When Lightning Strikes [COMPLETED]

Chapter 8: New Rooms (Part 1)

Julie's new room felt weird. There were no posters on the walls. And she didn't feel like taking the time to do it. All of her old furniture had arrived that morning, but the walls were blank, except for the color—a cheerful yellow that darkened to almost orange in the corners. She didn't like it.

While her room here didn't have a window seat like her old room, it had something better. There was a small terrace outside her room, which had a spiral stair up to the roof. She shared the terrace with Jamie, whose room also led out onto it. On the roof, there was a place to lounge privately, and she could see the ocean through the treetops.

Somehow, a lot of her old clothes were lost in the move. They were mostly a lot of t-shirts and jeans, but she missed them. Mom had told her that they would go shopping later that day for school clothes.

After dinner last night, she had called Darcy and Mandy. Both were shocked at the sudden move and even more shocked that she was okay with it. They thought, like she had, that her parents excuse to move was a little overkill. They both promised to come visit this summer. She couldn't remember much of the conversation after that.

It was odd that she would forget what they talked about. It happened last night. Was there something wrong with her? Her brow furrowed in worry. It wasn't like her to forget things. 

Outside one of her windows, a bird fluttered onto her windowsill. Its little brown head twitched back and forth. Julie stared at it as if fluffed its russet wings. It flew off a minute later.

What was she doing? She looked down to see a shirt in her hands. Oh, she was getting dressed to go out with Mom.

A nagging feeling throbbed in her mind, like she had forgotten something and it was on the tip of her tongue. She shook it off and pulled a t-shirt over her head, sure it was something lost with the move.

 Her mother was waiting for her by the front door. She looked perfect, as always, wearing brown slacks and a teal top that complemented the auburn highlights in her hair.

She frowned. "Come on and let's see if you have anything different to wear."

"Um, I thought we were going shopping. What does it matter what I wear? This is comfortable," Julie said defensively. She was confused. Her mom never made her change her clothes.

"Trust me, honey." Andromeda pasted a smile on her face.

Julie opened her mouth to argue but then caught the way the light filtered through the window by the front door. The beam of yellow cut across the air. Tiny flecks of dust sparkled in it making it look magical.

"What were you saying, Mom?" she asked after a moment. "Did you want me to do something?"

"Come on, honey." Her mother steered her up the stairs. Julie wondered why her mom looked so sad.

A few minutes later, they left the house. Julie was wearing a white peasant blouse and a short black skirt with large white flowers piped along the hem. Her long hair was pulled back by a clasp at her neck, a few tendrils loosened around her face. She touched the skirt idly as she sat in her mom's Volvo, wondering why she had chosen to let her dress her up today.