The dinner seemed to fly by quickly, much to Julia's satisfaction. The conversation was mainly about business between Landon and Nick's parents. However, every once in a while Nick was brought up in the conversation about his health conditions.
Julia wished deeply that she could know what his health conditions were, but they were being so blunt about it, they could have been talking about the weather for all she knew.
Every so often, she would catch Nick staring from across the table, just watching her every move. She would try her hardest to avoid his eyes; although they were so beautiful and piercing she couldn't keep her eyes from straying very far from his. It frightened her to the core of her very heart. The idea that a guy had captured her heart was not something she wanted at this time of her life. She was independent, someone who thought she didn't need a guy to live in her life.
She shook her head at these sudden thoughts swimming through her mind and watched the dining room come back to focus. Landon was in deep conversation about a miracle he had helped come to be in a tough situation with a child, and Nick, who should have been as amazed and interested in this miraculous story, was watching Julia. The gaze he left on her was soft and gentle, something that sent a wave of a heart pounding rush through her.
"Dad," she burst out, not realizing she was interrupting a conversation rudely, "I think it's about time we go home. I—uhh---I have a report due tomorrow." Landon glanced at her and saw right through her lie.
"No you don't, today was the first day of school," her father made a knowing point, which made Julia curl up in embarrassment. Especially when she knew all of the Brookes family saw that she wanted to leave the dinner already. "Why don't you and Nick go talk, if our discussion is boring you so much."
More redness crept into her cheeks. She glanced at Nick, not knowing exactly why, but found a sweet smile on his face. Almost as if he adored watching her embarrassment! "Come on," he said gently, "Parents are boring," he grinned up at his mom and dad and then slightly gave a gesture to follow him out of the room.
Julia wasn't sure what to do, or what she even wanted to do. Somehow, though, she found herself pushing back her seat and getting to her feet, following Nick out of the dining room. "Hey, don't worry about in there," he soothed gently when she joined him.
"Well, I wasn't trying to be rude or anything," she defended, trying to stare at everything else in the kitchen but him. She hoped he thought she was just admiring it, by looking at the pantry cupboards, refrigerator, and the counter. She even caught herself walking across the room and becoming very interested in his microwave.
Nick followed in curiosity, watching her stare at his microwave with an interesting expression written onto her face. "Never seen a microwave before?" he teased, coming only inches away from the left side of her face.
Julia hadn't noticed his closeness and felt herself turning to comment, but found her face nearly colliding with his. It was the strangest moment in her life; she didn't even know what came over her. Both of there noses brushed just slightly as she turned her head, and his eyes were locked with hers in the instant. She couldn't help but notice the smoothness of his skin, or the softness of his lips, she even, for reasons she couldn't explain, wanted to reach out and touch his lips. Feel his soft skin, having the smoothness glide under her fingertips.
"You're beautiful," he whispered lightly, his eyes searching hers. She was speechless, lost in a different world it seemed; she wasn't even in his kitchen anymore. She was lost in his green eyes; swimming in an ocean of thoughts she never even knew she had. When he whispered she felt his breath gently run over her face, loving it as it rolled over her eyes.
"Thank you," she whispered, not even recognizing her own voice. It sounded too lost and distant to be hers. She was always a down-to-earth person, but this new voice sounded as if it was coming from miles and miles away, just barely audible to make it a whisper.
Slowly she watched his hand rise up, and felt it glide under her chin. She felt his hand shaking against her face, and watched his eyes tell her exactly what he was about to do. His face was suddenly leaning closer to her own, his lips nearly brushing with hers.
A war was battling in side her at that moment. Her sheltered heart was aching to feel more of whatever was running through her, but it also was cowering back at the thought of risking pain. Suddenly that was what captured the fear, she wasn't prepared to chance getting hurt.
She pulled away quickly, and backed away out of his reach. Nick's hand dropped down to his side, and she could see the nerves that were taking over him as it was with her. She saw his eyes questioning hers, wondering what was wrong, and why she had pulled away.
