Venomous (Jax Teller)

six

Carnivals were supposed to be so much fun. With the rides and the food and all the lights. Julia wished she could look at it through the eyes of all the excited people running around her instead of hers that were scarred and skewed by her childhood. Ruined by wandering hands and gazed too loving for an innocent little girl.

Julia tried to smile along with Jax and have all the fun he wanted her to, but with every sorrowful look that Vince threw her way, she knew she wasn't doing a great job of it.

"Ah, come on, Julie. Lighten up a little! I'll get you some popcorn," Juice threw his arm over her shoulder.

Julia's expression only dropped further as she scowled at him and shrugged him off, "No thanks."

"You always been allergic to fun?"

"Yeah, she has," Jax cut in, "Most fun she had was getting drunk behind the bleachers in school."

Julia shoved him, "Shut up. Not my fault we have different definitions of fun, Jacky."

"Oh, come on," he looked disgusted, "Don't pull out the 'Jacky'. You know I hate it."

Julia used to call him Jacky all the time just to piss him off. She never used it as often now, but it still got the job done.

"Makes you sound like an 80- year old woman," Juice burst out laughing.

Julia faked her best smile, "There. Happy?"

"Not unless you are."

The smile dropped again, "I will be when I get to go back home. I'd rather be doing anything else."

Julia held a lot of memories of places like this when she was a kid, but none of them were good. She was sure Eli would enjoy it. His experience was different. But she didn't get to enjoy this kind of stuff. Not really.

Clay picked Gemma off her feet beside them and Gemma laughed over his shoulder. Julia loved to see Gemma and Clay together. Gemma looked genuinely happy with the man even if Julia thought she deserved someone better. She wouldn't put it past Clay to have cheated on her. No one would say anything if he had. 'What happens on a run, stays on a run.'

"Republican. 12 o'clock," Clay warned as Elliot Oswald and his wife and daughter walked towards them.

Julia barely managed a smile when she saw Tristen walking up with her parents. She didn't know the girl well, but she had seen her around a few times too many to call her a stranger. She was sweet. A little quiet at times, but she was a good kid.

"Hey, Clay," Elliot greeted.

Clay held his hand out, "How you doing, Elliot?"

"Ok, Clay."

"Karen," Clay nodded to Elliot's wife.

Karen looked uncomfortable, "Hey."

Tristen smiled at Julia, "Hi, Julia."

Julia's expression softened, "Hey, kid."

"Uh, mom, I'm gonna go on the Spinout again."

Karen almost looked upset, "Tristen, you've been on it four times already."

"I know."

Jax took some cash from his pocket and handed it to her, "Hey. Here."

"That's not necessary," Karen fidgeted.

Julia took the cash and pushed it into Tristen's hand, "Chill out, Karen. Let the girl have some fun. She's only a kid once."

Jax threw his arm around Julia, "It's alright. They kicked me off 'cause I was screaming too loud."