As soon as my last class finished, I said bye to Danny, who was in my last class with me, and began to make my way out.
I grabbed what I needed from my locker anyway, I could avoid the crowding in the corridor and instead just make my way to the bike stand, where I hoped Julie was waiting for me.
Making my way over, I didn't have to search too long long, since my eyes quickly landed on Julie's blonde hair and her backpack.
I picked up my walking pace a little, as I began to walk over to her.
Julie was turned to the side, on her phone, when I was approaching, and then slowly looked up, smiling.
"Hope you weren't waiting too long?" I asked her, as soon as I reached her.
I never liked keeping people waiting for me, and I really don't like being late either.
Julie shook her head gently. "Only a few minutes," she replied.
I still frowned a little. "Sorry, I would've said let meet near my locker, but it's always a rush in the hallway at the end of the day, and I kind of prefer avoiding that," I explained.
I'm tiny as it is, I'd rather not be crushed by the giants that walk among us.
"I understand. I wouldn't want to be caught in that either," Julie laughed.
I unlocked my bike and in that moment, realisation just hit me, and I felt like an idiot.
Julie didn't have a bike.
"I'm sorry, I completely forgot you didn't have a bike," I said, feeling like an idiot for not noticing it.
Instead, Julie smiled at me.
"It's okay. My Mum was going to pick me up, but I called her, to say I was going to a friend's house for homework, so she'll pick me up later. She seems quite happy about it all," Julie chuckled.
That would be like my mother. If I called her on my first day at a new school, and told her I immediately made a friend, she'd be proud, confused and happy too.
"We can walk together then, whilst I pull my bike along. It's really not that long of a walk. Is that okay?" I asked her.
Another reason why I don't need my Dad to drop me, it's really not that bad of a walk and easy to cycle as well.
Must protect those turtles in the ocean.
"It's okay, I don't mind walking," Julie then said and I smiled.
"Perfect. Let's go," I happily said, and began to manoeuvre my bike, as we walked together.
Another day of school conquered.
***
The walk from school my house actually felt a lot shorter than usual. Julie and I just spoke the whole way, and didn't even realise when we reached my house.
She's so fun to talk to, and so sweet. It just feels like I've known her for ages, rather than just meeting her today. Weird that.
I left my bike out in the front, not by the front porch steps, that just annoys my Dad and then I have to hear all about it.
The feeling of coming home just makes me feel so happy. It's the place I know my bed is, and that's just everything.
"Mum!" I always just yell out her name when I get home. It's the easiest way to know if she's home or not, since sometimes she finishes work a little earlier.
Hearing no voice call back, I realised that Mum wasn't home, so I would be playing host for Julie.
I looked at her, and saw her just patiently waiting for me to let her know what to do next.
We were in the living room, and I dumped my bag next the sofa.
"Relax, Julie. It's only my home," I joked, amused by her tense form. She looked so nervous to be here.
She smiled bashfully at me, and I chuckled.
"You can place your bag wherever, I'm just going to grab my laptop from my room," I told her, and Julie just nodded at me. "Also, sit wherever you want too," I added, noticing she was still standing.
She nodded once more, and I quickly walked up to go up to my room.
The living room was just a bigger place to work, so I thought it'd be easier to plan our stuff there.
It was funny having Julie so nervous around my home. It made sense, since it was her first time here. If it were Sara, she'd just walk-in like she owned the place and would make herself at home. She didn't really need me telling her anything.
I realised that the girls often came over to my place, and so I redecorated my room so it wasn't so embarrassing anymore.
Being an old child, I was princess internally, but my room doesn't need to reflect that.
I grabbed my laptop, and quickly went back down to the living room, to see Julie sitting on the sofa, on her phone.
"You want anything to eat or drink," I asked Julie, placing the laptop down next to her.
She looked up at me and then shook her head. "No, I'm good. Thank you."
"You sure?" I asked her again, and she just nodded her head at me.
I narrowed my eyes playfully at her. "I'll just bring some water anyway. My mum would not be happy with my hospitality skills otherwise," I said, and Julie let out a chuckle at my words.
My Mum was very passionate about proper hospitality, when it comes to guests.
"Sure okay," she then said.
Being the good host I was, I went to the kitchen and brought back a tray of water, and a plate of Oreo too.
I placed it on the coffee table for the two of us.
"I got Oreos for us, but if you feel hungry or just want more let me know," I said.
My Mum would be proud of me.
"Don't worry, I'm good. I got to be home for dinner anyway," Julie smiled.
I can't tell if she's serious or just trying not to be a bother, but I'll just let it go. Don't want to go to full Mum-mode.
Julie got out her notebook from her bag, and I started up my laptop, bringing out own notebook too.
We thought it was best to get started and get the planning stuff, out of the way.
"Let's start simple," I said, and Julie looked at me, waiting for me to carry on. "We can decide on which adaptation of Shakespeare's work we could do?" I suggested.
Julie nodded at me straight away.
After, what seemed like endless debating and thinking, we finally seemed to settle on something.
