Watercolor Road ✔

Chapter 26: The Anniversary

Julia and Megan weren't the only ones excited about prom at their school. Coming back on Monday, it seemed like that was the only thing anyone could talk about. Girls bragged about their dresses in hushed tones to their friends, eager to show off to each other but anxious to not let their dates overhear.

But even the guys seemed excited. "Guys at my old school always made it seem like they were too cool to get excited over a dance," Julia commented as she and Megan walked down the hall. Getting to class was getting harder, too. It seemed like they had to dodge a promposal every five steps, each one more elaborate than the last.

"Well, it is the high school event," Megan reasoned. "And it's not like much else happens out here. Especially now that soccer season is over."

Talking about soccer made Julia think about Will, and while she had texted him a bit over the weekend about their shopping trip, she was excited to tell him about it in person. But as English class got started, she was disappointed to see that his seat was empty.

Julia kept her eye on the door throughout the period, hoping he was just coming in late, but her heart sank as the bell rang signaling the end of class. He had never been this late before, so Julia could only assume he wouldn't be at school at all for the day.

"No Will today?" Megan asked as they left the classroom.

Julia looked up from her phone. "No, I guess not," she said. "I just texted him."

But by the end of the day, Julia hadn't received a reply, and she was starting to worry. She had even tried to find Tony to ask him if he knew anything, but she didn't see Will's best friend anywhere.

"I'm sure everything is fine," Megan said as she and Julia parted ways at the end of the day. "Probably sick or something."

Julia remained distracted through her session with Eliza, although she didn't bring Will's absence up. There was no point, given that people miss school for a day or two all the time. But as she sat at home, listening to thunder rumbling in the distance, she stared at her phone screen.

She had already texted Will a couple of times and tried calling but to no avail. She didn't want to come off as a needy, possessive girlfriend, but something about the situation was making her uneasy.

Finally, Julia couldn't just sit around. She hopped out of her chair and left her room. "Hey, Rory, I'm going to go out for a bit."

Her uncle glanced up at her and then out the window. "It's going to start raining soon," he cautioned. "And probably hard."

"I'll be careful." Julia picked up the car keys. "I won't be too long."

He gave her a long look but then nodded. "Just stay safe."

"I will." She hurried out of the apartment and downstairs to the car, taking off along the familiar path to Will's house.

Lights were on and vans were in the driveway when Julia pulled up to the curb. The front door was open and she could hear a vacuum cleaner somewhere on the other side of the house. The cleaners.

Julia shifted from side to side in the doorway. Usually, Will would have come down to greet her, but he still wasn't answering her texts. She felt weird about just going into his house, but there's no way he would have heard the doorbell over the vacuum.

Part of her wondered if he was traveling with his parents. But that still wouldn't explain why he wasn't responding to her, and she knew that he would hate to go with them on their business trips.