I DO NOT OWN ANYONE OR ANYTHING IN THIS STORY BESIDES THE OC'S.
Julie's Point of View-
I was finally able to force myself to fall asleep to get a few hours of sleep before my alarm chimed at 8 AM for me to have enough time to get ready. I got up turning the alarm off before I ran a hand through my tangled hair from tossing around last night trying to get sleep for today. I got up from my bed to make my way around it to head out of my room to the kitchen putting a pot of coffee on for me to pour myself a cup of coffee. I pulled open the fridge to see what there was to eat not seeing much, I went to grab some bread popping one slice into the toaster to toast as I pulled out butter and jelly for me to spread on the toast that would be done soon. I waited until both got finished, I poured my coffee since that had finished first pouring some of the flavored creamer that only had enough for this cup into my cup swirling the contents so it can be well blended together before the toaster popped my toast out. I pulled it onto a small plate spreading butter and jelly on it before I picked the toast up from the small plate carrying it in one hand as I put the now dirty plate in the sink before I grasped my coffee cup heading back to my room as I munched on my toast and taking drinks from my hot coffee. I got into my room right when I took the last bite of my toast before I set my coffee cup onto the desk as I walked over pulling down the outfit Wade had helped me pick out the night before looking it over making sure it looked perfect before I took one more drink of my coffee before I went into my bathroom taking a quick shower before I slid the outfit on before I walked back into my room taking a drink from the now luke warm coffee. I began collecting the paperwork that I was handed that was in my carry-on bag setting it onto my bed before I went to a purse that I usually use throwing the things I would need into it before I sat on my bed pulling on some nylon knee high socks to wear before I found the heels that Wade also helped me pick out the night before I carried them over to my bed, I sat down on the edge of my bed sliding my feet in them before buckling the back strap to hold them on my feet. I stood up grabbing my purse along with the paperwork that I had laid out getting them adjusted in my hands before I grabbed the cup of coffee that was colder than I originally made it carrying the things out to the living room seeing Wade walk out of his room running a hand through his messed up hair.
"Morning." I said as I set my stuff down on the couch before I walked into the kitchen dumping out the coffee that was too cold for my liking.
"You almost ready to go?" Wade asked walking in as he rubbed at one eye.
"Does it look like I'm ready?" I asked.
"I guess the headwear is a little weird." Wade said as I smirked.
"I think so too." I said.
"How old is this?" Wade asked pointing to the pot of coffee.
"I made it about 8ish…it might be warm considering it was in the pot." I said shrugging.
"I'll make a new pot…" Wade said as I nodded as I walked out of the kitchen and headed back to the bathroom where I pulled my towel off my head letting my wet hair fall down, it was dried more than it originally was. I brushed my hair out before I plugged in the hair dryer and began to blow dry it while I was brushing it out so it won't get caught up in knots, I turned the hair dryer off when it got fully dried out and put it back before I continued brushing my hair out before pulling half of my hair up into a clip. "You're running late!" I heard Wade yell throughout the house as I let out a growl before I set my brush down before I quickly brushed my teeth before I sped walked through the house to the living room grabbing the things I had set down earlier.
"I'm heading out, I'll drop by the grocery store on the way home to grab a few things…" I said.
"Okay, just focus on one thing at a time….drive safe, be yourself and I'm proud of you…" Wade said as he pulled me into a hug.
"Thanks." I said as I snuggled closer to Wade's embrace, I loved how a hug from my brother always made me feel more confident in myself and made me feel everything was going to be okay, he pushed my nerves and worries away. I think I felt this way because he was my brother, I knew he supported me in whatever I did and he was proud of me for whatever I have accomplished, he did the worrying for me, well somewhat and Wade always looked out for me. I didn't want to let go of my brother, I felt him kiss the top of my head and he slowly rubbed at my back as I slowly began to step away from his embrace pushing a strand of hair behind my ear. "I'll be back later, I'll text you when I get there and when I get out." I said as he nodded as he walked me out to my car.
"Why do I always walk out here without my shoes? It's freaking hot…" He said doing a wacky dance thing trying to make sure his bare feet won't be on the cement for so long.
"It's your own fault…" I said.
"I know…love you sis." He said.
"Love you too bro." I said smiling as I clicked my seat belt in before I looked over at my brother through the open window I had just rolled down.
"I'm going back inside, drive-"
"Safe and text you when I get there and be myself, I know…." I said smiling as he chuckled.
