Chapter Five

      “Glad you could make it!” Aiden said, opening the door for me.

      “Yup,” I nodded simply. He was looking me over, as a slight smile began at the corner of his lips. If I had been the old me, I would probably be wearing something strapless, short, and tight, right now. Instead, tonight I was wearing a simple, loose-fitting, sleeveless, dress with a dark floral pattern and black Converse. It was much more me.

      “You look nice,” he complimented.

      “I know,” I replied.

      “Want to go hook up?” he suggested as casually as he could.

      “No,” I shook my head, declining his less than enticing offer. “Is Chase here?”

      “Seriously? That’s so unfair! He gets every girl, and now he gets you too?” Aiden whined.

      “He doesn’t ‘get me’, he gets to talk to me.” Over the past week, I had learned that as irritating as Chase may have been, he was still good to talk to, and one of the only people who I felt even moderately comfortable around. But, don’t get me wrong, he was still annoying as hell.

      I brushed past Aiden, who wasn’t willing to move, and made my way inside the house. If I were Chase Ryan where would I be? Considering he needed to be the center of attention, my best guess was with a bunch of girls. I scanned the room, and, sure enough, Chase was sitting on a counter in the kitchen between none other than Emily and Taylor.

      They were dressed the exact way I expected. Tight, skanky dresses, and heals. I was glad I didn’t have an obligation to dress like that anymore. I didn’t feel like having to talk to them, so I stepped out to the patio. A couple was making out, there were some stoners, and a few smokers. I noticed a kid sitting alone, so impulsively decided to go over to him.

      “Hey!” I greeted in a friendly tone.

      “Jules,” he said, turning to face me. Thankfully, it was Logan. “You look good.”

      “So I’ve been told. Why are you out here all by yourself?” I questioned.

      “I don’t like crowds.”

      “Huh. That surprises me,” I commented thoughtfully.

      “Why are you out here?” it was his turn to ask something.

      “Avoiding these two girls with the first initials of ‘E’ and ‘T’,” I shrugged lightly. 

      “Huh. That doesn’t surprise me,” his words paralelled mine.

      “Julia?” a voice said behind us.

      “No,” I answered.

      “Oh, sorry—hey it is you!” Mason said, wrapping his arms around me, in a rather awkward attempt of a hug.

      “Mason,” I breathed.

      “You look beautiful!” he exclaimed.

      “Thanks.” It was the first time I was talking to him since our encounter on my first day. It wasn’t that I had been avoiding him, per say, but if he were walking towards me, I may just happen to walk in the other direction ...purposely.

      “Hey, Logan!” Mason said cheerfully.

      “Mason,” Logan acknowledged.

Mia’s POV (point of view)

She disgusted me. I was making myself sick just watching her interact with Mason and Logan—my Logan. After months of being “just friends”, he finally kissed me the other day, and then POOF! Julia Tylers was back to wreck all that I had been trying to accomplish. It was just unfair! Logan obviously liked her, which I totally didn’t even understand, considering what a total bitch she was to us two years ago, and all.

      She said numerous times that she had “changed”, but I there was no way that I was going to believe it. People couldn’t change. I didn’t even understand why she was hanging out with us. I was probably just because she wanted to totally humiliate us or something. She was best friends with Taylor and Emily for four years. FOUR YEARS. Something like that didn’t just get thrown down the drain. She was gross. I really didn’t know why Izzy liked her so much.

      I watched as she made her way off the porch, and back into the house with Mason (probably to hook up or something). Mason deserved someone better than her. I didn’t know why he was chasing her again—she wasn’t worth it. I saw Logan sitting, staring off mindlessly, and knew it was finally my chance. I swiftly maneuvered my way through the house—away from the balcony where I had viewed the whole scene unfold. After getting outside, and strutted up to Logan, sitting right next to him.

      Logan was so hot. He had the whole skater boy thing going for him, and his dark, straight hair was just too perfect. The best part about Logan, though, were his eyes. They were enchanting. Bright blue that make you feel alive inside. When I looked in his eyes, I felt the butterflies in my stomach exploding—hell, when I saw him in general I got that butterfly feeling!

      “Hi,” he said quietly.

      “Hey,” I said, not trying to sound too eager.

      “You look nice.” I looked “nice”? Is he serious? The whole reason I dressed up for this stupid thing was for him! And all he said was that I looked “nice”? What the hell?

      “Thanks,” I gulped, “so do you.”

      “Thanks. Hey, Mia,” he voice trailed off in an inquisitive manner.

      “Yeah?” my stomach began doing backflips.

      “Do you think I’m a good guy?” he questioned oddly.

      “Of course!” I answered immediately. “Why?”

      “It’s just... nothing. Never mind,” he brushed it aside.

      “No, what is it? Logan, spit it out!” I prompted.

