Chapter Twenty-One

"What?" Lau spitted out coffee on my face, a few drops landed on my hoodie. It was a cold day.

I scrunched my nose in disgust, wiping my face off, "Very nice."

"Oh my God!" Lau covered her mouth in shock, "Are you serious?"

"Yes, can you please be quiet?" I recommended, noticing stares coming our way. We were in the Fairies’ coffee shop. It was our most recent favorite place.

"I can't believe he went down on you!" she was bewildered, "How did it feel? Did you like it?"

I flushed, "Yeah, I liked it a lot."

"Did you return the favor?" she gazed at me in expectation.

I shook my head, "No, I... used my hand." my face was on flames when I remembered the sexy way he looked when I was touching him, the way he closed his eyes, and his abs muscles flexed.

"Oh God!  I am too shocked to ask for more details right now," she fanned herself, "Jesus! I admire your self-control, Jules. How did you manage not to give in and throw yourself at him?"

"I really don't know." that was the truth. Plus, Evan didn't really push me to do anything I wasn't ready to do.

"You're on the lead now. Jordan and I haven't passed the dry humping yet." she took a bite of her muffin, small pieces of it fell down her flannel shirt. Lau was looking sort of bohemian that day. She was wearing a hat and all.

"And why is that? You're eighteen, there's nothing stopping you." I commented.

Lau's expression changed into one of nervousness, "I just want to be sure, that's all."

"What's to be sure about? He loves you, you love him," she flinched at that last statement, "Because you love him, right?" her silence gave me my answer, "Oh,"

"I care about him. I do and I wanna be with him."

"But you don't love him." I affirmed.

She nodded, "Not yet, but love is something we build up, right?"

I placed my cup on the table, "What's going on, Lau? There's obviously something you're not telling me." she lowered her head, sighing.

"It's Jason,"

Oh no...

"What about him?" I played the fool. If Lau knew I knew about the Jason thing, she'd kill me.

"When you left last Saturday, we were alone in your room."

I really don't like where this is going.

"And?" I pressed.

"He tried to kiss me. He told me lots of things about feelings and stuff and he confused me, Jules. And it's so unfair of him to do this to me right now when I have someone who loves me."

"Lau, I need you to be honest with me. Do you feel the same way?" I had to ask. They were among the most important people in the world to me. Both were my best friends.

She averted her gaze, "I don't know."

"That's not answer."

"I really don't know. Jason... is... he's been part of my life since we were kids and I’ve always found him... attractive in a way but I don't know if I have feelings for him."

I sighed, "And do you have feelings for Jordan?"

"I guess so."

"Listen to yourself, you've been dating Jordan for six months and you're still not sure about having feelings for him." I reprehended her.

“I know,” she pursed her lips, “I just-”

“Ladies,” Shane called out, standing in front of our table. He was wearing a red jersey shirt and dark jeans with sporty shoes. His blond, brownish hair was in its usual disheveled style. It’d been a while since the last time I saw him. Seeing him in that jersey made him look older somehow.

Lau grinned up at him, “Looks who’s here, college boy decided to pay a visit to his high school friends.”

He grinned right back, “Well, old habits die hard.” He shrugged, “Just fishing, you know.” Lau chuckled. What?

“Fishing?” I cocked an eyebrow. His eyes landed on me.

“Yes, my dear minion, fishing,” he repeated the last word slowly. He pulled a chair and sat with us.

“I don’t get it,” I admitted.

Lau smiled at me, “As in fishing women, Jules.”

“Good girl,” Shane high-fived her.

I rolled my eyes, “So you’re now familiar with Shane nasty way of saying things?”

“She’s my apprentice, I guess.” Shane patted Lau’s hair. She slapped his hand playfully.

“I have no choice. I’m always around Jordan hence Shane as well.” She explained, finishing her muffin, “Which reminds me, you owe me a muffin. Pay up, buddy.”

Shane groaned, “You remember,”

“Of course, I do. Anything that involves free food always sticks in my mind,” I laughed a little.

Reluctantly, Shane handed her a few bucks, “Stupid bet.” He mumbled. Lau patted his head and walked off to buy herself another muffin. That left the two of us alone and I wasn’t nervous. I was genuinely pleased to see him. I actually missed the guy.

