Cross Country

Chapter 2

“I know,” he said and grabbed my arm pulling me into a quick hug. “I just want your family to like me, you know I hate being looked down on.” I nodded knowing what he meant. Everywhere he went people gave him sorry looks, and it annoyed the hell out of him. It drove him to the verge of insanity, where the only time he ever left his neighborhood, was to come here.

“You're my best friend. My parents love you, they wouldn’t do that.” I said looking up at him as he wrapped my dark brown waves around his fingers. He didn’t say anything, but just kept staring into space. “Julian?” I asked.

“I know, just give it time ok?” I nodded giving him what he wanted, but inside my body was being rejected. Has nine years not been enough time?

The front door opened and shut with a whirl as my mom’s heels clicked on the hard wooden flooring. Julian stood up and fixed himself, then held out his hand to me. I took it and he pulled me effortlessly to my feet.

"Hi mom,” I greeted as she walked in dressed in a grey suit and purple blouse, her hands full of groceries and her briefcase from work.

“Hey honey. Sorry I’m late, the court ran late today.” She set down the bags of groceries onto the floor and set the brief case onto the counter. “Hi Julian, nice to see you again.” She greeted with a perfectly white teethed smile.

“You too ma’am,” He said, slightly lowering his head and I felt my gut clench. Why couldn’t he just be himself?

“Julian’s staying the night, and daddy said to tell you he had to go check out an emergency case at the court house, and he will be late getting back.” I relayed the message he had left us earlier.

Both my parents were professionally working lawyers with years of practice and schooling, which is what they also had in mind for me. I didn’t really mind, I knew the law system by heart by now, and I wanted to carry out the family trend. I was to attend law school next fall.

“Alright, thanks sweetie." She said, before whipping out her cell phone which she was constantly on. I smiled and shook my head; she was more of a teenager then I was.

“Come on,” I said, grabbing Julian’s arm and pulling him up the stairs into my room once my mom had turned away.  

“Possessive much,” he mumbled teasingly and I slapped his chest, closing the door behind us. I walked to my bed and began shutting my school books and scooting them onto the floor. “So much for the whole homework thing taking a while.” He said, smiling for bringing up the lie I said, as my face heated.

"Whatever,” I mumbled and walked to the TV that was hanging on my wall above a shelf of movies and CD’s.  I turned on the TV and the built in DVD player ejected the disk holder from the side. “What movie?” I asked, opening the whicker stack door.

He walked beside me and knelt down, pulling out a case from the bottom and holding it up to me. I laughed when I saw it was my favorite, ‘50 first dates’. I took the case and opened it, taking the round disk out and setting it in its place in the DVD player. I turned around to where Julian was laying on my bed. He smiled when he saw me and opened his arms for me. I flicked off the light as the opening credits started and walked into his arms as he pulled me down with him.

He lay behind me, stroking my hair throughout the entire movie which was something he had always done. I had become so comfortable with it that it was a natural soothing method now. By the end of the movie I was on the verge of falling asleep. I yawned and Julian rolled over on top of me, exaggerating his stretch.

"Ugh, Julian!” I said and he laughed.

“Ruined your yawn!” he cheered and I pushed him off the bed, onto the floor. “Hey, that was uncalled for.” He said in his ‘serious’ tone.