Love in the Shadows ~ Dean Portman x OC

Ch. 10: BREAKING NEWS

Pov: Morgan Tibbles July 7th 1994 Asheville, North Carolina
I'm sitting in my childhood room, no lights, no tv, no books, nothing. Fun fact: anything fun=eye straining so dark abyss it is. I haven't been able to go outside without sunglasses yet so I haven't seen my friends. It's super weird because when I tried calling them they didn't pick up. I know them. They're always on their phones so maybe they changed their numbers...

I turn on the radio waiting for the Goodwill Games announcements to start when my mom comes into my room.
"Phone call from Marcy's mom" Marcy was one of the girls on my roller-derby team.
"Hello?"
"Is this Morgan?"
"Yea Mrs. Alverez what's up?"
"I would appreciate it if you stopped calling my daughter. She doesn't want to speak to you and it's getting annoying"
"I'm sorry but why doesn't she want to talk to me?"
"All that time on those planes must have done something to your head. You know why Tibbles. Good day"
And she hung up. Why did she say my name like that and what did I do? I don't remember ever being mean to her or anything like that.

I would usually spiral and think about it that till I explode but I heard my mom scream
"Mom? You ok?"
"Come here! What the hell?"
That's how you know it's bad. My Christian mother saying "What the hell" means the world is being swallowed and humanity is doomed
"What? What is it?" I run into the kitchen as my eyes adjust to the bright light
"Look at the newest People's Magazine cover!!"

BREAKING NEWS: POP STAR MAPLE HART CAUGHT WITH JUNIOR GOODWILL GAMES HOCKEY PRODIGY ADAM BANKS. ARTICLE ON PAGE 3

...excuse me- WHAT????
ADAM??
ME??
CAUGHT?!
DOING WHAT???

I look again at the photo and recognize the picture. It's from outside the rink in Minneapolis when me and Adam were talking

"Hi have you read People's yet? Yes I know how can we explain this?!" My mom frantically walks out of the room as I'm sat there stunned

The public thinks I'm dating Adam
The team reads People's magazine
The team thinks I'm dating Adam
Dean is on the team
Dean thinks I'm dating Adam
Dean. Thinks. I'm. Dating. Adam.

SHIT SHIT SHIT SHIT SHIT SHIT SHIT SHIT SHIT SHIT SHIT SHIT SHIT SHIT SHIT SHIT SHIT SHIT SHIT SHIT SHIT SHIT SHIT SHIT SHIT SHIT SHIT SHIT SHIT SHIT SHIT SHIT SHIT SHIT SHIT SHIT SHIT SHIT SHIT SHIT SHIT SHIT SHIT SHIT SHIT SHIT SHIT SHIT SHIT SHIT SHIT SHIT SHIT SHIT SHIT SHIT

This is bad. Like BAD bad. I can't even call him to explain I don't have his number. I rush to my parents room till grab my cell phone. I dial Connie, no answer. I try Julie, no answer.

SHIT SHIT SHIT SHIT SHIT SHIT SHIT SHIT SHIT SHIT SHIT SHIT SHIT SHIT SHIT SHIT SHIT SHIT SHIT SHIT SHIT SHIT SHIT SHIT SHIT SHIT SHIT SHIT SHIT SHIT SHIT SHIT SHIT SHIT SHIT SHIT SHIT SHIT SHIT SHIT SHIT SHIT SHIT SHIT SHIT SHIT SHIT SHIT SHIT SHIT SHIT SHIT SHIT SHIT SHIT SHIT

Right they're about to play Iceland their phones are probably still in the locker room. I run to the radio and listen as the game broadcast is about to start.
__________________________________

Pov: Dean Portman July 3rd, 1992 Minneapolis Minnesota

"Holy shit look at this" Connie gets everyone's attention "BREAKING NEWS: POP STAR MAPLE HART CAUGHT WITH JUNIOR GOODWILL GAMES HOCKEY PRODIGY ADAM BANKS"
"What?" Adam takes the magazine and reads it over as if it's gonna change
"Piece of shit-" I lunge at Adam but Fulton and Dwayne hold me back
"Dean I swear this is fake. I'm not dating Morgan. I don't even like her"
"Don't you fucking talk about her pipsqueak"
"I'm sorry ok but I didn't do this. This was taken weeks ago in Minnesota after she ran out of the locker room. Nothing happened we were just talking and that's it"

I calm down just before we're about to go out for the game. We start filing out when Tibbles runs in and pulls Adam aside. I try not to focus on it and just focus on getting revenge on these Iceland punks.

*Skip to Half Time*
We are getting slammed out there. It's like they know our every move and then some. We're all down but Charlie, Russ, and Adam are talking in the corner. I get up to go check it out when Coach walks in

He gives us a whole speech about Ducks flying together and what not then hands us new jerseys. We're changing into them when I finally hear what the three were talking about

"So Adam, what are you gonna do? Are you gonna take the deal or not?" Russ fails to whisper to Adam
"I don't know. Eden Hall is the best school out there for hockey but I don't know if I can go to sleep knowing I'm just using Morgan to further my career"
The fuck Adam?! I wanna shove him against a locker but I keep listening
"Dude" Charlie counters "You can just tell her you're fake dating because she doesn't like you anyways so you can both fake it until your slot is secured"
"But what am I gonna tell my parents? They hate pop music"
"Yea but they love attention. You were in a magazine because of one convo dude. Imagine the photo ops and people you'll meet dating the Maple Hart" Russ adds on

Adam waits for a minute before saying "I'll call her tonight to ask"
"Plus think of all the positive press she'll get by dating some stand up guy like you" Charlie punches Adam in the shoulder and heads out in his new jersey on.

I can't think right now. I'm so conflicted. I want to date Morgan. I wanna punch that piece of shit for even considering fake dating her. But on the other hand Charlie is right. If anyone found out that America's Sweetheart was dating an ex con they'd trash her. Not to mention her dad clearly hates me.

I feel as though I'm about to cry when Fulton comes up to me
"Dude you good?"
"Yea" I wipe my eyes real quick "Let's go kick some Iceland ass

WC: 1067