1He follows her into the bathroom. When they come out they're faced with a bit of a surprise. Julie opens the door to walk out, and finds Edie sitting on the couch waiting.
"Oh good lord," Julie frowns as she holds on tightly to her towel.
"What?" Austin asks as he comes up behind her.
"Are you two having fun?" Edie questions.
"Aunt Edie!" Austin shrieks.
"Nice to see you too,"
"My mom isn't here somewhere is she?" Julie wonders.
"No. She doesn't know I'm here. Why don't you two go get some clothes on before we continue this conversation," Edie suggests.
"Yeah," Julie agrees as she quickly collects her clothes. She's halfway dressed when there's a knock on the door.
"What?" She says frantically.
"Hey Julie can I have my pants?"
She looks around for a minute, and finds his pants on the floor next to her. She opens the door some and hands them out to him.
"Thanks,"
When they're both fully clothed they come into the living room.
"Sit," Edie demands.
"Austin why?"
"Why what?"
"Why would you take advantage of her?"
"Whoa..." Austin starts.
"He didn't take advantage of me," Julie explains to her.
"So he didn't pressure you into anything?"
"No," she admits.
"Ok,"
"Look I know that you probably have a lot to say about this, but could you just not. I..."
"Julie I'm not going to tell your mom,"
"Thank you,"
"Why don't we head back before Susan figures out what's going on,"
"Ok," Julie agrees.
When they get back Edie drops Julie off at home. Susan is waiting on the couch when Julie walks in the door.
"Hi," she says meekly.
"Hi. Sit down please,"
Julie sits on the coffee table across from the couch.
"Three weeks,"
"What?"
"You're grounded for three weeks,"
"Ok, but..."
Susan cuts her off, "Julie I don't want to know. I just... I don't want to know what happened,"
"Ok, But you're not going to tell dad are you?"
"No. I don't want anyone to be killed,"
"Ok," Julie nods as she gets up off the coffee table, and goes to her room.
Julie goes to her room and sulks.
Susan watches her daughter over the next few weeks. More and more she notices that the girl is clearly smitten. Finally three weeks are up. To Julie it seems more like a thousand years, but whatever. Friday afternoon Julie arrives home and waits for her mom to come home and un-ground her. Susan finally gets home around five. When she walks in the door Julie is eagerly waiting on the couch for her.
"What?" Susan asks as her daughter stares at her.
"Uh..."
"Spit it out Julie. I'm not a mind reader,"
"Today is the day,"
"What day?" Susan asks honestly forgetting what that day was.
"Mom it's been three weeks,"
"Oh. You're ungrounded I guess,"
"So can I go out of the house,"
"That depends. Where are you going, who with, and when will you be back?"
"Bowling, Austin, eleven,"
"Ok, no, ok,"
"Mom come on!" she protests.
"No,"
"Mom please," she begs on the verge of tears.
"Fine, but if you're even a second late you can never see him again,"
"Ok,"
"Thank you, thank you, thank you,"
"You're welcome,"
Julie frantically starts toward the door.
"Hold on,"
"What?"
"Are you going else besides bowling?"
"To eat,"
"Did you do your homework?"
"Yeah,"
"Laundry?"
"Yeah,"
"Ok,"
"Bye,"
"Love you mom,"
"Love you too,"
Julie starts down the street walking. By the time she gets to Edie's she's almost running. She calmly rings the door bell and waits.
"Yes?" Edie asks.
"Is Austin ready?" she smiles eagerly.
"I don't know, hold on," she turns so Austin can hear her, and then yells, "Austin!..."
"What?" he answers calmly as he walks up to her.
"Bye. Behave this time,"
"Yes ma'am,"
"Bye... be safe," she says not meaning anything. Austin and Julie take it differently though. They turn around and look at her. "I mean drive safe," she clarifies.
"Ok," he agrees.
They hop on his bike and zoom off.
Austin takes Julie to a nice Italian place, and then they go bowling. When they get there they go up to the counter to get shoes. As he pays his curiosity begins to kill him.
"So why did you want to go bowling anyway?" he asks her.
"Because I love bowling,"
"You love bowling?" he says half laughing.
"Yeah,"
"We'll see about that when I kick your butt,"
"That's what you think," she retorts.
The head down to their lane. They sit down and put their shoes on quietly. When she's halfway done with tying her second shoe. She gets the sense that she's being watched. She looks over at him, and he's staring at her.
"What?"
"Nothing," he shakes his head.
"You ready?"
"Ladies first,"
She picks a ball, and starts in. Half way through she's in lead by 25 points. When he comes back from his turn he sits down.
"Wow," she says.
"What?"
"Gutter ball again?"
"Shut up,"
"You really do suck at bowling don't you?"
"Yeah,"
"That's sad," she says as she gets up.
"Wait," he says.
She turns around and goes back over to him. Before she can say anything he's already telling her what's on her mind.
"Man you're hot," he smiles.
She goes to answer but before she can they're kissing. When they stop she stays there for a minute.
"Are you going to take your turn?" he smiles.
"Yes, smarty pants,"
TBC