“Dad! Stop it!” Jules’ voiced trailed off before the door closed.
I shook my head and laughed as I shoved the keys into the ignition and drove the two miles to my parents' farmhouse. When I got home my dad was in the red barn refinishing some old doors he found in a nearby junkyard to replace two of the interior doors of the house. My truck bit at the popping gravel driveway as I parked it just outside the barn. The door squeaked open before I slammed it shut.
“Hey dad,” I said, pulling my fingers through my hair.
“Hey son,” he said, glancing up at me, “did you have fun?”
“I did, dad. I really did.”
“I can tell,” he laughed.
“What? What’s that supposed to mean?” My eyes wide as saucers.
“Your lips son, their swollen, from kissing I assume.”
I pressed my lips together before lifting a finger to feel them. They were definitely raw but I didn’t know that was visible to the world.
“Yeah, well,” was all I could say.
“As long as it’s just kissing, I don’t have a problem with it. You just make sure it’s only that. Keep your hands in your pockets if you have to. You hear me?”
“Yes sir.”
If I had revealed why I so adamantly agreed with him, he wouldn’t have believed me. I wouldn’t have done anything to Jules that I wouldn’t want done to my own daughter. Jules was precious to me.
“Get any homework at all done?”
“Yes sir, probably not as much as I should have but enough. The paper’s not due for two weeks yet. I’m in pretty good shape.”
“Good. Good,” he said, sanding off some old red paint. “Well you better get yourself into that house son. Your mama’s been waiting all day to talk to you.”
“Okay dad. Need any help?”
“Nope. Now get.”
I walked up the little hill my house sat on top of and thought of how Jules was safely becoming a permanent fixture in my life. When I entered through the kitchen, my mom was at her huge ceramic farm sink, peeling potatoes for Sunday’s potato salad. When she saw me she threw down her peeler and wiped her hands on a blue and white dishtowel.
“Hey mama,” I said and began to walk the kitchen stairs to my room.
“Wait Elliott. Tell me. How did it go baby?”
“It went extremely well mom. I had the most fun day of my life today. Julia Jacobs is an incredible girl.”
“Land alive! I don’t believe I would have ever heard anything like that come from your mouth Elliott Gray. You are a such mystery to me!”
I fought the smile trying to escape my lips and peered down at the step my feet were resting on. I turned around and sat down on the third step while she went back to peeling.
“So? You gonna’ make me pry every detail from you? For heaven’s sake Elliott! You are just like your daddy.”
“Who is?” Said Maddy as she rounded the corner and pulled herself onto the counter beside my mom.
“Your brother is. What are you doing out of bed young lady?” When Maddy ignored her, she went on, “He went on a date with Julia Jacobs today and is bein’ stingy with the details.”
“Eww!” Maddy said, jumping off the counter. “That’s what you’re talking about? I’m out of here. Who wants to hear about Elliott sucking face with Julia Jacobs!”
Maddy ran up the kitchen stairs and down the hall to her room, closing her door behind her. I brought my stare up from my feet and saw my mom laughing.
“Dad must have told her,” I said.
“So you’ll tell your daddy but not your mama?” She teased.
“It’s not exactly something you go around boasting about mom! Plus, I didn’t tell dad. He guessed.”
“He did? How did he do that?”
“Never mind. I’ll be in my room.”
“Okay son. I’ll just get the details from your daddy then.”
“Okay mom,” I laughed.
I closed my bedroom door behind me and fell onto my bed, too happy to move anymore. I leaned over and grabbed my remote from my nightstand to turn on my stereo. Portishead’s ‘Glory Box’ began to play and while Beth Gibbons soothed the edges of my live-wire heart, I replayed everything that had happened that day and smiled at every torturous detail. Damn if Jules wasn’t going to be a very big part of my life.
Julia Jacobs was going to be my future and I was going to be hers.
