Page 16

Chapter 16

Graham

“Where’s Julia?” Chloe asks Nathan as I’m walking across my front yard to their car on Monday morning.

“She’s staying home. Sore throat, I think. Probably too much singing while she thinks no one is listening.” Nathan shrugs.

“Whoa, whoa, wait. You get to hear her sing? I want to hear her sing,” I say, inserting myself into the conversation. “Also, I call bringing her her homework.”

“Yeah, no one is fighting you for that,” Chloe says, climbing into the back seat of the car. “If she really is sick, she’ll have to know that I love and support her from a distance. I do not want to get sick. It’s Halloween week, and the Winter Formal is coming up. Way too much to do.”

I laugh to myself. Chloe isn’t actually a part of any of the planning, but she loves to participate. Every year, the week of Halloween, the student council plans a spirit week with candy grams for sale. Today is a school color dress-up day, and she went all out dressing up. She is also anxiously waiting for any news on who is taking whom to the Winter Formal and how they asked. Chloe is decked out in orange and gray—ribbons in her hair, DVHS painted on her cheeks. I am also wearing orange. I participate, but, like, a normal amount. Nathan’s wearing his baseball jersey and a backwards hat. That’s about as good as it gets with him. I hope whoever he dates next is really into this kind of stuff and drags him along. I would love to watch that.

“It’s too bad she’s sick, but it works in your favor, I suppose,” Nathan says, pulling out of the driveway.

“Uhm, no?” I’m not sure why this would be a good thing for me.

“The List. Doesn’t it say ‘take care of her when she’s sick’?”

“Bringing up the list?” Chloe asks. “You and Julia are so alike, both trying to pretend you aren’t as invested as you really are.”

Nathan opens his mouth to argue, but I cut him off, not willing to listen to them fight right now.

“Yes!” I crow. “It does say that. God loves me! I forgot! When I first read the list, I was worried she wasn’t going to get sick before Christmas, and I wouldn’t get to finish.” I look at Nathan, seeing a look of disapproval. “Wait, not like that. I hate that she’s sick. Besides you’re the one who said this is convenient for me.”

“So, maybe 35 percent monster?” Chloe quips, and Nathan chuckles, shaking his head, driving down the street to pick up Josie.

***

After I get home from school, I grab my keys and run to the corner drugstore. The bright fluorescent lights make my eyes water. I search the aisle signs for cold and cough and start grabbing anything I think would help: cough drops, fever reducers, vitamin C supplements. I go to the refrigerated section and grab a bottle of orange juice and one that is a mango blend. Did you know that a mango has the same amount of vitamin C as an orange? Dad learned that somewhere and tells me every time I have a sore throat. Is it true? I doubt it. Why else would everyone be spouting the values of an orange if a mango is the same? Especially Hawaiians—they love their mangoes. I grab a box of crackers, dehydrated chicken noodle soup, and a four-pack of red Jello. I have everything I need to take care of Julia.

***

“Hello, Graham.” Aunty Theresa greets me at the door. “What do you have there?”

I lift my hands and say, “Just some stuff to help Julia feel better, and her homework is in my backpack.”

“Feel better?” She gives me a confused look.

“Yeah. Nathan said she was sick, and that’s why she didn’t come to school today.”

“Oh! I’m surprised she didn’t text you. I suppose that’s technically true, but I’m pretty sure she just didn’t want to go today, and I’m a sucker. But come on in, anyway. She’ll want to hear about her assignments. That she can get online, but I support it.” She mumbles the last part under her breath. Well, I feel a little stupid. I cough, feeling the embarrassment in my throat.

“Well, thanks. I’ll just drop this off and be on my way then.” I smile sheepishly, and head toward her bedroom.

“Door open, Graham. Julia’s dad is very invested in no funny business.”

“Yes, ma’am. Door wide open.” What is up with her parents? Are they bound and determined to embarrass me at every turn? Can’t a guy just want to date their daughter without being subjected to all this teasing?

“Knock, knock,” I say, as I slowly push her door open enough so I can enter her room. And, ya know, fulfill my promise to her mom.

“Graham!” Julia’s genuine smile nearly knocks me off my feet. She’s sitting on the floor, leaning against her bed, a book open against her legs. She has on a pair of black shorts that show an awesome amount of leg and a green tank top. I really like when she wears green. Her hair is in a messy bun, directly on top of her head, her waves trying to stage a coup against the hair elastic. She is beautiful.

“What are you doing here? And did you buy out the entire drugstore?” she asks, eyeing the bags I’m carrying. She makes to get up, but I set the bags down, shaking my head.

“No, no, don’t get up. I just brought your homework and some stuff to take care of you. You know, because you’re sick?”

