Circles - Vic Fuentes

Chapter 4

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I lie in bed staring at the ceiling, unsure of what I should do. I can't sleep but it is too late to go out and do anything fun.
I get a text on my phone from Julie.
"Please help me. I need you".
I get scared so I jump out of bed and head out to my car.
On the way to her apartment, I get another text from her saying, "Victor."
She hasn't called me that in ten years.
When I get there, I rush inside and get to her door, when I open it, I don't see anyone at first. But the more I walk, I see her in the corner. Surrounded by a pool of blood. And it wasn't Julie now.
It was 16-year-old Julie.
"Julie..." I say, walking slowly towards her.
I can see she has been sobbing. I see a huge slit down her arm starting at her wrist. The one the scar is from.
"Victor? Please... I'm scared".
I drop to the ground and put an arm around her head so her neck is supported and I bring her body to the front of my knees, holding her arm with my other hand.
"What... what happened?"
"It was an accident, I swear," she says, looking up at me.
Tears are flooding her eyes, I don't know how she can see me. I can't get up and get something to stop the bleeding, so I rip a part of my shirt and try my hardest to wrap it around her wrist tightly.
Blood still falls to the floor. I dropped my phone on the way through the door. I can't drop her now.
"I'm sorry," I say to her, tears falling down my cheek.
"No," she says, "you shouldn't be".
I see her eyes are going dead as she rests her head on my chest and arm and stares at the ceiling.
"No, no, no, you have to stay here."
"I'm sorry."
Suddenly, I can't feel her breathing anymore, and her heart beats slower and slower until it finally stops. My skin turns cold, matching hers.
I drop my head onto hers and sob, kissing her on the forehead.

Morning

I wake up to Jaime hitting me over the head with a pillow, making me jump and gasp for air.
"Shit, man, I didn't think I'd scare you like that," he says.
I try and catch my breath. I'm frightened of that dream. I grab my phone and text Julie.
"Are you okay?".
I look at Jaime, he's still holding the pillow.
"What happened? Did you have that nightmare about the cookie monster again?".
"That was five years ago, and no. I didn't."
"Okay," he laughs, "well, we got coffee and I wanted to wake you up, I got your favorite kind."
"Thanks," I say, grabbing the coffee and putting it on the stand next to my bed.
I get a text on my phone, "Yeah, I'm okay. Why?" from Julie.
Thank fucking god. I never ever want to experience that.
"Nothing. I just wanted to check up on you".
"Well, thank you:)".
"I wanna say I'm sorry for making it awkward yesterday," I say.
"Oh, no, it's okay. I was a part of it, I understand".
"Well, it was just strange of me."
"Well, stuff like that is gonna happen"
"Yeah, that's true"
"Vic, I don't wanna waste your time, but I really want to keep hanging out with you and getting to know you better."
"What do you wanna do?"
"There's this drive-in movie theater that's playing a new movie that came out."
"What time is it?"
"8:30 pm"
"Of course. I'll pick you up at 8."
"Yay! Thank you, I'll see you then"
"No problem, Julie".

A couple of hours later

Julie's POV

I went out and shopped for new clothes to try and impress Vic. I know we basically just met again, and I just broke up with my ex... and got cheated on... but I feel such a strong feeling when I'm with him. And Henry literally moved on, I should be allowed to do the same.
I got these baggy-ish low-rise pants with a spaghetti-strap tank top. Not fancy, I know, but it's my style. And it was $80 in total. To me, that means fancy.
I want to make it a little obvious that I'm trying to impress him. I don't know if he feels the same, but after what happened yesterday, I can't be stupid enough to think he doesn't feel the same.

Okay, after two fucking hours of adding detail to my outfit and face/hair, it's so damn obvious now. I mean, it HAS to be. But that's what I hope for.
The time is 7:55. I think I look good enough. If I'm gonna be honest, I snuck in wearing a thong. But my pants don't show the sides of them, I tucked them in a bit. But maybe just maybe... he'll find out I'm wearing it?
Jesus, Julie, you're asking for too much.