Julia

Be mine....

The words echo in my head over and over after that hour in the park.

Be mine.... please...

I can't stop thinking about it. Ryan Hunt asked me out. This is.... I don't know what this is....

I have never been asked out before. People have always took me as a snobbish girl because of my father. So when he said those words... those wonderful words, I couldn't breathe.

I still can't, as we unload the shopping cart into the trunk. Ryan picks up cereal boxes and hands them to me. He has this constant smile on his face. He had it when he puled back to help me stand up back in the park, and when he told me to make a pretty face, and when I kept making pretty faces as he took many many pictures of me while I modelled for him. He smiled the whole way to the mall, then all the time we were shopping.

"Carful" he says as I take the boxes from him and place them by the sack of floor he had placed before.

"I am carful." I laugh and tell him for the fiftieth time, shaking my head.

"You are." He admits, smiling wide, "I just don't want you getting hurt Jules."

That's very sweet of him I think.

"I won't get hurt" I roll my eyes and watch him laugh.

Fifteen minutes later, were driving back towards his house. Tonight is a special barbecue. Anna told me about it in the morning, but I didn't really listen properly. I was.... distracted.

"Whats the occasion?" I ask Ryan, as he takes a left turn on a green light.

"What occasion?" He asks back, looking at me once from the corner of his eye.

"All this shopping, your suddenly visiting here," I point things out to him, "your mom told me there was a barbecue tonight— what's it about?"

He laughs lightly, taking one hand off the steering wheel and taking mine from my lap.

"Mom didn't tell you?" He asks, his eyes still on the road.

The back of my hand where his thumb is now making circles on my skin has started to burn... but its soothing. I like it.

"I think she did." I shrug and he laughs again. "I was distracted."

"Its Sophia's birthday" He says, bringing my hand up to his mouth and kissing it. I bet my cheeks are pink.

"Oh." Is all I can say.

Ryan drops my hand to take a turn and it falls on his thigh. I immediately pull it back as if I had received a shock. Ryan chuckles.

Suddenly his phone starts to ring from where he's placed it between us, near the hand-break.

"Who is it?" Ryan asks, eyes on the road.

I pick up his phone and—

"Devil Sophie??" I laugh out loud at the name. "Seriously Ryan?"

He nods, chuckling too, and tells me to pick it up. I hesitate. It's his phone...

But he told me to do so, so I'll do it.

"Hey it's Julia, Ryan's driving." I say as soon as I accept the call.

"Oh hey Julia!" Sophia sounds excited. "I actually wanted to talk to you. I didn't have your cell number so I called this idiot."

I can hear her roll her eyes, and this is amusing. Ryan looks at me for a moment, and smirks raising an eyebrow. 

"Oh." I say, and shake my head at Ryan's raised eyebrow. "Yes?"

"Well, I think you might know already" she says, audibly shrugging "But today is my birthday. And we'll be having a little party—"

"Happy birthday." I tell her cutting her sentence. I forgot to wish her when i said hello.

Ryan chuckles and I smack his shoulder with a fist.

"Awwwwe thank you!" She says, then continues. "So as I was saying, I'm going out for a makeover with my friend Aubrey. She's really nice and would like to meet you! So, I was hoping if you'd like to join us?"

The question is asked to politely to say no to. I look at Ryan who is now calmly waiting for the light to go green.

"How will we—

"Oh don't worry." Sophie cuts me off mid-sentence, audibly shooing off an imaginary fly. "Mum will make Ray drop us at the saloon. He'll pick us up later."

"Okay." I nod gently. "I'll come with you."

At these words Ryan's head snaps towards me for a second and then he's attention is back at the road as the lights are green now.

"Oh thank you, thank you, thank you!!" Sophie squeals. "I'll see you when you guys arrive home. Seeya!"

Before I can utter my greeting, the line goes dead.

"Let me guess..." Ryan says, smirking "I'm your chauffeur?"

I chuckle, placing is phone back from where I picked it up.

"Yeah." I nod. "To the saloon."

"Great!" Sarcasm drips from his tone and I laugh out loud at it. "That's just great!"

"What's wrong?" I ask him, still laughing, placing my hand over my mouth.

He shrugs and takes my hand again.

"I don't want my girlfriend influenced by my sister." His words make my heart skip a beat.

