Summary: Coming back to school sophomore year, all Julie wants is to be noticed. But could it be she's reaching for the notice of the wrong person? JulieAdam
Author's Note: So a while ago, someone asked in a review if I was ever going to write another JulieAdam, and you know what, I really wanted to, and it took me a while to get an idea that I really liked for one. This is what I have, if anyone's ever read Meg Cabot (The Princess Diaries) you'll recognize the formula that I'm using on this one immediately. Anyway, I hope people like the story!
Disclaimer: I don't own anything!
Just One of the Guys
Chapter 1: A New Year, A New Look
I have been back at school for twenty four hours and already I want to kill somebody. And by somebody, I literally mean, just about anyone in the world. Here I was, thinking that I could come in, sophomore year and have everything start over. That was a funny joke.
Connie says I'm just being stupid. I say that that is easy for Connie to say. Connie has a boyfriend. Connie did not go to last years spring fling dance with Goldberg because he couldn't find another date. Connie did not get dumped in front of the entire school last year, because the guy she'd been dating's cheerleader exgirlfriend, and here I give you an exact quote, "Came to her senses and wants me again."
And I'm not saying that like I was in love with him or anything, or that it was even that crushing to my heart. We had only been out like twice and he wasn't even my boyfriend, but seriously, did he have to do it in the cafeteria? With everyone watching and Rick Riley sitting in the background snickering? It would have been nice if he had said, "Hey Julie, do you mind coming out in the hallway?" and then proceeded to tell me that he was getting to get back together with his ex so we couldn't see each other anymore. That is how you break up with someone Scooter Vanderbilt, not by ambushing them on their way to their table at lunch and saying their first choice came through so you're done.
And the spring fling business. It's nothing against Goldberg, he's a great guy, and I would have been happy to go with him, or any of the Ducks for that matter, but that when he asked me he said, "See Catlady, I figure, I'm not going to find a real date so what the hell?" Yes, that's nice, every girl's dream, being her chubby friend's what the hell girl! Really makes you feel beautiful. I mean, I had a good time, I always have a good time when I'm hanging out with the guys, that is until all of their dates looked at me like I had five heads because I did that trick I do where I throw the food in the air and catch it in my mouth. All the guys think this is totally cool, but Linda Carmichael (Charlie's girlfriend, a more boring and annoying person I have never met) rolled her eyes and the rest of the girls followed suit. Cassandra Peabody, who was there with Portman actually said, "Well no wonder Scooter broke up with her, she's such a dude!" I AM NOT A DUDE!
And Connie and Guy, they are so cute it makes me want to puke all over myself. Always snuggling and holding hands and making out everywhere. Don't get me wrong, I'm glad that they're happy, but do they have to be happy all over my locker every morning? It's disgusting. And try though she might to make people believe that she's a virgin, I know it's not true, because she called me all giddy and squealing the morning after. All she could talk about was how great it was that she and Guy had made love. Her words not mine, because I seriously doubt there was much love making going on. Also that's a totally corny way to describe it. I believe that they had sex, but Connie's dad is like way strict about her getting in on time for her midnight curfew, so they couldn't actually do it full out like with roses and candlelight and all that stuff that Connie always said she wanted. It was more along the lines of the team went to a fourth of July party, Adam's older brother drove them and they snuck away for a half hour and did it in his backseat after downing a six pack. Very romantic, at least Connie seemed to think so. Whatever, it beats how I lost my virginity, that being it hasn't happened. Not that I'm in a rush or anything.
Is it so bad to want to be noticed? I mean I put like two weeks of planning into that outfit I wore this morning. And what did I get? Nothing, seriously, not even Portman, who I honestly believe would hit on a dog if it looked at him right, and who made a big freaking deal at that end of the year party Banks threw for us about how I have a decent rack, and I shouldn't cover it up in all that flannel. Nope, I'm wearing a miniskirt and knee high black boots, and a tight little sweater and I did my hair, and put on makeup and zilch, nadda. Well, OK, Adam said he thought I looked nice. But that's just because he's Banksie and notices everything. He's great that way. And I know that I missed out on a lot this summer, because unlike last year I wasn't allowed to come to Minneapolis and stay with Connie. This was one of my parent's conditions for letting me come to Eden Hall, I wasn't allowed to spend vacations there, I had to spend them at home in Maine with my family. So I was thinking hey, it's been three months I should have grown up and actually been a girl. But no, I come down to breakfast, late, seriously, I'm always the first one there, because I have an anal retentive streak a mile long, and I sit down and I get one grumbly, "Hey Cat," from Russ and grunts from the others. And then, eventually I got the "You look nice" from Adam. But that's it, now school's over and I'm going back to my room to mope.
