That night, everything at the Santos house was seemingly calm. Julie was snuggled deep in a sleeping bag next to Manny's bed, Manny's parents were in the living room talking; all was relatively quiet.
Lying on her bed, Manny was wide awake. JT's question had been bugging her all day: Why was Julie here? Manny hadn't even given it a second though when her mother announced that Julie would be staying with them for a while.
Manny peeked over the edge of the bed, trying to see if Julie was still awake. She was. "Hey, Jules?" Manny asked, using Julie's nickname.
Julie lifted her head a little. "Yeah?" She answered sleepily.
"Um, you don't have to answer this question if you don't want to... I mean, I don't want to pry or anything..." Manny bit her lip, and then continued. "Why are you here? I don't mean to sound rude, but... why?"
Julie hesitated for a moment before yawning and saying, "Can we talk about this tomorrow? I'm really tired." She layed her head back down on her pillow and closed her eyes.
Manny sighed and said, "Yeah, okay. Tomorrow." She closed her eyes and tried to get some sleep.
*
Manny woke up some time around midnight, and heard a strange sound. It took her a minute to figure out what it was: Julie was crying. Manny tried not to make any noise; she didn't want Julie to know she was awake.
The crying eventually stopped, but Manny couldn't go back to sleep. This whole situation was bothering her. Why was Julie staying at her house? Why was she crying in the middle of the night? Why didn't anyone want her to know anything anymore? Manny scowled. She decided that she was going to get to the bottom of this, even if it killed her.
*
A few days went by. The majority of the guys at school were in love with Julie; she'd even been asked on a couple dates. The only person's invitation she'd accepted was JT's.
They just went to dinner and a movie. The first stop was The Dot.
"So, Julie..." JT shifted in his seat nervously. "You look really great."
Julie smiled. "Thanks, JT. Again." It was the fourth time he'd told her she looked great.
They had polite conversation for a while. JT asked about her home on the other side of town, Julie asked about Degrassi and some of the people who went there.
Eventually it was time for the movie. They gathered up their jackets and headed over to the mall. Once they were seated inside the theater, the two of them started getting really cozy. JT put his arm around Julie and she rested her head on his shoulder. JT was grinning ear-to-ear.
Once the movie was over, JT walked Julie back to Manny's house. He was reluctant to let her go inside; he never wanted the night to end.
"Er, so..." he said.
"Thank you for everything, JT. I had a really great time." Julie smiled. JT took a step toward her and her smile wavered. "Uh, I guess I'll see you later." She opened the door and rushed inside, leaving a bewildered JT standing on the front stoop.
Lying on her bed, Manny was wide awake. JT's question had been bugging her all day: Why was Julie here? Manny hadn't even given it a second though when her mother announced that Julie would be staying with them for a while.
Manny peeked over the edge of the bed, trying to see if Julie was still awake. She was. "Hey, Jules?" Manny asked, using Julie's nickname.
Julie lifted her head a little. "Yeah?" She answered sleepily.
"Um, you don't have to answer this question if you don't want to... I mean, I don't want to pry or anything..." Manny bit her lip, and then continued. "Why are you here? I don't mean to sound rude, but... why?"
Julie hesitated for a moment before yawning and saying, "Can we talk about this tomorrow? I'm really tired." She layed her head back down on her pillow and closed her eyes.
Manny sighed and said, "Yeah, okay. Tomorrow." She closed her eyes and tried to get some sleep.
*
Manny woke up some time around midnight, and heard a strange sound. It took her a minute to figure out what it was: Julie was crying. Manny tried not to make any noise; she didn't want Julie to know she was awake.
The crying eventually stopped, but Manny couldn't go back to sleep. This whole situation was bothering her. Why was Julie staying at her house? Why was she crying in the middle of the night? Why didn't anyone want her to know anything anymore? Manny scowled. She decided that she was going to get to the bottom of this, even if it killed her.
*
A few days went by. The majority of the guys at school were in love with Julie; she'd even been asked on a couple dates. The only person's invitation she'd accepted was JT's.
They just went to dinner and a movie. The first stop was The Dot.
"So, Julie..." JT shifted in his seat nervously. "You look really great."
Julie smiled. "Thanks, JT. Again." It was the fourth time he'd told her she looked great.
They had polite conversation for a while. JT asked about her home on the other side of town, Julie asked about Degrassi and some of the people who went there.
Eventually it was time for the movie. They gathered up their jackets and headed over to the mall. Once they were seated inside the theater, the two of them started getting really cozy. JT put his arm around Julie and she rested her head on his shoulder. JT was grinning ear-to-ear.
Once the movie was over, JT walked Julie back to Manny's house. He was reluctant to let her go inside; he never wanted the night to end.
"Er, so..." he said.
"Thank you for everything, JT. I had a really great time." Julie smiled. JT took a step toward her and her smile wavered. "Uh, I guess I'll see you later." She opened the door and rushed inside, leaving a bewildered JT standing on the front stoop.