"She's not just taking you to a saloon." He continues. " she'll buy dresses, shoes, jewellery, makeup—

An idea suddenly appears to me.

"I'll buy her a gift!" I tell Ryan.

He looks sideways at me for a moment.

"You think thats what I'm worried about?" He asks, all serious-Ryan.

I chuckle loudly and slightly squeeze his hand, trying to assure him.

"I won't listen to anything she says which will embarrass you."

"Yeah," He smirks. "That's assuring."

I laugh out loud again.

Ryan

Julia is my girlfriend! I repeat in my head for the billionth time. The very thought has been keeping me smiling all day. It still does as I watch Sophie pull Julia by the arm the very instant we step in through the door. I'm still smiling as I take the groceries to the kitchen, and mom raises her eyebrow at me. I just shrug and kiss her cheek.

I can't explain in words how happy I am.

Dad is in the backyard, preparing the grill for the barbecue. He doesn't give me any attention at first when I come out and give him the olive oil. He's too busy tending to the fire. But then he sees me and smiles at me, that warm fatherly smile which I like about him.

He's forcing it, I can tell. But it doesn't matter. I just won't tell him about what happened in the park.

Julia is my girlfriend....

I quickly help mom put the things in right places, and all the while I'm at it, the smile never leaves my face.

Julia is my girlfriend... Julia Garfield is my girlfriend...

Finally after half an hour, Julia appears in the kitchen door carrying her duffel bag over her shoulder, followed closely by Sophie and her redhead bestie since preschool, Aubrey.

"Hi ray!" The girl waves her hand quite excitedly at me. Her casual dressing and wearing Sophie's pumps tells me shes here for a sleep over.

Thats just great. I roll my eyes internally.

"Hello there." I greet her back, but then my eyes land on Julia.

She's beaming, while she's talking to Sophie about what dress they will buy. She looks so beautiful I want to hug her, and kiss her and—

but i can't... I realise...

Dad maybe ok with her being here. But I should not push the line in the sand. He better not find out that she is my girlfriend. No way at all.

I place the hand towel I was drying my hands on the counter and grab Julia by the waist, throwing an apology over my shoulder to Sophia.

I pull her out the kitchen door to the staircase.

"Don't tell her about what happened in the park." I whisper into Julia's ear as we reach the base. "She will tell Mom. Mom will tell Dad."

She looks at me in understanding and nods.

"I won't." She says, and kisses my cheek. "Don't worry."

I smile, releasing a breath I didn't know I was holding, and open my mouth to tell her what was on my mind, when Sophie suddenly appears behind her.

I was suddenly too aware of my position. Jules and I are standing too close.

But Sophie doesn't notice.

"Now take us to the saloon, driver!" She says in her best possible cheerleader accent, marching towards the front door, Aubrey at her heels "Or I'll have my dad fire you!"

I laugh and roll my eyes.

I don't care whatever she says. Julia, my girlfriend, is lightly laughing at it . That's all matters.

I just want her to be happy.

"Ryan?" Dad calls me just as I'm done with the streamers.

We've decorated the whole backyard with red and white balloons and streamers. Guests started to arrive an hour from now and mom is serving them some refreshments in the living room. They're some of Sophie's friends so I don't really know them.

Dad is in the kitchen, checking our— his and mine— handy work, the barbecue. A few minutes after Julia left with Sophie, dad had called me to the backyard to help him. As we worked he asked me about university and my friends. I told him about Ian and Lucas,  and lost his temper for a moment there. But he regained his calm as turned the chicken over.

"Ian was a nice boy." Dad had commented. "Despite his temper."

"Yeah." I had agreed. "I kinda miss him already."

"Of course you do" Dad shrugged. "He was your friend. A sensible boy. Im glad that other boy got expelled too."

I had chuckled.

"Yeah dad" I shook my head. "Me too."

Dad had given me that smirky look which he used to give me when I got in trouble in high school. I felt a bit proud. I had told him about punching Lucas in the face. Dad had laughed lightly and shook his head.

My mouth waters at the luscious scent as I enter the kitchen through the back door.

"Yes dad?"

He's wiping the counter, wearing his kiss the cook apron.

"Are you done with the streamers Ray?" He asks, looking up at me.

