Julian

II. February, Ch. 27

     Shelley looked down at her bowl of soggy Sugar Smacks.

     She maneuvered the dry cereal puffs with her spoon, watching the milk wash away the honey-like coating on each crunchy kernel.

     She let out a sigh, wishing her heart was like a Sugar Smack, where her grief was the coating and the milk was something to wash it away.

     Every morning since Valentine's Day was like this. Her stomach didn't want food. Her eyes didn't want attention. Her hair and face didn't want to be washed.

     She didn't want to set another toe in Julian again.

     Mr. Stone looked up from his cup of coffee. The expression on his face was that of angry concern.

     He nearly slammed his half-empty coffee mug down on the kitchen table.

     Shelley jumped at the sound.

     "Are you going to tell me what's wrong or do I need to pry it out of you?" he said.

     Oh, no. She couldn't tell her father that Douglas was responsible for her depression. Her dad would find a way to hurt him, for sure.

     And Douglas' rich, influential family would have none of it. They'd find a way to hurt Shelley and her father back, perhaps snatch away her scholarship or get her father fired. Or worse. She was only fifteen, but she knew what rich people were capable of.

     "It's nothing, daddy."

     "Just because I work ten-hour days doesn't mean I don't know when something's wrong with my only child. You've been moping around like the dead for days now."

     She looked down at her cereal again. It looked even less appetizing than before.

     He pressed his lips together. "Did that Douglas fellow hurt you?"

     The sound of Doug's name triggered her chest to tighten in pain. The more Shelley tried to suppress the urge to wail, the worse the pain became. How could someone so mortal have such a deadly effect on her with just the mention of his name?

     Mr. Stone scrunched his napkin. "He did, didn't he? What did he do?"

     "Nothing, daddy. I told you. We're friends."

     "Don't you lie to me. Did he put his hands on you? Did he break your heart?"

     Yes. He did and I wish he knew that. I wish he treated me like he used to. I wish I was his girl.

     "If he did, you must tell me. I'll have a man-to-man talk with that boy."

     Her eyes got wet. Deep down, she wanted Douglas hurt, but even deeper still, she loved him.

     Mr. Stone adjusted himself in his chair. "That's it. I'm taking care of this."

     She wiped the tears away, hoping her father wouldn't notice. "You don't have to, daddy."

     "What do you mean I don't have to? Look at yourself. You're not the same confident girl you used to be. You don't even want to listen to the radio anymore."

     She was losing control of the conversation. She needed a lie, and fast. "It's not boy trouble. I'm just... just..."

     "Lying to protect the sorry bum?"

     Oh, he's no bum. "No, no. I'm just... nervous. That's all."

     He nearly laughed. "Nervous about what? The advanced coursework you didn't take this semester so you could get acclimated to a school full of boys?"

     "I do other things besides school work."

     "Like what?"

     Shelley kept her voice low, hoping her father wouldn't hear her cheap lie. "Like... extracurricular activities."

     He crossed his arms. "Julian doesn't have extracurricular activities."

     What was she thinking? It was the worst lie imaginable.

     Then, like a dream recalled at a random moment in her waking life, she remembered. She fought a smirk to hide the satisfaction of her genius. "They do now. It's a play. I'm... auditioning."

     His eyelids became slits. "You've been mopey because you're nervous about some play?"

     She giggled and shrugged. "Women. You know us."

     "And what play are you putting on? What part are you auditioning for?"

     Uh oh. Shelley's brain blanked out. "Oh, I don't know. Mr. Hughes just said I'd be good for this one role and he suggested I audition. And I can't let him down."

     Her father shook his head. "You should have signed up for Ms. Millen's class."

     She wanted nothing more than to be in a class where she didn't have to see Doug, but her counselor informed her it was too late to make changes to her schedule, especially without a compelling excuse.

     He searched her face as if he was trying to convince himself of her story. "I never took you for the acting type."

     "Well, it'd keep my mind off boys, don't you think?"

     Touché.

     "There isn't going to be any kissing or anything, right?"

     "Maybe, but I'll audition for a part that won't do that."

     Mr. Stone couldn't hide his relief. "Good."

     For the first time in days, Shelley smiled. If her performance could convince the man who conceived her, maybe she was the acting type.

     She scooped a spoonful of mushy cereal and shoved it in her mouth.