“What was the bet about?” I asked, sipping on my iced tea.

Shane rolled his lower lip into his mouth, “Not telling.”

“Oh come on,” I pressed getting more curious, “I need to know what kind of bet the infamous Shane lost.”

“So you can tease me about it? No, thank you.” He shook his head.

“It can’t be that bad,” he made a gesture to seal his lips, “You do realize Lau will tell me anyway.”

“But I won’t be here for you to make fun of me,”

“I can always text you.”

Shane groaned, “God, I forgot how persistent you are.”

“Perseverance is my best quality.” I raised my glass of iced tea as if we were on a toast, “So?”

“She beat me at Mario Kart.” He muttered.

“No way!” I knew how great Jordan and Shane were at Mario Kart, I played with them for a couple days months ago and they both kicked my ass repeatedly.

“She plays every day with Jordan. He showed her our tricks, the little traitor.” He tried to justify his defeat. I laughed on his face, enjoying this way too much. He and Jordan had made fun of me when they defeated me, now it was my turn. Oh sweet revenge!

“Lau is my heroine,” I said, still chuckling a little.

Shane glared at me, “It was a onetime thing, it won’t happen again.”

“Sure, sure.” And with that, silence fell upon us and that wasn’t a good thing to happen between us. Why? Silence led to thinking and remembering things. I took the last sip of my iced tea, keeping my eyes anywhere but Shane. I could feel his eyes on me though.

Say something, Jules.

“So,” I started, “How’s college going?”

Shane leaned back in his chair, “Pretty cool,” he shrugged, “But women tend to get smarter in college so I have to update my tricks,”

“That’s why you’re back here? Because fishing here is easier?” I guessed.

Shane gave me a high five, “Exactly! You know me too well,”

I rolled my eyes, “You’ll never change,”

“That’s not true,” he pointed out, “I changed for you but having you is out of the equation, isn’t it?” I gulped, “I have no choice but to go back to my old ways,”

It took me some time to recover my voice, “You don’t have to be a player, Shane. You will find someone else if you give yourself a chance.”

“That’s the thing,” he rested his elbows on the table, staring at me, “I don’t want to find someone else. I don’t wanna have feelings again. And you know why? Because it freaking hurts when it’s one-sided,”

“Shane…”

“Don’t feel bad. None of this is your fault. I’m fine.” He affirmed but we both knew that wasn’t true. I remembered Lau telling me about his drinking and partying wildly behavior in the past weeks. Shane stood up, “We’ll continue this chat later, I have to go.”

“What? Why?” Shane gestured me to the glassed windows that faced the parking lot. Evan was getting out of his car.

“Your knight is here.” Shane said bitterly before walking off.  

I stared at Evan through the window while he was closing his car’s door and placing the keys inside his hood’s pockets. My phone vibrated on the table, I checked it and frowned when I noticed it was a message from the unknown number who’s been bothering me.

From: Unknown.

“O, beware, my lord, of jealousy;

It is the green-eyed monster which doth mock

The meat it feeds on; that cuckold lives in bliss

Who, certain of his fate, loves not his wronger.”

I recognized the extract easily. It was from Othello by Shakespeare. How did I know? I’d been reading Shakespeare work since I was a kid. But did this unknown person know that? He had to, otherwise he wouldn’t send me those things if he knew I wouldn’t recognize them. I glanced at the coffee shop’s door, Evan hadn’t appeared in it yet. I quickly started typing a reply.

I told you to leave me alone.

I’m gonna block you.

Him: So sensitive. I’m just trying to help.

Me: Help? Tell me your name then.

Him: Why are names so important to you?

Me: That’s it. I’m blocking you.

Him: Wait…

Me: What?

Him: Don’t do it. I have something important to tell you.

Me: And what is that?

Him: Evan is lying to you.

Me: As if I’m going to choose to believe your word over my boyfriend’s.

Him: You should.

Me: I don’t even know your name.

Him: Names only complicate things.

I heard the coffee shop’s door and watched Evan walk inside.

Me: Just leave me alone.

Him: If you want to know the truth. I’m one text away. Bye, Jules.

