•Dedicated to≈ sundella
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"Always appreciate what you have. Even tho it may not be a lot, its better than having nothing."

-Kamoyrocks :)

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Julia's POV

Have you ever had one of those feelings when you wish you could just fight for what's right? To fight for what's yours? To fight for others? Yourself? Well, that's how I feel right now.

As Bianca basically struts her way to Jace and pulls him away. The way she starts critcizing Brook about how she made a big mistake for leaving her and hung out with us. Or how she was ready to turn to me and start criticizing me now.

"Don't you even start." I say.

"I don't need to, I mean, look at your outfit." She says scrunching up her nose. I wait to feel offended, it doesn't come. I smile at myself for not letting her get to me.

"What do you want Bianca?" Jace asked, clearly annoyed.

"I need you to help me with my biology project."

"Why don't you just go call a nerd." Alex scoffs and Brook nudges him.

"That's the thing. Brook was my nerd. She did all my homework but clearly she has left me to go to Alex." And it was the first time in forever. Yes, I'm sounding like the movie frozen, I saw Alex glared angrily at someone. I turn to Brook and give her a look to calm him down. She rubs his arms and his face moves from hatred to deep love within seconds.

"If I go with you, will you leave them alone?" Jace asks.

"Yup!" She says popping the p.

"Fine let's go." He finalizes. Bianca walks towards me, then brushes past my shoulder.

"I told you to leave him alone. He'll always come running back to me." She sneers.

"Let's all be real right now. We all know that you came to him. And ain't no biology project you have to do with him but hurt him again and I'll be yo last nightmare." I say back thrust her shoulders with mine.

"You don't scare me black girl." She walks away and carries Jace with her.

"I'll drive you back." Alexander places his arm around me and I nod.

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"Well, she is just downright awful." Nadine; Jace's mother says. We are in the living room, folding some clothes as I tell Nadine what happen a few hours ago. In all fairness, Nadine is almost like a mother to me. She can't replace my mom though, I'm afraid no one can. Sure I have a stepmother but she'll never take mama's place.

"I can't believe I'm saying this but, I don't like her." I mumble and Nadine laughs.

"Julia, I love you, you know that? Its not a crime to not like people. I'm just glad that you don't hate her. Hate is a strong word. Never let any person pull you down enough for you to hate them." She kisses my cheek.

"Thanks Nadine." I smile at her. She takes up the basket of clothes and smiles.

"Please, call me mom. And I'll do anything for you dear. Can I tell you something? But don't tell anyone. Pinky promise?" She holds out her pinky finger and I laugh and connect it. "I never liked Bianca either. Even when they were together." She whispers.

"Really!"

"Shh!" She hushes me. "Francis never liked her either. She is just...too self absorbed. But if anyone asks or finds out, just say I said something was off about her." She places her index finger and thumb on her mouth and zips it and throws away the imaginary key.

I head up the stairs while hearing Nadine say something about getting my stuff ready for church tomorrow.

I sit inside of Jace's room looking at pictures. He was so cute when he was small. The picture I have was when Jace was younger, he was in his football jersey, covered in dirt and on his father's shoulder. I smile at it.

"Hey you stalk Jace too?" I look up to find Jace's older sister; Kathy.

"What? No! I-I." I stutter as she comes and sits beside me.

She chuckles. "Relax, I was just teasing. You look like me when I took my dad's car for a spin and I got stopped by the police for speeding and never had a license."

"That really happin to ya? What you did do?"

"You betcha it did. I just told them who my dad was, threaten to cut their pay and those fools went flying in no time." She took a sip of her orange juice.

"Wow. You're a rebel." I say and she smiles proudly.

"I try. So how's school and all? I heard that those chip bags are picking on you because you're the only black one there. That must suck." She takes up a basketball from Jace's floor and starts throwing it at the wall. For a twenty odd year old, she really makes it seem like she's a teenager.

"I've learn to get used to it. The bullying don't stop but mi a get there." I say and she nods.

"That's great. You know, you are very strong. And, even if I was different among those guys, I'd make a pretty great mark and prove them all wrong." She nudges me and I chuckle.

"One day."

"Why one day? Why not start to make a change now? It wouldn't be too late for people to learn something new. We all have that bright spark in us and we're gonna place some of that spark somewhere in the world while we roam this earth. You never know when it can be your last." She gets up and walks up to the door. I'm speechless. I hear her chuckle.

"Don't think too hard about it. I really just came in here to tease you about Jace but I guess the responsible side of me took a swing at you. I hate her sometimes." She says and I laugh.
"There's that laugh that I wanted-" she is cut off by her phone ringing. She groans.

