“You're not a freak,” Julie said, making one last caress with the rag against my jaw. She laid it against the table and picked up the ointment.
“How did you know I was thinking of that?” I asked her with a smile.
“Because you're Falon. Your mind always takes the positive and finds a negative in it,” she told me with a small grin.
I smiled, and shook my head briefly. “I'm not letting anything they said affect me. I'm fine,” I told her, but I could see the doubt in her eyes as she stared at me.
“For some reason, I don't believe you at all,” she replied.
She was right in thinking so, but I wouldn't tell her that.
Liam came around the corner, and smiled at us. “All doctored up. My nurse was hot,” he told us.
I glared at him. “Once again, that's my sister you're talking about, douche-bag,” I warned him.
Liam held his hands up in defense, “Sorry, but she is. I don't know how someone so beautiful could have such an ugly brother,” he said with a shake of his head.
“I could ask the same question about you.”
“He is adopted,” Julie piped in, and we both laughed.
Liam came up behind her and wrapped his arms around her tightly. He rubbed his knuckles across the top of her head, and Julie fought herself from his grasp and punched him.
I watched the spectacle with a smile, until they finished. Liam looked at her. “We better get home. Mom will have a fit if we don't soon,” he told her.
Julie nodded, standing up. She looked at me. “Do you think Dr. Marstens can be your doctor?” she asked me, and I nodded.
“Yeah. Go on home. I'll see you tomorrow,” I told her.
She smiled, and within the next moment, she was leaning down and hugging me. I could smell the peach smell against her neck and into her hair as she held me close.
“Thank you, Falon,” she whispered, and moved away.
“I'll be out in a minute,” Liam said to her as we watched her walk out of the kitchen. I stood up, seeing the weird expression on Liam's face. It wasn't until the front door shut that he leaned forward and hugged me tightly.
I stood there, eyes widened as he really hugged me. It was awkward, having a guy hug you. Any guy who says it isn't, is lying.
When he pulled away, I raised a brow. “Is there something you're not telling me? Because I like chicks,” I told him with a grin.
Liam laughed, rolling his eyes. “And I'd do your sister long before I'd do you,” he said, and when I frowned, he laughed again. “Just kidding, about the sister part. I would never have sex with you, man.”
I laughed. “Thanks.”
“No, thank you,” he said, and the teasing had left his voice completely. “If you hadn't been there, Julie could have gotten really hurt, and I don't know if I would have been able to-”
“You would have kept her safe if I hadn't been there,” I interrupted him, seeing where he was going with this. “If I hadn't been there, it wouldn't have happened in the first place.”
“They weren't just talking about you, Falon,” he said. I wanted him to say what they had said, but he didn't. Maybe he knew what it would do to me if he did. It was doing the same thing to him.
Someone said anything about Julie, and we were both ready to fight till the death.
“I owe you,” he said to me.
I scoffed and rolled my eyes. “You don't owe me. If anything, I owe you for standing up for us,” I told him.
Liam shook his head. “No, I owe you. I will make it up to you too,” he replied.
I rolled my eyes again. “Whatever. There's no arguing with Lia,” I replied.
He laughed. “There's no beating Lia at any arcade game either,” he replied. After a moment, he sighed and started backing away. “I guess I need to get going. I'll see you tomorrow,” he replied.
“See you tomorrow,” I said, sitting down again as he disappeared from the kitchen. I listened as the front door closed, and then the Trans Am started up. I could even hear Tone Loc from where I was as he and Julie left.
♥
“So, do you want to tell me exactly what happened?” Ava said as I walked into the living room.
I shrugged, laying the things Julie had taken on the table and sitting down at the other end of the couch.
“Some guys at the arcade were talking about me and Julie. Liam saw what they were saying and confronted them. One of the guys hit Julie, and Liam and I fought with them,” I told her.
Ava crossed her arms as she stared at me. “I thought your fighting phase was over. What happened to just leaving and ignoring them?” she asked me.
I knew she had a right to worry. For a few years, I had been ready to hit anyone that looked at me the wrong way. A lot of the fights I had gotten in were my fault too.
“They hit Julie. That changed things,” I told her.
“You can't really be mad at him, Ava,” Dr. Marstens stepped in, reaching over to her her hand. “I would have done the same thing for you,” he told her.
I grinned as my sister fell to putty in his hands without even realizing it. I think all chicks liked being the damsel in distress every so often. Just like guys liked being the hero every once in a while.
“I know, but I don't want him to go back to that,” she told him, and then turned to me. “Promise me you won't start fighting everyone again.”
I didn't lie when I made her that promise. Feeling the soreness in my knuckles, I knew I wouldn't be fighting anyone soon, unless it was under dire circumstances.
“Why don't you let me tape that cut on your cheek?” Dr. Marstens asked. “Ava could call us in some pizza or something, and we could watch a movie.”
I didn't really have much of a say in the matter. Ava quickly smiled and nodded, standing up to go grab her wallet and the phone. I grinned at her exquisiteness because I knew why.
We looked like a family.
Dr. Marstens moved next to me, bringing the first aid kit with him. He took out the ointment and spread it across my wound. I flinched and he apologized.