I put my phone away. Lau made it back to the table just when Evan was leaning down to greet me with a kiss. They greeted each other and sat down. Lau was across me and Evan was at my side. He wore a red winter hat that made him look adorable. His hair was longer, escaping the hat and sticking to his pale neck and forehead. I mentally sighed. He looks so cute. He placed his keys and phone on the table. Then, he turned to me and a smile formed on his full lips.

“How are you, peachy girl?” he asked with that sexy voice of his.

I returned the smile, “I’m okay. How’s you?”

“What do you think?” he leaned forward to peck my lips. The contact was short and gentle but still took my breath away.

“Oh come on, guys,” Lau protested, “Don’t make me feel like a third wheel.”

I looked at her, “I thought you’d be busy with those muffins.”

“I still have eyes.” She took a bite out of a chocolate muffin, “Where is the rest anyway? I thought I was clear about punctuality,”

I shrugged, “You know them. Punctuality is not their thing.”

“Actually, it is.” Nash chimed in, Nadia next to him, I swallowed, “We just encountered an accident on the road and it delayed us.”

“I was talking about Jordan and Jason,” I clarified. They both sat down, “Do you guys want anything?”

“Not yet, thanks.” Nadia replied, hugging herself. Her cheeks were flushed. It must be pretty cold outside.

“Jules!” Linda screamed out from the coffee shop entrance. Mike followed her like a lost puppy.

“Hey, guys!” I stood up to hug them both. We’ve grown pretty close in our extra-class. Evan was no longer our teacher since the main teacher had recovered from his sickness.

Half an hour later, Jordan, Jason and Helen made their appearance. We had to pull another table to us so we could all fit. When we were all there. Lau rose to her feet, clearing her throat.

“Alright, guys.” She started, holding her cup of coffee, “I gathered you all here to make a little announcement. As you know, November is here and a special day comes with it: November 13, 2014. Our little Jules is turning eighteen  tomorrow.” I smiled at her, “I thought I’d plan something special for her and with a little help from every single one of you, we achieved it. So, Jules,” she looked at me.

“What?” I narrowed my eyes at her.

She grinned, “Prepare your bags, we’re all going to the Greene’s mountains, and we leave this afternoon.” My face lit up. What? I’d wanted to go to those mountains since I was a kid. They had beautiful pine trees forests, gorgeous cascades and clearings.

“You’re joking, right?” I scanned around to find any of the guys laughing. They were all smiling at me. And it was then I noticed they were all wearing winter clothes, “Are you serious?”

“Yes,” Jason nodded, “You told me you wanted to see the sunrise from those mountains a long time ago, remember?” my heart melt, “Well, now you will get to do that on the morning of your eighteen birthday.”

“But… I don’t know if Mom will let me, I have to ask her,” I said nervously. My hands shook with excitement.

“We already did,” Helen said, “She said yes, it’s all settled.”

“And you guys… are all going?” They all nodded, “Where are we going to stay? I-”

Evan touched my shoulder, I looked at him, “Jules, it’s all settled.”

“Surprise!” Everyone said together. Tears filled my eyes, I was just too sensitive.

“You guys are…” my voice broke.

“Aw!” Linda passed an arm over my shoulder, “Don’t cry, silly.”

I looked at the people surrounding the table and I felt the luckiest person on the planet. I never thought I had so many friends, so many people to care about me. After Dad walked out on me, I thought there was something wrong with me, that I was defective and that was why he abandoned his own daughter. I thought the rest of world would be like him, they’d find me defective and eventually leave. But there I stood, in a numerous group of friends. And I was the one to bring them together.

A smile crept to my lips as I realized something. I wasn’t defective. No abandoned child is defective. I was probably too much to handle for my Dad. I was a good person and the world was repaying me for taking one person away by giving me this big family. Take that, Dad.

My dad was gone but that day, I realized it was his lost not mine. He lost the chance to spend time with me. He lost the chance to watch me grow and that would be in his conscious not mine. So, I was going to enjoy my eighteen birthday with the family I chose to have and I couldn’t be happier.

 X Growing up X

 A/N: Hello, guys! Yes! Jules’ birthday is tomorrow and I was thinking we could have some fun over twitter. Let’s make some hashtag popular, yeah? I was thinking about #MyWattpadLove with #HappyBirthdayJules We can all get creative and add some pictures and stuff. I’ll be retweeting every post. My account is Arix05. Let’s start now, shall we?

Hugs,

Ariana