brother that I'm supposed to be," he explained quietly. A sigh left his lips, "She's spent her entire life keeping to herself. Now she's finally found people who she's comfortable around, and a side of her that I haven't seen since we were kids is back. It's my job to make sure it stays that way."
There was a silence after that, and Adam feared that the older boy was waiting for a response. When none came, Jett cleared his throat. "If you still want a ride home, you have exactly three minutes to get your butt in my car," the older boy muttered before disappearing into the parking lot.
Adam stayed stuck in place as the older boy swept out of the room. The realization that Delanie had told her older brother all about him set in, and suddenly, the entire night made sense. The steady conversation at dinner. The soft smiles and interested glances. The engagement with him and Julie. Jett's top priority of the night had never been Rick or the team or their stupid prank.
It was always his sister.
- -
"Can you believe this crap?" Guy fumed, angrily stacking the plates on the jv side of the table. Charlie sighed from beside him as he wiped down the table's sticky surface. Across the way, Dwayne was meticulously collecting the varsity boys' plates.
Julie appeared just as Dwayne was getting to Adam's plate. A jolt of realization flashed in her mind. "Hang on!" she shouted, causing the cowboy to skid to a halt. She hurried over to his side, stopping in front of Jett's plate. The three boys in the room watched her movements intently. In one smooth motion, she pushed Jett's plate towards the center of the table. Just as she thought, a neatly folded pile of green cash was revealed. Everyone's eyes widened as she picked it up.
She counted the money for a moment before smiling softly to herself. She looked up to meet Guy's gaze. She gently waved the wad of cash in front of her. "Well, this'll put a dent in our bill," she joked, though no one was laughing.
"Who was sitting there?" Charlie asked in a bewildered tone.
She drew in a deep breath before meeting the brunette's wide-eyed gaze. Her lips were drawn together in a firm line, and she hesitated as the possible meanings behind the situation flickered through her mind. The name "Jett" left her lips in a hush.
A wide smile appeared on Charlie's face and it seemed that a wave of recognition washed over Dwayne as well. Guy, however, was still completely lost. "Why'd Jett Park help us out?" he asked, his head tilted in confusion.
Julie and Charlie exchanged a gleeful look before Charlie turned to the boy next to him. He slung an arm over Guy's shoulder, a happy sigh leaving his lips. "Let's just say we have a mutual friend," he answered arrogantly, winking at Julie, who was holding in laughter.
"Delanie, right?" Dwayne asked, his eyes darting back and forth between Charlie and Julie. When Julie nodded, the cowboy sighed in relief, "Phew. Thought I was behind."
Everyone in the room laughed, though Julie's mind wasn't really on the boy beside her. She thought back to how Jett spent the entire night. He had spoken to his fellow upperclassmen only a handful of times. His attention was firmly on Adam the entire night, and not in a demeaning or bullying manner. Her stomach flipped as her opinion of her best friend's older brother completely changed.
Looks like they had more people on their side than she thought.