Lost and Found

Chapter 20 | Why?

The entire week goes the same. Ash clings to her, and his friends laugh behind her back. Every time Mason comes into sight, Ash kisses her as if he's marking his territory, and Julia lets it happen. She tries to talk to Ash. Ask him to go on a hike. But he refuses every time. There's always some excuse. Maybe Ash can feel Julia wants to slow things down?

Everything goes way too fast, and she can't find the stupid brakes. And now Ash doesn't pick her up anymore. She has to hitch rides with Cecil. If hell exists, it would be riding with a suck-up Cecil.

Sometimes Julia wishes she could disappear.

The bell rings, telling every student it's lunchtime. Great, her only class without Ash is over. She's going to miss the peacefulness.

Walking out of class, Ash stands further down the busy hallway. She should go over and talk to him. Tell him things are going too fast or at least to say hi, but instead, she finds herself turning around.

She hides between the sea of students as she walks to the library. The upside of bringing her own lunch, she can avoid everyone in the cafeteria. A sigh of relief leaves her lips as she walks through the library doors. Peace—or at least, she thought.

In the middle of the entrance stands the tall, athletic boy who always seems to find her. "Julia," Mason says as he walks toward her. Was he waiting here for her? No, don't be a fool, Julia.

"Stranger Danger," she answers back, crossing her arms in front of her. Imagine, having a nice and quiet lunch break to yourself. She can't.

A smile creeps up his face. "Forest Girl." He holds up his hand for a high five.

The smile on his face tells her he means well. Still, the butterflies Julia might have felt before dropping dead. "What's wrong with you? I told you things in private, and you told everyone." Her nails dig into the skin of her arms. "About the lost, pathetic Forest Girl. And the thing at the Diner..." Mason opens his mouth to say something, but she can't seem to stop herself. The exhaustion, anger, frustration, confusion, it all flows out in a spitfire of words.

So much for innocent until proven guilty.

"I'm done with you and everyone laughing at me. Making fun of me, whispering things about me behind my back. I'm here to start over. To have friends and a life again. And all you do is let everyone hate me—" Doubt tightens her throat. "Or maybe I let everyone hate me." Julia shakes away the dark thoughts and fights against her tears. "Why can't I have a life? What did I do to you to deserve this?" She pushes her hands against her eyes. Stupid tears. Go back inside.

Stop, please let it stop. Everyone must be watching. Domoor, domoor, domoor. She's just so tired of everything.

A warm hand touches her shoulders. Stepping back, she turns away from the gesture. Mason grabs her waist and pulls her before she can bump into the bookcase.

"Julia, I didn't–" Mason stops and stammers, "I didn't tell them about you. I don't know where they got the name Forest Girl from."

Lowering her hands, Julia stares into his honest eyes. "Everything is so difficult." She didn't mean to say it all aloud, but her brain refuses to work. She could sleep for a day and still be tired.

Mason's chest rises slowly with every breath he takes, and she wants to lay her head against it. To let him take away all the pain and exhaustion. "Can we go back to the forest, where everything was simple?" she breathes.

"We can." He reaches out to her, and her body inches towards him.

The door of the library flings open. Robin stops and stares at Julia's red eyes and puffy face. "Julia?" Robin turns to Mason and points at him, poking her fingers in his chest. "What did you do?" Robin says as Mason holds up his hand in defence. "You're all assholes. Can't you leave us alone? You're all the same." Robin takes Julia's arm and pulls her away. They leave through the door, into the hallway and outside. Leaving Mason behind in the library with confusion and pain on his face.