Miss Incomplete | ✓

14 | He Loves Me Not

"No."

Nick didn't reply, but instead, he sighs and begins to break away from the tough bubble and out to reality. Nick, knowing my presence, turns around to face me as he gives me a blank stare and got into his car. No goodbye, no formal greeting; just got in and left.

I turn back to Julian, who seems to drop his happy-go attitude he posed an hour ago.

I took a couple cautious steps away from Julian, "you okay?"

He looks up, not noticing my presence. "I-I'm fine."

"Okay."

"Okay?" Julian's tone look taken back; like he didn't expect this reaction.

"Okay." I repeated, "if you weren't going to talk to your best friend about it, than what's the point of me asking, y'know?"

Julian was quiet and didn't reply to my statement. I look away from him and notice there was no Mustang packed in the parking lot. "Where's your car?"

"I walked."

"You walked?" I said, slightly flabbergasted. I would expect this is a couple miles away from his house or mine. "Are your legs not tired?"

"I took a shortcut through the woods, it wasn't a big deal."

"Spoken to the girl that swim rather than run," I replied, sighing. "Damn, I should've went with Graham."

"Sorry."

"No, it's okay," I quickly assured, not wanting for him to feel at fault. "I told Graham I wanted to stay behind, it's not your fault."

Julian nods, and doesn't say anything afterwards. We took a couple of moments in silence before Julian broke it. "Do you want to go now?"

"Oh! Oh, yeah, okay." I replied as Julian starts walking and me following quickly beside him. He took a direction turn into the woods, somewhere hollowed for a path but looking quite dangerous in the night. "Wait," I pulled his arm, forcing him to come to a halt. "Can we do the long way instead—I know that is a lot of walking, but I rather do a lot of walking than get kidnapped and one of my livers removed because I walked through the woods at night."

"Okay," Julian takes another turn, and allow us to walk down the lighter path of streetlamps and cars stuck to the sidewalks.

"Sorry, I know it's gonna take more time, but I've watched a lot of horror movies and I don't plan on being one of those white people who get killed for being easy."

Julian chuckles and nods. "I understand."

As we walk quietly side by side, I tried to take in the moment. The sound of pebbles crunched under my shoes, the sound of winds blowing against the forest trees causing the rustling and the beauty of the night sky, illuminating the bright stars.

"I was walking," Julian breaks into a talk, and my attention drawn to his, "and I was walking for a long time. I didn't know where I was going; I just left my house to clear my head, to get some fresh air and after a long bit of walking, I stopped in Raymond Park. I know it sounds dumb, but that's why I didn't bring my car with me."

"It's not dumb," I declare, shaking my head, "I understand. Sometimes you get lost in your thoughts, I can understand that."

"Then I called the guys over to play soccer. Since I'm here, I might as well have done something, you know?" I nod, "Then when we were in the middle of our game, you called. You came, you're here, and I don't know." He drops the conversation, letting out a large sigh.

"Why did you need to clear your head?"

"Sometimes, it gets too much. Memories, thoughts. When I'm in my house, I want to forget, and so I leave. Get a clear air."

"What memories were too much?"

Julian paused for a moment, and for a good second, I thought I crossed a line. I open my mouth to apologise, "Tasha."

My lips shut closed as I stopped moving; my eyes scanning over Julian as he looks to me, his eyes glossy. He turns away from me before allowing me to decode his thoughts; I felt in my need to ask, "do you miss her?"

He doesn't reply, as his eyes shifted focus down to the concrete floor. Somewhere in this conversation, a stag of jealousy stirred over the pit of my stomach that I'm reminded, during the younger years, she got the one thing I wanted so long. I'm reminded, that he didn't like me.

"I feel lost without her."

I choke back on air, not expecting that reaction. Julian refuses to meet my glaze as his eyes continue to find sanction on the floor. His shoulders slouched and his lips held shut. I didn't know what to say. Francena, the girl that can cleverly come back on anything, is speechless. I didn't want to fumble with my words and turn the situation somehow worst. I can be reckless with words, and that's my problem.

But. Julian. This is Julian. I have to do something.

I didn't know what came over me, or where my actions came from, but I pull Julian into a hug. If I couldn't find the right words to comfort him, I hoped my actions would.

Julian seem taken back from the sudden action as I wrapped my arms around his neck, just as his arms laid by his side. I felt ridiculous, feeling no returned emotion from him, I was about to release when...

He wrapped his arms around my body.

He returned the hug with much intensity; like he needed the support. And somehow, I had given it to him. My face brushing against his shoulder as I tried to hold the hug for as long as possible; the sense of warmth in his body, the security I felt for him. I didn't know what to think.

A good few moments passed, and with comfortable air, the intensity of his returned hug warmed down and I pulled back. Julian's eyes met with me, and they were wild. An emotion crossed them quickly before fading as they came. "Thank you," he mutters softly, and I smile back in return.

"No problem," explaining to myself that this was just the idea that when a friend is in need, I should help, "I just hope I didn't overstep any boundaries."

"N-no," he shakes his head violently, getting his point across, "you didn't."

"Good," I let out a relief breath, the smile of mine brighten, "or this partnership would've taken a weird turn."

He chuckles, and for a split second, he seemed better. Brighter. He didn't seem like the lost boy I saw moments ago at the mention of Tasha. He didn't look sad at the mention of her name. He looked like the boy that came over my house for some udon. The boy who teased me for accidentally feeling his muscles. The boy during the market.

"Y-you—" I stopped myself; I was about to give an advice when I realised the moment wasn't right for it. Our friendship isn't as close yet. I shake my head, "never mind." Dismissing the thought.

"What?" His eyes searching my feature. I look back into his.

"I don't want to overstep boundaries," I said in a warning tone, "but I was going to say; if you need a friend or anything, you have me."

The thought came out differently than I anticipated. The sudden backlash occurs to me — of course he doesn't need me! He has friends better than me. Why the hell would you say that, Francena—

"Yeah," Julian nods, agreeing. His decision took me off from surprise. "I will."