worth the risk • dean portman

chapter two

dean

If you told me that after I won a tournament with some Minnesota kids in seventh grade, I'd come back two years later and attend their fancy prep school with them, I would've laughed in your face.

To be honest, I really don't even know how I got here. One minute, I was at home in Chicago with my mom and minding my own business. The next, none other than Gordon Bombay himself shows up at my fricking door and basically demands me to come to Minnesota with him.

The next thing I know, I'm on a plane with all of my gear and my old coach is explaining to me how I'm desperately needed on the fancy prep school team that all of the Ducks are on, because they're falling apart. Safe to say I was pretty surprised.

I remember asking him if it was the same school that offered me a contract to play hockey for them, and he said yes. The only reason I denied it was because I didn't want to leave my mom alone back in Chicago. Pretty ironic if you ask me, because look where I am now.

Before I decided to come, I knew I had to get the okay from my mom. Once she basically yelled at me and told me that if I didn't go, I was ruining my chances at a good future, I had my answer. Apparently, my mom doesn't want to be "the reason why I can't follow my dreams".

I was really nervous to come here, but it's clearly worked out pretty nicely for me. As of last week, I'm a back-to-back, two-time state champ for hockey and I have the best girlfriend in the world.

Yup, I think I'm going to marry Morgan. No one can change my mind on that. I know it may seem way too soon to be talking about marriage, but I can't see myself being with anyone else.

When I first saw her a few days after I got here, I fell hard. Charlie wouldn't stop making fun of me for being so whipped, but I couldn't help it. There's no way in hell a girl like her was going to stay single for long, so I took the opportunity I had and ran with it.

Even though we went to homecoming together after a few days of knowing each other, I guess everyone saw the sparks that we did too. It took me a little while to ask her out, but I don't regret the extra time that I spent getting to know her... and not just as a person.

Also, I've realized I like that our anniversary is in December. I get to spoil the hell out of her, because her birthday happens to be on Christmas and our anniversary is a week before.

I know I just rambled on and on about my girlfriend, but I don't even care. She's honestly the best thing that's ever happened to me and I'm so lucky to have her in my life.

The celebration party for the girls soccer team is tonight, and I can't wait to spend time with all the people I care about. I never expected to make friends when I first agreed to play on Team USA at the Goodwill Games, because I was just there to play hockey. Little did I know that my future best friends were also on that team.

Speaking of best friends, Fulton comes barreling into the dorm and immediately starts tearing through all of his drawers. "Dude, I have no idea what I'm wearing later."

"You're really worried about what you're wearing to a party?" I ask sarcastically, which earns me a death stare. I snicker at him and he sticks his middle finger up at me, which makes me laugh hysterically. It's so funny how he thinks that giving me the finger will phase me in some way.

"Can you attempt to be helpful for once in your life?" Fulton groans, and I stop laughing. "I need help on what to wear and instead of helping you're sitting there laughing like an asshole."

"Big deal." I say with a shrug. "It's like any other party you've been to in your life. I'm wearing a black tank top with gray sweats and my letterman jacket. Do you see me flipping my shit over something so ridiculously stupid? No, because something like this isn't worth getting riled up over. Just relax man."

"I hate you." he grumbles. "Why am I friends with you again?"

"Because you love me." I respond with a wink.

Fulton walks over to the closet, grabs a sweatshirt out of it, and turns back around to look at me. "Correction. I hate you."

I shrug again. "Whatever you say babe."

He narrows his eyes at me hostilely. "Did you just call me babe?"

"Sure did." I chirp cheerfully, letting a grin spread on my face.

"I'm not your babe." he huffs angrily. "Don't call me that, ever."

"I'll call you whatever I want, babe." I answer, just to piss him off.

Instead of answering, he just rolls his eyes and turn back to his drawers. Is he on his period or something?

He keeps tossing clothes out of the drawers and onto the floor until he finally settles on a plain black t-shirt.

All that for a t-shirt? He's so overdramatic.

I chuckle to myself as I get dressed and wait for Fulton. When he's finally finished with his meltdown and we're both ready, I grab my shoes and ask my usual question. "Are you driving?"

He snorts and looks at me like I'm an alien from another planet. "Did you really just ask me that?"

I realize how stupid I sound, because neither of us ever drive when there's a party. Not only because it's really dangerous, but because neither of us ever want to be the DD either.

"Did you forget that we're waiting for Charlie?" Fulton asks. "Sadie lives right down the street from the girl who's hosting tonight, so he's just going to park his car at her house and we're going to walk over from there. Do you not remember any of this?"

"I was somewhat paying attention." I admit, which earns me a sigh from him.

"I really worry for you sometimes." he says, which just makes me laugh. I know I treat everything like a joke, but all I do is try not to let the unimportant things get to me. It's just a waste of time if you ask me.

Suddenly, someone starts to pound loudly on our door and I jump three feet into the air. "Open the door Portman, I know you're in there!"

I stroll over to the door and open it to reveal a fuming Charlie. "Where the fuck have you guys been? I've been standing out here for ten minutes and you haven't even read my texts. You're lucky I decided to stay and not leave without you. Are you dumbasses coming or what?"

"Coming, captain sir!" I bellow, saluting Charlie as I walk past him.

"You're such an idiot." I hear him mumble from behind me, which makes me chuckle. Getting under his skin is way too easy.

"Alright!" I yell, rubbing my hands together and rolling down the passenger seat window once I'm settled in Charlie's car. "Let's get this party started!"