The next day my mom knocked on my door to wake me for church. I found myself really alert, more alert than I was used to being on a weekend morning. Mornings weren’t exactly my favorite part of the day, but knowing I’d be able to hold Jules’ hand in a little over an hour made it more than tolerable. I showered, ate breakfast, readied myself quickly and was ready to leave in less than half an hour. I was tired of waiting on my parents and Maddy so I yelled at the kitchen door to let everyone know I’d meet them there, that I was going on ahead of them.
“Save us a pew!” My dad yelled.
“Okay!”
I was out the door and in my truck in less than ten seconds and at the church in less than five minutes. I sat inside the almost empty church alone. I kept glancing over my shoulder. I sort of had hoped Jules would have shown up a little earlier so I could get looking at her out of my system and could concentrate. No sooner had I thought this did she walk in, on her own, and strolled down the center aisle of the nave toward me.
She was breathtaking, again, and I didn’t think I was ever going to get used to the way she looked. She was so charming. She wore a dress that looked to be straight out of a Grace Kelly movie, green and white striped. She wore pristine white gloves that barely reached the bottom of her wrist where they buttoned with little pearls. Her bangs swept to one side of her forehead and her long curled hair fell at points at her waist. The only thing missing to complete the look was her hand anchoring a wide brimmed hat to her head and maybe her eyes squinting in the sun.
“Uh, I....I,I.....Uhh” I stuttered, when she sat next to me.
The bell of her dress fanned around her when she sat and blew her heavenly scent my direction. I shook my head to regain control.
“Hi Elliott.”
“Where are your parents?” I asked, trying to talk about anything but the blindingly obvious fact that she was too gorgeous for words.
“They’re on their way. I drove my own car so I could see you.”
Beautiful and eager to see me. A deadly combination.
“Me too,” I said, trying not to stare, “I’m glad you did.”
I grabbed her gloved hand and the piece of cloth separating our skin did nothing to stifle the sudden lightning bolt billowing over the pews surrounding us.
“You look nice,” she said with a wink.
“You look,” I gulped, “dazzling.”
“Thank you dear,” she smiled and it touched her eyes. “Think you could stifle what you’re feeling?”
I swallowed and dropped her hand, “That’s embarrassing.”
“No, it’s just, well you’re making me feel the same thing,” the church doors opened and she spun around. “Oh, my mom and dad are here,” she said turning back around. “I’ll see you afterwards. Want to eat lunch at the rock bridge?”
“Don’t want to eat lunch at Babe’s with the rest of the parish?” I asked, puzzled.
“Not today. I’d prefer a picnic in the forest Mr. Gray.”
“Sounds perfect,” I said but as she began to walk away, I called her back to me, “Oh, Jules?”
“Yes babe?” She asked, leaning into the pew.
“Pray for me,” I said with a wink.
She rolled her eyes at me and shook her head but couldn’t hide her smile. I watched as she joined her family wishing I could sit next to her as well but satisfied just to be in the same room with her. Just looking at her, I knew that Julia Jacobs was definitely my past, my present, and very much my future.
I’m going to marry that girl one day.
After church, I hopped in m
y truck and followed Jules home. Turns out, she had a basket already packed. I drove the winding path to the dirt patch free of trees on the side of the road nearest our rock bridge. When I parked, I got out and immediately started loosening my tie. I swung my jacket over the seat, untucked my shirt, and rolled up my sleeves.
“Ahh, that’s much better,” I said. Jules gaped at me. “What?” I asked.
“So quick to undress around me Gray? You should probably check yourself before you wreck yourself.”
“Oh, whatever. You love it. I can see the twinkle in your eye from here.”
“You’re a flirt Gray.”
“No, I’m a tease. There’s a difference,” I joked, hunched over, untying my shoes and throwing on the extra pair of Converse I kept in the cab of my truck.
She laughed out loud, “That’s so? You should probably get your own soundtrack then.”
“I have one.”
“Oh yeah? What song?”