“Julie's been okay, hasn't she?” he asked me.
I nodded, despite his question striking me as weird. “Yeah. Why?” I asked.
He shook his head, but didn't explain. As if the simple shake proved that it was no big deal.
I had a feeling it was.
♥
Within the next week, nothing of importance happened. I waited patiently to hear if I would receive my diploma, or be forced to repeat everything. Julie and Liam argued and made up twenty different times about twenty different things. Ava went out with Dr. Marstens, and once, he almost spent the night. If he hadn't been called in, he would have.
And then, within an instant, Liam fell in love.
The day wasn't significant except for the moment Liam grabbed my arm and stopped me in the hall. I was holding two large Icees in my hand, and carrying a bag with Julie's Sour Punch straws and Liam's Snickers. I nearly dropped the drinks.
“What's your deal?” I asked, as I stopped walking and looked at his face. He wasn't looking at me, so I knew he hadn't heard me. I snapped my fingers, and when he still didn't look my way, I followed his gaze.
He was staring down the hall, at a small group of people. They were standing beside the bed that was about to be hauled away by the nurse. I recognized the set up. The person in the bed was about to be taken away for surgery.
The person was pretty. She looked around our age, with shiny black hair and pale skin. I could see even from where we stood that her eyes were a light color, like a pale blue or gray.
She was who Liam was staring at, and I saw as she slowly looked to him. She stared at us, but her eyes eventually landed on Liam. I saw a smile cross his face, and he picked up a hand to wave at her.
I watched a smile cross her face, and she picked her hand up too.
It was all cute, and I felt like a third wheel as I stood there and watched their moment unfold. It was like watching a kid walk f
or the first time and not tumble over.
Then, she was being wheeled away, and her family was blotting their eyes with Kleenex, and Liam just stood there and watched her disappear behind the two large doors. He didn't move, and I thought he might not be breathing.
As she left our sight, he took in a deep breath, and smiled. He still seemed ignorant to my presence, until I touched his arm. He turned his face to me, and I saw a look on his face I never thought I would see.
He had stars in his eyes, and looked a lot like I expect Christopher Columbus looked when he found America.
“I think I'm in love,” he said simply.
I grinned, laughing. “Love? Do you even know her?” I asked him, but he was shaking his head.
“Knowing her has nothing to do with it. I'm telling you, I'm in love,” he stressed.
Raising a brow, I didn't know if he was trying to pull one over on me, or if he was being completely serious. All I knew was the look in his eyes pointed to the latter.
“Wait till Julie hears this,” I found myself saying.
Liam laughed, and rubbed the back of his neck as we started walking again. “She's going to either think I'm crazy, or she's going to play detective,” he told me.
“Detective?” I asked.
“She'll hunt her down. If Julie believes me, there's no way she'll let that girl slip away,” he replied. “Julie's kind of a big fan of fairy tales and love at first sight. All that head over heels mumbo jumbo.”
Mumbo Jumbo. That seemed to be going around.
♥
“Did you mix all of the flavors?” Julie asked as we came in. The room was already out and ready to be destroyed as we came in.
I held up her rainbow colored Icee and took out the pack of Blue Raspberry Sour Punch Straws. “As the queen desired,” I told her. She came up to me and grabbed both.
“Thank you,” she said, dragging the words out. She started opening the package when her eyes landed on Liam. She raised a brow and shifted her eyes back to me. “Did you break my brother? He looks strange,” she stated.
“Wait until he tells you. You're going to flip,” I warned her.
Liam looked at us, and then his eyes focused on Julie. He reached out and grabbed her by the arms. I saw the bewildered expression cross Julie as I walked to the table and set our things down.
“I think I'm in love,” he told her, just as he had said to me.
There was silence, and I turned to see Julie slowly starting to smile. “Love? Do I know her?” she asked.
“No. I don't even know her. We passed her as she was heading into surgery,” he said, grinning as he released her.
“And you just went up and talked to her?” she asked, then looking to me. I shook my head as I started to grin.
“No. We didn't talk, just waved and smiled. You should have been there. I swear, it was like someone lit a bunch of firecrackers inside my stomach,” he said turning around as he walked dreamily.
“That doesn't sound exciting,” I told Julie.
She laughed slightly and came to my side. She sat down and we both watched Liam run his hands through his hair as if he were in deep thought. Liam being in deep thought was weird.
“I don't know what to do. I've never felt like this before. This has to be it, right? Not just any person can turn you into a bumbling idiot, right?” he asked us, but didn't look at us to hear our response.
I found myself looking to Julie.
Not just any girl could make you feel vulnerable and weak when you've always been guarded and strong, or at least thought you were. It wasn't everyday that people could bring up emotions you had long pushed away and forgotten.
She looked at me, and she smiled. I was starting to think Liam might be feeling just as he said. The Lord knew I was.
“If I find out who she is, does that make me a stalker? Or does it make me cute and persistent? You know, like Noah on the Notebook? Would she look at me like that or more like Alicia Silverstone on the Crush?” he asked us.
“The Crush?” I mouthed.
