The theater

Chapter 6

Wednesday afternoon, Julie gave the finishing touches to her luggage on a list she had made. She hoped not to forget anything. Nancy was on the bed, stroking Max. Music played softly, filling the moments of silence that enveloped them. Julie was content to listen to her friend who told her all kind of stories that came into her head. Most revolving around Joel, of course.

“I’m so nervous,” Nancy threw, sighed.

“Everything will be fine. You don’t have to worry.”

Nancy looked up at her.

“You think so?”

“He still has invited you to the prom. This is a good sign.”

“But he shouldn’t look at the others girls in the evening.”

Julie smiled.

“Don’t ask too much, okay!”

“I know,” Nancy replied, moaning, “but it could be great. I never thought he would have invited me!”

Her friend smiled again without answering. She was still trying to get used to the idea of being the only single person of her small group of girls, but nobody should ask her too much. She preferred to get to something else as soon as possible. She wondered if her reaction was “normal”. Will Nancy reacted the same way if the roles were reversed? She drove a sudden urge to cover her ears with her hands in order not to hear her friend rant any anecdote about Joel. Nancy didn’t seem to understand the lack of interest of Julie for what she was saying. She continued to give her detailed report on their many evenings together, focusing on their new complicity and the fun they had. Julie came to a point she wasn’t listening at all. She continued to prepare her stuff for their vacation, trying to convince herself that one day it could happen to her. She had stopped thinking about it since her last boyfriend moved.

And Nancy insisted again.

“Oh! He’s so awesome! Can you imagine that he finally noticed me? Me who has nothing special?”

Unconsciously, Julie gave a deep sigh of exasperation. She was unable to hold it and she resented. Her friend stood up suddenly, apologizing.

“Julie, I… I’m sorry…”

“Forget it,” Julie replied, shaking her head. “I’m happy for you. Joel is a very nice guy. You get along well. It’s great.”

Nancy bit her lower lip, hesitating. Her friend realized it and asked her what was wrong. Julie shook her head again, wanting to pass to something else. She was tired. Nobody should pay attention to it.

“Did you notice what Maxim tried to do during the game?”

Julie frowned, a small smile on her lips.

“He played hockey.”

“You didn’t notice anything else? Like the fact that he wanted to impress you? You didn’t really notice?”

“Don’t say that, please. He has a girlfriend who was near us, don’t forget that. It’s not because he wanted to impress me!”

“Even Karen has noticed!”

“And what gives you that impression?”

Nancy smiled.

“So I guess you haven’t noticed that Matthew looked at you when another player hit him, didn’t you?”

Julie frowned and shook her head.

“I think Karen and you imagine funny things!”

Nancy sighed deeply, adding that she had the strange feeling to abandon her because she accompanied Joel to the prom. Julie hastened to reassure her. She didn’t have to feel guilty because a boy was interested in her. There would be other single people at the prom. Julie forced herself to smile reassuringly at her.