"I—I'd better go," she stammered, remembering her car was fixed and that she could leave on her own. "Can you please tell my dad that I'll meet him at home?" She watched him a moment, seeing his eyes stained with an internal wound. He swallowed hard and slowly backed away, nodded slightly.
"Sure."
"I guess I'll—uhh, see you around then?" She tried to smile, but it died on her lips, just seeing him pull away as he did.
"Sure."
His 'sure' was short and Julia could feel the sudden tenseness weighing down between them in the air. She felt horrible as she nodded slightly and walked out his front door and down the front lawn. She felt guilty for not thanking him for the dinner, though, still was too humiliated to face him to set things right. And she didn't know why she never looked back at his house as she drove off.
A week passed easily as Julia's busy schedule took up its normal pace. Sudden reports were already set, and friend outings were already planned. Helping with tutoring and taking 7th period classes were all in a one days' schedule. Her friends were already coming to her for help if they didn't understand something and she was ready to assist any who came to her.
Still, through all of her active week, Nick seemed to drift into her mind more then she wanted. And the night at his house seemed to replay over and over again, and she found herself daydreaming quite more often, when she usually never could. However, as much as he was on her mind, she wouldn't allow herself to see him.
Every time she passed a hallway with him, she would dart behind a large crowd, or if she saw him walking toward her table, she would give an excuse and rush out of the cafeteria. More then once he caught on and tried to call after her, but she didn't stop.
She was running away and she knew it. She was hoping staying clear of him would get him off her mind, however it did quite the contrary. He was on her mind much more, and the urge to talk to him was beginning to become harder to ignore.
Part of her even wanted to accept his offer he made a week before, even though she feared it was too late.
She sighed heavily, and lied back on her bed, glad that her day of school was done for the day. She was tired already, and school had only lasted for a week! She was even beginning to wonder if she could handle another stressful year. "Julia!" Landon's voice echoed from another part of the house.
Julia, despite how comfortable she was, took to her feet and answered her dad's call. Apparently someone was on the phone for her. Quickly she turned the ringer back on her phone and picked up her cordless she had in her room. "Hello?"
"Hey, girl!" Cassie's voice came from the other line, "I was curious if you wanted to do something today?" The sound of relaxing and just hanging out for fun, sounded like heaven, but the reminder of an essay she still hadn't finished flashed in her mind.
"I wish," Julia, replied, "I still have that essay though. I've been so busy lately, it isn't even funny!" There was a silence on the other end that lasted so long she wasn't even sure if her friend was still on. "Cassie?"
"Well, you've definitely been avoiding someone," her friend commented through the quietness.
"Oh, I'm sorry," Julia said quickly, wanting to make it up to Cassie, "Look, I'll try and slow down a little, ok? I really haven't been trying to avoid you, I'm sorry."
"Not me, Julia!" Cassie countered nearly immediately, "I'm talking about Nick."
"Nick?"
"Ok, something happened between you two on Monday, something you didn't tell me," Cassie's voice was growing slightly demanding, which didn't help Julia's side at all. When she didn't reply, Cassie kept going, "So I'm right?" Another silence. "Oh My God! Details, I want them!"
"There aren't any!"
"What happened, Julia? Why don't you at least give him a chance?"
Julia hung up before she even responded or said goodbye. The phone landed on the receiver with a loud bang, and nearly skidded off her dresser from the momentum. She was so angry, and she didn't even know why. Everything was just growing frustrating, and the fact Nick could never be dropped from anyone's conversation lately, made talking to people even harder to deal with.
"What was that?" Landon had opened her door and found her sitting on her bed, her breathing coming in a little hard. "Julia, what was that noise?"
"Nothing," she mumbled, but her father didn't hear her voice.
"What?"
"It was nothing, I'm—I'm just frustrated, ok?"
Landon nodded slightly, and slowly began to close her door; "I'm going to the hospital now. Calm down, alright?" When she didn't answer, he nodded a little to himself then left her in the silence of her room.
A/N First off, I'd like to thank all of you for reviewing my fanfic . And I hope you all liked this chapter!
