Chapter 12

Julie was crying in her bed, when she heard someone calling for her. "Julie," said the voice. She woke up and found her grandmother sitting at her desk across the room. Julie shot up from her bed. "Grandma?" she asked. The woman nodded. "It's me." She replied. This was Julie's grandmother, only it didn't look like her, not the Kim Julie knew. She was much younger, about Julie's age, with long, red hair and pale, porcelain skin. She was wearing a white dress with a small bow on the side of her shoulder with sleeves to her elbows. She had the same smile and the same brown eyes, though. "I hear you're having a few guy problems?" she giggled. Julie laughed. "Kind of," she said as she inched towards Kim.

"I hope you don't mind," Kim said. "I was just looking through some of your pictures. Is this him?" she asked picking up a picture Julie had drawn of Edward. Julie nodded. "Just as I remember him," her grandmother said smiling. "Grandma, I really need your help. I know you loved him," she said. "But…I think…I do, too." Julie said in a shaky voice. Kim smiled. "Julie," she said. Tears filled Julie's eyes as she heard her grandmother say her name. It really was her. "I'm not on this earth anymore. I did love Edward, it is true. Now, you're alive and you love him. I can't stop you from loving him; no one can." Tears slowly fell from Julie's eyes. "But I don't know what to do…" Kim looked at her. "Like, i said, no one can stop you from loving him. Not Chase, not you're mother, not me...no one." Julie sobbed. Kim looked at her with compassion and gave her a small smile. "Follow your heart." She said. Julie sat back down on her bed. Kim waved to her and slowly disappeared.

Julie rose from the bed. It was a dream. She looked over at the pictures on her desk. She grabbed the one that her grandmother picked up and hugged it. She started to cry again. She sat down at her desk and buried her face in her arms and cried all over the picture.

Julie decided not to go to Edward's that day. The next day was Monday. Julie begged her mom not to make her go to school, and it almost worked. Julie did, however, end up having to drag herself to school.

She went over by the tree. Chase was sitting there, his back facing everyone else. She was going to say something, when someone stopped her. "Julie, where'd you go Saturday?" asked a girl who was standing there with a group of other girls. There wasn't any mean tone to her voice, either. Julie gave a quick glance over to Chase. "Oh, well…I'm glad you guys had fun," said one of the other girls and they went over with some other guys.

Chase turned his head and looked at her for a second. "Hey," Julie said, and he turned his head back around. "Chase," Julie started. "I am sorry about taking advantage of you like that. I'm also sorry you got hurt, but I can't help the way I feel." Chase just sat there and didn't say anything. "Chase, I can't make myself like you, or love you just so you can feel better. This is just really hard, because part of did want this. But now, I don't feel that way." He again, was silent. "Chase, please don't be like this. I didn't do anything to you! Why do you have to act like this?" Julie yelled, but he was still quiet. The bell rang and he got up and went over to the school. Tears were starting to form in Julie's eyes. Julie held them back and went into the school.

Julie was kind of depressed the rest of the day. She spent her time in school with her head down so no one could see her crying. She didn't eat lunch, but sat by herself at a table. One of the girls came over again.

"Julie," she said softly tapping her shoulder. Julie wiped her eyes and sat up. "Yeah," she asked in a shaky voice. "Are you okay?" she asked. "I'm…just tired, that's all. I didn't get a lot of sleep last night." "Oh…well, if you feel like talking, you can talk to me," she said patting her on the shoulder. She got up and walked back over to her table.

Julie was wondering why they were acting so…nice; weird, but nice. Julie wanted to go over to Edward's today, but Chase wasn't there to help her anymore. Now, she had no one to help her. Julie didn't care. She was going to Edward's house and she didn't care what anyone said. She would think of something to tell her mom, but she was going to Edward's house. She had to talk to him.

After school, Emily wasn't there, so Julie quickly went to the mansion. She walked up to Edward's room and saw him, sitting at his fire place. He looked up when he saw Julie and smiled at her. She couldn't help but smile back at him. That was what she loved about him: no matter how bad things were, he always could make her smile.

"Are you feeling better?" he asked. Julie didn't know what to say, exactly. She remembered what her grandmother told her. "I do, now that I'm here," she said and smiled at him.

Julie and Edward sat and did the usual, talked (mostly Julie was talking) and Julie drew. Surprisingly, things weren't awkward at all. In fact, they both felt better than they could ever remember. They were very comfortable and happy being around each other.

At Julie's house

Julie's parents were talking again about something. "I think we should tell them now. The prom's over, Julie's graduation is this week. It will be the perfect time for us to start new and fresh." Julie's mom said to her dad. "I still think we should wait until after the graduation. This could be hard for them. They've been-" "Hey guys," Julie interrupted them. "Hi, honey." Julie's mom said. "How's my graduate?" her dad said, picking her up and spinning her. "Fine." Julie said. "Well, I was just leaving." Her dad said. "We'll talk later." He smiled at her mother and they both waved good-bye.

"What was that all about?" Julie asked. "Nothing," she replied. "Honey, I have to tell you something." Julie's mom said. "Emily!" she called. Emily ran down the stairs and sat down. "Yeah," Emily said. Julie sat down, too. "Girls, I have something to tell you." "Is everything okay?" Julie asked. "Well…no…as you know, your father and I are dating again. Well, I was thinking…maybe…." "Yeah," Julie asked "Well, we're moving in with your father."

Julie and Emily stared at her, jaw dropped and eyes wide. "What?" Julie asked. "Well, you're graduating this week. You were going to be off to college anyway. There's nothing you're leaving behind you wouldn't have been leaving behind, anyway." "Mom, I don't want to move!" Julie yelled. "Well, give me one good reason we shouldn't move…" Julie's mom said. "If you can, then I'll consider staying here." Julie stood there. She could only think of one thing: Edward. She could never tell her mom that. "You…you wouldn't understand," Julie said angrily. "Emily," Julie's mom asked. "How do you feel?" Emily shrugged. "I'll miss my friends. But I want to go with daddy." "Emily!" Julie yelled. "Julie, just because you don't want to move, doesn't mean you can try to influence your sister. Now, right now, I think moving in with your father would be a good idea." "I'm not moving!" Julie yelled. She got up and ran to the door. "Where are you going young lady!" her mom yelled after her. "What do you care!" Julie yelled and slammed the door shut.