blood rush up her neck.
Julie’s dad grabbed her by the shoulders and planted a kiss on her forehead, then tapped a finger on her nose.
“I missed you, Kiddo. Next time, we’re all going together. I promise.” He stood and moved towards the door. “Renatta’s going to be napping, so you probably don’t want to disturb her.” He turned as he pulled the door shut. “I hope you weren’t too lonely.”
Julie sat, stunned that her father didn’t mention anything about her lips. She brushed her finger across them. No pain. They felt ... normal. What the heck? Julie hopped out of bed and ran to her dresser mirror. No way! Her lips were perfect. No swelling. No splits. No blood. No sign of injury. It was as if nothing had happened. But that couldn’t be! She was a mess last night. She backed away from the dresser and looked down. There, sitting neatly folded on the top of the dresser, was the shirt she wore last night. She picked it up and sniffed. It should have reeked of beer, should have been spotted with blood, but it smelled like the dryer sheets she always used and was a pristine white.
Maybe last night didn’t happen. Maybe it was just a dream. Then she remembered the kiss. The kiss that took away her pain. The kiss that filled her mind with an explosion of color and made time disappear. The kiss she had been waiting for all her life. She held the shirt to her face as tears threatened to spill. It was also the kiss he said he never should have given her. She sniffled and folded the shirt back up, resigning herself, once again, to a life of loneliness. It’s better this way. You can’t hurt a heart you never had in the first place .
****
Monday morning came, but Charsey and her ride didn’t. Julie waited by the front door with her book bag flung over her shoulder and glanced at her cell phone. Charsey was already ten minutes late picking her up and wasn’t answering Julie’s calls. She checked her cell. Nothing but the cryptic text from Kas showed up. At least that was one tangible piece of evidence that Friday night’s ordeal really did happen, although she wished it hadn’t. How was she going to face any of them at school? Charsey had turned into someone she didn’t recognize, Kas was out to get her, and Eli regretted kissing her. That one was the hardest to swallow of all. No matter how much she wanted to deny it, she felt something—something strong, and real, and undeniable for Eli Sullivan. But he felt nothing for her. That seemed to be the common thread that wove its way through her life. It was better that way.
Julie dug in her purse for her keys as she walked out to the garage. She was probably going to be late again, but by now that didn’t matter.
Amazingly, by the time she got to school she still had two minutes to make it to class. She stopped by her locker, dropped off her book bag and grabbed her stuff for her first few classes. Charsey had obviously already been there. Her bag hung on her hook and her books for first hour were gone. Julie shook her head. Seems the combination was suddenly easy for Charsey to work. It was the first time Julie didn’t need to open the locker for her. She slammed the locker shut, ran down the hall and slid inside the door of American Lit just as the tardy bell rang. Mr. Fredricks looked up at the clock and then down at Julie.
“Cutting it a bit short, aren’t we, Miss Mason?”
Julie wanted to flip him the bird, but she bit her lip instead. “Yes, sir. Sorry.”
Muffled laughter filled the room as Julie looked for an empty seat. She groaned to herself. One was up front by Mr. Fredricks. The other was right beside Eli. Julie’s heart twisted in her chest, and she decided to choose the lesser of two evils. She headed to the front.
Unfortunately, the seat was located between Grace and Tina, who were whispering animatedly back and forth. Grace clutched her Bible to her chest and was obviously trying to hold back another onslaught of tears, while
Julie’s dad grabbed her by the shoulders and planted a kiss on her forehead, then tapped a finger on her nose.
“I missed you, Kiddo. Next time, we’re all going together. I promise.” He stood and moved towards the door. “Renatta’s going to be napping, so you probably don’t want to disturb her.” He turned as he pulled the door shut. “I hope you weren’t too lonely.”
Julie sat, stunned that her father didn’t mention anything about her lips. She brushed her finger across them. No pain. They felt ... normal. What the heck? Julie hopped out of bed and ran to her dresser mirror. No way! Her lips were perfect. No swelling. No splits. No blood. No sign of injury. It was as if nothing had happened. But that couldn’t be! She was a mess last night. She backed away from the dresser and looked down. There, sitting neatly folded on the top of the dresser, was the shirt she wore last night. She picked it up and sniffed. It should have reeked of beer, should have been spotted with blood, but it smelled like the dryer sheets she always used and was a pristine white.
Maybe last night didn’t happen. Maybe it was just a dream. Then she remembered the kiss. The kiss that took away her pain. The kiss that filled her mind with an explosion of color and made time disappear. The kiss she had been waiting for all her life. She held the shirt to her face as tears threatened to spill. It was also the kiss he said he never should have given her. She sniffled and folded the shirt back up, resigning herself, once again, to a life of loneliness. It’s better this way. You can’t hurt a heart you never had in the first place .
****
Monday morning came, but Charsey and her ride didn’t. Julie waited by the front door with her book bag flung over her shoulder and glanced at her cell phone. Charsey was already ten minutes late picking her up and wasn’t answering Julie’s calls. She checked her cell. Nothing but the cryptic text from Kas showed up. At least that was one tangible piece of evidence that Friday night’s ordeal really did happen, although she wished it hadn’t. How was she going to face any of them at school? Charsey had turned into someone she didn’t recognize, Kas was out to get her, and Eli regretted kissing her. That one was the hardest to swallow of all. No matter how much she wanted to deny it, she felt something—something strong, and real, and undeniable for Eli Sullivan. But he felt nothing for her. That seemed to be the common thread that wove its way through her life. It was better that way.
Julie dug in her purse for her keys as she walked out to the garage. She was probably going to be late again, but by now that didn’t matter.
Amazingly, by the time she got to school she still had two minutes to make it to class. She stopped by her locker, dropped off her book bag and grabbed her stuff for her first few classes. Charsey had obviously already been there. Her bag hung on her hook and her books for first hour were gone. Julie shook her head. Seems the combination was suddenly easy for Charsey to work. It was the first time Julie didn’t need to open the locker for her. She slammed the locker shut, ran down the hall and slid inside the door of American Lit just as the tardy bell rang. Mr. Fredricks looked up at the clock and then down at Julie.
“Cutting it a bit short, aren’t we, Miss Mason?”
Julie wanted to flip him the bird, but she bit her lip instead. “Yes, sir. Sorry.”
Muffled laughter filled the room as Julie looked for an empty seat. She groaned to herself. One was up front by Mr. Fredricks. The other was right beside Eli. Julie’s heart twisted in her chest, and she decided to choose the lesser of two evils. She headed to the front.
Unfortunately, the seat was located between Grace and Tina, who were whispering animatedly back and forth. Grace clutched her Bible to her chest and was obviously trying to hold back another onslaught of tears, while
Similar Books
