JULIANNA

Bryce Loski talked to me. No surprise there. He has been trying to talk to me. I don't know why. But when he talked to me... he apologized. And I am being a jerk. Yeah.

For the past days even years, I've been a complete jerk to him. I mean, I'm the one who's trying to avoid him. And the day when Mrs. Loski invited us for dinner, I glared at him. That's my way of being a jerk to Bryce Loski.

When I was going to climb the sycamore tree, Chet startled me all of a sudden.

"Hi Juli. See you've managed to make that tree grow." He smiles. I smiled back at him and nodded.

"It's not the old and the original sycamore tree I used to climb on, but it still has the view when you go up." I said.

He nodded and asked, "May I come in?"

"Sure."

He got in after I invited him too. Later, Dad came out of the house and asked me, "Sweetheart, have you seen the paint?" before noticing Chet standing beside me.

"Oh! Well hello, Chet. Nice day, huh?"

Both shook hands.

"It is. Very nice. I see your daughter here is going to climb again."

"She loves that tree."

That tree. I can't see why they can't call it 'the sycamore tree'. Not that tree. It makes the tree useless.

"Uh, Dad. And... Chet."

Both stopped talking and looked over at my direction. I started it with a simple sentence, "Will you please stop calling the sycamore tree, that tree?"

Dad laughed and Chet glanced over at the tree. "Why not?"

"Thank you."

"What do you do to it, Juli?"

"Nothing much."

"But surprisingly, she is doing something with it." Dad grinned at both of us.

"Oh? And that would be?"

"I climb there. Like the old sycamore tree. I talk to it like it's a person."

Chet was actually impressed. I don't know why I could just tell by the way he's smiling and his expressions... impressed.

"Really? That's good."

"It's fun talking to it. If you can really manage to listen to it closely, you'll think that the tree responded something to you. It's amazing."

"Guess you love it to."

"Of course! This isn't going to be cut down. And I will forbid my parents and my brothers to do that."

Dad pretended he was scared and Chet laughed. I also laughed. Wow, I really feel like Chet's my Granddad already. He's amazing.

"Even if Bryce planted it." Interrupted Dad.

Chet and I looked at him. Chet's face was half-smiling and mine... it's serious. I know Bryce planted it. But couldn't people just leave that one out? I'm not saying I was the one who planted it but I still want that to be left behind.

"Bryce is a good boy I tell you."

"Just shy."

"Can we talk about something else? Why are we talking about Bryce? We could talk about something other than Bryce."

Both looked suspicious. I really can't explain this well so I just looked away from them.

"Okay... Well, have you seen my paint again, sweetheart? I have to finish the puzzle I'm going to paint for David."

"I think it's in the kitchen."

Then Dad thanked me and greeted Chet again and went back inside. Chet and I stared at the door for awhile before talking.

"So. What were you going to do today? I wanted to help if that's alright."

"It is. I'm just going to water the tree."

"Let me help you with that. Shall we start?"

I smiled at him and we began. We talked and laughed. After 15 minutes, I heard a voice call my name.

"Hey Juli. Hey Granddad."

Chet and I stopped and saw Bryce standing there by the fence looking at us. Chet was smiling but I wasn't. Now is not the time to see him.

On the other hand, Chet said Hi while I did not. I completely ignored him. Chet asked Bryce something and to tell you the truth, I don't know what he asked because I wasn't listening to them.

It's like I went back to Earth when Bryce said, "I'm just here to see Juli... how she's doing with the tree."

I heard him. But I did not make eye contact with him or Chet. I'm not going to invite him in. What is he going to tell Garrett next? I can't take anymore insults. Especially about my house or my family.

The thing is, I wasn't the one who invited him. It was Chet. And I just stood there avoiding Bryce Loski's gaze and even Chet's. I am so mad right now but I can't show it. This isn't Chet's house. How could he invite him to join us?

I lost my mind. I stared at him. I wanted him to know that I do not want him here. Bryce Loski stared back. I am not going to fall for him again. No way. But just staring into those blue eyes... I don't know... It feels like there's something between us already. But nothing.

I don't know what happened but the next thing I knew, Chet nudged Bryce.

"Sorry Bryce. It was an accident."

Dad came out after that. Great. He walked towards me and asked again, "Sweetheart, have you seen my paintbrush?" I told him that I think it's inside Matt and Mike's box. They built it. It's pretty amazing. Although it's not that good but it is amazing.

And then this happened.

"Thanks," he saw Bryce and then said, "I didn't know you invited Bryce too."

I was eager to say, "No. I did not invite him." And it started me glaring at Bryce. And at Chet. But the thing is, I didn't know where Chet went. I glared at Bryce saying to Dad, "I didn't invite him."

Dad seemed to notice that there's something wrong so he just thanked me and greeted Bryce again then went back inside the house. Now is not the time to be left alone with Bryce.

"Juli... I know things didn't work out when we were kids and even now. I know I'm a jerk. I shouldn't have to avoid you back then... I'm trying to say I'm sorry..." Bryce looks at me.

I don't know what to say. I started it with, "I'm sorry I've been a jerk to you, Bryce." After that, I left him alone.

It's stupid. What I did is stupid. I looked out from the window and there he was, standing there. He went out after. I saw him go to Chet. It looks like he has been shouting at Chet. The newspaper Chet was holding, is on the ground now.

I wanted to know what he was saying. What they were both saying. Chet stood up and walked back to the Loski's house.

I feel awful not talking more to Bryce. Maybe I should just say I'm sorry again? I'd be okay if we would be friends. Maybe tomorrow at school, I'll go over to him and say sorry. For real.

ooo

Saying sorry to Bryce was easy. Today at school, when I saw him standing by his locker, I walked over to him... not until Shelly Stalls blocked my way.

"What are you going to do?"

"I'm going to talk to Bryce what do you think I'm going to do?"

"Why are you going to talk to him?"

"Not your business. Can you please move? You're blocking my way."

"Blocking your way is my pleasure, Juli Baker. Why do you want to talk to Bryce? I know you don't like him and you despite him."

This is going to be hard. I'm not going to fight her. What? We're not going to act like cats. Not me.

"Just move. I have to talk to him."

"What for?"

"I'm going to say sorry. Happy?"

"Ooh. Julianna Baker did something to Bryce. How bad."

Miranda, one of Shelly's friends and another girl who has a crush on Bryce, blocked my way too. The thing is, Shelly and Miranda shouted after Bryce with, "Hey Bryce! Juli Baker is sorry!" in a singsong voice.

"There. We did it for you."

Bryce looked over at us. Instead of going to Shelly and Miranda to say something, he did nothing. Nothing. He stood there and stared at the three of us.

"See? Now go."

They turned me around the other side of the hall and pushed me. Apparently, I'm not going to let these girls block my way just for this. I turned around to them again. I saw them laughing. Like something's funny.

It's bad luck for me anyway. When I turned around, Bryce was nowhere to be seen. I frowned. I thought he was sorry in the first place? How come he did nothing to Miranda and Shelly? I don't expect him to argue with them! I'm just expecting that he can go over to us and tell the girls to stop blocking the way. That way, I can apologize properly to him.

I don't know where he went so I just walked to my next class. Me and Bryce being friends is impossible.