Chapter Two
Three months later...
I stood outside the door of his mini-mansion, as I liked to call it, casually dressed in jeans and a tank top. Knocking sharply on the door, I admired his mother's work on her rose bushes and his father's artful garden taste.
The door opened quickly, nearly flying off its hinges, and in its doorway stood Julien with his hair as messed up as usual in a white tshirt and blue jeans. "Hey," he said breathlessly, yanking me in by my wrist and smoothly planting a sweet kiss on my lips.
Blushing and straightening my hair, I walked in, comfortably familiar with the house. His butler smiled at me, and I waved. Julien's laptop was open on the coffee table in front of the TV, and as Julien went to make us drinks, I sat on the couch.
Now I don't usually pry into his YouTubing life, or the ever interested paparazzi who constantly bombarded into his personal life; I knew for a fact that he often told them lies and other pieces of gossip to keep them interested and off his back with their nags, but he's never told them about me.
With our version of 'Begin Again' online, they've been bugging him even more, especially when the likes soared to a million in three days. It was common knowledge now that we were dating, and we freely let cameras snap pictures of us dating. It was nothing to me, knowing that he would never tell the paparazzi anything and keep my personal life off records, but my that trust was shattered when the headlines on the bright screen caught my eye.
YOUTUBE HEARTTHROB BADBOY JULIEN MARCUS CHEATED ON!
My eyes widened, and before I could stop myself and rationalize that there was a perfectly reasonable excuse for this bullshit, I grabbed the laptop and let my eyes absorb the lie.
'YouTube badboy, Julien Marcus has recently revealed to E! that he was cheated on, by his girlfriend, Jamie Nathan, and with his brother no less! After their highly successful collaboration on 'Begin Again', originally by Taylor Swift which posted three months ago, these two lovebirds have been seen dating pretty much everywhere. Word has it that it was Ms.Nathan herself who changed our boy from major ladies' man to a one woman only policy. If this is true, what then led to her cheating on him with Matthew Marcus, Julien's very own brother? Seems like this girl has her issues...'
Before I could continue reading, before the tears could spill at the lies, Julien came in holding two glasses of lemonade, my favourite drink I would have enjoyed if not for the paragraph of bullshit right before my eyes.
Composing myself and willing the tears to just go away, at least temporarily, I turned the screen to face him and calmly asked, "Julien...what the fuck is this?"
His eyes widened when he saw what I indicated. Breathing slowly, I saw his hazel eyes darken with apprehension and he gently placed the glasses on the coffee table. "Jamie..." he said quietly, looking me in the eyes. "I can explain, okay, just hear me out..."
"Hear you out? Hear you out, you have to be fucking kidding me!" I practically screamed. My temper had lessened over the years, but it hadn't disappeared, and all barriers tumbled down.
I shut him up before he could say anything, but I saw his eyes smoke over with anger and his shoulders tense. Yeah, get pissed off at me, so what?
"Jamie," he began, but I barged in.
"No, Julien! I trusted you! I handled all your bullshits and this is what I get? You just handed my ass, my ass and Matt's, to the fucking paparazzi! This is my goddamn reputation, damn it, Julien!" Words were coming out of my mouth in a fury, fast and uncontrolled.
"JAMIE, SHUT UP!" he yelled, losing control.
Yup, there it was. We've never yelled at each other before, though we've seen it at other people. His anger scared me, but his unfaithfulness hurt me more.
"NO, JULIEN!" I shouted at him. The tears fell, freely and unbidden. "It's over."
The silence settled between us as those unconsidered words left my lips. His eyes widened as he glared furiously and I paralleled it. "You know what?" he said finally, breaking the silence. "Fine. Remember when you asked why you? And I told you, 'because you're you'? I take it back. There are plenty other girls out there and I can have them all."
My mouth opened to retort sharply, but he continued relentlessly. "Who's ever loved you before this, Jamie? Admit it, I'm all you have. After this, what makes you think there'll be any other guy left for you? When there are girls prancing around in their miniskirts and tanktops, while you're stuck in your varsity and jeans. But that's okay. I'm better off with one of those girls anyway. What made me think you were right for me is beyond me, but my eyes are opened now, so thank you. Thank you, Jamie." His sadistic smirk ripped through my heart, but I simple refused to let him see how much he'd broken me.
I nodded, accepting. "I know," I stated plainly, looking him in the eye, and I walked out.
