Thanks to Music [complete]

Chapter Seventeen

Chapter Seventeen

Julien's POV

The ecstasy that bombarded my senses when she approached me after school nearly kicked me into overdrive. I don't recall the last time my heart beat this fast. Seeing her so close, it took everything not to grab her and pull her into my arms, hold her tight. Even Josh's presence that faded away after she saw me didn't raise my temper. The only thing that filled my entire vision was her.

And when she said yes...God, when she said yes my world exploded into colourful fireworks, lighting up the dark with the bright lights of purple and green and red and white. This was just her agreeing to trust me enough to take her out. Imagine how I'd feel when...if she gives me one more chance.

Lord, however much I don't deserve it, I really hope she does.

When people say livid, it usually means they're pissed to hell. But I was in livid happiness, if that makes any sense. My heart was bursting to tell her how and what I felt for her, but I studiously kept my mouth shut. I worked so hard for this, killed half my brain cells in the process of thinking so much, I wasn't going to let her go that easy.

I was ready an hour before the time I was supposed to meet her, in a white V neck and black hoodie pulled up to my elbows and my jeans. To be honest, I was dying to dress to impress but I didn't want to be a girl. With that, I walked down to the living room, almost shaking at the prospect of meeting her for a date, of all things. I never thought I'd be able to do that again.

The thought of her leaving me was...unbearable. Now that I'd gotten a bit of the big, wonderful piece that was her, even more I didn't want to lose her. I swear, if I did, I was going to do everything I can to get her back. I never realized she was the one, not until she left. Hope bloomed and love blossomed further when she smiled and said yes, and it was still happening. I prayed to whatever God above that she would grant me one last shot at this, and that I wouldn't mess up again.

I had been completely willing to sit around thinking of her and how I feel like her like the secretly pathetic romantic I was when my mom walked in in a black pencil skirt and a white blouse with loose ruffles down the front, all business-like. "Son, can you help me finish up the last bit of filing in the study? There's an emergency at work," she said apologetically, looking at the way I was dressed.

"Yeah, mom, alright," I answered immediately, getting up and opening the door for her. We exchanged kisses on each of our cheeks and I made sure she'd backed out of the driveway in her white Audi before going to her private study next to the kitchen.

Upon seeing the two stacks of paper and files waiting on the glass table for me, my jaw hit the floor and I contemplated ringing up my mom. This is not the last bit of filing, this is all the filing. "Oh, mom," I groaned and got to work, hoping it wouldn't take long and that if it did, Jamie would wait.

By the time I was done I'd earned myself a paper cut and five minutes past time. "Shit..." I swore quietly, wrenching open the door and grabbing my keys to the smaller, less bulky Audi to the mall.

I swear to God, my first reaction when I saw her was a skip of my heart, thinking, 'oh my God, she's really here.' But when I saw that sleazeball chatting her up with the confidence of someone well used to getting laid, my anger fired. In a moment of irrational thinking, I strode up and wrapped my arms around her waist. She froze beneath me and I prayed to God that she wouldn't turn around and slap me again.

The guy stared at me, shocked and probably pissed in his pants when he saw my expression. I made sure the fire in my eyes were evident and blazing, telling him wordlessly to just back the fuck off. Slowly, he slid off the stool like the disgusting snake he was. My eyes locked onto his back until he disappeared from my sight.