Watercolor Road ✔

Chapter 19: Out

If anyone had missed the news about Julia and Will over the weekend, they knew by lunch. Whispers surrounded the pair as they walked into school holding hands, but Julia was still surprised at how invested everyone seemed in their relationship.

"Well, he is Will," Megan commented at lunch as she, Julia, and Jack sat at their usual table together.

"Thanks, Megan," Julia grumbled. "That's very helpful."

"That's not what I meant," Megan laughed. "I mean, he's Will, the guy who should have dated everyone in the school by now but hasn't ever shown actual interest in anyone. And then there's you, who are interesting to everyone simply because you're new. It's not that people think it's weird that the two of you are together, it's just that there's a lot to talk about. That's all."

"Right," Julia said. "You sure about that? People not thinking that it's weird we're together?" Julia had caught Daphne, Jacob, and their crew glaring in her general direction all of lunch.

Megan and Jack both turned to glance where Julia was looking. "Okay, any normal person doesn't think it's weird," Megan amended. "She's just jealous."

"Ugh, that is drama that I don't need," Julia complained. "Not now, not ever."

"Just ignore her," Jack advised. "She'll find something else to obsess over within a matter of days."

"Please keep in mind that she literally paid someone with sex to date me and keep me away from Will," Julia reminded both of them. "And I don't care who she sleeps with, but it was a bit extreme."

"Good point," Jack said. "But whatever, what can she do to you? Throw a hissy fit? She'd just end up embarrassing herself."

"Yeah," Julia said. "I know. That doesn't mean I want to deal with it."

Julia could have sworn that the volume in the cafeteria dropped a level as Will walked in at that moment. Heads definitely turned toward him as he walked toward Julia. Ignoring all of the eyes watching him, he gave her a kiss on the cheek as he reached her and sat down beside her.

"Hey Megan, hey Jack," Will greeted the other two. Megan didn't even try and hide her grin.

He turned his attention back to Julia. "Can you come over after school today?"

Julia looked at Megan. "We have that physics project to do today, right? The one due tomorrow?"

Megan looked disappointed for them but nodded. "Yeah, we need to get on that."

"Not tonight, then," Julia told Will. "Rain check?"

"Absolutely." He smiled and stood back up. "I have to go talk to my chemistry teacher before class. I'll see you later, okay?"

"See you later," Julia said, smiling back at him as he turned and walked away. As she turned back to her friends, she narrowed her eyes at their knowing looks. "What?" she demanded.

"Oh, nothing," Megan said.

"It's just, I don't think either of us has ever seen you so happy," Jack said. "Or Will that happy, for that matter."

"Oh, but quiet," Julia snapped, but she was glowing on the inside.

A few hours later, Julia and Megan discovered how fortunate they were in that their physics project didn't take as long as they expected, and it was actually fairly easy. Julia lay on Megan's bed as the printer spit out their lab report.