A Weakened Heart: Juliette

chapter 28 - 30

Chapter 28

I glared at her for a moment and three girls ran up to me.

“Happy birthday!” the complete strangers said, hugging me.

Did they even go to my school?

“Thanks,” I said anyway and they went back to partying. I then leaned closer to Melanie. “And they are?”

“Amy Phillips, her sister Brandy and cousin Elizabeth,” Melanie replied as we went to the punch table, people saying their greetings to me while I smiled at them. “They’re in your Bio. Class.”

“Never saw them before,” I muttered, taking up a cup and poured some soda into it. “So, when’s the guest-of-honor coming?”

I meant Avan, of course. I had made sure that he reached a very important invitation. It would be a chance for him to get out of the house and spend time with me.

I looked at Melanie and Ella and they were avoided my gaze.

Don’t tell me something happened again?

“Guys?” I asked and Melanie looked up at me with a half smile.

“Avan couldn’t make it, Juliette,” she said softly. “He sent back the invitation yesterday saying that he’s still too sick to attend, but don’t despair, we invited someone else.”

 “Someone else?” I asked, surprised as the door-bell rang and Ella went to answer it with a gleam in her eyes. “Come on guys; tell me who you invited as the guest-of-honor?”

“Surprise, Juliette,” a familiar voice said and I whipped around to see Dominic standing behind me.

My heart began to race and Soleil began to growl in my head. He was wearing the green and white shirt I had liked so much and that brought back all the memories Avan had told me to forget.

“Hi, Dominic,” I said, trying to sound calm but the filling my cheeks betrayed the notion. “Where’s Haliee?”

“She’s home,” Dominic replied, with a shrug and then a smile. “Happy birthday, by the way. Come for your birthday hug.”

He held out his arms and I had to laugh at the gesture. I hugged him and that was a mistake I would never make again. I felt like electricity running through my body and I quickly let go of him. I looked up at him in shock and he was wearing the same expression.

“Whoa,” we muttered at the same time and I felt myself blush.

I wrapped my arms around my middle and Dominic stuffed his hands in his jeans pockets, embarrassed as well.

“Did I miss something that only you two shared?” Ella asked mischievously, folding her arms.

“It’s nothing,” I muttered and brushed my bangs out of my face.

“That was so uncomfortable,” Soleil muttered. “Don’t ever let him touch you again or I’ll come out and bite him so hard in the—”

“Thank you, Soleil,” I muttered, a smile appearing on my lips and I heard Dominic take in a deep breath.  

 “I have a birthday gift for you,” Dominic then said and I looked up at him. “Come, its outside and it’s a surprise.”

Dominic took my hand and I blushed deeper.

“I said don’t let him touch you!” Soleil shouted and I sighed in my head.

“Disappear, Soleil.”

There was a silence in my head and I could just imagine Soleil in a corner of my mind sulking, her head on her paws in a defeated way.