“Oh. That.” Julia laughs. “I didn’t sleep very well last night, and my throat was a little scratchy, so I asked my mom if I could stay home. I’m not really sick; I just wanted a day, and I lucked out. Let me help you put all that away and then wanna watch a movie or something?”

I glance at the bags and then back at her book. “What are you reading?”

“Pride and Prejudice.” She holds the book up so I can see the cover.

“Oh, that’s on the reading list. I have read exactly zero of those.”

“Well, come here. We can read it together?” She pats the floor next to her. I might be 35 percent monster and a mediocre student, but I’m not an idiot. I sit down so fast that Julia is a little surprised. “Should we read by paragraph or page?”

“I could read it to you?” I offer, feeling a little unsure but really wanting to do this.

“Sure,” Julia says, slowly handing me the book. “Just a quick recap. The Bennets have five daughters, and they need to marry rich, but Jane wants to marry for love…”

I interrupt. “I’ve seen the zombie version, so I have a general idea of what’s going on. But let me see.” I clear my throat again. Maybe that embarrassment wasn’t quite willing to leave me yet. I read for the next thirty minutes, and partway through, Julia leans her head on my shoulder. I tense for a minute, then take a deep inhale, appreciating the smell of her hair. She always smells so good. It's almost minty. Julia snuggles in a little closer and lightly scrapes her nails up and down my arm. It tickles, but not exactly. The nerve endings on my arms are firing with an intensity I’m not used to. I can feel the goosebumps spread, and I try so hard to keep my shiver inside. It’s not my fault. The girl that I’ve been dreaming about for years is cuddling with me. I try to keep my focus, but I start to stumble over my words. I take a deep breath and glance down at Julia. Her head is leaned back, and she is staring at me. Our lips are maybe six inches apart, and I keep glancing between them and her eyes.

“Julia,” I whisper, leaning forward slightly, and I feel her draw closer to me. Her eyes flutter closed, and her lips part slightly. I feel my hand shake as I raise it to cup her cheek. Her lips tilt up in a small smile. This is my moment. My lips hardly brush hers when I hear a throat clear. I jump back. I'm sure my face is showing the panic I feel.

“I think this is the funny business my parents were talking about.” Nathan smirks, leaning against the door, his hands in his pockets.

How long has he been standing there? I think, slightly horrified that, one, he wanted to watch me kiss his sister, and two, that I was so focused on Julia I hadn’t noticed someone approaching.

Julia laughs and grabs a pillow off her bed, throwing it at him. “Go away!”

Nathan pushes himself away from the door, his hands still in his pockets. “I’m leaving. But just so you know, Dad’s home from work. I heard that he lectured you about bedroom feelings. Should I go get him and let him know that he needs a repeat performance?”

I lean my head back and groan while Julia laughs again—why does she think this is so funny?—and shakes her head. Nathan walks away, laughing way harder than is necessary.

“Well.” I rub my hands on my shorts. “I guess I should probably go home.” I clear my throat again.

“Thanks for coming over and trying to take care of me.” Julia walks me towards the stairs. Her hand brushes mine, and in my overstimulated state, I stumble down the first few stairs. She reaches forward, catching my arm, once again trying to hide her smile. I let out another deep breath to calm myself.

“Okay. This is embarrassing. I’m gonna go.” I rush down the stairs, eager to get home and regroup. I’m not this person. I’m not a casanova by any means, but I am calm and collected around girls. Some would even say smooth. I’m halfway out the door when I hear Julia’s footsteps behind me.

“Graham, wait.” She steps out onto the front step, closing the door behind her but leaving her hand on the handle. “Thank you. I had a really great time.” She leans forward, bracing herself against my chest with her free hand, and plants a light kiss on my cheek. She smiles, a faint blush coating her cheeks. Before I can ask her what has gotten into her and inspired this change in behavior, she opens the door, gives me a last wave, and closes the door behind her. I lean against the door, touching my cheek lightly.

“I could really get used to this.”

***

Julia

I run up to my room, holding in a squeal. I sit down at my desk and pull out the original copy of the list. When Graham asked for one, I rewrote it. There was no way I was giving him the official one with doodles of our initials gracing the margins. I grab my favorite pen (don’t judge, we all have one) and update the list by adding one more item. A smile spreads across my face. He might just make it after all, I think, letting myself feel the excitement. I’m not entirely sure why I was so forward today, but it felt right. He has been putting in some work, and truthfully, I am getting a little sick of fighting it. He is still who he is. He gets distracted. Doubt starts to creep in, and I make a conscious effort to push it away. I get to choose how I feel, and right now, I am going to bask in the memories of a lovely afternoon. A handsome guy reading me a romance novel. What could be better?