Rose Blossom (6 page)

             
"Of course.  I never say things I don’t mean." He told me, he was just leaning in to kiss me again when we both froze hearing footsteps on the stairs and then my mother appeared in the living room.

             
"Julian, I think it's time you went home," her words were like ice water splashed on our afternoon. Julian must have recognized the panic on my face because he stood his back to my mother and pulled me into his arms, holding me close.

             
"Don’t worry I am never far away if you need me.  I cannot see you tomorrow but I will meet you at school on Monday." He kissed the top of my head and took a step back.

             
"Good bye Julian, see you Monday," I said the robotic words to appease the look of anxiety on my mother's face. Julian winked at me and left. I watched him walk away. I didn’t move again until I heard the front door shut.

             
On the way back up to my room I whispered, "thank you mama," and swore I heard a sob come from my mother before I reached the first step of the stairs.

Chapter 4

              "He freaking kissed you! Seriously?" Mel's voice was high pitched and squeaky as she cornered me in the back of our first period government class Monday morning.

             
"More than once," I nodded; my smile lighting up my entire face. He'd done more than that but strangely the bruise I'd expected to grace my neck had never appeared.

             
"And Ice Lady is seriously going to let you guys date?" She asked, talking about my mother.

             
"Yes, with a little persuasion from my father," I told her, reaching into my bag and pulling out my book and homework. The last thing I needed was Mrs. Feverton telling my dad at the union meetings that I had been gossiping during class.

             
"This is so amazing Rho, like a new part of your life is beginning. I never thought I'd see the day your parents would let you date," Mel sat back in her seat, flipping her blonde hair over her shoulder.

             
"Yeah, he called me twice on Sunday just to make sure I hadn't changed my mind, I can't wait to see him again," I said dreamily as Mrs. Feverton began to take roll and collect our weekend assignments.

             
Mel grilled me for details the whole class, so I was relieved when the bell rang. Part of my relief; however had nothing to do with her and everything to do with seeing Julian in English.

             
As Mel darted off to P.E. I made my way as fast as I could to my English class, when I got there I looked around, trying to find him, but he wasn't there. My eyes dropped as a wave of sadness washed through me and I told myself, "you didn't imagine the weekend, you didn't, you're not that far gone." I walked to my seat in the back and began thinking of how to tell Mel I was completely cracking up. But just as I sat down Julian appeared by my side, I hadn't even seen him come in.

             
"Hello sweets," he whispered, sliding into the desk next to mine.

             
I grinned and looked over at him, biting my lip as his bright gaze caught mine and I felt the world around us slow. He reached over and took my hand rubbing the skin of my palm with his fingers.

             
"Hey," I said back, feeling like an idiot, couldn't I come up with something better than, "hey"?

             
As Julian leaned in to kiss my forehead I felt someone staring at us, well quite a few some ones. My eyes darted up and around to see half the class ogling us. Girls were whispering behind their hands and boys were grinning at Julian, I stiffened and Julian must have noticed because he too looked up.

             
I watched his face become still, like a statue, his eyes narrowed and one by one people stopped talking and looked away. Julian looked almost scary, I sat up a bit from him, not sure exactly what had happened.

             
"I don’t want them looking at you, no one needs to gossip about you Rose, I won't have it," Julian told me as he reached a hand over and cupped my chin, making me look at him. I blushed and Julian's face relaxed. We sat there for a few moments before Julian's eyes narrowed again and something dark filled his features. He was looking over my left shoulder so I turned around to see what had upset him.

             
Athol was sitting there, looking not only furious but disgusted at the same time. I tried to smile at him and raised my arm to wave. His eyes caught mine and he shook his head ever so slightly before looking down at his English book

             
"That boy wants you Rhodanthe," I heard Julian say a few minutes later after roll call.

             
It wasn't so much his tone that made me put down my silent reading book, but the use of my real name. I turned my head in Julian's direction so I could look at him and scooted a little bit closer to him so Mr. S wouldn't get angry that we were talking.

             
"What?" I asked.

             
"The brown haired boy wants you," he almost snarled the words.

             
"Athol?" I asked, confused, "Julian, c'mon, Athol and I have been friends since second grade; he's probably just weirded out that I'm being allowed to see anyone."

             
"He smells of jealousy," Julian's eyes were almost black and he was radiating anger.

             
"Julian, please," I begged, and my heart rate began to speed up, I didn't understand what was wrong, but I didn't like it. I also didn't like that it seemed Julian could smell emotion.

             
It was like a light switch, Julian's head turned slightly and at the sound of my heart, his face relaxed and he smiled at me, "Calm down Rose blossom, you're right, of course. It must be nothing." He reached over to me and wrapped a runaway curl around his finger. He seemed more peaceful, but through the rest of class I watched him throw evil looks in Athol's direction.

             
Julian walked me to Home Ec after English; he kept an arm wrapped around my shoulder the whole time. About five feet from my classroom door he pulled me to a stop.

