Juliana – Chapter 36 Don’t Be Weird

Time in Willow Creek: 10 months, 3 weeks

Something changed.

He didn’t understand. In a matter of a few hours, Juliana had gone from a good friend whom he cared for to a beautiful, mysterious creature he wanted to get closer to. She was still his good friend; that never changed. He wanted it to remain that way, but she had infiltrated his mind. Last night was the first time he didn’t see her as just the poor girl from Monte Vista whom he wanted to help. Last night, he saw her as an attractive woman. There was nothing wrong with that. However, her beauty combined with her positive qualities and their shared interests had begun to paint a different picture he wasn’t ready to see yet. But, what he did want to see was that beautiful woman from last night. The easel next to her was free, and he made sure to claim it. He kept stealing glances at her. Was he trying to see her as she was last night, or was he trying catch her in case she suddenly transformed? Whatever the reason, he couldn’t get enough.

Kevin! What are you doing, man? This is Juliana, not some girl you met at a party. She’s a friend…and she’s way too young! He thought chastising himself would be enough to refocus his thoughts, but his mind still drifted. But she was so…hot! And different…

Eventually, he was able to focus himself enough to continue working on his piece. Juliana finished hers before him and looked over his shoulder to see what he was working on.

“What is that?” All she saw was a bunch of lines and circles.

“Oh, ummmm…” He tried to figure out how to explain it without giving her a mini lesson on market trends and economics. “I had an idea for work on my way here, so I thought I’d draw it out so I wouldn’t forget.”

After everyone was done painting their masterpieces, they were milling around not really wanting to go home, but not wanting to stick around either. No one really wanted to go out and spend money, and Colleen couldn’t stay long because of her curfew, so they ended up around the corner and gathered around a bonfire to talk and catch up. It was a great idea especially because only half of them had gone to the party the previous night. But, despite Kevin’s efforts to hangout with all of them, he only wanted to talk and catch up with one of them.

Selina kept a keen eye on them the entire time, and it ate her up. The laughing. The smiling. The stolen glances. Her eyes were as green as her shirt, and her cheeks were getting as hot as the fire. In a brash fit of anger, she announced to everyone that it would be her last night joining them. Everyone—except Juliana—expressed their displeasure with her announcement and asked why she was leaving the group. “Personal reasons,” she said. They wished her well and invited her to join them whenever she could, but Juliana knew Selina wouldn’t return as long as she was there.

After the group of friends somewhat recovered from the announcement, Paul and Colleen began telling jokes to lighten the mood. Kevin thought he would try and impress Juliana with some corny jokes, but he failed to remember that, a.) he wasn’t that funny, and b.) she was foreign and probably wouldn’t get it.

“You ever heard the one about Sunset Valley?”

Epic fail.

He was extremely embarrassed afterward and wanted to go hide somewhere. It was getting late anyway, and the others were going to head home. He told Juliana that he would bring the car around and ran ahead of her. He really just wanted to be away from her for a moment.

Nice going, Kevin! Get a grip and stop acting so weird!