"You got it down…" He said as he smacked the windowsill before he practically ran back towards the house as I began pulling out of the driveway whilst his car was parked in the garage for use. I drove the distance to the museum with my hand on the windowsill letting the wind of how fast I was driving blow through the car along with letting the CD I had pushed into my stereo play loud enough for me to hear to calm the nerves but I turned it down as I got closer because I wanted to make a good impression and I rolled the window up when I parked the car in the back of the museum where the parking lot was. I turned the car off as I pulled my cell phone from my purse texting my brother that I had made it and that I will text him before I were to leave the museum to the grocery store. I headed inside the museum after giving myself a pep talk, I pulled the door open and held it open for people that were coming out before I slid inside not sure where I was to meet anybody or who I was to be looking for so I began to slowly look over the art and photos that I have already seen once before trying to look at it in a different context if my photos could compare to these. I stepped in front of one art piece analyzing it, I began to doubt that my work was anywhere near as good as this one.
"Julie, there you are…" Mrs. Connor said getting my attention, I looked over seeing her walk over with her arms extended out grasping my arm pulling me to go with her as I kind of had to keep up with her as we approached a male in a suit and a female in a business suit. "This is Julie Bennett." Mrs. Connor said introducing me to the two as I stuck out my hand to shake their hands.
"I'm Mr. Green and this is Mrs. Holmes." Mr. Green said as he shook my hand and I shook her hand.
"We are very pleased with the work that Mrs. Connor has shown us of yours." Mrs. Holmes said.
"Thank you." I said pushing a strand of hair behind my ear.
"So, shall we?" Mr. Green said as I looked to Mrs. Connor then to them as I nodded yes, I didn't know what was to come but I guess I could go along with it. "We figured that you may need a place of your own to work so we have dedicated a little room, it'll be a hall soon enough, for you to work in." Mr. Green said as I nodded as I followed behind him to a room that wasn't that far from where we had stood watching as he unlocked it with a key on a key ring of about three keys. He pulled the two doors open together to the large room, it was bigger than that of my bedroom that was completely empty of art work. "Go on in." He said as I looked to him then back to the room as I slowly stepped into the room twirling around to look at it more.
"This is mine?" I asked.
"Yes ma'am, all this will be where your work will be hung…the only thing is that the contractors we hired will come in and cut this doorway out where this black lines are to make it open to the public but that will be closer to the opening date of the hall…" Mrs. Holmes answered.
"When do you want the hall to open?" I asked.
"Well, we were hoping to have a grand opening on New Year's Eve and make it a celebratory type thing…what better way to bring in the New Year than with a new hall?" Mr. Green said as I nodded knowing I had five to six months which was more than enough time.
"That is plenty of time to get my stuff hung in here." I said as I began to twirl around to look over the hall again, I wasn't sure how I felt about the color it had much less the fact there was nothing in there besides the walls, it was lacking furniture and anything.
"Mrs. Connor also made us aware of your travelling so we would like to extend these keys to the museum along with the codes to you so you can come in on our off hours if you need to for you to work on the hall." Mr. Green said handing me the key ring with the three keys explaining which key went to what. "Mrs. Holmes, would you go get the paperwork for the girl?" Mr. Green said as he looked to the girl as she nodded heading wherever she needed to go.
"Oh, I filled out these papers for you along with the biography." I said as I handed him the paperwork as he smiled and nodded as he collected it from me, he looked it over before he headed out of the room in the same direction that Mrs. Holmes had went in.
"So?" Mrs. Connor asked.
"What?" I asked as I looked over at her as she joined me in the room.
"How does it feel?" She asked.
"Overwhelming…it needs a lot of work but I know it'll be worth it…I just can't believe this is mine…" I said as I smirked looking over at her.
"Well it is…you did it!" She said as she pulled me into a hug, yet again it was awkward and I just awkwardly hugged her back. She broke the hug when Mr. Green and Mrs. Holmes came back in with some more paperwork for me.
"So, here is the catalog for you to find the benches or whatever you think would go in here and that would match the furniture in rest of the museum. Here is the catalog along with the numbers to call to get the engraving of the descriptions and titles. Here is the credit card with money already set on it that should cover all the expenses you will need to get this room and hall up to par, if you want to put a coat of paint on it as well you can, use the card as well to buy the mounting and all the things you would need to hang the photos up…it is your room so make it anyway you want." Mr. Green said handing me catalogs explaining what each one was for along with the card. "You think you'll be ready by New Year's Eve?" Mr. Green asked as I looked up from the things in my hand.