      “There’s this girl, and I don’t think she’d be into a nice a guy. I think she wants adventure, and someone edgy, not boring and normal,” he sighed.

      “Logan Evans! You did not just call yourself boring and normal! You’re anything but that! Oh, and any girl would be lucky to have you; regardless of the fact that you’re a nice guy! Girls love nice guys!” I said, not believing what I had heard come out of his mouth.

      “Thanks, Amelia,” he offered up a small smile.

      “Mia,” I corrected.

      “Oh, so now you’re turning into Jules?” he laughed.

      “NEVER!” I shook my head fervently.

      “Oh, come on! She’s not that bad!” he smirked.

      “Are you kidding?” I accused seriously.

      “No, I’m not, actually.”

      I shook my head in disbelief that he was actually buying her whole “I changed” act. “How in the world are you believing all the crap she’s been telling us?”

      “Well, Mia, maybe you haven’t heard the whole story.”

      “I’ve heard more than needed,” I proclaimed.

      “Mia, just give her a chance. She’s changed,” he said, as I merely rolled my eyes at his lie.

      “Bullshit,” I said.

      “It really isn’t.”

      “Whatever. Um… Logan, can we, uh, talk… about what happened last week?” I bit my bottom lip due to an overdose of nervousness.

      “Uh, yeah, I guess,” he looked down, avoiding my gaze.

 Jules’ POV

      “So, Julia, can I introduce you to a few of my friends?” Mason asked as we walked around the house.

      “It’s Jules, and I guess so...” I said indifferently.

      “Okay! Let’s go!” he said, taking my hand lightly, and leading me into Aiden’s basement, where a bunch of guys were all huddled on the couch, watching a football game.

      “Hey, who the heck are you?” a familiar-looking guy asked.

      “Julia Tylers,” I said, having a hunch that we had made out in the past.

      “Holy shit! Wow! I heard a rumor you were back, but I didn’t believe it!” he exclaimed, surprised by me presence.

      “Yeah, well, I am,” I shrugged.

      “You remember Ethan, don’t you?” Mason asked. Ethan. I needed to thank that boy later. He was the first person to put my life in perspective.

      “No,” I lied.

      “Oh. Well, this is Ethan,” Mason said, his energy level still as high as I had remembered it to be.

      “Hey,” Ethan said, gulping, as he clearly recalled the same incident I had.

      “Hi,” I said.

      “So, Mason, are you two back together?” Ethan diverted the conversation back to Mason.

      “Us? Nah! Not yet, at least,” he teased, nudging me in the side.

      “Oh,” Ethan nodded uncomfortably.

      “Well, I’ll catch up with you guys later, but I really need to find someone right now!” I said, slowly inching my way out of the room. They both waved, as I ran back upstairs to go look for Chase.

      I saw him on a couch, still with Emily and Taylor. An involunary sigh escaped from within my mouth, as I walked up to them, willingly.

      “Hey, Julia!” Emily smiled.

      “It’s Jules, and hi,” I said. Something then possessed me to look down at Emily’s wrist. I saw it. A pink, yellow, and blue aged, threaded bracelet clung to her right wrist. I recognized that bracelet all too well. Glancing over to Taylor’s wrist, I noticed that she had a matching bracelet. I used to have the third bracelet that completed the set. Three of us made them in fifth grade. The pink symbolized Taylor, the yellow Emily, and the blue me. We never took them off. They reminded us of the “special frienship” we shared.

      When I moved out to Santa Monica, one of the first things I did was cut that bracelet off. Removing it was like detaching myself from the bondage that tied me to the three-way friendship of which I didn’t want to be apart. We had promised each other to never take them off—I guess they were pretty serious about it.

      “Jules!” Chase said, touching my shoulder lightly.

      “Sorry,” I jolted myself out of my thoughts.

      “What’s up?” he asked with a high-voltage grin.

      “Nothing I—” my phone began to vibrate. I took it out of a pocket in my dress to check who was calling: Josh. “Sorry, I’ll be right back!” I apologized, running outside back to the patio. Quickly, I called him back, and he thankfully answered.

      “Josh!” I exclaimed.

      “Jules!” he said. “Where are you? Why is it so loud?”

      “At a party,” I answered, pacing about as his voice filled my ears. I missed him so much.

      “Oh, I’m so sorry! I’ll call you back later!” he insisted.

      “No, it’s fine!” I assured him.

      “Okay. Well, I bet you look gorgeous,” I could practically hear the smirk in his words.

      “Oh, I do,” I confirmed.

      “I’m sure you’ve heard it tonight, though, right?”

      “Yup,” I nodded, though he couldn’t see.

      “Well, hearing it from me is way better, because I’m pretty epic,” he said, as I envisioned him brushing a piece of his light hair away from his face as he so often did.

      “Yes, yes, you are,” I laughed.

