When Lightning Strikes [COMPLETED]

Chapter 14: Around the Island (Part 1)

Julie had been looking forward to the last bit of the week after finals. But her sleep last night had been interrupted with tossing, turning, and intermittently waking up, tingling with longing for...something. Her dreams were becoming more vivid. She knew now she was dreaming about a man with blond hair and blue eyes, but his features were fuzzy. He made her lips tingle and her body warm all over.

To make things worse, she didn't know how to act when she saw her family this morning. Even in her head she called her parents Lir and Andromeda now. They just weren't 'mom and dad' anymore. She wished she still had the excuse of studying to hide in her room and take notes in the notebook—which was her friend and worst nightmare all wrapped up in a neat leather package.

But today she was determined to find some answers.

Everything in the last few days conspired to make her search easier. Kara's family was leaving for a long summer vacation. Muriel was off teaching dance classes in New York. She missed them both, but because they were gone, the gym space was all hers for practice—the school had even loaned her a key on Muriel's word—so she had an easy place to hide if she needed to get out of the house. If she wasn't too freaked out to leave her room.

But she had a burning desire to go to the other side of the island and see the other school since her talk with Andromeda—it was what gave her the strength to leave her room. She needed answers. She knew she would find them there.

They didn't want her going there. There had to be a reason.

Julie stood at the door to her room for at least ten minutes, hand on the door knob until her palm was sweaty. She turned the handle, her hand slipping on the smooth sliver knob. She took a deep breath, plastered her dance smile on her face, and went down the stairs.

Andromeda had been painting, repainting, and then repainting again, as she tried to pick the perfect colors for the house. Today the kitchen was a vivid yellow, and the living room was a steel gray. Yesterday the kitchen was green. Had she stayed up all night painting?

"Hey," she said as she entered the kitchen, "I like the living room color. The kitchen, I don't know." She tried to keep her voice even and her eyes from widening at how strange this was.

"Thanks, hon. I'm not sure about the color yet in the living room. I may go a shade lighter. I think I'm going to have to do the kitchen again though." She swept a hand back through her unbrushed hair.

Julie eyed the now-typical outfit of paint splattered sweat pants and a t-shirt and struggled not to let a frown creep over her face. Andromeda was so different. She never left the house anymore. In Atlanta, they ate out almost every night, and her parents often went to concerts or other events on the weekends. It was almost like another person had replaced her.

She rubbed her temples. This was so confusing.

"What do you think? I want to make you happy too. You can help me pick colors next time. The paint store knows my name now." She laughed. "Do you want breakfast? I have some made already. If you don't want that, I can make you something else. Tell me what you want. Fruit? Pancakes? I can have them ready in a few minutes. Toast? Jam? Oh no, I'm out of that. But I can run out and get you some right now if you want it."

Julie stared at her.

"Oh, no. You want jam, don't you? I'll go get some now. Raspberry? Or what about cherry? Or I can get both. One for each side of the bread?" She picked up her keys, still looking at her.

"No, this is all fine. I am fine." Julie clenched her teeth. She was afraid her jaw might drop otherwise.

If Andromeda was so miserable, why were they staying here? She was a high-paced business woman, not some lady that puttered around the house, deciding what room to paint what color. It felt wrong. Why was she home instead of working with Lir? She did such a great job in Atlanta. They had even promoted her a few times.