"I think so." I said nodding.
"Well, welcome aboard Ms. Bennett." Mr. Green said as he shook my hand again as I shook Mrs. Holmes' hand as well before I walked out of the room locking it behind us and they began to disperse to greet patrons that came in, I don't know where Mrs. Connor had gone but I sat on the nearest bench resting the catalogs and everything on my lap just staring at the room not believing this was happening. All the work that would be needed to be done in the long but short five to six months until they wanted to have the grand opening, I ran a hand through my hair. Behind those doors hold what is to be my future, the work that is between my future and where I am now, one simple mistake in that room can ruin everything. I guess my thoughts had consumed me enough to let hours pass because I hadn't noticed the time or how long I have sat there.
"Hey, what are you doing?" A Scottish accent rung through my ears pulling my attention away from the doors that I was staring at for hours, I'm sure.
"Drew, what are you doing here?" I asked looking at him confused.
"I can ask you the same thing, Wade is worried about you." Drew said as I stood up running a hand through my hair.
"Oh, fuck! I forgot to text him after my meeting and I got to go grocery shopping…" I said pacing a few steps away from Drew.
"Don't worry about the grocery shopping, I sent Wade out to do that…you okay?" Drew asked as he walked a few steps towards me, I turned around seeing a concerned expression on his face.
"Yeah, fine, why?"
"I don't know…" He said shrugging, "You were just sitting there admiring a pair of doors and no one had heard from you in a few hours."
"Oh, I was just thinking….what are you doing here?"
"Wade said you were here, so I came here to pick you up."
"Pick me up?" I asked confused.
"You obviously haven't checked your phone, they want you and I in for our photo and video shoot down at the FCW studios….I went over to your house and since you weren't home, Wade helped me grab your things and he told me you were here, at least the last he had heard was that you were here, so I headed straight here."
"Crap…I'm so sorry…" I said running a hand through my hair, "I'll follow you over." I said heading to walk past him.
"What's so magical about those doors, first off?" Drew said as he stopped me by wrapping his arm around my waist and he was more amused by why I was staring at the doors.
"Drew…"
"No, come on…" Drew said.
"Fine…" I said stepping back a few steps to stand in front of him, "Behind those doors is the hall that I am to hang all my pictures." I said.
"Sweet…" He said as he walked around me, I watched as he was trying to pull the doors open but they were locked, "Their locked."
"That's because I locked them." I said walking up next to him.
"You got the keys?"
"Yes."
"Unlock it then, I want to see." Drew said.
"Drew, we got to go to our shoot." I said.
"Come on, they can wait just five more minutes, they can't do anything until we get there." He said.
"Drew…"
"Julie…" Drew said mocking my tone as I growled as I gave in unlocking the door pulling just one door open before I pushed him in and I slid in behind him closing the door behind us so none of the patrons that are wandering around would come in. "Wow…this is all yours?" He asked as he spun around.
"Yeah…they said I can paint it, I can order the benches or anything I think would fit in this room but match rest of the museum and I have to hang my photos in here." I said.
"Sweet, you are in charge of everything…when does it have to be done?"
"New Year's Eve." I said.
"I'll help you." Drew said.
"You don't have to."
"I don't have to but I want to." Drew said as he turned to look at me with a smile plastered on his face.
"What are you smiling at?" I asked.
"You are actually made your dream a reality with this…"
"Don't remind me…" I said.
"You scared, huh?"
"Scared? Not as much as I am nervous about screwing up…." I said honestly as I pushed a strand of hair behind my ear.
"You won't screw up…they obviously trust you and you do good work…come on, we got to get going and the shoot will get your mind off of this crazy talk you have." Drew said as he reached out grabbing my hand tugging me out the door with him and shut the door behind us. He stood behind me waiting for me to lock the door as he rested his hand on the arch of my back as we walked out the way we both came in earlier.
"I'll follow you over to the studios?" I said in more of a question than a statement.
"Why will you follow me? You can ride with me."
"But my car-"
"Will be fine here, they don't lock their parking lot at night and it'll safe gas on your car…just get in my damn car…" Drew said as I didn't feel like fighting with him as I climbed into the passenger seat of his car buckling up as he did the same driving us over to the FCW studio to do these shoots that they wanted us to do.