Hate vs. Love ✓ [Original Version]

Chapter 54 Are You Wearing Lipstick...Julian?

Yikes! I spent almost a whole year on this book. Never have I ever gotten thru more than 7 written chapters in my writing before!

Chapter 54: Are You Wearing Lipstick . . . Julian?

Are you free today?

I was sitting in my room, planning on taking a nap. It was seven pm. Weighing my options, I decided to tell him: Yes. His reply came immediately asking if I could meet him at the small park in our neighborhood. I accepted it. Grabbing the gift I had for him, I headed out.

"Gramma, I'm leaving," I yelled at the front door, looking for my shoes.

"Where?" she shouted from the kitchen.

"Park. Meeting Julian," I answered as I slipped on my sneakers.

"Tell my future grand son-in-law I said hi," she said leaning from the kitchen doorway. I narrowed my eyes at her and went out. She had talked to Piper, I'm betting. These people were getting too extreme.

Julian was already waiting for me as I entered the park. He sat on a bench with his hands clasped in his lap.

"Hey," I said as I took a seat next to him.

He looked at me surprised and said, "You remembered me?"

I punched his arm lightly as he laughed. "Of course. You're the guy who's ditching me in like four days."

"I don't really want to, you know," he said holding my gaze.

"Then why?"

He pursed his lips and said, "Family things."

"Oh." I couldn't relate, so I didn't know what to say.

"But that's not why I called you here," he said and put on a smile. "I wanted to spend a little more time with you. You keep ignoring me and then blaming me for leaving. Did my confession scare you off that bad?" He was joking around but I didn't find it funny.

"It's not that," I denied, looking away. "I--um . . . Other things have been consuming my time. I'm definitely not ignoring you."

"I see. I wanted to ask you something. Don't answer if you don't want to," he said uneasily.

"What?"

"Do you like Lucas?"

I looked away and shook my head. He seemed amazed at my response. "I thought I liked him but realized that I really don't. All those years of trying to move on and staying away from his presence actually had worked. Unfortunately, all thanks to you, you encouraged me to go with him." I grinned.

"Please," he said rolling his eyes. "You gave him so many opportunities. I was only waiting for my turn. Crushed all my hopes, Cassie." Both of us were being subtle and careful talking about this.

"Says the one who told me to be nicer," I retorted.

"Yes and you used that reasoning against me by dating my cousin?" he asked raising an eyebrow.

Just to mess with him, I said, "I didn't know you were available at that time. I might've changed my mind." He gave me a look which I returned with a wide smile.

"Damn it! I knew I should have just confessed when you told me about Lucas and you," he said going along.

I frowned as I realized what he had said. "You liked me at the camp?" I played around with my hands waiting for his response.

"No. That's when I realized I liked you. And then that turned into--why are you fidgeting so much?" he asked scanning me. "This isn't the first time we're talking. Maybe the last, but not the first." The last? If only he knew about the play day plans.