Never Truly Lost |L.H.|

11: "Hey, you were a 'Pop Princess' for a minute."

~I don't know if I slay or fail at the chapter titles. Please tell me if they're good. And if my chapters are too short please and thanks~

Julee

-Sunday-

"Anna-banana, you ready to go yet?" My mom calls from the hallway.

"Almost. I have a knot in my hair!" I yell back. "Can you help?"

"Sure." My mom says as she walks through my bedroom door.

My mom brushes through my knot as she notices my notebook. I should have hid it, but now it's too late. My notebook was open and she saw my daydream scribbles and notes on the page.

"Hhmmm... Looks like someone has a crush." mom teases, "Who is he?"

I pause for a few seconds. "You don't know 'em." I tell mom. "Heck, I don't even know him well. I can't officially say I have a crush on him."

"Is he cute?" mom asks.

I turn my head to look at her. I stare at her with my eyebrows raised.

"I guess that's a total yes." my mom says quietly. "Name?"

"Luke."

"Last name?" She asks.

"Hemmings."

"Sounds like a good name, I'll have to meet him sometime."

"Okay."

She gets through the knot in my hair, and we leave to go get groceries. Our plan is to get them and bring them home, then go to the mall.

***

"Julee, can you go find the milk at the other end of the store?"

"Sure. Just don't leave me here like you did when I was ten okay?" I joke.

"Darn it! You spoiled my plan!" mom exclaims sarcastically.

I laugh and I head over to the dairy section. I get distracted by free samples of Brie cheese on crackers. There wasn't anyone at the stand, so I stop to take about 6 samples, and start walking towards the milk, not too far away.

As I finish my last sample, I reach for the fridge handle. Just as I touch it, another person's hand grabs the handle as well. I freeze in my path. I look over at the person standing next to me. Oh wow, it's Luke.

"Oh, hey! Long time, no see!" I manage to say jokingly.

"You saw me like, 14 hours ago or something." He laughs, removing his hand from the door. "Go ahead." Motioning towards the fridge door.

"Thanks." I say, opening the door and reaching for two blue-cap gallons of milk.

"Did you enjoy the rest of your 'Pop Princess Pizza Party'?" He teases, poking my upper arm with a subtle smirk.

"Hey, you were a 'Pop Princess' for a minute at that 'party' too. And yes, I did, thank you. Well, after I disinfected that disgusting pillow." I say, cringing. "But Mariah found my mom's margarita mix and locked herself in a closet to drink it, and when I finally got the closet open, she drank the whole thing. Then it was a whole hour in the bathroom holding her hair back. She can't really hold as much liquor and she says she can." I explain. "What an adventure." I state ironically.

"Wow, she so was right about being a bad girl." Luke blandly states raising his eyebrows as he grabs for milk out of the store fridge.

"Yeah, thank God it's the weekend, otherwise she'd be at school with a killer hangover." I joke. "Hey, um... What was that question you wanted to ask me last night?" I ask. He freezes and looks at me.

"Oh, um... I was just going to - I don't even know why I try. You'll say no anyway."

"Oh, c'mon, maybe I won't. Go ahead, ask. I'm not judging." I giggle.

"Okay, uh... I was just going to ask if you would like to go-"

"Julianna Mae! I've been searching for you!" Mom exclaims while rushing up to me with the shopping cart.

"Geez, I never catch a break." Luke huffs.

"I hear ya."

"Where have you been? I've been throught the whole store!"

"I've been right here, talking..." I state.

"To who?" She asks.

"Luke...my friend." I hint. I could tell out of the corner of my eye that with my calling Luke a friend made him change expressions from nervous to giddy. ((giddy omg why duth thee choose thy word to express happiness. omg i just spoke shakespEARIEN wHAT IS WRonG WITH mE))

"Well, it's time to go over to the checkout." Mom announces. "Get your butt moving!" My face turns pink.

"But he has a question to ask me-"

"Go!"

"Fine. Um...Bye, Luke." I say.

"B-Bye..." Luke replies, his smile disappearing.