"Okay, so Lion King?" I asked, just to confirm that was the final choice, because I couldn't be asked to think of others now.
My brain had reached its' limit.
"Yes, I love Lion King," Julie happily stated, clapping her hands.
I chuckled at her excitement. It's either just thought of doing Lion King, or she's tired and knows we should be closer to being done.
"It's kind of similar to Hamlet, so I think we could work off that," I said.
"Yes, it's perfect," Julie said.
I let out a breath in relief.
"Great, we finally have a something to start with," I said and Julie nodded at my words.
We then got started on the assignment a little, doing some research, coming up with some similarities and differences between the two.
An hour later, we pretty much had good table of similarities differences we could talk about in our work.
The rest of it, we were going to leave for another time. No need to finish it now, and we had a good structure to work from.
Plus, I'm tired from it.
***
"...and then my Mum stormed down to the station. She was so mad that my Dad took her friend to the station like that," I carried on telling Julie how my parents met.
After deciding that we going to leave the rest of the work for another time, Julie and I started talking, getting to know each other more.
Although, I'm not sure how we managed to get to talking about how my parents met each other.
"My Dad's defence was that, it was the only way she would talk to him, unless she wanted him to storm the office. From then on it was happy days...kind of," I finished telling her.
The story of my parents meeting was actually quite a funny one, and I love telling people about it. It's so odd.
"Wow, that's actually so funny," Julie spoke through her laughter.
I nodded. "Yeah, Mum hates it when people ask her the story of how they met, but Dad loves it."
People generally ask the question of how my Mum and Dad met, since they are quite different from each other. It always ends up with Mum scowling and Dad smirking, and then with him sleeping on the couch.
"I can imagine," Julie then said.
Julie and I somehow ended up sitting on the floor, next to the coffee table and onto our second batch of Oreos.
I then turned to her with a smile on me face. "I forgot to ask, how did you like your first day?"
It's just been so easy talking to her, I actually forgot that it was her first day.
Julie smiled back at me. "It was good. I was really nervous but I'm glad I found you. Plus, your friends are really nice too."
"That's so sweet," I told her. "They really liked you too. Plus, I'm sure Flo's probably really happy to no longer be the new girl either."
"It's not easy," Julie then said, looking down towards her lap, fiddling with the hem of her top.
I placed a hand on her shoulder. "Don't worry, I got you," I said and she smiled up at me.
"Do you miss your old friends?" I then asked her.
She hasn't spoken once about them, and I'm kind of curious now.
"Um I didn't exactly have many," Julie began to say, looking slightly uncomfortable. "I was kind of just the quiet, shy girl at my old school, and didn't really make many friends."
Julie's voice went quiet at the end, and it seemed like she was obviously a little sad about how it was before.
"Well now you have me and my friends now, and we're here for you," I assured her.
"Thank you, Rena," Julie said, with a smile on her face again.
I playfully narrowed my eyes at Julie. "We need to help you ease up on those 'sorry' and 'thank you's'."
I don't think I've ever been thanked by one person so many times, in a single day.
"Can I ask you a question?" Julie then spoke up rather hesitantly and I just looked at her, waiting for her to continue. "Why was that girl in Cafeteria so rude to you all?" She asked.
I couldn't help but laugh at how worried she looked just asking me that, as if she was stepping over some kind of forbidden line.
"Amy hates me because she thinks I'm the reason Danny won't go for her. Even though Danny and I have a brother-sister relationship," I explained.
A few people have thought what Amy thinks too, but there really is nothing.
Danny has even referred to me as his little sister once, it was a little awkward after that, but then we kind of just realised we just had that kind of relationship.
"Oh okay," Julie nodded.
She still look a little apprehensive about it all, and I waved off that look of concern.
"Don't worry about her, she's just all talk," I said, knowing what Any could be like. "But if she ever does bother you tell me, I'm serious," I told Julie sternly.
Amy doesn't really do anything except say some nasty words to try and get to you. I never really effects me but Julie's so sweet, I don't want her to actually get hurt by it all.
"I will," Julie then assured me, and I just hoped she'll keep to her word.
"I'm sure you'll be fine anyway," I told Julie, hoping that I wasn't scaring her or anything. "Amy minions and her think they're all that because they're popular, and friends with Liam and those guys," I rambled on.
"Liam?" She questioned, looking a little confused.
Ah Crap.
"I mean the guys that sat behind us in Calc. Liam, Andre, Holden and Chris," I quickly answered.
Julie then nods back in understanding. "Oh right."
Thankfully she doesn't ask anything about Liam, because I'd rather not answer those.
***
After talking some more, Julie got a text from her Mum, to say she was waiting outside.
We headed out my front door, and I saw the car parked outside my front garden, and Julie's Mum waving at us.
I gave her Mum a little wave back and then hugged Julie.
She hugged me back, and told me she'd see me at school, after which she left to get into the car.
I stood by the door, watching as Julie got into the car and then left.
Just as I turned to head back inside, I heard it...
...words that will forever hold a place in my heart...
"Hey Neighbour"