Something About Him

IX. You Look Like a Bird

Julian's blue Nissan GT-R (which Julian gave me shit for not knowing the make and model of his car until yesterday as if I know cars. I don't), is parked by the curb with the passenger side window down. Julian's not paying attention as I walk up, seemingly texting someone on his phone.

"Hey," I greet as I get in the car. The seat warmers are already on. Either he had a passenger in here prior to me or he turned them on himself for me.

"Hey, I was about to text you to hurry your ass up" Julian says, putting his phone in the cup holder.

"Well, I wasn't prepared to be picked up by you; you didn't really give me much of a warning." I say as I pull my gloves off and rub my cold hands together before placing them in front of the air vents.

Julian cranks up the fan that's blowing hot air on the palm of my hands, "I put the seat warmer on."

Mystery solved. "Thanks," I tell him with a smile of gratitude, but my insides are stirring. I know it's just a little button he pressed to activate the seat warmers for me, but he thought about me and my comfort which is nice coming from him.

"You're welcome," and he smiles back?

It's one of those smiles that someone can easily miss, but I definitely caught it. And now that I think about it, his tone is lighter than usual. Even the daily scowl on his face is softer. "Why are you in a good mood?" I ask bluntly because his positive energy- though attractive- is throwing me off.

"Who says I'm in a good mood?" Julian asks.

I shrug, watching him pull out of the school parking lot, "No one, but usually you're all My name's Julian," I start in a mocking deep and agitated voice, "and I'm misunderstood so I lash out at people."

"Oh, is that so?" He questions me, but looks amused by my antics.

"Yes, and now you're like I'm happy Julian. Which is great, I'm just curious on what or who caused this so I can thank them." I'm mainly joking, but I really hope he doesn't say Samantha. Oh God, why did I ask?

Julian rolls his eyes, "I'm just in a decent mood. I don't know. I got paid today, I'm off tomorrow, no one annoyed the shit out of me today," he takes his eyes off the road to look at me for a second, "Though I'm sure you're going to change that."

I scoff, "Most likely the other way around."

"Do I annoy poor Matthew?" He asks in a baby voice.

"All the time."

"Good, then I'm doing my job," he speaks proudly.

"You're older brother job?" I question. I don't know why, I definitely don't think of Julian as my brother. I guess I just want to see how he responds to that.

Not well because he scrunches his face up like he's disgusted at the thought and says, "don't say that."

I'm not sure yet if I like that answer. The swirling feeling in my stomach makes me think that I do. Either way I continue, "Why not?"

"Just don't," is all he says and we switch the subject to half of the football game I watched. Julian starts speaking on his high school football experience, but I was more interested in his tattooed arms and hands. He had his right hand on the steering wheel and the left on the clutch, shifting gears. On the back of his left hand, near his thumb, he had a simple tattoo that stood out to me. It reads, "nothing lasts forever," and I wonder what's the meaning behind those words for him.

The house is dark when Julian and I walk inside. Julian flick's on the kitchen light before telling me he's going to step outside real fast. This gives me a chance to go to my bedroom and change into comfier clothes. I settle for a plain black hoodie and my Rick and Morty sweatpants before I head back downstairs.