“‘Peanut Butter Jelly Time.”
“Shut up,” she laughed.
“Ready?”
“Yup.”
I had Jules walk ahead of me so I could make sure she was always steady on her feet. She had taken off her heels and I worried she might hurt herself.
“Please let me carry you Jules. It’s not even a quarter mile away.”
“No, sweets. I got it.”
“Please Jules, I’m afraid you’ll step on a piece of glass or something. Jesse and his friends always drink out here. I know they leave their bottles laying around.”
“No, I’ve got it,” she insisted.
She took three additional steps before she gasped and grabbed at her foot.
“See Jules! That’s it. You’re so stubborn. Even as a kid you were always so stubborn.”
I handed the basket to her and scooped her into my arms. She held the little basket in her lap with her right hand and her heels dangled from her left, cluttering against one another with each step I took.
“It was just a small stick Elliott. There’s no need to carry me, really.”
“Give me a break Jules. I’d want to do this even if you were wearing hiking boots. I consider your Sunday attire a lucky break on my part.”
“I know. I can feel it.”
I grimaced.
“Uh, can you feel anything else?” I asked, one eye closed and my nose bunched, already knowing her answer.
“Uh, yeah,” she blushed, nuzzling her face in my neck.
“That doesn’t help the cause princess,” I laughed. “Besides, it’s only natural Jules, you can stop blushing now. I like feeling attracted to you and I like you knowing that I am.”
“I like it as well. Quite the ego boost.”
I carried her in silence and we traded feelings back and forth. First attraction, love, more attraction, heat, embarrassment, awkwardness, back to attraction, then love again. All the while, she unknowingly bit at her lower lip to keep from laughing and I didn’t bother correcting it. I grinned like the overeager idiot that I was. God, but I didn’t care.
When we reached the bridge, I let her legs go but clutched onto her waist not letting her feet touch the ground. I kept my face next to hers and grabbed the basket to set on top of the natural rock bridge before lifting her up to sit on the surface next to it.
“Stay there,” I said.
I took the handkerchief that my mom always insists I bring to church out of my pocket and bent toward the water, soaking it in the chill spring before wringing it out.
“Finally a use for this ridiculous thing.”
I lifted each foot by the ankle and wiped the dirt from the bottom of her feet.
“Ssssttt, that’s cold,” she winced.
“Should have just let me carry you love.”
“And miss this? Never. If I had a camera you’d be immortalized right now. Never had such delicious blackmailing material before. It’s a shame,” she said over my shoulder while holding onto my back.
I laughed before soaking the handkerchief once more and wringing it out to continue wiping the dirt from her already clean feet.
“That tickles!”
She started wriggling her feet but I clutched harder at her ankle to keep her still.
“This is what you get when you don’t cooperate with me.”
“Okay, okay!” She giggled. “They’re clean enough! They’re clean enough!”
She fell back onto the rock and held her laughing stomach.
“I’ll stop if you agree to a condition.”
“What is it?” She desperately pleaded through chuckles.
I stopped only to state, “When I want to carry you. You must let me. No questions asked.”
“No way!”
I continued my torturous ways.
“Okay! Okay!” She pleaded. “I promise. I promise.”
“Good.”
I swung her legs over the rock and lifted myself next to her. I stood up and helped her to her feet, keeping my hands on her hips.
“You’re so much shorter without your heels on. I can see the part on the top of your head,” I teased.
“I’m five foot eight Elliott. That’s actually tall for my sex, though not all that unusual. You’re the only anomaly here.”
“Six foot four is an anomaly? What are you trying to say Jules? I’m abnormal?”
“In more ways than one Elliott Gray,” she teased.
I pulled her tightly into my chest, pinning her arms to her sides. I buried my face into the skin just above the shoulder and blew against her neck.
“Stop! Stop!”
“Take it back.”
“No,” she laughed.
I blew harder.
“Take it back Jules.”
“No,” she laughed again.
I blew even harder.