"Yup." I nod my head, dusting invisible dust off my hands.

"Then call your sister." He says, tossing the rag behind him into the dish washer. Mom will surely be mad at that.

"Check where she is, and ask when to pick her."

"Sure thing" I tell him, beaming.

I rush my way to the stairs and to my room.

Im going to got get my girlfriend back!!

I pick up my phone, from my dresser where I had placed before it so that it gets charged.

Sitting down on the bed, I on the screen and find a text there from Julia.

"Huh?" I wonder what it is.

And the instant I open it—

What???

My phone almost fall out of my hands.

Its a picture of Julia. Shes looking beautiful. But... but her hair....

'Like it?' Says the text under it from ten minutes ago.

Like it??? I mentally yell, that hair.... God I loved that hair!

And instead of calling Sophie, I speed-dial Julia...

Julia

"Your hair is a mess!" Says the stylist as she assesses my hair. I'm sitting in a saloon chair ready to have my hair finally styled to look better than they have in a while.

Sophia and Aubrey, who is a very nice, kind and cheerful girl, are sitting on my right in their own chairs. Aubrey is getting her hair get highlighted with blue. Sophia is just going with a usual trim and prim.

Where as I.... I don't know what will happen to my hair.

"Yeah." I sigh and tell my hairstylist. "My conditioner has been finished for a while, and I haven't had any hair treatment in ages!"

"You get expensive hair treatments?" Sophia asks from my side and I nod.

"Perks of being my dad's daughter." I tell her.

Aubrey, Sophie and I have been shopping all day ever since Ryan dropped us off at a beautiful dress shop. I told the that as I didn't have a gift for Sophie, I decided to buy her the dress of her choice, and told them not to care about the price tags.

At first, they showed hesitation.

"This one's too red" Aubrey has said, at seeing a red pencil skirt with a white blouse.

  But then when I picked a beautiful black halter neck dress with little diamondies decorating the flare  from my knees to my ankles, and they realised that I was not joking when I said I was actually very rich.

Especially when I told them it wasn't what I was going to wear tonight.

The two girls bought the most beautiful casual dresses they could find and I payed for them with my card, then for the jewellery, then the makeup too!

I don't care about that money. Sophia looks happy whenever she looks at all those shopping bags and that's what I lm glad about. She had told me as we were getting out of the shoe store, that this was her best birthday ever.

"What do you want me to do miss?" The hairstylist asks from behind me. What should she do...? I think to my self.

"It's too bad right?" I look at her through the wall to wall mirror in front of me. Her eyes meet mine and she shrugs with an apologetic smile.

"Do whatever then." I tell her. Groaning inwardly. I really like my hair. I can't believe it's this bad now.

Behind me, the hair stylist thinks for a moment and reaches for a comb, a spray bottle and a pair of scissors.

A hair cut..????

I almost gasp.

"Please don't look miss"

Ive been wearing my hair like this for a long while. And it grows fast, and at least it'll be fixed....

The image of Ryan's fingers in my hair appears in my head.

He likes my hair...

I know that because he's been touchijg it every chance he gets. The way he frowned every time he saw the hair black in the camera...

But I'll handle him. I can do it. Its just hair. It grows back...

....and so, I don't look.

A while later, I hear a big 'wow' from my side. The hairstylist chuckles, and pats my head. Brushing off stray hair from my neck.

"All done." She says and takes the apron off me. 

I open my eyes and look at my now short hair which barely reaches my collar bone.

It's short.... too short...

"You look beautiful!" Says Aubrey, her hair now in foils where the hair dye has been applied.

I look back at the mirror. My hair isn't as messed up as before now. And this new look... She's right.

"Thank you" I tell her

This really isn't as bad as I thought. I like it. It looks nice. I fish out my phone from my bag and take a selfie, sending it to Ryan. With a 'like it?'

I'm sure he'd flip. I look very different. But, I want to see his reaction at this.

"Who'd you send that?" Sophie asks, leaning forward a bit.

She's been done for a while now. Her hair looks no different from before, but only to normal eyes. I can clearly see the change, the shine and the even ends.

"To a friend." I tell her, putting my phone back.

"To Ray?" She asks.

I feel my cheeks get warm.

"Isn't he your boyfriend?" Asks Aubrey from behind her.

