Opposites Attract

Chapter Five

"Okay, it's been like thirty minutes, where do you think he could be?" I ask Max and Trina, they were nice enough to wait in the lot after school for him to show up, but he hasn't yet.

"Ash, he could be anywhere." Trina mentioned.

"I don't think that he is going to come back." Max added in, my chest started to flutter as I thought about anything happening to him. Not only would I feel horrible, but my dad would kill me if he found out that I just let Julian skip school without calling him. I feel the stress start to build up and suddenly I feel sick.

"What if he got mugged? Or beat up?"

"Ashley, I am sure he is fine..." Max said, and Trina reluctantly agreed.

"Okay, well you guys should just go, I am going to look for him." I say.

"Do you want me to come with you?" Max asked, I shake my head.

"Thank you, but I feel like I should be the one to find and talk to him, I said some pretty nasty things to him." I say, and they nod their heads and say their goodbyes before leaving the parking lot.

I start down the street that I saw him last on and don't see him anywhere. My pace automatically speeds up as I scan back and forth trying to spot someone, hoping that it would be Julian.

Relief washed over me as I saw him sitting on a curb right outside of a bar. At least he is safe, I take a second glance at him surprised. Is he crying? Now that is something that I was not expecting to walk in on.

I take a seat next to him, and he doesn't say anything, he rubs his hand over his face and lets a shaky breath go before moving his shoulders.

"What is wrong?" I ask him, my words are low, and soft. I don't want to embarrass him about crying, and I can tell he is trying his best to hide it, he coughs a little, but stays silent.

"Julian, it's okay that you're crying, guys can cry too. Even you, I promise I won't tell anyone." He looked up at me, and I see his eyes are puffy, but I don't say anything, he looks back at the ground.

"Why do you even care?" His voice sounded deep, and scruffy.

"Because you are a human being, and obviously upset. You can tell me, I am here to listen." I watch as his hands formed fists and I wait for his response.

"No! Just go home Ashley! Go back to your perfect amazing family, go back to being the spoiled brat you are!" He raises his voice, and although I know he is only putting all of his emotions on me, I cannot help but feel irritated, and I start to become angry as well.

"What? I am not a spoiled brat!" My voice raises to his level.

Julian's P.O.V.

"What? I am not a spoiled brat!" Ashley raises her voice, and I keep staring at the ground, I know I just made her angry, but it was the truth.

"Yeah you are! Look at your life! Your school is perfect, your parents love you, your life is perfect!" I yell, I allow my anger to take control of me, not caring about the things that I say.

Back in my city, I got into a lot of trouble, and I needed to borrow money from my gang. At first it was fine, and they all seemed totally okay with it, but then I didn't have enough money to cover a payment, so they took my-

The memory is too hard for me to even look back on, I shut my eyes and let the anger pile up within me, not caring about anyone. Caring is only what gets others hurt.

"Whatever Julian! You're such a jerk. Just because you don't like whatever happened to you, doesn't mean you have the right to take out your emotions on me. I was only trying to help you! But, you know what? I am done, I have tried to be nice, and to be civil with you, but every time I try, you just... Explode! I am done! You can find your own way home!" She stands to her feet, and I avoid her hard gaze, I didn't say anything back and I watch as she turns on her feet and leaves me where I am at. I don't want to say anything, a big part of me knows that she's right. I do explode, but she doesn't have to pry her way into my life, and act as though she could possibly understand anything that I am going through. She wouldn't get it, her life is such a fairytale; she couldn't even process what I had to go through.