"Whoa Cat, you heading out to the streets in those boots?" Ah, there it is. He just needed to pull his head out of his ass. "Not that I mind."
"Thanks Portman," I smile. "And they aren't hooker boots, the girl at the store said,"
"I'm just teasing you babe," he laughs, "you look hot. Any reason for this?"
"Just needed a change," I shrug.
"I was going to hook up with Cassandra, or was it Kathy," he starts, I roll my eyes, first day and he's already got his girls confused, "Whatever, but I'm clear for you if you're into it."
"I'll pass this time," I nod, he laughs, I know he's just teasing again. "You really like it though?"
"Sure," he smiles, "I mean, if you weren't just one of the guys, I'd hit that."
Just one of the guys, that phrase has been the bane of my existence. If I accomplish nothing else this year I will destroy this just one of the guys label.
"Julie," I look up as I walk to the dorms, Ben Forrester, my eyes light up. Ben Forrester is a senior, this year, I met him at a party Scooter took me too, he was on varsity last year, and is captain this year. Ben Forrester is also a perfect male specimen. He's tall and well built and looks a little bit like Adrian Grenier. "Hey. I think we have Chem together."
"We do," I smile, yes, I am aware how dorky it is that I am in senior chem as a sophomore. I can't help it that I'm smart, which is very helpful to my teammates, some of whom must have gotten bored when they were handing out the studious parts of your brain and got out of line.
"Cool," he nods, "Listen um, do you have a lab partner yet? I mean, I understand if you're with one of your team,"
"No one on my team is in senior lab," I laugh, "I don't have a partner."
"Great, so do you want to be partners, I swear, I definitely need the GPA boost," he smiled again, "My dad's totally up my ass about buckling down this year, and I know you're really good at science and, well, it could be fun."
"Sure," I nod, "I'd love to be partners."
"Awesome," He gives me a very cheesy thumbs up, "So, I'll see you in class tomorrow."
"See you," I nod and wave as he walks away. Ha! It wasn't stupid, because even when I was good in science and in his lab last year, Ben Forrester did not ask me to be his lab partner. Last year, Ben Forrester's lab partner was Carolyn Seymour, who gets A's in science but also has a pair of D's. So, OK, that's kind of piggy, but god he's just so cute! And that was sort of the whole point of this makeover new Julie thing I'm doing, to get cute boys to notice me. And it worked because Ben Forrester asked me to be his lab partner!
"Ben Forrester is a tool," Luis shakes his head at dinner when I share my exciting news.
"He is not," I object. "He's really nice,"
"Since when do you like Ben Forrester?" Ken asks me. God boys are so freaking clueless! "I mean, he's on varsity."
"And a tool," Luis says, "Don't forget that he's a tool." God, why did Connie have to be from the area so she doesn't room here? I need a girl's perspective on this. Suddenly without warning Bailey White sits down. Since when does Bailey White sit with us at dinner? She's Linda's best friend so like, we see her around a lot, but she never actually hung out with us.
"Hi guys," she said perkily. "Hi Julie."
"Hi," I say, still confused.
"Hey Bailey," Russ says, "Ben Forrester, what do you think of him?"
"Gorgeous," she giggles, "But kind of a tool. Why?"
"He asked me to be his lab partner," I shrug.
"Lucky!" She turns to me, "He hooks up with his lab partner every year." I smile, I know this, this is why I was so happy. Glad to have that reassurance, at least, but still, WHY IS BAILEY WHITE SITTING AT OUR TABLE? "So how was your summer?"
"Good, I spent a lot of time with my parents, which was sort of the point of going home," I say, "What about you?"
"Good, I got to stick around here," she smiles. The guys nod, and then go back to eating. Seriously, is no one going to clue me in to what the hell is going on here? "Have you guys seen Adam? He said he was going to call me but then he didn't." Adam? Wait, what?
"Uh," Portman said, as if he was trying to come up with something, "He said he had a lot of work to do."
"Yeah," the others covered. OK, so this was getting weird.
"Fine," Bailey says, taking her tray and walking away from the table.
"God she's a psycho," Ken shakes his head.
"What's going on?" I ask, still in a dizzy swirl from the whole, Bailey at the table thing.
"She and Banks hooked up a couple of times this summer," Dwayne says, Banks? Adam Banks? Can't even look me and Connie in the eye when he talks Adam Banks? He hooked up with a girl?
"And now she's like obsessed with being best friends with all of us," Russ explains.
"It's weird," Portman nodded, "Like really weird." You're telling me? I mean, I guess weirder things have happened, like for example Ben Forrester asking me to be his lab partner.
So, there's the set up! Please review it and let me know what you think!