             
"Botany's the other direction and I'm going to be late," he smiled and leaned down to place a cool, tender kiss on my lips, "but it's so worth it." He straightened and took a few seconds to just stare at me.

             
"I'll see you at lunch, OK Rose?" he asked me.  "Try not to get in too much trouble."

             
"Oh yes, that's me the trouble queen, I am that exciting," I said sarcastically. He raised his eyebrows at me and walked away as I was laughing.

             
I turned to go into class and ran right into Athol; he seemed tense and a little anxious.

             
"Hey Athol, what are you doing here, shouldn't you be in Math?" I asked, confused.

             
"I had to see you, had to make sure you were okay." He grabbed my shoulder and pulled me to a nearby bench.  I was so shocked I didn't even think to fight him on it.

             
"Of course I'm okay, why wouldn't I be?" I asked, "Are you okay Athol, you don't look so good."

             
"I'm worried about you. I had heard you were at the dance with Julian but thought it was too weird to even really consider."  Athol took a breath, "he's strange Rho; you shouldn't be with him."

             
"What?" I asked, eye widening at Athol's craziness, "I really like him Athol and he likes me, it's not odd and there is nothing to be worried about."

             
"He's not normal Rho, please believe me, something about him just feels off," Athol leaned in and took my hands in his.

             
I felt my heart sputter; he couldn't really know Julian was different, could he? Athol just had to be acting twice as crazy as normal, right?

             
"I mean if it's a matter of your parents finally letting you date then date me! I'll talk to them and everything, I've always thought you were a cutie, wanted to ask you out a hundred times!" Athol rambled; I pulled my hands out of his and stood up, turning to face him, embarrassed.

             
Athol was my friend and I didn't quite know what to say, "Ummmm Athol, that's awful nice of you but I really do like Julian, I want to be with Julian, so I'm sorry but no thanks." My words didn't seem to make things better. Athol stood and, his face stormy and his eyes angry.

             
"Fine then Rho, but don't say I didn't warn you," Athol turned around and stomped off. I just stood there for a few seconds before heading into class.

             
I spent the whole time we were supposed to be taking notes for the next day's cooking activity thinking about Athol and his strange behavior. By the time the bell rang for lunch I had almost convinced myself he'd just forgotten whatever meds he must be taking to keep the craziness locked inside.

             
I walked outside my class and down the hallway until I reached a small grassy area with picnic tables, I sat at the one Mel, Killian and I always sat at and waited.

             
Mel and Killian showed up a few seconds later, but lunch wasn't about eating, for them it was more time for lip lock fest 2010.

             
After several minutes I noticed Julian was sitting next to me; I jumped, startled, and by the look on his face he wasn't happy to see me.  I began to scoot away, sadness and hurt leaking from my pores when suddenly he grabbed me around the waist and squeezed me to him. His eyes almost desperate, haunted.

             
"I can smell Athol on you," his voice was low, musky floral pouring from his mouth onto every inch of my face. "What happened?"

             
"He just stopped me before class to talk," I shrugged, not wanting to make a big deal out of it.

             
"I don’t want you to talk to him anymore Rhodanthe, there is something that bothers me about him and I don’t quite know what it is," Julian told me.

             
Funny that's what he said about you,
I thought, "like what?" I said out loud.

             
"His thoughts are...fuzzy," Julian shrugged, "for lack of a better word, I can usually read most people’s thoughts if I try, but not his."

             
"You can read people thoughts!" I whispered, eyes wide, my chest ached as I thought of all the mushy private things I had thought about with and around Julian. I didn't want him in my deepest most secret fantasies, not now and maybe not ever!

             
"Breathe Rose blossom, your thoughts are also...fuzzy, I cannot read them in detail, mainly just bits and pieces when you are practically screaming them," Julian wrapped his arms around me and brought me to rest against his chest in a light embrace. How does a human being learn to read people's thoughts?  I wondered. I knew I should feel way more freaked out, but I didn't.

             
I was however completely relieved he couldn't read my mind like a book. But it did make me wonder what thoughts he HAD picked out.  I pushed these wonderings to the back of my mind and just relished in the feel of him holding me, but the romantic moment was broken as my stomach growled. I felt Julian's chest shake with laughter and turned my head up to see him.

             
" I shall go get food for you, any requests?" Julian asked, sitting me up so he could stand.

             
"A muffin maybe?" I asked, a little embarrassed.

             
"A muffin it shall be," he left in search for food.

             
"He is so smitten," Mel giggled, I looked toward her to see that she and Killian had come up for air long enough to hear the last part of our conversation.

             
"I guess," I smiled.

             
"Wow, Athol looks right pissed, what's up with that dude?" Killian asked, looking over my shoulder.

             
"No clue," I muttered and turned around; sure enough Athol was striding over to our table. He stopped in front of me, breathing heavily.