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JULIE WISHED THAT there had been tension at the breakfast table the next day. It didn't even have to be tension, but at least some kind of sign, that the night before hadn't just been a dream, would lift a huge weight of her tired shoulders.
If it really had happened, why wasn't Steven looking longingly at her like she was at him. How would he be able to talk to her brothers like nothing was up, if he had experienced the same thing as her.
Maybe he hadn't experienced the same thing as her. Maybe it hadn't meant anything at all to brunet boy.
The thought brought a familiar feeling back to her chest. She thought that she had been done with the older boy, who would never look at her in the same way, but somehow he always did something to mess up her feelings again and again and again.
When he caught her looking at him, he smiled questioningly at her, making her look away as fast as possible, instead focusing on the plate in front of her. Laurel had made omelet for all of them. Usually, she would eat this just as fast as the boys, but her stomach felt full after just one bite.
"I'm going to get ready to go to work," she announced, not caring about the loud scraping sound her stair made as she stood up quickly or the concerned glances she got from almost everyone around the table.
"But your shift doesn't start before ten," came her mothers reply.
"Um, I traded with Luce," she smiled her most convincing smile.
She hurried up the stairs without waiting for a reply, changing out of her pyjamas and instead putting on a pair of denim shorts and a white t-shirt, pulling her hair out of her face in a quick ponytail before rushing down the stairs, only calling a quick "goodbye" before leaving.
Her bike stood where she had left it when she had returned home from work the day before, and she quickly swung herself onto the worn out bicycle, driving towards the pool.
When she entered the back door to the kitchen, she was met with the smiling faces of Lucia (or Luce, the dark haired girl would kill you if you called her Lucia to her face) and James.
Their smiles faded upon seeing the girl, brows instead frowning.
"There's an hour till we switch, Jules," Luce voice sounded concerned. The blonde never messed up the time of her shifts.
"Yeah, I know, sorry," she positioned herself on a stool by her two friends. "I just felt like coming earlier today."
The two other teens, still not quite convinced, brushed off their worries, and instead concentrated on cheering up their friend.
☼ ☼ ☼ ☼
TWO HOURS LATER and Julie was busy peeling potatoes, her mood heightened by the company of her friends who were now leaving.
"Hey, I'm gonna go home now," James' voice rung through the cramped kitchen as he peered through the door to say goodbye.
She only hummed in response not looking up at him.
"Steven just arrived, I think he's looking for you," Again, he just got small mumble in reply, "And, um, there was one more thing," she still didn't look up at him. "Do you want to go out later today? I mean, I like you, and I figured that you might like me too,"
"Oh," she finally looked up, finding his face beaming at her, not a single doubt visible in his expression. "Um," What did she have to lose? Apparently, she was just a friend Steven. Maybe she already had a chance and just blew it. Either way, they would never be more, so why not go after someone who was actually interested? "Sure, why not," came her reply, quickly followed by a new train of thoughts.
"Great. I'll text you later!" He waved one last time before disappearing out the door, leaving her standing alone in the kitchen, suddenly unsure about her answer.
Feeling her mind wandering into the pit of overthinking, she was quick to stop herself. Steven had had so many chances. If he wanted to take them, he would have done so a long time ago. She had to stop thinking that he would ever change his mind, because it was becoming very clear that he never would. She was just messing up her own feelings and blaming it on him.
James saw her in a different light, and maybe it was time to give someone else a chance.
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