I closed the door behind me and Julie's mom hooked her arm with mine. She started leading me in a room. “Would you like something to drink? I'm not sure how long Julie might be,” she told me.
“No, I'm fine,” I assured her, but her touch felt foreign. It was still weird for anyone to touch me.
“George?” she called out. An older man, with a balding head and a few extra pounds around his middle came out. I could almost feel Mrs. Michaels smile. “This is Falon. Falon, this is Julie's dad, and my husband,” she told me.
I was released from her grasp only to be put in his handshake. He had a hard grip, and he shook my hand excitedly.
“It's nice to finally meet you, Falon. My kids have went on and on about you. I was starting to think you might be a myth,” he said with a laugh.
“It's nice to meet you too, Mr. Michaels.”
“Please, call me George, and that is Shirley. Make yourself at home,” he said, releasing my hand and showing me to the couch.
I sat down, but everything felt surreal. People weren't usually this nice to me, and a part of me wondered if maybe they were faking all of it for Julie's sake. They would make fun of me after I left.
But, I knew that wasn't true. Julie was just like them, and so was Liam for that matter. They were all just happy, hospitable people with constant smiles on their face.
Weird, sometimes, but it was also contagious.
“So, Falon, Julie tells me that you just graduated,” Mr. Michaels replied.
I nodded. “Yes sir. I found out yesterday,” I replied.
Mrs. Michaels smiled. “That's really amazing. Congratulations,” she told me, and I thanked her.
“So, do you have any plans about college? What you want to do with the rest of your life?” Mr. Michaels asked.
I laughed slightly. “Not really. If it hadn't been for Julie, I wasn't sure if I'd even make it through highschool,” I told them, then mentally slapped myself. You didn't tell a girl's parents that. It was like a was law.
But they both laughed, and when he looked at me again, he was shrugging it off. “I was the same way. Everyone would ask, and I'd tell them that I'd let them know as soon as I found out. It wasn't until my second year of college that I finally decided I was good at arguing, and a lawyer was a great job choice,” he told me.
“I was going to be a teacher,” Mrs. Michaels said. “But within a few months, I found that I actually liked nursing than teaching. I didn't have the necessary patience for teaching,” she replied.
The way they talked, I felt as if they were just any other person, rather than someone I needed to impress. They were easy, and amazing, and I knew exactly why Liam hadn't found a problem in allowing them to adopt him. They had a way of making you feel like you were already theirs.
“I guess I need to decide,” I told them, because I was suddenly nervous again. I wanted to look together and smart, instead of the confused kid that I sounded like. I would be eighteen soon. An adult, officially. I needed to start figuring it out.
“It'll come to you. Don't worry about it,” her dad told me with a comforting grin.
I hoped he was right.
“There she is,” Mrs. Michaels said, and we all stood up as Julie came down the stairs and stood in the doorway. I took longer to stand than her parents. My knees had suddenly felt weak.
Julie was wearing an emerald green dress, the color of her eyes, and a pair of white heels. The dress went off her shoulders with short sleeves, revealing the smooth skin of her shoulders and neck. It stopped just above her knees, and flowed loosely around her small frame at the bottom, but hugged her from the waist up.
“You look beautiful, Sketch,” her dad said, coming up to my side. I could feel his presence, but I was still captivated by her.
You're not going to kiss her. My mind began to chant the phrase over and over. No matter what, you will not kiss her.
“Thanks, daddy. Sorry it took me so long. I couldn't find my shoe,” she said, grinning in my direction.
Not going to kiss her. Not going to kiss her even if she's the last girl on Earth.
“I think your friend is speechless,” her mother said, and Julie started smiling at me, and her dad gave a hearty laugh. I felt my neck grow hot, and I moved my hand to the back of it.
“Sorry. You look amazing, Julie,” I said, but my words sounded like a fourteen year old girl.
Not the words from a guy who was not going to kiss Julie Michaels.
“Thanks, Falon,” Julie said. She looked to her parents and hugged each of them. “I'll be back before eleven,” she said, kissing her daddy's cheek.
“Just call if not. We'll probably be asleep anyway,” her dad said.
Julie nodded and then came to my side. She was staring at the flowers. “Are those for me, or just part of the outfit?” she asked.
Once again, I felt stupid.
Don't kiss her. Don't even think about kissing her.
“They're for you,” I said, handing them to her.
Julie took them with a smile, and then smelled the flowers. “They're beautiful. Thank you,” she replied.
I almost said what Ava had told me to. Like a knee jerk reaction. I managed to stop myself though, and I was glad I did. This fine