“Okay, I take it back! I take it back!” She laughed hysterically. I pulled away. “Eww, I can feel your saliva on my neck.”
I threatened to do it again by inching closer.
“No! No! Not again! Please! I’ll do anything!”
I raised an eyebrow, “Anything?”
“Anything. Just stop,” she exhaled hard, trying to catch her breath.
“Alright, I’ll let you go only if you agree to go with me to Matthew Tanen’s party on Saturday night.”
She pushed away, no longer being playful. Her eyebrows pinched together.
“No way Elliott. No way will I be going anywhere Taylor Williams or her cronies will be. How dare you even ask me that? You know how I feel about them and their cruelty.”
“Taylor Williams? Who the hell cares about Taylor Williams! It’s not even her party. She may not even be there.” She gave me a disbelieving, sarcastic look. “Okay, she’ll probably be there but come on! The whole team will be there as well. We can avoid Taylor like the plague that she is. We’ll pick a corner of the house, camp there, and laugh at everyone making fools of themselves. It’ll be fun.” I softened my tone and edged closer to her, “I’ll take care of you Jules. You know I will.”
She strained her neck to look up at me, “I’m a big girl Elliott. I don’t need anyone to take care of me. You forget. I’ve made it my entire life being ridiculed by Taylor. I think I can survive my senior year without any assistance.”
“I know you don’t Jules but I’ll do it anyway because it’s my job. I’m protective over the girls I’m in love with.”
“The girls? Plural? Nice,” she chided.
“Wait, wait, and wait. You know what I meant.” I exhaled gruffly, “How did this turn so quickly?”
“I don’t know,” she said, looking away.
After a few seconds, the electricity seemed to have calmed us both down.
“I’m sorry Jules. I just wanted you to come is all. After the game, everyone piles into Matthew’s parents’ lake house for fun. It’s actually a blast. Matthew is so hilarious. He keeps us all in stitches. I was trying to get you to see that they’re not all that bad.”
“I guess it wou
ldn’t hurt to at least make an appearance....,” she admitted.
“Yes! I know you’ll have fun babe.”
She pointed a finger at my face, “But if Taylor so much as breathes in my direction. I’m outta’ there, with or without you.”
“Deal! And Jules?”
“Hmm?”
“I would never let you go anywhere without me.”
She smiled up at me, stunning me speechless.
“My God Jules. You’re beautiful.”
The sun lit the natural red highlights in her hair. The laughing had made her cheeks flush and the fighting had made her eyes bright. Every part of her was just so alive.
She placed the back of her gloved hand against her forehead, gazed toward the sky and with a southern drawl said, “Oh Rhett, you’re sweepin’ me off ma’ feet!”
“Hardy, har, har. I’m being serious with you Jules. I have never in my life seen a woman as gorgeous as you. You take the cake buttercup.”
“Oh Gray, so many points for that one. Just for that, I’d let you carry me anywhere.”
Jules sat on the back of her heels and opened the basket beneath her. She had lots of awesome food in there and I wondered if she had made it herself. I didn’t get a chance to ask because she said she had a surprise for me.
“Ta daa!” She said and pulled a little portable mp3 player out. “I thought we could listen to music and dance and be silly. The rock bridge is like the perfect dance floor.”
She turned it on and fiddled with it until I heard Silverchair’s ‘Without You’ come on.
“Diorama,” I said.
She nodded and threw a flirtatious smile my way. I reclined back onto an elbow and watched her dance around while belting out every single word. I was mesmerized. When the song was over she collapsed on the stone, happy and out of breath.
“God, you’re adorable,” I said.
She just laughed and tried to catch her breath.
“Come here,” she said and patted the bit of stone next to her.
I got up and laid next to her.
“I have something I want to listen to with you. The melody does insane things to my heart and I want to see what it feels like while you hold me.”
She got up and flipped it to another song. It started and I recognized another one of Silverchair’s songs.