Julie & James

The 2nd of January, 1992

“It’s raining… did you realize?” I was sat on the seat on the bay window, watching the rain drizzle down the window pane. I was sad – I’d let him leave and now I had nothing to do. The snow and ice had come and gone, and now it was just rain and wind. It wasn’t even pretty – like in December – it was just ugly. My knees were at my chest, I was in gym shorts, so I could see all the little white hairs on my knees. My tan had faded, my skin was worn – small patches of blue were on my shins. My eyes had become red and puffy. This time last year I was out – no matter about the weather – but now… I was inside, hiding away. I held our Trim phone – circa 1981 – between my right shoulder and ear. My head was against the wall of the window, my arms folded between my stomach and thighs.
“No, I couldn’t hear.” His voice was calmed, collected... The line was crackly and quiet, I held my eyes down. “What are you doing… you’re so quiet.” I sighed lightly; I looked out past our front lawn and saw a boy, roughly my age, walking in the rain. He looked sad, just like me.
“I’m sitting on the window… the one at the front of the house.” I took the phone in my right hand, and looked over to the sofa – the base of the phone was balanced on the arm, and the wire was stretched over the table behind the sofa all the way to the wall opposite to me. I stared at the jack in the wall. “Someone’s walking in the rain… I’m watching it…” I turned to face the rain again, and let the receiver drop between my shoulder and ear, putting my hand back with the other.
“You sound so sad.” He began to sound worried, so I quickly perked myself up. I watched as the boy got closer to my house.
“I’m fine, I’m just bored… I don’t like the rain.” I kept watching this boy get closer and closer to me. I missed James lots. Talking to him over the phone was hardly company, and mom and Gary weren’t either. They’d left me home alone for most of the winter – and they seemed to avoid me at Church and dinner – talking together and not including me. Maybe because I’d fallen in love – that pushed them over the edge.
I looked nothing like either of them, and maybe now that I found someone who I fitted in with, they felt like they had no need to associate with me. Mom and Gary had dark brown hair, with dark brown eyes and full features. They were so beautiful. Apparently I’d inherited my unknown father’s genes. Blonde hair, curled at the ends, with light blue eyes with a small sloped nose and a small chin.
“I know this is hard… But I’m leaving soon. We’ll be together throughout the whole year…” James sounded sad now, but how could he be leaving soon?
“How…?” I trailed off, my concentration now thinking about how we would live.
“In about seven months I’d of done my years service that I signed up for. The Navy are letting me leave.” He sounded thrilled. So was I, and I couldn’t really believe he would be all mine so soon.
“That’s good,” I said happily. He was quiet on the other end of the line.
“I have to go now; I’ll call you again soon. I love you.” The line disconnected; and then he was gone. I climbed lethargically from the window, and put the phone back in the corner table, by the jack. My life had become so dull now. I turned toward the window – there, in all his glory – was the boy. He was beautiful… and soaking. I ran through the huge archway from living room to hallway, unlocked the door, and opened it. The smell of the rain wafted past me, and throughout the whole house.
He was older than I had expected – around 17 years old. He looked over his shoulder, with a sad look on his perfect face.
“It’s raining pretty badly, huh…” I said to him. He just nodded, but stayed still – looking at me. “Do you want to come in…warm up – dry off…?” I raised my eyebrows slightly, hoping he would and that my life would have more excitement than it had the past two months. He nodded, and said thank you. It was awkward – but instead of staying inside, alone, away from the outside world… I brought the outside in to me.