Out of Focus

It was a month into the new year. February first actually. I'd been at Aunt Libby's for about thirty-four days. I was enjoying my new life. I'd made some friends. But none as close as Timothy & Rebecca. 
Rebecca & I had grown close. I realized after my fight with Justin that she was just scared of me taking over territory as Justin & Kaden's best girl friend. 
I understood so I met her for shopping & coffee with my new license & told her I wasn't after Justin & I was most definitely not after Kaden. She smiled at the Kaden part. She was happy. She told me to have Justin. But I told her that we had talked & didn't want to cause problems. 
After we shopped for hours. In fact I was heading to the photography club meeting & going out with her after. 

As I park I can see Justin pulling in behind me. He had offered to drive me but I had said no. Using the excuse of shopping with Becca even though I knew she would drop me off at home. The truth was things had gotten awkward with Justin.

I slam my door shut. "Bella!" Timothy comes up & puts his arm around me. "Hey Tim." "So whatcha doin after the meeting?" "I'm shopping with Becca. She needs a dress." "A dress? Oh for the dance. Um funny but I uh--" he stutters. How cute. He stops & scratches his neck. "Was uh--" 
"Let's get inside. It's cold. You can finish in there." 
"Wait!" he grabs my shoulder & looks past me. "I wanna talk out here. Just for a sec." "Okay." I turn to look at what he's looking at but he catches my face in his hands. "I was wondering if you wanted to go to the SweetHearts dance. With me." "Oh. Um." I bite my lip. "I guess. Yeah sure." I smile, "Yes." "Good." he smiles as he drops his hand to take my hand. Then I see Justin walk around us open the door & storm inside. "Man, what's his problem?" Tim says. "I don't know. Come on."

I go to sit by Rebecca when I get inside the ice rink. Our assignment for today is to take pictures of the elementry kids at their annual skate-n-blade party for their yearbook. 
"Hey. Aww your cheeks are all rosie. Ha." "Shut up." "What happened?" "Well Tim asked me to the dance. I said yes & Justin heard the whole thing." "Ooohh. Not good. He has problems with Tim. Or well vice versa. I'm not real sure. Happened before we were good friends." "Happened? What happened?" "Im not real sure. Neither will say." "Oh." 

A little while later as Justin is skating on one side of the rink & I the other I see a little girl fall. Justin skates over in a split second. "Oh hon are you okay?" I ask. The girl appears about eight. "Nahhh. No." she sobs. 
"I think her leg is broken. Bella go get the aid for me." "Okay. Sure." "No! I don't want her to go!" the little girl screams. Just then Becca skates up. "Hey it's okay. I'll go do it Justin." "Okay." 
I kneel down & the girl grips my shirt. "Sweetie? What's your name?" "Lizzie." "Is it Elizabeth?" "Yes. Elizabeth Malv." Justin flinched at her first name. 
"Okay. Do you know your home number?" "Yes. 787-3278" "Okay. I'm going to call your parents okay. Is your mom home?" "Yeah. I think so." "Okay." 

After I call her parents I skate over to Tim because he hasn't been on the ice. "Hey. Why aren't you on the ice?" "Well lets just say I've had a bad experience on the ice before." "Oh. Did you fall in? I did that a few weeks ago but Justin got me out." "Where at?" Unable to read the look on his face I answer, "Lemon Lake. Where for you?" "Same." "Oh." I pause still trying to read his face. 
Giving up after a few seconds I add, "You know there's no reason to not skate here. Especially if you love skating like I do. There's no water just ice on top of floor." "I really don't think I can Isabella. I'm sorry." "It's okay. Really." I smile. 
Finally getting a smile out of him I'm satisfied. "Go skate Bella." I skate away. 

...

As I'm walking out to the parking lot with Becca, Jerry, another guy in our group today, suggests we all go out for pizza or burgers. We all agree to meet at the small restaurant Georges in the uptown area.  

We come in & Jerry & Justin are already sitting down. Richelle comes in next & sits next to Jerry & Becca next to Richelle. As I come out of the bathroom Tim is sitting next to Justin. 
"Figured you'd want to sit by Becca." Tim says as he puts his arm over the back of my chair. "Thanks." 
As we get talking Jerry, oblivious to the tension between the guys gets to talking about Lemon Lake & people who have fallen in. And died.
"Not everyone who has fallen in has died." "Yeah they have Bella." Richelle says. "
Yeah it's called the Black Lemon Curse. Some chick committed suicide there about 100 years ago. Left a note saying that she cursed everyone. She was a witch. Everyone who's gone on that end since has fallen in & died." "I didn't." 
"Wait what?" 
Justin clears his throat, "Bella fell in on new years eve. I got her out." He looks at Tim as he says this & then lowers his eyes. "I don't believe it Justin." "Yeah everyones died." Richelle says, then glancing at Tim, "Even Beth." "Well I'm sitting here aren't I?" 
Tim moves his arm around my neck placing his hand on my shoulder & squeezes. "Justin got you out?" "Yeah. We were skating, taking pictures of the lake." "Oh."
"Anyway." Justin interrupts, "Um Becca are you going to the dance with Kade?" "Uh yeah. We talked last night." she blushes. "Oh. That's good. He was nervous about telling me. And Bella." "Why me?" I turn to Justin. "He thought you might have a problem with uh everything." "We dated. It's over. Has been for years. He should know that." "Yeah Bella but he still cares about you." 
"Yeah Bella. He likes me but well I think he once loved you. You guys were best friends." says Becca. "Yeah. That's true."

Jerry gets up & throws his money on the table. "Later guys." Richelle follows. "Bye. See you Monday!" "Bye guys." I say. 
"So are those stories really true?" Justin answers, "Well yeah. That's why I was so scared Bells." "Oh."

"Hey Bells I think I'm gonna go, kay? I'll text ya later." "Kay." I say as he kisses the top of my head. "Bye Rebecca." "Bye Tim." 
 "Why do you two hate eachother?" "We don't." "Oh come on. You just pointedly ignored one another. You changed topics off & on. It's annoying." "I don't hate him. He hates me. There's a difference." "Whatever. You ready to go Becca?" "Yeah. Oh hold on." her cell phone goes off. 
"Crap. We can't stay at my house tonight." "Aww." "If you want Bec, Bells, I can ask my mom if you can stay at our house. It's your home after all Bells, & it's practically yours too Bec." "Are you sure?" "Yeah. I'll text you." "Thanks Justin. I'm gonna head to my car Bella. Meet you at your house?" "Yeah. We can take my car from there." "Kay."

I walk to my car with Justin. His hands in his pockets, "Bella it really is your home." "I guess. It's just weird. It's hard to realize I guess. This is home." "Home." "Home." I sigh, "Well for now." 
"For now?" Justin asks with a look of confusion upon his face. "I don't know what my moms gonna do with me when summer rolls around. Or spring break." 
"Im sure my mom will want you to stay. We can both see your doing better." "I am." "I know." he smiles, "See you at home Bells." 

That was the last time, for a long time, that Justin called me Bells.