Not His Juliet

Chapter 15

Not His Juliet by K. Jessica Ramirez

Chapter 15:

Milking cows is still kind of gross but Nikki makes it fun. How anyone can make milking cows fun is beyond me but Nikki does it. When we were younger Nikki always had this luck of making everyone and everything love her which always led to fun times. She had our whole town wrapped around her pinky finger. That is until he left.

I hated seeing the young girl who loved so innocently and was always loved back slowly close herself off. When Mom went crazy on Nikki and I, she moved me into the best schools money could afford along with tutors and pretty much anything it took for me to live this 'perfect' lifestyle mom became obsessed with. From then on I always threw myself into my studies when anything difficult was going on in my life and back then every day was a difficult one.

Nikki got off so much easier however or at least I always thought so. She got to stay in public school with all her friends, she never had to take AP and honors classes, she also never got told off for having a boyfriend that didn't fit the 'perfect' imagine. I never once thought that Nikki would be envious of mother breathing down my neck. I guess a part of me guessed she might but I always tried to fill that hole until she pushed me out.

But now here we are. Together at my fiancés family's ranch milking cows. What a twist my life has taken. Only weeks prior to today I was certain of almost everything in my life. I was going to marry James because it made sense I didn't speak to my sister because that didn't make sense I kept mother at a distance because that kept my life simple but now I'm questioning me and James, I'm fixing my relationship with Nikki, and I've spoken to the man who turned my life upside down.

I've only not seen Austin for mere hours and I already long for his presence. I may be sick because last I checked Angela White never longed for anything besides a good book. I need to get him out of my mind. Damn him and his stupid dimpled smile and his bright grey eyes that I swear you could swim laps in. And let's not forget about his gorgeous mane of brown curls.

Damn it there goes my mind. Think straight White; focus on the task at hand before you have another cow milking incident. Speaking of cows Nikki and I have both realized we may not have much in common but we both don't have the best cow to human relationships.

"Now I know why cows are food and not friends!" Nikki whines moving onto her seventh litter of milk.

I'm already on my thirteenth. Maybe that one incident has transformed me into a cow milking expert. Okay not really I still suck, majorly. I just suck less than Nikki.

"Agreed. If I never see another utter in my life it'll be too soon."

Nikki lets out a beautiful laugh at my reply. She sounds so young when she laughs. I've never been one to enjoy milking cows but this at least gave us something to bond over, our hatred of milking cows. They always say the best relationships are conjured up of mutual hatred for something.

"Who was that witch who ordered you around back there anyways and since when does anyone order around Angela White?" Nikki asks winking playfully in my direction.

I can't stop the smile that takes over my face. I love more than anything to be able to talk like this. I never speak to anyone so carefree. Chris has been the only person I've been able to just relax and be me around for years but recently it feels like that small group of people has extended. Now that group included Waylon, Nikki, and of course Austin.

"Hey! No one does order Angela White around!" I protest and then add, "At least not anyone who understands that I could ruin them in the snap of my fingers!"

"Well good thing you don't know how to snap" Nikki says playfully.

I stick my tongue out at her. "I do too know how to snap! I've learned."