Chapter Thirteen
Someone cleared their throat behind us and I gasped and pulled back. Julia stood there, her arms crossed at her chest and a glare on her face. She tapped her toe impatiently and I stalled, trying to make up for the time I didn't have to come up with an excuse. Denny looked at me with confusion, but I didn't want to explain it to him at the moment. He could wait until I calmed the fury that was Julia when she was mad.
"Julia! Hi!" I exclaimed happily, stalling somewhat.
She scoffed, "Don't hi me. What the hell is going on here? Why didn't you tell me you had a boyfriend?" she ordered and I reeled back with shock.
"Boyfriend? Who, Denny? No! We're just friends!" I hurridly explained, and Denny had a pained look on his face.
"You two looked pretty chummy today. I mean, I don't kiss my friends." she stated, her eyes daring me to say otherwise.
I blushed, "What do you want Julia?" I ordered, feeling my temper rising with each passing second of her causing this scene.
"I just wanted to see what my best friend was up to, seeing as she never comes around anymore. I got the message loud and clear now. Good-bye, Chelsea." she sneered before turning on her heel and leaving the beach.
Everything went quiet and Denny spoke up, "What was that all about?" he asked quietly, and I stifled the sobs that threatened to break free of my chest.
"I'm a fuck up. That's what." I explained and he put his hands on my shoulders to turn me towards him.
"No you aren't! You just made a mistake. Everyone screws up once in a while. Go to her house and apologize." he ordered softly, pushing me towards the entrance of the beach.
I sighed and willed my feet to walk forward. I tried to take as much time as possible, not wanting to get screamed at. Julia in a mood wasn't a fun experience. I made it to her house, and I hid around the side of the house, taking deep breaths. Okay, she's not going to kill you. Unless, she turned sadistic and murdered me by shoving a sickle in my stomach and watching me bleed to death. Note to self: stop reading so many murder mysteries.
I open the door after taking one last deep breath and gasp at the scene in front of me. Mirabelle was standing over two people huddled in a tight embrace, one of her hands running along the side of one of the people's backs. I took a closer look and saw that it was Vaughn and Julia hugging, and the fact alone that Vaughn was showing comfort made me think that I were in an alternate universe. Vaughn was murmuring something to Julia while she sobbed and pressed her face into the smooth leather of his vest. I was still trying to take in this when Julia looked up.
"What do you want?" she wailed, tears streaming down her pale face.
I cringed at the loudness of her voice, "What's wrong?" I asked quietly, fearing another outburst.
"Elliot cheated on her." Mirabelle whispered softly, and Julia started to sob at the sound of his name.
"Wait, since when were you dating Elliot?" I asked, shock not contained in my voice.
She sneered at me, "You would know that if you were around more."
"Oh, Julia... I'm sorry I haven't been around that much. I'm just... A lot has been going on." I struggled to explain, and she laughed bitterly.
"That's because you were with Denny." she stated, not bitterly, but it wasn't friendly either.
"There's nothing happening between Denny and me." I screamed, my annoyance taking over.
She didn't flinch, "Get out Chelsea. Just leave." she ordered me and I sighed and turned to leave.
I couldn't make it out the door before Elliot rushed inside, "Julia! It's not what it seems! I didn't do anything with that girl!" he rushed to explain and Vaughn got up from his perch on the floor.
"You need to leave." he said acidly, and Elliot glared at him.
"Don't tell me what to do! Get out of my way." he shoved Vaughn and Vaughn snapped.
He tackled Elliot to the ground, swinging a fist forward to connect with the smaller boy's jaw. I gasped and immediately froze up. This is how I reacted to fights. I was useless because half the time I was frozen with fear. I just stood there as the two boys rolled around on the ground, throwing punches left and right, somehow landing some in their fight to see who had the biggest balls it seemed. Julia gasped, but didn't break it up. She had this look of a kid on Christmas day, ready to open presents. Vaughn slugged Elliot in the eye and Mirabelle took this time to yell at the two boys.
"Vaughn! Stop it! Elliot! I'm going to tell you're mama you got in a fight!" she shrieked, but she didn't even get through to them.
I broke out of my trance and stepped forward, grabbing Vaughn's shoulders, "Vaughn! Let him go! You're going to kill him." I said quietly, so only the two of them could hear me.
"I promised Julia I would do this." he roared and swung another punch at the small red haired boy.
I paused. Since when did Vaughn like Julia? Was there some kind of weird crush thing happening between them? All the times I had been over, Julia had complained endlessly about Vaughn's lack of enthusiasm and how cold he was. In this moment in time, Vaughn seemed to be very pissed and enthusiastic about beating Elliot to a pulp. When had his cold demeanor changed?
While I was considering this, Vaughn's hand flew up and somehow managed to hit me in the face. I gasped and stumbled back, shocked and scared out of my mind. I backed away from the two of them, holding my gushing nose and went back to Julia. She looked scared at what was happening around her but she didn't try and help me. Mirabelle took me by the hand and led me to the kitchen. She tilted my head back and squeezed the bridge of my nose. I screamed as pain shot down my face from the contact and she stilled.
"I think that damn boy broke your nose. Damn it." she cursed, laying a clenched fist over her chest.
I took a deep breath and closed a hand over my nose. I twisted it slightly, tears welled up in my eyes from the pain in the action. Twisting cartilage and bone, I set my own broken nose. It hurt like hell, but at least I wouldn't have a crooked nose. The most would be a slight bump in the bridge.
I put a bag of ice over it, "There. Good as new." I whispered, my head spinning and Mirabelle looked like she was going to pass out.
"Oh. My. Goddess. Did you just set your own nose?" she whispered, shock layering her voice.
"I'll be okay. It's just some blood and a lot of pain. Nothing I can't live through." I whispered back, my words sounding slightly slurred.
I took a deep breath, "I got to go."
I got up from my seat at the table and headed towards the door. Elliot was no where to be found but, judging from the amount of blood trailing to the door, I supposed he couldn't have gotten far. Vaughn was sitting in the corner, his hand rubbing his jaw and his eye slightly swollen. Julia was patting him on the shoulder, her voice soft and soothing. I growled when Vaughn looked up.
"Thanks for this." I sneered and he laughed. Well, kinda anyway.
"It's not my fault you were the dumb ass who got in the middle of things." he answered, a superior tone in his voice.
"You know, I was finally starting to think you were an okay guy, but not anymore. Never talk to me again." I responded, my voice sounding weird from the current state of my nose.
"You know, I don't have a problem with that." he returned and I stomped out the door.
I ran to Denny's house, the necklace he gave me bouncing up and down as I ran. I banged on his door, and he opened it quickly. He took one look at me and his eyes grew huge.
"What the hell happened? Did you get mugged or something?" he asked in a shocked voice, worry layering the deep tones.
"No. A dumb ass cowboy punched me in the face." I whispered back to him and he took me in his arms.
This would have been comforting had it not felt like my heart was being torn out and pulverized by a certain someone. A certain cowboy. Weird.