      “But, Jules, you’re pretty epic too,” he added sweetly.

      “Thanks,” a smile met my lips. That was Josh… the only boy who would call me epic, and truly mean it.

Logan’s POV

This was the second time I had seen Julia—or, Jules doing something like this. When we were chilling at Izzy’s the other day, she left to go take a call. Tonight, in the middle of a party, she was sitting on a wall of the garden, talking on her phone. There were two probable reasons for this: No.1 she had an addiction to her phone, or, No.2, she was talking to someone who was more interesting than all the people here combined. I didn’t see her being the type of girl addicted to technology, so, whomever she was talking to had to be pretty darn chill.

      “So, do you get understand why I’m confused?” Mia asked, putting her hand on mine. I knew it was a mistake kissing her. It felt so right at that moment. I would never have done it if I knew it would lead to her becoming so obsessive about it, though.

      “I’ve got to be totally honest with you M., I’m not really interested…” I said, glancing over to Jules who was laughing as she spoke.

      “Logan! You kissed me how can you say that you’re not interested?” she demanded.

      “I don’t know… I’m sorry.” She then proceeded to do a very Mia thing to do. She grabbed the back of my head, and kissed me. It didn’t feel right. Being a guy, it was so tempting to keep my mouth there as her tongue slid its way inside, but I knew it was wrong, so I pulled away, placing my hand on her shoulder. “No.”

      “Logan! You know you want me!” she cried out in despiration.

      “No, actually, I don’t,” I shook my head, hoping that this entire situation wouldn’t damage our friendship.

      “It’s because of that slut, isn’t it?” she raged.

      “What?” I asked, confused.

      “Julia—Jules, or whatever the hell she wants to be called!”

      “She’s not a slut,” I said firmly.

      “Yes, she is!” Mia laughed darkly.

      “Really? Okay, what makes her one?” I challenged.

      “Her clothes,” she stated.

      “She looks pretty modest to me, actually. You’re the one who looks indecent! Seriously, Mia? All the gloppy makeup and the tight dress?” Mia didn’t look like herself tonight. Her eyes were darkened, and looked as though someone had punched her, and she wore a dress that I deemed to skimpy for the occasion. She just didn’t look right.

      “Ugh! I’m not the slut here! Logan, I’m so freaking sick of you getting every girl you want when the one who actually cares about you is right here in front of you, and would never leave you! The whole reason I’m dressed like this is because I thought you liked girls like this!” tears began to spring from her eyes, and I knew I was screwed.

      “I like real girls, Mia, and, right now, I don’t think you’re being one,” I said, standing up, and slowly walking away.

      “Logan, we’re meant for each other! Don’t you freaking deny it!” she called after me, sobbing. I didn’t turn around—instead, I walked calmly over to Jules.

      “Hey,” I said, seating myself on the stonewall next to her. She held a finger up to my mouth, and smiled, her phone still atatched to her ear.

      “I have to go; I love you,” she said, putting the device away as she turned to face me. “Hey!”

      “Who was that?” I asked.

      She hesitated, “My Prince Charming.”

      “Really?”

      “Yeah… don’t tell anyone?” she pleaded.

      “Uh, sure,” I agreed, slightly confused.

      “So, what’s up with you?” she inquired.

      “You know Mia?” I asked, tapping my finger nervously on a stone. “Well, she just kissed me.”

      “Uh huh. But we’re not liking Miss Mia at the moment, are we?” she assessed.

      “Not really.”

      “Is she the extreme type?”

      “Yeah.”

      “She thinks that you’re soul mates or something?”

      “Pretty much.”

      “Avoid her,” she said simply. “You know Mason?”

      “Yeah.”

      “I think that he’s still into me,” she shared.

      “Who wouldn’t be?” I asked, as she pushed me. Even in a dress, she was still… herself.

      “Got a point there; I am pretty, well, pretty,” she smirked.

      “You got that right,” I said, looking over her again. Only an idiot wouldn’t find her attractive. From the way her coiled chestnut hair bounced as she moved her head, to her perfect body. Every time I looked at her, though, the one thing I wanted to do was kiss her. Her lips looked so perfect; completely symmetrical, and I just wanted to taste them. I knew all that crap was mushy and shit, but whatever. It was Jules.

      “I’m pretty hot too,” I added with a smug expression of my own.

      “Well, that’s a difference of opinion,” she winked.

      “No, I think we can all agree I look gorgeous,” I determined.

      “Nah. But, I will tell you one thing,” she bit the edge of her lip.

      “And what would that be?”

      “I like yours lips,” she said, bringing her fingers up to my face, and gently outlining them. Then she started cracking up, “I’m just kidding, bro!”

      “No you’re not,” I accused. For half a second I thought I saw concern wash over face, but that was quickly substituted by her continuing to laugh. She was certainly something different...