Everything you knew

Chapter 12 Violet

"Here's the birthday girl!" Julie shouts, as I walk into the kitchen. "Any big plans tonight?" she asks raising her eyebrows at me. Julie already knows the answer to that, but she seems to have hope in her question. I just shake my head at her.

"What, I just thought you might go out with Cole, now you two are a thing" Sometimes Julie shocks me. She can act a lot younger than she actually is. I suppose working with kids for as many years as she has, she knows how to talk to them. She acts more like a friend than a mother figure. She encourages us to go out and live our lives and has no problem with me and Cole, even though technically I didn't tell her she just finds out everything.

I actually like Julie and don't mind speaking to her and telling her things. She is very understanding with us, whereas Gary, the other worker here, he likes to be strict. I think they have a good cop, bad cop thing going on. I get along with both of them, where as I know Charlotte hates them and will ignore them at all costs. But Charlotte thinks everyone in the world is out to get her. But we are lucky here, I know not all homes have workers like ours.

"Well, I might be going to his house in a little bit to watch a movie, I'm just waiting on a text from him" I grab my phone to check it again, but nothing. Maybe he forgot.

"Happy birthday!" Cameron screams as he runs towards me and jumps on my lap. I pull him on properly and snuggle into him.

"Thank you" 

"So, where is the cake?" 

"Cameron, it was a surprise!" Julie scolds him, but I just burst out in laughter and snuggle him more. Of course, Cameron would only be excited about the cake, I don't blame him. I suppose that is one of the bonuses of a birthday.

"So, another year older. I remember when you first came here. A shy little girl, who wanted to hide away from the world. You had this beautiful braid in your hair" I just roll my eyes at Julie, not wanting to re-live that memory. She does it every year. "I guess it's time now though to really start applying for college, times going by quickly" I give her a knowing nod. "You still looking at UCLA?"

"Yeah, I've also been looking at Georgia" I say quietly, as if that would help. Julie looks taken back for a moment, but quickly recovers. 

"Wow" is all she says for a moment and I can see her trying to process this new information. It's like I can see the cogs working in her head. "Well, if that is what you want, we can definitely look into it. It is so far, I'm afraid you will be lonely. You don't know anyone there. But I will support you" she say and she comes over and hugs me. Tears prick my eyes as I cling to her.

"Thank you" I whisper. I am shocked by her reaction, but I am so thankful for it. 

"Any thought about what you want to do, I know you have always been a bit undeceive with that" 

"Yeah, actually I think I want to teach" 

"I think you would be perfect at that" she says with a genuine warm smile, as she watches Cameron on my lap run his toy car up and down my arm.

After we had cake and everyone sang happy birthday to me, I went to my bedroom. I sat on my bed staring at my phone. Should I just call him? Has he got a better offer? Just then my bedroom door flies open and Kate is standing in the door way.

"What are you doing here?" I splutter. 

"Come on you can't sit here alone on your birthday. We are going out" she stalks across the room and pulls me up. She then goes into my wardrobe throwing stuff out until she pulls out a dress. "Put this on, you got to look cute on your birthday!" she throws the dress at me and leaves the room. "You have two minutes!" she shouts through the door. I stand there for a minute confused and a little dazed. 

"Kate what is going on? I have plans with Cole anyway" she doesn't answer me and I shove the dress on, too tired to argue with her. As I leave my room Kate face lights up. I then notice she is all dressed. She has a red dress on, which cuts pretty low showing her cleavage. Her hair is curled perfectly and her eyes are covered in gold glitter. When we walk to the car it hits me. Oh no. We aren't going to a club, are we? This is Kate's idea of a good birthday not mine. But I don't say anything, because I don't want to sound ungrateful.

"I just got to make a quick pit stop at my house to get something first"

We pull up to her house and it is in pitch black darkness. I turn my phone off, trying to ignore the sinking feeling I got every time I looked at it and there was still no text from him. Julie let me have an extension on my curfew, letting me stay out over an hour later tonight, because it's my birthday. So, I shove my phone in my bag so I can try and enjoy tonight.