In Another Life ▻ Fiona Gallagher

10. chapter ten

FLASHBACK

It had been a few weeks since Julian and Fiona had their first date, complete with their first kiss. Despite some stares and disapproving looks in the hallway, the two had gotten together not long after their date.

Julian had been taught from a young age that no person is better than another based on their status or popularity, only because of the kind of person that they were, and he always wanted to be the type of guy that could be seen as a good person.

It had taken a bit more adjustment for Fiona, though she came around eventually. The attention to their newfound relationship wasn't something that she was used to, and at times she found herself doubting if she was truly deserving of Julian.

He always quickly dismissed those notions, yet still, he couldn't be around all of the time. He couldn't be around when she was in the locker room at gym and track practices, receiving dirty looks from girls who said that she wasn't good enough. She did her best to ignore it all, yet sometimes it proved harder than others.

Even when she struggled, though, Julian continued to do what he could to show her that it was her that he liked and wanted. He always made a point to treat her the best that he could, and he truly felt that she deserved it. Her life hadn't been the easiest thus far, and she still remained a great person, and for that, he felt she deserved the world.

Julian closed his locker after dropping his books off there before lunch, planning to meet Fiona at her own locker once he was done so they could eat together. When he closed the locker, however, he saw Jessica, a girl he recognized from the track team with Fiona, looking up at him.

"Hi, Julian," she smiled, brushing her blonde hair over her shoulder as she grinned up at him.

He eyed her confusedly, tilting his head as he looked back at her, "Hey.." he replied, tone questioning.

"Jessica," she filled in the blanks since he didn't use her name.

"Jessica," he repeated. "What's up?" he asked, glancing down the long hallway toward Fiona's locker, knowing that she was likely waiting for him.

It wasn't that girls didn't talk to him. Julian was a friendly guy, and knew a lot of the people in the school, even if he didn't hang out with many of them. For the most part, he had finally shaken the stereotype of being a northsider douche, but there were still some people who were skeptic, and he preferred to stick to the small group of friends that he'd made on the football team.

"Well," Jessica started, reaching up as she twirled a strand of her hair around her finger. "I was talking to Jake, and he said he was thinking we should do a double date sometime."

Julian arched his brow a bit, tilting his head curiously, "Oh, okay. I thought Jake was dating that one cheerleader.. Courtney, right?"

Jessica smirked a bit at Julian's response, stepping in a bit closer to him. "He is, yeah. We mean Jake and Courtney, and me and you."

He let out a little scoff at that, shaking his head, "I'm dating Fiona, Jessica. You and Jake both know that."

The blonde closed in further still, leaving limited room between her, Julian, and the locker. "Well, yeah.. but you don't have to be. Besides, I'm very good at keeping secrets," she spoke, lowering her voice seductively as she ran a finger down the center of his chest, toward his abs.

Julian tensed and froze as she touched him and it was then that he heard a familiar voice.

"What the fuck?" Fiona spat, taking in the sight of Jessica and Julian within such close proximity of one another, Jessica's finger slowly gliding lower and lower.