When Lightning Strikes [COMPLETED]

Chapter 2: Acquaintances

“Wake up. You’ll be late to school again.”

Julie groaned, pulling the pillow over her head in response to her mom’s voice.

“Fine. Stay in bed. Be late. But remember that every time you are late to school, we take away dance time.”

“Okay, okay.” She threw the pillow off. Her parents took school seriously and always threatened dance time. She didn’t get the big deal. Why worry about school at all when she was going to dance?

She was tired. The horrible memories of the attack two weeks ago visited her every night in her dreams. During the day, she could keep herself distracted, especially with dance practice. Maybe it would be better if she didn’t sleep at all.

Julie was afraid to ask her parents for help. They might think she needed to take it easy and rest again. She had to practice. She couldn’t stand the looming feeling that something inside her was about to explode. Why it felt worse than ever was beyond her.

“Are you coming?” Her mother’s yell jarred her. For once she was grateful that Mom was bugging her.

With a sigh, she got out of bed, pulled on jeans and a sweater, and put her hair up in a tight ponytail. It didn't feel right when it wasn't pulled back. She caught a glimpse of her face and grimaced.

Light yellow bruises still spread over her right eye and across her left cheek and chin. She prodded at her lip. The split in it had healed nicely, but if she still looked like this tomorrow, she would have to use makeup on stage. It was so thick, and she hated it. Yet she would put it on if the stupid bruises were still there. She couldn’t have them distracting any scouts for the Academy.

Maybe when the bruises healed, she would stop thinking and dreaming about all of it.

It was hard to forget when she saw herself in a mirror. Or caught her friends or family staring at her a little too intently. Or the thoughts about what could have happened if that person had not found her lying in the alley when they took out their trash a few hours later. Or…pretty much all the time.

“If you want me to take you, you have to get down here now. You already missed the last bus.”

“Where's Jamie?” Julie yelled back, hopping down the stairs.

Mom always tried to push her into wearing more stylish clothes. She frowned at the bulky sweater and jeans combo Julie wore. She wore a slim gray suit with beautiful aqua heels and matching purse. Her glossy brown hair had tasteful highlights and auburn lowlights. It was styled loosely around her youthful heart-shaped face. When her mother didn't dress professionally, they were sometimes mistaken as sisters. Her friends’ moms always asked who her plastic surgeon was, but she didn’t have one.

She slipped on sneakers, and her mom’s frown deepened. Julie rolled her eyes. She didn't seem to hear her the first time. “Where's Jamie?”

It was a question Julie asked more and more lately. He was never around. Either she was at dance practice or he was at sports practice. It felt like they hadn’t spent any real time together for almost a year now.

She was actually starting to miss him, even if he was her annoying twin brother.

When she got to the bottom of the stairs, Mom wrapped her up in a hug and blinked several times. Her mother seemed to hug her every time she entered a room. She supposed it was from the attack.

“Jamie got a ride with one of his friends. Ethan, I think?” She finally let go and herded her out the door to the car. “Anyway, he is probably already at school by now. Come on let's go.”