Julia skipped happily down the road a few weeks later, a joyous expression on her face. Her head bounced along with the rhythm of her skipping.
Julia thought she was being just as cute as the little girl named Eliza. Eliza always skipped like this, and everyone cooed and laughed at her sheer adorableness. Julia liked it, and had started her own skipping legacy, longing for the same attention.
Well, she got the attention all right.
Julia smiled brightly at a passerby and continued to skip. She didn't hear Gannon mutter, "Teenagers," and was rounding the corner...
when her life was changed forever.
There, by Chen's Shop, in a gray pail of soapy dishwater, lay the most beautiful mop she'd ever laid eyes upon. It shimmered in the sunlight, the sunlight like the yolk of an egg.
As if in slow motion, Julia had grabbed it and still as if in slow motion dashed away with it. Then, as if in slow motion (again) Chen screamed, "JULIA!!" Well, in slow motion, it was more like, "JJJUUULLLIIIAAA!!!!!!!!" really slow, of course.
Anyway, Chen grabbed her arm(as if in slow motion) but Julia whacked him with the mop. Then, in slow motion (I think you're catching onto the pattern) she gasped and kissed it to make it feel better. It tasted like detergent--and Julia should know but I wouldn't ask if I were you--and she licked her lips before, in you-know-what she began to sprint away.
And you know, she may have gotten away if it hadn't just been as if in slow motion.
Chen walked along next to her, dryly looking her over as she made huge, exaggerated pumps with her arms and her mouth open in o like a monkey's. Then, she tripped.
Julia squinted into the sunlight at Chen's angry face. "Get up," he ordered.
Julia got up quickly, and saluted sharply. But her mop was in that hand, and it hit Chen so hard he fainted.
"Oh, no!" Julia cradled the mop gingerly. "I'm so sorry, Banana!" she gasped. After kissing it better (again) she raced off, and locked herself in her room back home, keeping Banana the Mop close.
It must've been a few hours at least when there was a knock at the door. Julia, who'd forgotten completely about her battle with Chen earlier, skipped to the door and opened it.
Good thing it was only Elliot.
"Ellio!" Julia squealed, crushing him in embrace an elephant would've been squashed by. Then, wanting to show Elliot her new "boyfriend", grabbed a squished Elliot and led him into her room.
"Banana!" she cried. She leaped up and, expecting the mop to catch her, landed on top of it. Amazingly, it did not break but the handle slammed onto Julia's forehead, and she broke her collarbone from the fall.
Elliot, still folded like an accordion, dragged her off to the ER... again.
A few days later, Julia and Elliot stood on a little island, free from hazards except for the surrounding water.
"Ellio, meet my new boyfriend, Banana!" Julia squealed, showing it to him happily.
Elliot felt replaced. By a mop, no less.
Love is that sad, sometimes.
Julia kissed it and twirled. "Shake his hand, Ellio!"
Elliot took a ropey tentacle in his hand and shook it weakly.
"No, Ellio, that's his hair!" With a screech like a condor's, Julia replaced the noodly thing with another. On this one there was a crude, sharpie made hand. Elliot smiled bluntly and shook it.
Julia began dancing with it.
Feeling strangely jealous, Elliot walked up to her and Banana and said, "No, Julia, you use it like this!" Then, he ripped the mop out of her hands and scrubbed it against the grass.
Hard.
He should've known the consequences would be severe.
Julia was on top of him in 2 seconds flat, ripping the flesh off from around the wrist of the hand that was holding Banana hostage. Giving a yelp, Elliot threw his hand back, letting Banana fly. The mop flew all the way to the ocean and landed in it with an ugly, 'plp'.
Julia dove after it, screaming bloody murder.
Elliot groaned and pounded his head on the ground before, grudgingly, he dove after her.
Like I said, love is sometimes that sad.