Love Strengthened Us

Chapter 13

Julian came back that night on edge, still angry with me, but he didn't say too much to me for the next days after, just hello and small talk. Sleeping in the same bed with him was tense and touching him was a no go as well. 

It's December 23rd. I haven't even gone out to buy any presents and I haven't contacted any of my family except my brother. 

"Hey Bro." I say, taking a seat at the kitchen bar.

"Hey sis. How's life going?" I sighed.

"It's okay. Julian is on edge with me cause he wants to get back to playing and I don't want him to."

"I think he should listen to you." I laughed. "Well of course you do, your my brother." Matt always had my back no matter what it was, even though he was my little brother.

"Have you guys set another date for a wedding?" I huffed, just thinking about it.

"No, right now I don't know what's going on to be honest. I had to put everyone on hold. My dress is hanging in the closet still, just everything is falling apart with that. We have to get through this before we can get to that again."

Marriage was the last thing on both of our minds at the moment. Mine was on Julian. Julian's was on football.

"I hope you guys can get it figured out soon. Dad's all angry about it." Oh dad, what an angry, cranky man.

"Tell Dad he can just wait." 

"Mom wants to see you this Christmas." 

I was going to take Julian to my moms this Christmas, we were supposed to spend it with them, but I don't think that's going to happen. He still has not met her. With his busy schedule and then with the injury, it just never happened, I feel like it's never going to happen.

"I, I don't know right now. I want to stay with Julian right now so we can work through this, but maybe." I knew my mom was going to be sad, I hated making her sad, especially after all she did raising me and such, but I knew I need to be here.

"Tell mom I love her so much and that I will be seeing her soon. I'll at least call on Christmas." 

I heard a sigh, I knew I disappointed him, but he would never say it.

"Okay sis. Keep in touch okay?" 

"Of course. Love you bro." 

"Love you too."

I hated letting them down, but I had to. I looked to the clock, seven pm, where the hell was Julian? He went out a little while ago, saying he was going to the 'store'. I think that was a lie. 

Not long after I checked the clock, I heard the door open and Julian walked in, throwing his jacket on the ground, completely missing any hook. As he closed the door, I could tell he was staggering. 

"I'm g-gonna play." He mumbled as he made his way to the counter and looked me in the eye. I stood up and walked over to him and I could immediately smell it.

Alcohol. Lots of it.

Julian was drunk and his breath, stance, and eyes could vouch for him.

"Julian, are you drunk?" I asked, but we both knew I knew.

"M-maybe." Our stares held strong.

"I'm playing, I d-don't care what you t-think." Anger ran through me as he talked to me as if I was a child being told the rules.

"You don't even want to consider how this could affect me? Us?" I asked, trying to be calm about it, but knowing that every second I was losing my cool.