You Again (Completed) ✔️

14.

My phone goes off, and I pull it out of my pocket.

A smile spreads across my face as I see that Darcey is calling me through Facebook. "Excuse me," I say as I take the call in the living room.

Me: Hello, Darcey.

Darcey: Did you get home safely?

Me: Yes, I did. I had to spend time with my family, and then I fell asleep early and forgot to call you.

Darcey: That's Okay.

Me: How's school?

Darcey: I miss you. The new teacher isn't as fun as you were. She writes on the board and isn't teaching us any games.

Me: She's just starting. Once the woman learns the school's rules, she will let you play games.

Darcey: Are you coming back to Nova Island any time soon?

Me: I don't have any plans to come there soon. Maybe next year, I'll visit.

Darcey: Okay, Daddy said that he's going to America in a couple of months and wants to know if we can visit you there.

A smile spreads across my face.

Me: I would love for you to visit me. Call me before you leave, and I'll give you my address.

"Darcey, sweetheart. Who are you talking to?" Darcey's mother asks.

Darcey: Julia.

Darcey's Mom: I told you not to bother her.

Darcey: I wanted her to know we're going to America in a few months. I was excited to tell her.

Darcey moves the camera until I see her mother.

Me: Hey,

Darcey's Mom waves, and then she moves away. "Dinner's nearly ready, Darcey. You should say bye to Julia.

Darcey: Bye, Julia.

Me: Bye, Darcey. Stay out of trouble.

Darcey: I will.

She logs off Facebook, and I walk back into the kitchen.

"Who put that smile on your face?" Mom asks.

"That was Darcey."

"Who?" Liam asks.

"The little girl I saved during the tsunami. She wanted to know if I got home safely. She even told me she was coming to America in a couple of months and wants to see me again."

"Do you miss the little girl?" Veronica asks.

"Very much. Darcey was one of my aspiring students. I hope that with the new teacher, she continues to get the education she deserves."

A smile spreads across Mom's face. "I'm glad you take pride in your student's education. You'll be a good influence on the local kids here."

I hope they will be open to the way I teach my students.

After breakfast, I help Mom clean the kitchen and tell her that I want to look around the town I've missed so much. "You can take my car, " she says. Please, tell me you've been driving since the last time you had a car."

I nod. "I used to drive around New York until I nearly got cleaned up by a tip truck that cut me off. After that, I didn't see the use of a car, so I caught the train everywhere."

"What about on Nova Island?"

I shake my head. "I drove once a week while I was on the Island, and that was to get groceries from the shops."

Mom gives me the key. "Be safe out there. You should take Veronica out with you. Maybe you can drop Cole off at home?"

"Do I have to?"

"Yes," Mom says. "I love you, Julia, but I want you to give Cole a chance. I know he's hurt you in the past. He's learnt his lesson and won't do it again."

I sigh. "I'll give Cole a chance, but don't expect me to be his friend because that will never happen." I dry my hands before leaving the kitchen and looking for my best friend. "Veronica," I yell.

"She's upstairs," Cole says. "I think she might have snuck into your brother's room. I heard them giggling earlier."

"Thanks," I climb the stairs and head to the third door from the stairs and start pounding on it. "Veronica, get your ass out here."

The door opens, and I see my brother leaning against it. "She's not in here."

I see my bedroom door open down the hall, and Veronica steps into the hall. "What's going on?"

I'm going to kill him.

I ball my hands into fists. "Cole told me that you two were in the bedroom together after he heard you giggling. I'm going to kill that idiot. He made me look like a fool."

Veronica walks over to me. "Leave it alone. He wasn't wrong about us being together in the room. I heard you tell your Mom that you wanted to go for a drive, and she said to take me. I left his room to get changed. Now, let's explore this town."

"We have to drop the idiot off first. You know where I would rather drop him off?"

"Off a cliff," Veronica says. She starts laughing, and I join her.

She's not wrong.

Grabbing Veronica's hand, I pull her down the stairs to the living room, where Cole is sitting on the couch. His head is leaning back, and his eyes are closed. I kick his leg. "Hey, idiot. It's time to wake up."

He opens his eyes and looks at me. "Why do I need to wake up?"

"I need to take you home. The sooner you're out of here. The better for me." I grab the keys off the hook next to the door and walk out the front door with my best friend at my heels. I climb into the car and start it.

Veronica jumps into the back seat. "What?" she says.

I glare at her. "Why are you making me sit up here with Cole? You know how much I hate him."

She leans forward and says. "Hate is one step closer to love." She puts her belt on and looks out the window.

Cole opens the door and climbs into the car. He looks at me. "Do you know where I live?"

"In the gutter," I mumble. Turning to him, I say, "No, you'll have to give me directions." I pull out of the driveway and head in the direction Cole tells me.

Before I know it, I'm parking my car in front of a two-story, white picket-fenced house with a red door. It has a porch at the front and a swinging chair. A flower bed sits close to the house, with red and white roses that look in good condition.

A smile spreads across Cole's face, and he says. "What do you think of the house?"

I love it. I want to live in something like this when I start a family.

Clearing all emotions from my face, I say. "It's nice. I'm sure all you're one-night stands love walking through the door that they'll never be walking into again."

"None of them have come to the house. I bought this house thinking of a future with a woman and raising a family."

Veronica leans forward. "The woman that lands you will be lucky to have a house like this over their heads."

Cole steps out of the car and continues looking at me. "Yes, she will be. I hope I haven't ruined a chance with her." He shuts the door.

"You never had a chance with her." I pull the car away from the curb and drive off.