"Who is it?"

"My ex boyfriend. I don't know why he doesn't leave me alone. I told him that it was over ever since I caught him getting it on with that girl in his apartment when I came to get it on myself." I laugh at her. "And the irresponsible side is back. I missed her so much. I'll be back. Don't stalk to much, it blinds people. You're the best sis." She walks out the room. "What." She says in the phone and walk away.

I sit there in thought.

******

"So what are you going to wear for church?" Asks Nadine. I look in my suitcase but again in no luck of finding a decent dress.

I shake my head and she sighs. "Just the perks of having an abusive stepmother." I smile weakly.

"No, I will not tolerate this. You are going to church tomorrow. And I am going to make sure that you do. Give me w minute." She says and walks out the room. Then opens the door along with

"Hey doll." Carter says and smirks at me as if looking to make an attempt to walk to me bit is pulled back by Emily.

"Not so fast." She says and sits beside me. "I've never seen mom this determine."

"What you mean?" I ask.

"Mom is a strong Christian. She wants all of us to believe in God as well and seek salvation and she will not let no one, under no circumstances miss any day of church. Except for dad. Because he might have some really important business to deal with. But when mom knows that it can be handled by his assistant, she makes him come anyway." Emily says.

"You are just a little chatterbox there now aren't you?"

"Not my fault for wanting Julia know about what's important." She shrugs and walks out. Then Nadine comes back with dresses in both of her arms.

"Now, you are going to be choosing anyone of these because I will not tolerate you not going to church with us." She says sternly. I gulp. Emily was right.

"Yes ma'am." I rush to the bathroom and I hear everyone laugh.

....

"That was is lovely honey. You look absolutely beautiful. Jace won't be able to take his eyes off you." Nadine chirps.

"As if he ever does."Kathy scoffs

"What do you mean?" I ask but then do a little dance in my head to the song What Do You Mean by JB.

"Wait, seriously? You don't see it? The way Jace looks at you with those sparkle in his eyes. The way he looks at you when you laugh smile, everything about you. He looks at you like the way dad looks at mom." She continues as Nadine face turns into a deep shade of red. "He looks at you with love."

Love? Jace doesn't love me. I mean, he does as a friend but nothing more. Although he did confess that he wanted to kiss me but hey, best friends kiss...I think.

"And I'm not talking as just a friend. I think he loves you way more than that. The dick head just doesn't want to show it." She says, as if reading my mind.

"Julia honey." Nadine sits beside me and holds my arm. "Jace loves you. I can feel it. I've never seen him this happy before. I don't even think that when he was this happy when he was with Bianca. You have something that we all admire and you are different. Jace is so lucky he met you. You should talk to him tomorrow about it." She smiles and kisses me.

"I will." I sob.

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"Hi. Hi." I greet people. We are at the Merchant's Baptist Church. I'll say it is incredibly beautiful. The people are nice and warm and I have to keep on making up excuses to catch my breath because they wouldn't stop saying how much they admire me.

"Hey, have you seen Jace?" I ask Victor.

"He'll be here soon. He had a little hold up at Bianca's house yesterday." He says and my belly turns. I wonder how long the project could be that made him stay...overnight. My minds starts to think of the worse things that they might have dome.

No. Jace wouldn't do that. But Bianca was his first girlfriend and although they might have broken up, feelings take a while to go away.

What if his feelings didn't go away? What if they got back together and had it at her house? What if...

No! I have to stop. Jumping to conclusions will have you ending up jumping in the wrong place. I'm not going to lie, I am jealous that Jace stayed the bight with Bianca and didn't bother texting me. But nothing will change.

I go outside to get my money for offering. Jace is a nice guy, he would never do-

I stand there frozen as the image in front of me displays itself. I rub my eyes to see if I'm just imagining stuff but I'm not. I even pinch myself but it still seems to not work.

I feel my tears coming as I watch Bianca and Jace kissing...

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A/N: hey everyone. Happy Valentines and every holiday after when it comes! Jace's POV for the next chapter? To see what happen that lead to what Julia saw? Comment yes or no. Uh, I know this chapter is all messy and flabby and might not make any sense but I've been a little out of my game lately. I just have one advice and that is:

"Don't offer help if its not needed."

It might make no sense to y'all but its really taken a strike at me. Anyways, thanks for reading and voting guys. I appreciate each and everyone of you. I'm not sure when I'll be posting again guys, I'm just going to try my best. I just need some time to think. I hope you all understand. Thanks for waiting up on me.

Lots of Love from me. God bless all of you wonderful people. -Kamoyrocks