" okay now from the scene where Julis dad comes to her before the tree gets chopped off - three two one action !"
It seemed like the whole town was there. But still, I wouldn't move. Then my father showed up. He talked a fireman into letting him come up to where I was.
"Sweeite, it's time to come down," hee fathers voice echoed up the tree, filled with concern.
"Daddy, please don't let them do this," I pleaded, tears welling up in my eyes as I clung to the sturdy branch, my fingers white with tension.
"Sweetie, it's time to come down," fathers voice softened, but firm.
But I couldn't budge. "Daddy, look. You can see everything. You can see the whole world from here," I implored, my voice trembling with fear.
"No view is worth my daughter's safety. Now, come on," he insisted, his eyes filled with worry.
I shook my head, tears streaming down my cheeks. "I can't," I whispered, feeling overwhelmed by the situation.
"Julianna, it's time to come down now," Dads voice got louder
"Please, Daddy," I sobbed, feeling torn between my love for the tree and my family's worry.
"It's time, sweetheart. You need to come down now," my father started comforting tone urged me, but I couldn't bring myself to let go.
"I just... I can't leave," I choked out, feeling helpless and scared.
"Listen, sweetheart. No view is worth risking your safety. Please, come down," Daddy's voice was firm, but filled with love and concern.
With a heavy heart, I finally relented, slowly making my way down from the tree as my family waited anxiously below.
For two weeks straight, she found herself engulfed in tears, unable to focus on anything else, even at school.
In class, when her teacher called her name, Juli's mind drifted away from the lesson at hand. "Juli?" the teacher prompted, trying to get her attention.
"Huh?" Juli snapped back to reality, her thoughts still consumed by the absence of the tree.
"Do you know the answer?" the teacher asked, pointing to the chalkboard.
"Uh, the Peloponnesian War?" Juli guessed half-heartedly, trying to muster some semblance of participation.
Laughter erupted from her classmates at her seemingly random response, but Juli couldn't bring herself to care. To her, rhomboids and isosceles right triangles seemed trivial compared to the gaping hole left by the tree's absence.
" maybe in some other lesson that may be the answer but I was looking for the answer of a right angle triangle "
~💌~
When Juli returned home, her father noticed her subdued demeanor. Knocking gently on her door, he asked, "Are you okay?"
"It was just a tree," Juli replied softly, her voice laced with sadness.
But her father knew better. "No, it wasn't just a tree," he insisted. "I never want you to forget how you felt when you were up there." He said handing her a painting of the tree
"Thanks, Dad," Juli whispered, giving him a hug
It was the first thing I saw every morning... and the last thing I saw before I went to sleep. And once I could look at it without crying I saw more than the tree and what being up there meant to me. I saw the day that my view of things around me started changing.
And I wondered.
did I still feel the same things about Bryce?
~💌~
Bryce Loski never quite understood the allure of eggs. To him, they were just another food item that he could take or leave.
That is, until one fateful day in Skyler Brown's garage.
when his feelings about eggs were solidified.
Amidst the backdrop of rock music blasting from a nearby stereo, Bryce's friends marveled at the sight of Edna, a pet snake, devouring her breakfast.
"Hey, hey, hey. Guys," Matt , Julis oldest brother announced, drawing their attention. "Edna's found her breakfast."
As the others expressed awe at Edna's appetite, Bryce couldn't help but cringe. "I mean, if a slimy reptile found them appetizing," he remarked with a grimace, "there was certainly no place for them in my diet."
Despite his aversion, Bryce found himself captivated by the scene unfolding before him.
Matt exclaimed, "Oh, man, that's so cool. She doesn't even have to chew. I mean, think of all the time you'd save."
Bryce couldn't help but shake his head in disbelief. "I could've gone my whole life not knowing that snakes eat eggs raw," he mused, recalling the fascination that Lynetta, his sister , had for Skyler Brown.
Lynetta was often found watching Juli's brothers, Matt and Mark, as they practiced with their band.
"That is so neat," Matt remarked, turning to Bryce for his opinion. "How about that, huh, Bryce?"
"Yeah. Neat," Bryce replied half-heartedly, unable to shake the image of Edna devouring her breakfast.
"So, Brycie, how do you think he's gonna digest that?" Mark teased, prompting laughter from the group.
Bryce cringed as he imagined the process, replying with a hint of sarcasm, "Stomach acid?" But his attempt at humor fell flat as the sound of a shell cracking filled the garage .
