enough for you ⇒ the summer i turned pretty

SIXTEEN!

julia was scrambling around the house. niki finally caught up to her when she was looking around in susannah's room.

niki stood by the door. "hey, julia."

she jumped and whipped her head back to face niki. "my gosh, you scared me!" she laughed with her hand on her chest.

niki forced a laugh, "sorry."

julia kept on scavenging through her sisters room. looking in the drawers and cabinets.

"look, if you're here to try and change my mind, i'm going to save you the trouble. i'm not budging." julia said, dropping her arms against her legs. she had given up on looking around susannah's room, so she started walking over to the door.

niki blocked the door so she couldn't leave. julia nodded her head and sighed, "i don't need you getting on my back about this too."

"i just don't understand why you're doing all of this." she said with a look of disappointment. "you barely ever talked about your sister and now you're jumping at the opportunity to sell her house. i may not have known these people long, but i know this house means the world to them... and that's because it meant the world to your sister."

that struck a nerve in julia. "i don't know what you're playing at kid, but it's not going to work." she took a moment and stared into niki's eyes. she felt that she was literally staring into her soul.

"now, if you'll excuse me, i need to fix this problem with the ac." she walked towards the door. she quickly stopped in her tracks and looked back at niki, "you wouldn't happen to know anything about that problem, would you?" she asked, basically accusing her.

niki crossed her arms with the most disgusted look on her face. "nope." she kept a serious face.

"alright then." she glanced at niki once more before leaving the room.

niki couldn't believe the way julia was acting. they had never been super close, but they managed to get along for the sake of her father. she had thought that julia would actually listen to her since she loved her father so much. but she now realized that wasn't the case. she clearly didn't care enough.

niki walked somberly down the stairs and into the kitchen where everyone else had met back up. "i'm really sorry you guys. i thought she would listen to me." she apologized. she felt horrible that she couldn't help them.

"hey, it's okay. thank you for trying." avalon smiled to her.

niki tried smiling back, but she couldn't. she hated feeling helpless. the fact that julia was the problem was the worst part for her.

"i gotta ask, so, how exactly do you know our aunt?" jeremiah asked her, leaning on his arm over the counter.

she figured that telling them would be the right thing to do. she'd gotten herself involved in their family situation, so she wanted to trust them enough to do the same.

"you don't have to tell us if you don't want to." avalon reassured her.

"no, no, it's fine. i owe you guys as explanation." she took a breath before she spilled her guts out to these people she just met. they're all practically strangers to her.

"julia and my dad used to be together. they cared so much for each other. they were probably going to get married at some point. i mean, i wasn't thrilled about the thought of my dad remarrying but-"

jeremiah stopped her, "hey, you don't have to tell us everything. i just wanted to know how you two know each other. the rest is none of our business."

"i know... but i probably know more than i should about you and your family." she giggled.

jere chuckled with her, "yeah, but you didn't know what you were walking into when you came here. it's not your fault."