Page 25

Chapter 25

Julia

I stop running outside of Mabel’s house, taking a minute to stretch and catch my breath. I take my earbuds out, carefully replacing them in their case. It’s important that I don’t lose them again, because my mom told me she wouldn’t buy me new ones. Again.

“Julia!” Mabel says, swinging her screen door open. “Thank you for visiting. Today, let’s sing together.” She settles herself into a blue camp chair in her car port, clears her throat, and starts warming up. Her voice is beautiful, if a little warbling with age. I wish I could've heard her sing in her prime. “Julia. Join in.” She starts directing me in warm ups, and I turn towards the wall of her house, so I can’t see anyone.

“Not today, dearie. Look at me. We can do this!” Mabel gets up from her chair and places her hands on my shoulders, forcing me to turn towards her. “La-la-la-la-la-la-la-la-la.” She gestures to me and I clear my throat, singing along.

“Beautiful!” Mabel says, clasping her hands in joy. We spend the next ten minutes or so warming up before Mabel sits down, blaming her old bones again.

“Mabel. Remember how I told you about the school talent show? Well, instead of signing up to perform, I signed up to do stage crew.” I wring my hands, hoping some of the nerves will come loose. “I am really excited to sing at your variety show though. Will you help me prepare?”

“Of course that’s okay, dearie! Oh, this is so exciting. Come inside, and we’ll pick a song. I have hundreds.” Mabel drags me to her front room, which houses a grand piano. Between that and the shelves of music, there isn’t much room to stand. She tells me to sit at the piano while she searches. She spends the next few minutes pulling out sheet after sheet, humming a few lines, and then putting each one back. Finally, she finds an old handwritten music score. “Here it is! My sweet Harold wrote it for me. I’ve asked Ginger to sing it for me, but she never will. She only sings ‘pop or country’ music.” Mabel sniffs. She sits on the bench and starts plunking out the right hand. It’s a beautiful melody, and she keeps looking at me and pointing to where she is. It’s clear she wants me to sing, but I can’t quite get past the name Ginger.

“Ginger?” I ask hesitantly. I only know one Ginger.

“Yep, Ginger. She’s probably about your age. She’s beautiful and talented but a bit of a pill. Have I told you that before?”

“Ginger Campos?” I ask, hoping that maybe it isn’t the same one.

“No, no, Ginger Cole.” There is a light knock at the door before a man about my dad’s age walks in, followed by none other than Ginger Cole.

“Hey, Mabel,” the man says. “I brought Ginger over. She needs help picking a song for the school talent show.”

“Hi, Gary. Hi, Ginger. Come hug your grandma. Do you know Julia Pritchett?”

“Oh, hey Julia?” Ginger raises an eyebrow in confusion. “What are you doing here?” she asks, with as much enthusiasm as someone heading to the dentist. Her dad elbows her in the side, and she gestures toward me. “Dad, this is Julia Pritchett. She lives next door to Graham.”

“Hi, it’s nice to meet you.” He shakes my hand and gestures to the door. “I need to make a few calls and return an email. I’ll be waiting in the car. Take your time, sweetheart.” Ginger and I stand awkwardly while Mabel starts digging around in the papers again.

“Hmm, a song for Ginger. Not this one, hmm, not right, oh! This would be good for Julia,” she murmurs.

“What’s this one?” Ginger asks, picking up the discolored sheet from the piano.

“Oh, one that Grandpa wrote for me. Julia is going to sing it next month at the variety show.”

“You’re singing in the variety show?” Ginger asks, with so much disgust even Mabel notices. She looks up from the sheets in her hands and narrows her eyes.

“Is that a problem, Ginger? I’ve been asking you to perform for my friends for months. If Julia says yes, what does it matter to you?” Mabel asks sharply. Ginger takes a step back in surprise.

“It’s not a big deal. I just didn’t know. Can I sing too? It could be a good rehearsal for the school talent show.”

Mabel claps her hands. “That’s what Julia said! Great minds think alike. I bet the two of you have a lot in common. Why don’t we have some lemonade and chat?” I make eye contact with Ginger, cringing a little.