Soon what the snake had put into his stomach was spited out all crumbled up
"Eggs over easy," mark muttered, feeling a wave of nausea wash over him at the sight.
"Gross. Gross, gross, gross." Lynetta squealed
I tried to be casual about it,but it didn't take. I started having bad dreams.
I'd be trapped inside a huge egg... and this monster would open his jaws and start to devour me. I'd wake up just in time.
Then the real nightmare began.
~💌~
"Hi, Bryce. I brought these over for you and your family. My chickens are laying eggs," Juli said cheerfully, handing Bryce a basket filled with fresh eggs.
Bryce raised an eyebrow in confusion. "What?"
Juli grinned. "You remember Abby and Bonnie and Clyde and Dexter and Eunice and Florence? The ones I hatched for the science fair."
"How could I forget?" Bryce replied with a faint smile.
It was classic Juli Baker.She totally dominated the fair. And get this, her project was all about watching boring eggs hatch. I mean, here I had a live-action erupting volcano... and all anyone cared about was Juli's boring chicks breaking out of their boring shells.
"Oh, I think the last one's hatching!" Juli exclaimed with excitement as she observed the egg.
Various voices echoed around the room as people gathered to witness the moment.
"It's hatching!"
"Oh, it's hatching."
"Kids, come over here," one of the women called out to the children nearby.
"But that didn't mean I had to eat her lousy eggs. "Walker narrated snapping out of the flashback
"I think it was very sweet of Juli to bring us those eggs," remarked Bryce's mother
"I don't care. I'm still having cereal tomorrow," Bryce retorted dismissively, stubbornly holding onto his preference.
"Yeah, how do we know there's no chicks in one of those eggs?" Bryce's dad said drinking coffee and reading the newspaper
"I used to eat farm-fresh eggs when I was a kid. They were delicious," his mother explained
"Yeah, well, that's all well and good...but what if we crack one open and a dead chick falls out?" Bryce sassed
"Do they have a rooster? If they don't have a rooster the eggs can't be fertile. And if they had a rooster, we'd know. The whole neighborhood would know," reasoned his mother
"Maybe they got it de-yodeled," Lynetta added
"De-yodeled?" Bryce queried, his confusion evident.
"You know. De-cock-a-doodle-doo'd,"
"What the hell are you talking about?" Bryce responded, still puzzled by the conversation.
"Like they de-bark dogs,"
" Bryce hun just ask her " his mother said poring more coffee in her husbands mug
Bryce hesitated, unsure about the suggestion. "I don't think that..." he started, but was interrupted by Lynetta's probing question.
"What? You afraid to talk to her?" she teased, her tone playful yet pointed.
"I'm not afraid to talk to her," Bryce asserted defensively, though his hesitation betrayed his true feelings.
His sister started to mock a chicken
"I know you are, but what am I?" Bryce shot back, attempting to deflect the teasing with a playful retort.
"Okay. Just talk to her and find out," his mother encouraged, her tone suggesting she saw through Bryce's reluctance and was determined to push him out of his comfort zone.
Under the guise of a casual stroll around the neighborhood, Bryce and Garrett found themselves making their way towards Juli's house. With a mixture of curiosity and apprehension, they approached the familiar white picket fence that bordered Juli's property.
Peering through the gaps in the fence, they surveyed the backyard, searching for any signs of roosters among the chickens. Their mission was to confirm whether Juli's chickens had a rooster, which would determine the fertility of the eggs she had brought over earlier.
As they scanned the backyard, they spotted Juli emerging from the back door, a bucket of feed in hand. She moved gracefully among the chickens, scattering feed on the ground as she went. Oblivious to their presence, Juli seemed lost in her own world, focused solely on her feathered companions.
Bryce and Garrett exchanged a look, silently acknowledging the unexpected sight before them. Despite their initial intentions to remain hidden, they found themselves transfixed by the sight of Juli caring for her chickens with such tenderness and care.
As Juli continued to feed her chickens, Bryce and Garrett remained hidden behind the fence, watching her with a mixture of admiration and intrigue. It was a moment of quiet observation, one that offered a glimpse into Juli's world and the bond she shared with her beloved chickens.
After a few moments, Juli finished feeding the chickens and disappeared back into the house, unaware of the two boys watching from afar. With their mission accomplished, Bryce and Garrett exchanged a knowing glance before quietly slipping away, leaving Juli's backyard as quietly as they had arrived.
