Heroes of Falledge Book One: Black Hellebore by Nicole Zoltack Page A
Authors: Nicole Zoltack
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the door. What the hell was wrong with him? He knew Justina was dead, that Julianna had been standing in front of him, yet he had felt something for her.
He may have wanted to kiss Justina, but he had kissed Julianna.
That could never happen again.
Chapter Nine
Julianna didn't call out to him, didn't stop him from leaving. How could he have kissed her?
No. He hadn't kissed her. He had kissed Justina.
She felt used, and wounded. The one time Mark had kissed her, she hadn't felt much. But when Nick had...
She brought her fingers to her lips, traced them, reliving the sensation of his lips against hers. It had been so full of life and passion. She had long envied the connection her sister and Nick had, wanted to feel that for herself with someone who loved her as deeply and purely as Nick had Justina.
To have a taste of it was cruel when her love life had been devoid of any true candidates in a long, long time.
Whirling around, she dusted her hands. She would not fall into despair again. She had too much work to do.
Her lips twisted into a scowl. Her solution to everything: run away and bury her nose into her work. Not a glamorous life. Not a happy one either.
Instead of grabbing her keys and purse and heading to the station, she entered her bedroom and opened her closest. Beneath her perfectly hung shirts, behind her lined up shoes, rested a small box. She dug it out and placed it on her bed. With a heavy sigh and closed eyes, she opened it. Everything inside was just as she had last placed it: some pictures on top, Justina's favorite earring -- the match never had been found -- a few letters, and Justina's diary.
Her sister had kept hundreds of diaries, starting since she turned eight. This particular one was her last one.
Julianna lay down on her bed, her legs dangling over the side. She flipped it open to a random entry:
Nick and I skipped school today. Mom and Dad would be so pissed! I can't help I'm not the responsible one. Everything Julianna does is perfect in their eyes. But that's okay, I don't mind. She can have her books, I'll have my fun.
Julianna winced. She had exchanged her books for work. Nothing much had changed otherwise.
What would Justina be doing right this second if she hadn't died? Probably skydiving with Nick.
The idea of her sister squealing with delight, her body wrapped around Nick's as they jumped out of a plane made her stomach churn.
Not wishing to dwell on that, or her curious feelings, she turned the pages.
I can't wait to grow up! I never feel more alive than when I'm doing something fun and reckless with Nick. He's the reason my heart beats. If anything ever happened to him, I would just die. I completely understand why Romeo and Juliet killed themselves. I don't think it's a tragedy. It's romantic. They had no life beyond each other. Why live when the other isn't? But I can't tell anyone this. They just don't understand. If they had love, true love, real love, not that Hollywood crap version of love, then they would get it, too.
Julianna closed the diary. Her stomach twisted into knots. Could Nick have had anything to do with Justina's death? Inadvertently?
*****
With each step Nicholas took, he expected her to call out after him, to demand answers to her questions. After all, it was her job to learn what had happened. She could get in a lot of trouble if it ever came out that she had let him get away when he was the only witness to the lab event, as he was beginning to think of it. It sounded much better than robber-guy-covered-in-goo event.
He hopped onto his bike and groaned. It still needed gas.
No, it didn't.
The tank was full.
He had been about to put his helmet on, but he stopped, frozen. His gaze flew to the front window. Julianna stood within view with a faint smile on her face. She also looked befuddled, as if she didn't know what had come over her. Or him. He had been the one to initiate the kiss. She probably thought he had been
He may have wanted to kiss Justina, but he had kissed Julianna.
That could never happen again.
Chapter Nine
Julianna didn't call out to him, didn't stop him from leaving. How could he have kissed her?
No. He hadn't kissed her. He had kissed Justina.
She felt used, and wounded. The one time Mark had kissed her, she hadn't felt much. But when Nick had...
She brought her fingers to her lips, traced them, reliving the sensation of his lips against hers. It had been so full of life and passion. She had long envied the connection her sister and Nick had, wanted to feel that for herself with someone who loved her as deeply and purely as Nick had Justina.
To have a taste of it was cruel when her love life had been devoid of any true candidates in a long, long time.
Whirling around, she dusted her hands. She would not fall into despair again. She had too much work to do.
Her lips twisted into a scowl. Her solution to everything: run away and bury her nose into her work. Not a glamorous life. Not a happy one either.
Instead of grabbing her keys and purse and heading to the station, she entered her bedroom and opened her closest. Beneath her perfectly hung shirts, behind her lined up shoes, rested a small box. She dug it out and placed it on her bed. With a heavy sigh and closed eyes, she opened it. Everything inside was just as she had last placed it: some pictures on top, Justina's favorite earring -- the match never had been found -- a few letters, and Justina's diary.
Her sister had kept hundreds of diaries, starting since she turned eight. This particular one was her last one.
Julianna lay down on her bed, her legs dangling over the side. She flipped it open to a random entry:
Nick and I skipped school today. Mom and Dad would be so pissed! I can't help I'm not the responsible one. Everything Julianna does is perfect in their eyes. But that's okay, I don't mind. She can have her books, I'll have my fun.
Julianna winced. She had exchanged her books for work. Nothing much had changed otherwise.
What would Justina be doing right this second if she hadn't died? Probably skydiving with Nick.
The idea of her sister squealing with delight, her body wrapped around Nick's as they jumped out of a plane made her stomach churn.
Not wishing to dwell on that, or her curious feelings, she turned the pages.
I can't wait to grow up! I never feel more alive than when I'm doing something fun and reckless with Nick. He's the reason my heart beats. If anything ever happened to him, I would just die. I completely understand why Romeo and Juliet killed themselves. I don't think it's a tragedy. It's romantic. They had no life beyond each other. Why live when the other isn't? But I can't tell anyone this. They just don't understand. If they had love, true love, real love, not that Hollywood crap version of love, then they would get it, too.
Julianna closed the diary. Her stomach twisted into knots. Could Nick have had anything to do with Justina's death? Inadvertently?
*****
With each step Nicholas took, he expected her to call out after him, to demand answers to her questions. After all, it was her job to learn what had happened. She could get in a lot of trouble if it ever came out that she had let him get away when he was the only witness to the lab event, as he was beginning to think of it. It sounded much better than robber-guy-covered-in-goo event.
He hopped onto his bike and groaned. It still needed gas.
No, it didn't.
The tank was full.
He had been about to put his helmet on, but he stopped, frozen. His gaze flew to the front window. Julianna stood within view with a faint smile on her face. She also looked befuddled, as if she didn't know what had come over her. Or him. He had been the one to initiate the kiss. She probably thought he had been
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