Back in my own house, I sat on my bed in a room with poster-covered walls with the likes of Avril Lavigne, Bruno Mars, Sum 41, Simple Plan and more; my eyes were red and puffy from crying, and I still felt like breaking something, but there was nothing in my room I wouldn't miss if I broke.
Matt had called me half an hour after I got home, when I was more upset, pissed off and heartbroken, and promised he'd be over. Matt and I were like siblings, and I knew that Julien's act of betrayal would've pissed him off as well.
My heart was...torn to bits. This was honestly my first heartbreak after dating Julien for so long and at such a young age. I've watched movies and chick flicks so I knew what heartbreaks and pain looked like, but I never imagined it would be this bad.
He told me he loved me, kissed me, held my hand, called me beautiful, trusted me with dark secrets, bought things for me to make up for his being an ass, and I fell for it. I actually fell for it, even when I knew his old reputation as a ladies' man. I really thought I changed him, but apparently not. Looks like old habits really do die hard...if they die at all.
Sniffing and rubbing away tears in a fury that I was so weak as to cry, I heard the click of the closing door. Two seconds later, Matt's sandy coloured head poked through into my room, his built body following close by.
Before I could stand to greet him and act like the pain wasn't all that bad, he practically leaped next to me and folded me, not gently, into his arms. "Are you okay?" he asked worred, but I couldn't answer when he said, "No, scratch that, of course you're not. So what happened?"
So, with one arm comforting me around my shoulders, I leaned into his and sobbed. The last time I cried like this was...well, one hour ago, but before that, never. I was the tough chick, the one nobody messed with...until Julien came along. And it wasn't just me he messed with, he toyed with my heart, my feelings, all of which I gave him freely and without condition. I thought I made him happy, I thought I was special to him. But no, I was just another chick with a rocking voice he used to his own advantage.
When I was done relaying that awful memory, I wiped away my tears for the hundredth time. "I'm sorry, I just...I can't believe it," I said finally. "And I know you're his brother, but..."
"I'm on your side, J," he interrupted, brushing away hair from my forehead, which came away sticky and wet, to kiss my temple. It didn't mean anything, he had a lovely girlfriend, and even if he had been once interested, which I knew he hadn't, his brother had claimed me first anyway. Still, it was comforting. "I'm as mad at him as you are. Though not quite as hurt," he added softly.
I stayed silent, and he took the cue to continue. "Jamie, you're beautiful," he said, taking my face into his hands and looking into my brown, almost black eyes. "And there are plenty of guys out there who are waiting for the chance to be with you. Forget Julien, he didn't deserve you anyway, and even if he comes back begging for a chance, don't give it to him, he's not worth it."
"But..." I began, about to point out that Julien was my first, and all those promises were still burned into my memory like the were fresh, not to mention her reputation was tainted now, but Matthew continued like he read her mind.
"I know he was your first and all, and that now people view you as unfaithful, but with time, things change, and out there there's a guy who's prepared to love you with everything he's got and do whatever it takes to keep you. So, take your time, and find love again," he concluded with a small smile, holding me closer and resting his chin on my head.
"Sounds like something from Begin Again," I said softly, dozing off on his shoulder. He laughed, and pulled away slightly to look at me.
"Clean youself up and put something abit nicer on," he suggested. "We're going to watch Just My Luck, When In Rome, and Crazy Stupid Love all in one go, stuff our face with popcorn, and fall asleep on the couch."
"Just My Luck, When In Rome, and..." I paused, frowning. "But you hate chick flicks."
"Not if you don't," he said, winking. "C'mon. You're gonna be okay."
I smiled and threw my arms around him, and for that sweet, special moment, I really thought things were going to be okay, that Julien was just another chapter in my life that ended, and it was time to move on.
When Matt left my room to get the movies and the popcorn ready though, I frowned slightly. But how do you move on from the one who changed you, the one who showed you the world, the one who inspired your beginning in music...the one for you?
Hi, ohemgee, why no readers? :X please read, favourite, like, comment, follow, all that jazz :) I changed my covers to both my books to make it look more interesting, and I like it :) but anyway, please read and if you think it's good, share it please! :)
A bit of a late entry here, but I just realized I left out a song for this chapter, so here's my alltime favourite McFly song, Too Close for Comfort from Just My Luck :)
By the way, to anyone who sees this question, how on earth do you get so many reads! :X
Dedicated to randomvaxandriasmile for being so supportive :) check her out!