As they lingered by the fence, Bryce couldn't help but notice Garrett's puzzled expression as they observed Juli tending to her chickens. It dawned on Bryce that Garrett knew little, if anything, about chickens and roosters, let alone the intricacies of farming and egg production.
"Bryce, what were we even looking for?" Garrett whispered, his brow furrowed in confusion.
Bryce stifled a chuckle, realizing that his friend was completely out of his element. "We were trying to see if Juli's chickens have a rooster," Bryce explained in a hushed tone. "If they do, the eggs could be fertile."
Garrett's eyes widened in understanding, but before he could respond, they were interrupted by the sound of his father's voice calling out from the nearby yard.
"Bryce! Garrett! What are you two doing over there?" Mr. Loski called out, his tone tinged with concern.
Caught off guard, Bryce and Garrett exchanged a nervous glance before quickly making up an excuse and hurrying away from Juli's house.
Later that evening, as they sat down for dinner, Bryce's father broached the topic of Juli's eggs, expressing his concern about the risk of salmonella contamination.
"I don't want to take any chances with those eggs," Mr. Loski said firmly, reaching for the basket of eggs that Juli had brought over earlier.
Bryce watched in dismay as his father disposed of the eggs, knowing that Juli had put time and effort into caring for her chickens and collecting the eggs. It was a bittersweet reminder of the divide between their two families and the misunderstandings that often arose as a result.
Despite his father's precautions, Bryce couldn't help but feel a pang of guilt as he thought about Juli and her chickens. It was a small gesture, but one that spoke volumes about the barriers that separated them from their neighbors.
"Hey, Juli. Right on schedule," Bryce greeted, approaching her as she stood outside her house.
"Yeah, well, neither rain nor sleet," Juli replied with a half-hearted smile.
"Huh?" Bryce looked puzzled.
"You know, the mailman thing?" Juli clarified.
"Oh. Right," Bryce nodded.
"So, um, will you start riding the bus again?" Bryce asked tentatively.
"I don't know. I haven't been up there since..." Juli trailed off, her gaze drifting towards the bus stop.
"It doesn't look so bad anymore. It's all cleared away," Bryce observed, trying to encourage her.
"Well, um, I better get ready for school. Guess I'll see you there," Juli said, abruptly changing the subject.
"Yeah, see you," Bryce replied closing the door
Juli walked away slowly , lost in her thoughts. She couldn't help but wonder if Bryce's sudden interest in her bus habits meant something more. Was it possible that Bryce actually missed her?
Before she could dwell on it any longer, Bryce voice interrupted her thoughts.
"Juli? What are you still doing here?" Bryce asked, appearing in the doorway.
"I was just thinking," Juli replied vaguely.
"It's pickup day. The cans are in front," Bryce reminded her trying to hide the eggs in the cans
"I know. You need some help?" Juli offered, eager to distract herself from her thoughts.
"No. Maybe I'll do it later," Bryce replied before heading back inside.
Juli sighed and turned to leave, but as she did, her eyes fell on the basket of eggs sitting on the kitchen counter. Her heart sank as she realized that they were the eggs she had brought over to Bryce's house earlier.
"Are those my eggs?" she asked, her voice tinged with disappointment.
"Yeah. Yeah, I dropped them. "Bryce explained awkwardly.
"there not broken " she said
"Why are you throwing them away? Don't you not want them?" Juli asked, feeling a knot forming in her stomach.
"It wasn't me. My dad didn't think it was worth the risk," Bryce replied, his tone defensive.
"Risk? What risk? Salmonella?" Juli's voice rose in disbelief.
"Well, Juli, I mean, look at your backyard. It's a complete mess. It's, like, covered in turds," Bryce replied, his frustration evident.
"That's not true. I clean up after my girls every day.," Juli protested, feeling a surge of anger and hurt.
"We just didn't wanna hurt your feelings!"
"Have you always thrown them away?" Juli asked, her voice trembling with emotion. "You know, Mrs. Steuby and Mrs. Helms pay me for my eggs. They pay me 60 cents a dozen,"
"I didn't know. " Bryce muttered
How could you?" Juli's voice cracked with emotion.
"I'm sorry," Bryce apologized, his tone sincere.
"No, you're not," Juli whispered, turning away to hide the tears that threatened to fall.
As Bryce watched Juli walk away, he couldn't help but feel a pang of guilt. He had never intended to hurt her, but somehow, his actions had managed to do just that. As he stood there, grappling with his emotions, he realized that he had traded in his old problems with Juli for a whole set of new ones. And somehow, it felt even worse.
— Dress —