You Again (Completed) ✔️

75.

Three days later

Dad walks into the hospital room with an overnight bag. He places it on the bed next to me. "I packed a black dress for you and a jacket, just in case it gets cold."

"Thanks, Dad." Climbing off the bed, I grab the dress and underwear from the other bag. I walk to the bathroom and have a quick shower before getting changed.

When I exit the bathroom with Amalia, Braelynn, and Bo, Cole is standing at the door. Looking at them, I say, "Morning." Cole holds his arms out for me, and I step inside his arms. He kisses the top of my head. "Do you want to ride with me, or are you going with your father?"

"I'm going with Dad." I look at my Dad while he's talking to Bo. I think he needs me at the moment, and I need him too. Mom was everything to me. Why did I spend so much time away from here?"

He lifts my chin, so I'm looking at him. "It's my fault you didn't spend time with your Mom. I shouldn't have been as mean as I was back then. I was trying to protect you from my family. People are after members of my family, and to destroy my family, they have to take away something or someone we care about. I've been in love with you for so long. When I returned from New York at sixteen, I started to take more notice of you. Instead of dealing with my true feelings
I hurt you to keep you away."

Turning in his arms, I place my hand on his face. "I don't blame you for the loss of interactions with my mother. Things work both ways for us, and neither party was interested in seeing each other." I walk over to Dad and loop my arm through his.

Dad smiles at me. "Are you ready to go?"

"Yes, I am." We start walking. "Dad, how are you, truly? I want the truth, not a lie."

"I'm not holding up that well. The house is like a coffin. There are too many things of the dead in that house, and I don't know what to do."

I press the lift button, and the door opens. "I'll help you with cleaning out the house once I'm released from the hospital."

"Thank you, princess. That will help a lot." He looks out the window, and Cole captures his attention. "Cole won't let you come by without him standing guard."

A smile spreads across my face. "No, Cole won't. Why is it that everyone who was supposed to protect me turned their backs on me, and the one that turned on me in high school is the one protecting me?"

"I don't know." He says, opening the door and waiting for me to climb out first.

"Thanks, Dad." I step out of the car and walk to the church's front door.

Dad is following closely behind. He grabs my hand and stops me at the door. "I don't want to deal with your mother's family alone. They were a pain in the ass a long time ago, and I think they've become worst since the last time I saw them."

"When did you last see them, Dad?"

"The day of graduation. They came to see you, but you left the school before the family could congratulate you."

"Oh," is all I could think to say to that.

After the class of 2007 threw their caps in the air, I went over to my group of friends, and Cole stood beside my Best Friend, Georgie.

He had his arms wrapped around her, and he said to me. "What are you looking at?"

"Not you, jerk." I turn my attention to my Best Friend. "What are you doing with the enemy?"

She crosses her arms. "Cole's not my enemy. You shouldn't have pissed him off."

I didn't do anything to him. He knows it, and I know. So, why has he been this way with me?

"I haven't done anything, and you know that. What happened to you, Georgie?"

"I grew up. Something that you're not going to do." She whispers something to Cole before she walks away.

Cole looks at me. "When you leave for University, that will be the last time you ever step into our hometown. If you return, I will make your life hell. It's not a threat. It's a promise. Also, don't show up at the Graduation Party. No one wants you there." He walks over to my friends, and they start laughing with him.

I don't know what I did to get my friends to turn against me, but I think it had more to do with Cole not liking me that they decided to side with him so they wouldn't be on the outs like me.

Deciding to move away from the group, I'm halted as something is poured over me. Looking at the ground, I see red. They poured a raspberry drink all over me. I start to feel sticky. Tears begin to fall down my face.

Cole laughs. "This better be the last time I see your ugly face around town."

I run to the car and pull the towel out from the trunk. Throwing it on the seat, I climb into the car and speed away from the school.

Dad places his arm on my shoulder. "Are you okay, Julia?"

Looking around, I see Cole standing next to a girl. She seems familiar to me, but I can't put a name to the face I'm seeing. "Who is that, girl?" I point towards them.

Dad follows my finger and gasps. "Ah, that's..." He trails off and continues to stare at her. "That's Georgie. She's back in town for some time. She wanted to spend time with Cole. He turned her down and said he was in love with a woman."

"How do you know that?"

Dad gives me his phone, and I watch the video.

Family and friends of my mothers walk to the door, and as they enter, they give us their condolences about the loss of my mother and Dad's wife. He thanks them as they walk into the church. As the last guest enters the room, we follow suit. There's a long bench in the front row where Dad, Cole and I sit.

A few members of the family say that I shouldn't be here because it is my fault that my mother passed away. Others aren't happy that mom's sister has passed away, as well as her boys.

The priest walks forward and stands in front of the podium. Beside him is Mom's maroon casket, which has her favourite flowers and photos of her and Dad together.

They had a happy marriage. I hope someday that I get the same.

When the priest finishes his speech, he asks if anyone is sentenced to share memories, and I stand up. Moving to the podium, I put the paper on the stand and looked at everyone. "Growing up, I used to share everything with Mom. Starting with my first crush and ending with my heart being broken by the guy I thought would love me. I was a stupid teen then and didn't have any right to say I was in love, but Mom thought it was cute. When she asked me who it was, my face would go red, and I wouldn't say anything. She started singing, "Julia and mystery guy sitting in a tree K.I.S.S.I.N.G. First comes love, second comes marriage, third comes a baby and carriage." I laugh. "I miss the simple times I shared with her. I'm going to miss you, mom. I love you."