I LOVE it. Read it, and then REVIEW it.

.:julia:.

Chapter 8 "Let me try"

We just got finished eating out at Olive Garden for Judy's birthday tomorrow, at about 1 in the morning too. That's something you don't hear about often.

They even brought her a conoli with chocolate sauce and a candle and sang 'Happy Birthday!' to her. Of course, everyone was mobbing our table to see what was going on.

The concert was alright, but at one moment I felt like I was going to cry, when I saw a little girl in the 3rd or 4th row on her dad's shoulders, cheering up to me.

I didn't know what to do. I was in the middle of a song, and I couldn't just STOP singing it completely.

I looked over to the side of the stage, and there Dylan was standing, with Ally, Judy, and Cole beside him. They were all cheering me on, yelling and clapping their hands. I smiled, and then they knew I was upset about something.

Then, Ally mouthed something, You can do it Julia! , and then the rest of them did the same.

I smiled, and turned back to the stage, seeing all the kids in the first rows, wanting me to touch their hands. I smiled, and kept singing the song, with everyone else singing along with me.

Now, we all are at my house, hanging out after dinner.

"Hey, can we go somewhere? I want to talk to you." Dylan said, walking up to me.

"Sure. Where are we going?" I asked, grabbing his hand.

"I don't know." He said, smiling, and leading me out the door, leaving everyone else, including Cole, back at my house.

We walked, and eventually got to the beach, walking onto the white sand, our toes with sand in-between them.

We were now down at the shore, his hand entangled in my own. The waves came up, touching our feet, but just barely.

The water was shiny, with the moon glistening upon it. It was dark out, and I was still in the baby pink sweats I had changed into after the concert to go to dinner.

He was still in his jeans and a black t-shirt, with a jean jacket over it. His hair was shaggy, while mine was long and straight.

"You know, I'm really proud of you tonight." He said, shifting his head over to me.

"You are? I mean, I was? I mean-"I said, him cutting me off in the middle of my babble.

"Yes. You were great. And your dad would be so proud to see you performing. I guarantee it." He said, smiling at me.

"Thanks. But, he doesn't get to see me turn 16." I said, getting a little down by what I had just said.

"Yes he will. He is watching down on you, you just have to believe it. He is going to see you turn 16, just know it in your heart. Ok?" He said to me, making me feel really warm and fuzzy.

"Ok, I will. But, tonight, seeing that little girl with her dad made me want MY dad. And just as I was thinking about calling him later tonight, I realized that I don't have one. I want someone to hold me like he did, and to make me feel better like he did, and to- to- love me the way he did." I said, pausing before I said the word 'love'.

"I know. But, maybe I can do something." He said, stopping his feet moving along the water, making me also.

"What?" I asked, about to cry onto his shoulders.

"I can try to do all of that. To hold you, and to make you feel better, and to love you." He said, kissing me deeply, right there on the beach, my hands on the front pockets of his jacket, his hands pulling me closer to him, holding me tightly.

After ending the kiss, I looked up at him, a single tear coming down my cheek, and then said, "Ok, I'll let you try."

He leaned down again, with no answer to what I had just said, and kissed me again.

Then, after the second kiss, he said something. "Just know that your dad loves you, and he wants you to be happy."

"I do," I said, "And I am."

We walked back from the beach to my house, and it turns out that Cole and he were staying over at my house.

I went to go get my pajama's on, and told Ally and Judy about what Dylan and I had talked about and where we had gone off to.

Cole was probably listening to Dylan rant on and on about the exact same thing I was.

Eventually, at about 4 in the morning, we all fell asleep, down in the basement, with the occasional snore and drool coming out of our mouths. Judy was still slapping Cole on the forehead, and I was still lying next to Dylan, very content in the moment.

He's going to try, I thought, He's going to try.