Oh lord...! I think to my self and decide not to answer at all

I shake my head at them and lean back in my chair to wait for Aubrey to be done.

"I thought he was your boyfriend!" She exclaims in shock and Sophia laughs at it.

"Ryan isn't that much of an idiot to send his girlfriend off with us Aub." Sophie shakes her head at her friend. The she turns to me and asks "is he?"

But that isn't what shocks me. Its the small wink accompanying that question.

Sophie knows.... she knows about us...

"No." I managed to say.

Sophia turn back to her friend with a victorious smile.

"See?" She shrugs. "If she was Ryan's girlfriend, I'd have told her all about the time I beat Ryan at temple run."

Wait— what??

"And the time he tried to push me off the staircase and tripped himself" she continues, "and that he liked to eat his oatmeal in strawberry milk, and—"

"And when he tackled my dog just because he licked his face," Aubrey cuts in, excited "and when he fell off the couch laughing—"

"And when he threw his camera at me for putting toothpaste in his sandwiches!" Sophia exclaims, then gives me a sideways look. "You don't want to hear all that now Julia?"

The workers who are now cleaning the counters are giggling at our exchange.

"Oh no no!" I laugh and shake my head. "Especially not the part when he fell off the stairs."

Definitely not. I think to my self.

"Oh that one was awesome!" Aubrey says. "He broke something, didn't he?"

"Broke something?" I cant keep the shock out of my voice. The worker closest to me gives me an expression I can't read.

"Not broke," Sophie gives Aubrey a look too, the keep it down aub look. "He just cracked his elbow. And I cracked jokes for a month about it!"

I release a breath I didn't know I was holding.

"He still has the cast stored somewhere in the Attic I guess" Sophie shrugs. "Did you know that Aub?"

"Nope." Aubrey shrugs. "You didn't tell me."

"I didn't?" Sophie asks, shocked. The workers giggle again as Sophia lunches into a story about how she got yo know about the cast from her mom.

I roll my eyes and hold back my laugh at how cute she is. She's obsessed with her brother. And so is Aubrey. I feel a pang of jealousy, but then Ryan's words echo in my head again.

....𝑏𝑒 𝑚𝑖𝑛𝑒....

He's my boyfriend. I remind myself. I don't have to worry. 

Just then, my phone starts to ring. I fish it out again, while the girls exchange stories of Ryan and find that it's him! Ryan is calling me.

He must've seen the pic.

"Hey!" I put my phone to my ear and then pull it back a bit when he politely asks

"What did you do to your hair!?!?"

I giggle. Yup. This is a surprise.

"Don't you think it looks nice?" I ask him teasingly, looking into the mirror. The girls stop talking and start to look at me as if I'm some tv show.

Ryan sighs and remains quiet for a moment. Then finally he speaks.

"It looks amazing Julia." He admits. You look beautiful no matter what you do."

I think I'm about to melt...

As I feel my cheeks warm up, I turn away from the girls to hide the blush.

"But I really liked your hair long." He continues. "It sways when you take a morning run. And the messy bun when you work. I really liked that."

Oh em gee.... my heart is fanatic.

Wait— run? He's seen me run...?

"Its just hair." I tell him, trying to calm him down. He sounds like a five year old.

"I know." He says, sighing. "But i already miss it"

"My hair grows fast." Tell him, trying to reassure him. It's not exactly true. But Ryan sounds so sad.

"When to pick you up?" He asks, ignoring what I said. "Dad wants me to pick you up. Guests are arriving."

Oh...

I turn back to the girls to find them looking at me with wide grins. Aubrey's hair stylist is suddenly here, and she's also smiling.

"How long.. uh... miss?" I ask her. "How much time more."

Sophia giggles loudly as I tell Ryan when to pick us up from the saloon doors. I hope he gets better when he arrives....

~~~~~~~~~~~~

A/n: OH WOW!!! don't kill me people!

Julia: don't I look pretty?

Ryan: you do, a lot. I just—

Author: cut it!!

As I was saying, yes. I had to do that. All authors are evil. ;)

This is for cadmiumtroops25 . Seriously I'm not kidding. Inspirations are silly things XD And for TRAVOLO!! tigerTS23  and outtanowhere_ .

Next chapter coming soon!!.. I hope... see ya then!

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