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“You’re right Shelby. Where would we be without her?”
I couldn’t see it but I’m sure my mom had a look of disgust on her face and I couldn’t help but chuckle at the thought of it. I bounded up the stairs to my room and went to sleep happily dreaming of turkeys.
The next morning I was really excited to pick Jules up for school. When I got there, I bounded up the smallish incline to the bottom of the steps of the covered porch just as she was locking the door.
“You didn’t!” She squealed with delight when she turned around and met my eyes.
“What are you talking about?” I said.
“I can feel it in your chest Elliott Gray. You asked and they said yes!”
It was handy, most of the time. I had a feeling I’d never be able to surprise her again though. She dropped her bag on the wood porch with a loud thud and she leaped into my arms from the top step in excitement.
“You’re gonna’ love Mauch Chunk,” she said.
“I’ve been there before Jules. Granted, I was pretty little and don’t remember much, but I have been there.”
“Oh, you’ll remember this trip,” she flirted.
“I bet I will,” I teased.
“We’re going to have to start picking out our road trip music starting today,” she said, gesturing excitedly with her hands. “We only have a week!”
Jules took forever to pick out music. She said there was an art to choosing the correct songs, to provide diverse choices that would suit any mood. I had to admit she was pretty good at it.
“Should we ditch today and stay here?” She asked. “I bet we could get a lot more done if we did.”
“Whoa! We just got stow away privileges and you already want to rock the boat? Any minute now we could capsize and never make our destination.”
“You’re right,” she sagged with a sigh. “Let’s get to school.”
“Aye, aye, cap’n!” I said with a salute.
That day was a B day and I’d only have fourth period Chemistry with her. I didn’t get to see her that morning but at least we got to eat lunch together and I was able to finish the day with her.
The hours ticked by so slowly but I absorbed the little information I didn’t already know in Economics and Algebra and ran to the cafeteria to see my Jules. I saw her sitting at our usual table but didn’t see what I had imagined all morning. She had her arms folded across her stomach as if in pain and a look of panic strewn about her perfect face. I instantly ran to her and pleaded to know what was wrong.
“Jules! What happened?”
The tears were just beginning to flow. I guess they had unconsciously been waiting for me. They knew how much I hated them. They were a sign of pain in Jules and that was unacceptable to me. She tried to speak but couldn’t and instead just handed me, with trembling hands, a folded piece of notebook paper torn from a binder. It was a printed note and read,
Julia, you’ve got something that I want and I’m determined to make it mine. I think you know what I mean. Watch yourself.
My hands tremored and the paper shook furiously in my hands. I crumpled it up but the frustration didn’t subside as I’d hoped. I needed to find Jesse and immediately. I stared out across the cafeteria.
“I’m going to find Jesse,” I said as calmly as I possibly could.
I began to stand but she pulled me back to my chair.
“No, babe, please. Have you considered that it might be from Taylor?” She asked.
I hadn’t thought of that but I guess I could see how it could also make sense. Both people made sense as its author but Jesse was the outright psycho, not to mention the unveiled threats, not that Jules knew about those. Jesse was the only one who could have done it, in my book.
“Damn it!” I said a little too loudly.
Jules stroked my arm to calm me down but it wasn’t helping. I could tell that she was scared because her fingers shook and she was nearly screaming it through our touch.
“You know it’s going to be okay, right?” I asked her.