Julie started to laugh, and quickly bit her lip as Liam looked toward us both. He was glaring.
“This isn't funny. My life has just been turned on it's head, and you're laughing at me?” he accused.
Julie composed herself and smiled. “We're not laughing at you,” she replied.
“I was.”
Liam glared at me, and Julie pushed me. “It all depends on how you see it, Liam,” she told him. “If you lock her in a room with a million bees, she might think you're crazy, but otherwise, who could think that face is a crazy stalker?”
I had no idea what they were talking about when it came to the Crush. Not that I knew much about the Notebook either. I wasn't much for chick flicks.
“So you think I should find out who she is?”
Julie shrugged. “If you feel the way you say, I wouldn't let her go. You owe it to yourself to at least find out,” she told him.
He nodded. He began to pace again. “Yeah, I do. I guess the first business would be finding out what she's here for?” he replied.
He stopped walking and Julie raised a brow. “She's having surgery? Right now?” she asked.
“She could be having a sex change,” I replied.
They both glared at me. “I saw that,” Liam told me. I shrugged.
“It is possible.”
“Then I guess my sexual orientation is about to change,” he said to me. I started to laugh, and Liam followed suit.
Julie raised a brow. “You both are the stupidest guys I’ve ever known,” she replied.
“That makes you stupid for hanging around us then,” Liam told her.
Shrugging, she smiled. “Probably so. But then again, I am helping you stalk a girl you don't know, and have never spoken a single word to,” she said.
“I thought you would think it's romantic.”
“It is romantic,” she said quickly. “But it's still kind of stalking.”
“Must be a family thing,” I muttered, and Julie looked to me because she knew I was referring to her and the nurse stunt. She grinned and nodded.
“Must be. Worked out in my favor though. You haven't left me much since,” she reminded me.
That was true, I realized. After meeting her, and Liam, there hadn't been too many times when I hadn't been with one of them. Every memory had them in it now, the good ones at least. I didn't tell Ava many stories without Liam or Julie somehow being involved in them.
“We're suppose to be talking about me, remember?” Liam told us both.
We both looked to him again, and I slurped on my Icee as Julie stood up. “Look, after we close today, Falon and I will help you hunt down your soul mate, okay?” she asked him.
Liam sighed and then nodded. “Okay. If we lose her, I'll never forgive either one of you though,” he pointed out, and then looked to me. I threw my hands up in defense.
“Whatever, man. It's not like she can run out after having surgery,” I told him.
“You better hope not,” he warned.
Julie and I laughed, and Liam sunk into a bittersweet world. It reminded me of an expression I had heard Ava use before, about being unhappily in love.
Liam was the epitome of unhappily in love at the moment.
♥
We did just as we promised Liam, but we couldn't seem to find her among the children's rooms, not that anyone wanted to help us. They all looked at Liam like he was a lunatic when he explained she was his true love, but he didn't know her name. It was quite a story.
“We'll ask mom, Liam. I'm sure she can help us,” Julie replied.
“Yeah, after she has me admitted in a psychiatric ward,” he told her, leaning up against the wall and sliding down. He looked defeated, and despite the cause being strange, I felt bad for the guy.
Julie knelt down in front of him, laying her hands on his knees. “We'll find her, Liam. If she's just been out of surgery though, she could be in ICU or something. I think we'd have bet
ter luck tomorrow,” she replied.
He nodded slowly, and frowned. “You're right. Don't expect me to look happy about it though,” he replied, pinching her arm playfully.
Julie smiled and they stood up. Liam shot me a look that was teasingly angry. “Don't look so smug, Falon. I will find her,” he told me.
I nodded. “I'm sure you will. You might end up in jail, but you'll definitely find her,” I told him.
He laughed and we walked out of the hospital together. Defeated, and unhappily in love, but the search would resume. That much I knew for certain.
♥
I came home to a quiet house. It wasn't unusual, but when I walked in to find Ava sitting on the couch, her legs jerking up and down, and her hands being clenched to keep from shaking, I knew something was definitely different.
She wasn't crying so that was a good sign.
When I came in, she looked to me, and she stood immediately, holding an envelope in her hands. She smiled slightly and handed it to me. I raised a brow.
“What's this?” I asked her, flipping it over.
It was from my homeschooling program. Had their dove logo on it, with the rainbow behind it and was addressed to Falon Walker.
“I haven't opened it. I thought you should. You were the one that worked for it,” she told me, and I realized why she looked so giddy. This would tell me whether I had graduated or not.
Staring at the envelope, I realized I wished Julie and Liam were here when I opened it. Especially Julie. If it wasn't for her, I might have quit altogether.
“Are you going to open it?” she asked, wrapping her arms around herself.
I smiled at Ava and nodded, ripping the side. I slipped the letter out and unfolded it. I started reading.
“Dear Mr. Walker, we would like to congratulate you on passing your final exams, and completing the-”
“Falon!” Ava cheered, quickly wrapping me in a tight hug. I choked at her grip around me, but I didn't mind. She was proud of me, and that made me feel good. Out of all the trouble I had put her through within the years following my accident, it was nice to know she was proud of me now.
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