“Uhm, sure. That sounds nice,” I say. Ginger snorts and pulls out her phone, her fingers flying over the keypad. I follow Mabel into the kitchen and help her find the pitcher and cups. She has a container of fresh squeezed lemon juice and some simple syrup in the fridge, so she quickly mixes up a pitcher of lemonade while I grab some cookies from the cookie jar on the counter. We place it nicely on a platter, and I carry it out for her. Ginger is sitting on the couch, still texting on her phone. She looks up and glares when she sees that I’m helping.

“Thanks, Grandma,” she says, helping herself to some food.

“Thank Julia, dear. She was the one who really did it,” Mabel comments pointedly. Ginger scowls and shoves a cookie in her mouth.

“So, Julia. Tell me more about your friends. Chloe was so lovely at Halloween.”

“Halloween? Seriously? How often do you hang out with my grandma?” Ginger’s practically shaking in anger.

Now, Ginger is not my favorite person by any stretch, but she’s normally relatively pleasant. She is downright delightful when she’s around Graham, a little less interested in me but still, this is weird.

“Oh, hush. I told your parents to tell you that I needed help handing out candy. No one ever responded, so I figured it out myself. And Julia and I have become great friends. She is lovely and I think you two could also be friends.”

“Graham.” Ginger says quietly.

“A boy?” Mabel gasps. “Wait, Graham? The dreamboat from your phone?” She glances at me with a sympathetic look.

Ginger is sitting with her arms folded tight across her chest, legs crossed, bouncing her foot. Her mouth is pinched with eyes locked on mine.

I turn to Mabel, trying to avoid the hate being thrown at me from the other side of the room. “Yep, that’s him.”

“You know Graham too?” Mabel peers at Ginger.

“I’ve told you about him. I want to ask him to the Winter Formal, remember? I’ve liked him for so long. He flirts with me until Julia shows up, and then I’m chopped liver.”

“Well, you should find a new boy to flirt with. You don’t want someone who wants someone else, anyway.” Mabel flaps her hands in the air.

The conversation continues around me, but all I can hear are the words Winter Formal over and over again. Ginger Cole is going to ask Graham to the Winter Formal? Why would she do that? Doesn’t she know that we’re dating?

“We’re dating!” I blurt out.

“Who is dating, dearie?” Mabel asks.

“Me and Graham. He’s my boyfriend. We’re going to the Winter Formal together.” I am practically yelling at this point.

Ginger raises an eyebrow at me, an evil smirk on her lips. “Really? He asked you?”

“Well, no, but he’s going to. I think.” I hate that I let this doubt bleed in again. I take a deep breath and brace myself. Just trust him, J. He likes you. You like him. He hasn’t asked about the dance yet, but it's still a month away. He has time. And if it gets close, I’ll ask him.

“Ginger, why are you acting this way?” Mabel asks. “You are better than this. Do not ask out another girl's boyfriend! I've said it before and I’ll say it again, find someone who likes you for you. Why would you want someone who wants someone else? You are amazing and have so much to offer.”

I stand abruptly, desperately wanting to be anywhere but here. “Thank you for your time, Mabel. I’ll come back later this week to find a song.” I check my pockets to make sure I have my earbuds and start toward the door. As soon as I get outside, I start to run, but I hear Mabel calling my name. I turn and see her standing on her driveway, waving a sheet of paper.

“Julia! Take this one! I want you to sing it.”

I slowly walk towards her. “Are you sure, Mabel? Ginger seemed to want it.”

“Oh, pish. That girl always wants what other people have. This wouldn’t be a good song for her. I’ll find something better for her. Take it.” She pushes the paper into my hands, and I decide to take it graciously. It doesn’t mean I will sing it, but I need to get out of here. Mabel pulls me into a hug. I let myself relax into her arms.

“Now, Ginger is a lovely girl. I love her dearly. She has a lot of skills and gifts, but don’t let her make you doubt what you know or take what's yours. Fight for what you want. You are also a lovely girl with a lot of skills and gifts. Never forget that,” Mabel whispers before giving me a final squeeze and shuffling back to her house. I run past Ginger’s dad, waving awkwardly before pulling out my phone to text Chloe.

Julia

Chloe. Ginger is going to ask Graham to the Winter Formal. I have to ask him first. Help me?

Chloe responds almost immediately.

Chloe

Absolutely.