Back to Where We Started From (Miracle)

Chapter Four

    "Well, good. Tell everyone I'll be back and better than ever before long. They're just going to have to miss me for a little while."

    "Classic Julia, leaving the world wanting more. Listen, I gotta go, but it was good to catch up. Hang in there, darling, and we'll talk soon."

    The next days dragged on for Julie. She spent a lot of time with her cousins and her aunt. Herb was busy with the hockey team, but sometimes Julie would stay up late with him at night, watching footage. Things had started to get easier for her. She tried to keep up with her friends in California, talking to them on the phone as often as possible, Sometimes she would go to practice with Herb, maybe exchange small talk with a player or two. Rob ignored her, as did a few of the Minnesota boys. She had gotten to know a couple of the Boston boys. On a boring Friday night, Julie was grateful when the phone rang and her aunt told her it was for her.       

    "Hello?"

    "Hey, Julie, it's Jack O'Callahan, from the team."

    Yeah, Jack, I know who you are, she thought, internally giggling.

    "Hey, OC, what's going on?"

    "A couple of us were gonna go bowling, we thought we'd see if you wanna tag along?"

    Julie bit her lip, thinking for a minute. She did want a night out, but there were certain reasons she felt like it might not be such a good idea. How exactly could she word this delicately?

    "Sounds kind of fun...who all is planning on going?"

    "Probably just me, Jimmy Craig, Rizzo, and Dave Silk," neither one of them mentioned Rob's name, which was probably for the best. Jack knew that that's who Julie was wondering about when she asked the question.

    "Um...yeah, sure. I'd love to go."

    "Great, we'll pick you up at 7."

    "It's not my fault you suck at bowling!" Everyone laughed on the drive home as Rizzo rolled his eyes at Jack.

    "I'm better than Jules, though," Jack smirked, leaning forward to look at her from the back seat of Jimmy's car.

    "Oh, shut up, O'Callahan, you beat me by four points!" Julie scoffed at him, pushing him back into his seat. Rizzo and Dave laughed from their spots on either side of Jack.

    "Yeah, OC, and if you hadn't snuck up and scared Julie right before she bowled her last frame, she would've beat you," Jimmy pointed out.

    "Exactly! He's a cheater, I'm never bowling with him again," Julie said, feigning anger as she turned to face forward and crossed her arms. Jack once again leaned forward, putting his head between Julie and Jimmy.    

    "C'mon, Julsie, you know that's not true! You had a ton of fun with us tonight and you know it," Jack gave her his ever-charming smile, causing her to smile at him.

    "Ya know, guys, I did have a ton of fun tonight. I really appreciate it, I needed it bad."

    They all knew what she meant. She was still bummed out about Rob. Whenever she saw him at practice, she tried to avoid eye contact because she was scared she would cry. Everyone told her just to give it time and things would sort themselves out, but she couldn't help the voice in her head that said he would never speak to her again.    

    "It's no problem, we're just happy you could come out with us," Jimmy said.

"How are you surviving Minnesota?"

"I just want to get back to California, honestly," she sighed.

"Well, until you get here, you're welcome to hang out with us," Dave invited as they pulled up in front of the Brooks residence. Rizzo quickly got out of the car, opening the passenger door so Julie could get out.    

    "Thanks, Silky. Goodnight, boys," Julie smiled at the boys in the car before getting out and thanking Rizzo for getting her door. They called out a chorus of goodbyes and goodnights as Rizzo walked her towards the door. Rizzo waited to make sure she made it safely inside before heading back to the car with the boys to head back to the dorm.

    "Hey, boys," Mark Johnson greeted them from the couch when they entered the dorm building. "How was bowling?"

    "It was a lot of fun. We ended up taking Julie with us," Dave Silk said.

    "You took Julie with you?" Mark repeated, raising his eyebrows at him.

    "Yeah, it was fun. I know her and Mac have their problems, but she's really not that bad. She's a lot of fun, actually," Rizzo said, walking towards the hallway where his room was. Right as he rounded the corner, he bumped right into Rob.    

    "Who's a lot of fun?" Rob asked him, but the look in his eyes said he already knew who Rizzo was talking about. His brows were drawn down his face in an accusatory store.

    "We went bowling, took Julie with us," Rizzo said casually, moving past Rob before any argument broke out. Just when Rizzo thought he was going to burst, Rob surprised his teammate.

    "How's she doing?" He asked him quietly. Rizzo turned around to face his friend, trying to read his face, but Rob stood stone faced. He didn't look angry or sad or anything.

    "She's alright. She said she really misses LA. Her friend's girlfriend had a baby, I think she's sad she missed it. And I know she misses you, Mac."

    Rob just nodded, before continuing on his way to the living room.

Please vote and comment! Sorry this was a shorter chapter.