Return What Was Lost

Chapter 18

Julian went back to Hartfield on Sunday. Most of the other students who had gone home had also arrived today but Julian did not have time to see any of his friends. He had something to do, something to find. Once he was alone in his room, he went over to the closet and took out what he was looking for: a small tin box. He knew what would be in it. Still, it took almost five minutes for him to finally take it off the shelf and sit down with it.

He opened the box gingerly and took out the contents. An old baseball card, his basketball championship ring from middle school, a drawing Mickey had made for him, and finally, the silver necklace. He stared at it for a moment. The shark pendant held so many memories, a part of his life that he forced himself to forget.

Julian smiled faintly as he thought about his old love for sharks. The countless hours he spent studying the biology book his mom had found him at a garage sale which he still used today in his biology class. The many weekends he spent with Avery at the aquarium staring at the sharks in such fascination.

There was a knock at the door. Julian quickly scrambled up from the bed and tucked the box out of sight. He went to the door and found Nikki standing there.

"Hey," she said brightly as she came into the room and hugged him.

Julian stiffened and then pulled back. If Nikki noticed, she didn't comment on it.

"How was your break?" she asked. "I called and texted a few times, but you didn't respond."

He shrugged. "I was busy."

Nikki frowned. "Well, I heard from Olivia, who heard from Bridget, who heard from Chelsey, that you got Avery in a lot of trouble."

"Not my proudest moment," he murmured as he twisted the ring on his thumb.

"Why'd you do it?" she questioned.

Julian did not answer.

"Did you do it because I complained about her?" Nikki asked in a way that almost seemed hopeful.

Julian's eyes drifted out the window where he saw Coach coming out of the gym.

"Sure, whatever," he said hastily getting up now. "I got to go."

He left Nikki in the room in a hurry and made his way outside. He caught up with Coach pretty fast.

"Hey, Aldine," Coach said when he saw him.

Julian nodded. "Can we talk in your office?"

Coach nodded and they went back inside and sat down together.

"I wanted to talk to you about something, I know you coached Headmaster Davidson and his brother," he began.

Coach nodded. "Good kids."

"Well, Headmaster Davidson and I agreed to keep it between each other at first, but I thought telling you would be good. I grew up down the street from Avery and her dad. He was my basketball coach."

Coach smiled a bit. "I should have known Keith coached you, with the way you play you had to have been taught by him," Coach said.

The corner of Julian's lip turned up. "He was the best."

"So you and Avery used to know each other. It must be nice having her back in your life right?" Coach asked.

Julian sighed. "I'm not really sure, I just know she hates me."

"Oh that girl does not have a hateful bone in her body, whatever happened between you two is fixable."

"I don't think so, but to be fair, I haven't given her much reason to think we could have ever been friends and we've both changed a lot," Julian pointed out.