DISCLAIMER: Julianna is mine. All others belong to Mark VII and NBC Universal.
Julianna couldn't contain her excitement so she immediately called Johnny. His aunt answered after the second ring.
"Hi, Aunt Ruby. It's Juli. Is Johnny around," she asked.
"No dear, he's out working the horses. Heard you guys were going to Prom," Ruby said.
"Yeah. I'm heading out to the store to buy a dress tomorrow before I come out there to go trail riding," she said.
"Well, dear. I'll tell Johnny you called," she said.
"Ruby, could I come out there and surprise him? I have some news I can't wait to share with him," Julianna asked.
"I think that would be lovely, dear," Ruby said.
"I'll see you in a little bit," Julianna said.
She went into the kitchen and sat down with her parents.
"Can I take the Mustang to the reservation," Julianna asked.
"Don't you want to eat dinner," her mom asked.
"I'll make some fresh noodles when I get back. I HAVE to tell Johnny," she said.
"Be careful, dear," her dad said.
She kissed her parents good bye and headed out the door to the garage. She got into the Mustang and headed off toward the reservation.
Johnny was working out the horses. He hoped to have his chores finished so he would be free tomorrow to spend all day with Juli.
"Hey, John," he heard a familiar voice call. Johnny turned his head and saw Julianna's friend, Kathy, standing at the gate. He waved to her, but wondered what she was doing there.
He put the horse back into the barn and headed to talk to her. "What are you doing here, Kathy," he asked.
"Just wanted to ask you if you and Juli will double date with my date and me to the Prom," she asked.
"I guess, if it's OK with Juli. But why did you come all the way out here to ask me. Couldn't you have asked Juli," Johnny asked, wiping his forehead with the rag in his back pocket.
Kathy came closer to him. "I wanted to see you," she said, leaning in closer.
Julianna pulled the Mustang up to the corral where the horses were kept. She saw Johnny standing there near someone who looked awfully familiar to her. She headed toward her boyfriend and the woman standing next to him. Just as she got to the gate, she saw her best
friend, Kathy, kissing her boyfriend.
Julianna stopped dead in her tracks. She took in what was happening and her heart broke. She took off running from them and got in the Mustang. As she tore out of the driveway, Johnny pushed Kathy.
"Kathy, what the hell," he turned toward the driveway and saw the tail lights of Julianna's car leaving.
"Oh, no, Juli," he said before heading to the house to see if his aunt would let him borrow the car.
Kathy grinned to herself before heading to find Johnny.
"Aunt Ruby, I have to get Juli's," he said.
"She was coming by here. Did something happen," she asked.
"You could say that. Can I borrow the car," he asked.
"Sure, Johnny," his aunt said.
Johnny grabbed the keys from her purse and headed out the door. He blew past Kathy and headed to the car. He ignored her as he headed out of the driveway, hellbent on getting to Julianna.
Kathy got behind the wheel of her car and headed toward her house. She'd done what she'd set out to do. She had managed to bring a little unhappiness into Julianna's life. Finding out her friend had gotten into college and was probably going to medical school, had upset her. Kathy couldn't stand for Julianna to have it all. Now, maybe, she'd get the guy.
Julianna drove toward her house. She pulled over at park, too scared to drive any farther because of her tears clouding her vision. She sat down on a bench and buried her face in her hands. She started sobbing. She couldn't believe that one day would start out so incredible and be so horrible at the same time. Julianna took a shaky breath and got off the bench. She walked back to her car. If she was having doubts about school, seeing Johnny and Kathy kiss was enough to convince her to go. In fact, she was going to take the summer session. She was going to head out to college as soon as she could. She was going to leave this town, her lousy friends and her untrustworthy boyfriend behind.
Johnny arrived at Julianna's house. He hopped out of the car and ran to the front door. Julianna's mom answered the door.
"Johnny! Juli was heading to your house," she said.
"Is she back? I need to talk to her," he said.
"No she hasn't returned home, just now. Maybe she stopped off to see one of her girlfriends. She did get some exciting news today. She was heading over to the reservation to tell you," her mom said.
"News," Johnny questioned.
"She got accepted into college! Isn't that wonderful," she said.
Johnny was shocked. He knew Julianna had been applying to school and had her heart set on becoming a doctor. He'd loved to see the smile on her face when she talked about becoming a doctor.
"Well, tell her I came by and congratulations," Johnny said, walking down the steps.
Julianna pulled around the corner and saw Johnny walking back to his aunt's car. She made the next turn and pulled behind another car. When she saw Johnny's car pass, she pulled into the driveway.
"Julianna, you just missed Johnny. I thought you were meeting him at the reservation," her mother asked.
"I missed him there. I'll just call and talk to him later," she said, heading up to her room.
Julianna's mother closed the front door and watched her daughter go upstairs. Helen Stoker knew her daughter and something had happened to her when she left the house.
Julianna started packing. She hadn't spoken to Johnny and her mother knew something had happened between the two of them. When Johnny had called to make plans for the Prom, Julianna asked her mother to tell Johnny she was sick and couldn't go. In truth, Julianna had exercised her option to graduate early, she didn't need the classes she was taking that semester, and head off to college to start early. She wanted to get away and starting in the summer session was the perfect solution.
The day of the Prom, Julianna had loaded up the Mustang and driven off to college. Her parents were shocked at her abrupt departure, but they knew their daughter had a passion and was going to do what she needed to do to achieve her dream.
Helen and Ben Stoker waved at their daughter as she headed off toward school. She was adamant that she do it on her own. When her mom had asked about Johnny, Julianna said to tell him the truth. Julianna stopped by to visit her brother, who was a bit alarmed at her rash decision to head off to school without saying goodbye to her friends or even to the boyfriend she seemed to care a great deal about. Julianna successfully avoided all questions her brother asked and prepared herself for her college experience.
Johnny rang the bell at the Stoker house. He didn't understand why he hadn't spoken to Julianna and he was determined to talk to his girlfriend. He hated not speaking with her, especially after the incredible weekend they had shared nearly six weeks before. When Julianna's mom answered the door, Johnny could tell she was going to tell him something he didn't want to hear.
"Johnny, come in," she said.
"Thanks, Mrs. Stoker. Is Juli home," Johnny asked.
"No, she's not," she said.
"When will she be back," he asked.
"She's moved out. She took her early graduation option and headed to college. She started the summer session. I thought she would have called or at least written you," she said.
Johnny was crushed. Julianna had left him without even telling him herself. He didn't know what Mrs. Stoker said to him because he didn't hear anything. The tears filled his eyes and he took off out the door. He got in the car and drove, not having a destination in mind. He pulled into the park and went to the bench they often sat when they were on their way home from a date. He sat down on the bench and sobbed into his hands. His heart was truly broken and he didn't think it would ever heal.
