Lost and Found

Chapter 16 | The date

It's still light outside as Julia stares out of the window. "You look beautiful," her mother says.

For once, her curls did what she wanted. Her hair hangs loosely around her face. She wears a forest green summer dress–the same one she wore on her first school day–with black sneakers. Around her wrist hangs her charm bracelet, and her mother has lent her a beautiful gold butterfly necklace with blue wings made of glass.

"Thank you." Hopefully, Ash will think the same. She touches the necklace, feeling the cold silver against her fingertips. It's been a while since she has been on a date. Her last date was over a year ago with her now ex-boyfriend, who broke up with her shortly after.

A black car parks in front of the house, and not much later, the doorbell rings, Julia opens the door with a big smile on her face. A grinning Ash looks her up and down. "Hi, you look beautiful," Ash says.

"Thank you." Julia makes a small courtesy bow. Why? Why did she make a courtesy bow?

Ash laughs and holds out his hand to her mother. "Hello, I'm Ash Mills. It's nice to meet you."

"Lucile Adams. Nice to meet you too, Ash." Her mother smiles.

"Okay, we're going now." Julia steps outside, pulling on Ash's arm. He rests his hand on her lower back, and a shiver runs over her spine.

Julia sits down on the passenger side. Clutching her hands together, she tries to control the fluttering in her stomach. Julia doesn't want to screw up this date. Although, she isn't sure what she feels for Ash yet.

With a rumble, the engine comes alive. The car drives out of her street. They turn into the parking lot of a cute diner. One they show in movies, except this one is real. In big, blue neon letters shine the name, 'Hill Diner'.

"Where's the hill?" she mumbles. There's never a hill.

"What?" Ash puts the car in park.

"Nothing," Julia says. Ash steps out of the car and she follows his lead. "I've never been in a diner before." She smiles at him.

"Great." He touches her lower back again as he leads her inside.

Black-and-white tiles cover the floor. The booths are coloured baby-blue, and the bar chairs are a soft pink. A neon sign of a milkshake and ice cream hangs behind the bar. Besides the bar stands half a car. The hood of the car is up and there are all kinds of board games and books in it. Julia steps closer to the games, but Ash pulls her to a booth to sit.

Her eyes wander through the diner and land on a set of blue ones staring back at her with a familiar glare. Mason. Ava sits besides him and Jake is on the opposite side–third-wheeling Ava and Mason's date? Jake isn't his happy self, either. He starts to get up, but Mason stops him.

Even with them glaring and frowning, Julia waves at them. Ava notices her and starts hanging on Mason's arm. Seriously, none of them waves back. They have no right to be angry at her. With what happened at the party, she should be the one angry at them. Right?

Her stomach twists. Olivia is ignoring all her texts. Julia has never been in a situation like this before. What does she need to do to get her friend back?

Ash follows her glance. For a moment, she thinks she sees the corners of his mouth turn up. "Let's sit down." He gestures for her to sit, and she does, facing Mason. On other days, it wouldn't be an unpleasant view, but she's here with Ash. The person who had her back. Ash sits down next to her instead of across, close enough for their legs to touch, and she thinks she likes it.

On the table stands a blue and white striped napkin holder, salt and pepper, ketchup, and a menu standing up on the table. A good-looking burger and milkshake colour the cover of the menu. Her stomach rumbles as her eyes scan over all the names and pictures of the dishes. Everything looks so good.