She smiled, wiping her eyes, mascara running under her eyes, mingling her tears with black. “I'm just so happy. I was so afraid you weren't going to do well,” she told me.
I laughed. “You think I'm stupid?”
She glared at me. “You know what I mean. I thought you wouldn't take it seriously. I know that you don't like school, and you only continued because I pushed you to,” she replied.
And Julie. Julie pushed me to.
“Well,” I said, waving the paper. “Now I did it.”
“Yes, you did,” she said, hugging me again. The air got knocked out of me once more, and once more, I didn't really mind. “How about I take you out? We can go to a movie?” she said.
I shrugged. “Whatever you want, Ava,” I told her.
She grinned and held up a finger. “Just let me get dressed,” she said, and started toward her room.
I headed to the couch. “I'm going to call Julie and tell her,” I told her. She yelled that it was a good idea and then disappeared into the bathroom.
Julie's number was on speed dial, but I texted her first.
Guess who just found out he graduated?
I only had to wait a moment before seeing Julie's picture pop up on my phone. Her message made me laugh.
You do not text good news. I will pretend I didn't read that and wait for you to call me.
I called her, listening to her phone ring five times before she finally answered. “Hello?” she answered innocently.
“Hey, Julie.”
“Oh! Falon, this is such a surprise. Why ever are you calling me?” she asked, and I could not help but laugh.
“I just got my letter. I graduated,” I told her.
She laughed, the joking leaving her voice. “That is great! I knew you could do it,” she told me, and I felt the same happiness rise up that Ava had created.
“If you hadn't helped me, I wouldn't have.”
She scoffed. “Please. You had it handled. You just needed the motivation,” she told me. I then heard her gasp. “You should let me take you out, to celebrate. We can go bowling or skating or something, or just a nice dinner-”
“After last time? I think I'm okay,” I told her.
She was quiet for a moment. When her voice spoke again, it was soft. “You can't be afraid to go out because of ignorant people. Please?” she begged.
I took a moment, and though I didn't feel comfortable with it, I found myself agreeing. “Okay. Anything for you and Liam,” I told her.
She was silent. I wondered if I had said something wrong, but her voice came back normal. “Yeah. I guess Liam and I will pick you up? Say around six?” she asked.
I still knew I had said or hadn't said something, but I wasn't sure what it had been. She didn't seem to want to tell me either.
“Ava and I are hanging out tonight. Tomorrow?”
“Yeah. Tomorrow's great.”
“Okay. Goodbye Julie,” I told her.
“Goodbye, Falon, and congratulations,” she said, and then her voice disappeared, and I was there holding the phone.
♥
It bothered me all night while Ava and I were out. I tried to enjoy the movie, despite it being one of Ava's picks. I couldn't help but wonder what it was I had said to Julie.
She had went quiet after I had mentioned her and Liam taking me out. Had she not really wanted to take me out? I didn't see why she would ask if she didn't. It didn't make sense.
It was when Ava and I got home, and both went to our bedrooms, that I started to wonder if maybe Julie hadn't meant that her and Liam would take me out.
Maybe she had thought that only her and me would go. It seemed preposterous, but also, logical. It was the only thing that seemed to make sense.
Julie had wanted to go out, just us. Alone. At night, in a date like setting.
Chills ran up my spine.
Sure, I wouldn't mind being alone with Julie. I liked her, a lot. More than a lot. I hadn't felt the way I felt for any girl except her, but this made things more serious.
Being with her, alone, meant that it turned into a date. Dates turned into dating, and I wasn't sure if I wanted to start dating. This was Julie. I couldn't date Julie.
The thought of sacrificing the amazing friendship I had with her and Liam for what could end up being a disastrous relationship didn't seem right. Maybe I was just being selfish, but I would rather have her as a friend than risk losing her altogether.
♥
The next day, the time with the kids seemed to fly by. We worked as always, like happy little workers. Nothing seemed different between any of us, but there was still something going on behind the curtains.
I kept watching Julie, knowing that tonight was not going to be the way she planned. Why she wanted to be alone, I wasn't completely sure. It would have been interesting to think she liked me, more than the platonic friendship we had created.
Well, not completely platonic. I was thinking romantically about her. I merely refused to act on those impulses.
Liam was concerned over his mystery girl. I could see that nothing had changed the determination he had for finding her. He looked anxious for the day to be over so he could resume his search.
Julie had told me that their mom hadn't been much help. She didn't recognize anyone by Liam's description. She must have been on another floor, or just have not noticed her.
It didn't deter Liam. He was still bound and determined to finding
