And You're Just What I Need...

Earlier this morning, around two am, I get an urgent phone call from my best friend, Dakota. I couldn’t quite understand what she was saying, but something along the lines of “Finn-engaged-come-NOW!” with other words tossed in. So to summarize, I’m pretty sure Finn finally proposed to Dakota, and she wanted me to come, right now. Hence the getting on a plane and flying across the country for no apparent reason. Just that, at some point in my best friends near future, she will be getting married. But we knew that ages ago.

Though all of that is beside the point. The point is that I step off the plane with my luggage and walk into the lobby just as all the other, ten people, did. I looked for a sign or something with my name on it and found it instantly. Juliana Richards, scribbled neatly on a small piece of cardboard. My mistake occurs just about at that moment. Well, actually a moment or two later.

My eyes followed up the young mans body (he was fit-that’s for sure) until they reached his face, his eyes, his hair, his-you get the picture, his head. Now, if I hadn’t blurted out what I blurted out I might have been safe, for a few more minutes at least, hopefully months. But I had to go around with my big mouth and just say anything that came to mind. And I mean anything.

“A-Adam?” I stutter, staring shocked.

“do I know you?” well, ouch, wasn’t expecting that one.

“um- no? obviously not.”

“well then how do you know my name?”

“Dakota, duh.”

“oh. Well, I’ll show you to the car.” Rude much? He didn’t even offer to grab my bags. Oh, and when he opened the door, he let it just hit me. Didn’t even apologize either. What the- ooh, nice car. “you can just toss the bags in the back.”

“thanks.” I mutter before doing just that. and not gently either. It might have been a nice car, but at this point, I honestly didn’t care if his leather seats got scratched.

“be careful.”

I roll my eyes and slide into the passenger seat.

“so, how was your plane ride?” Adam asks in a nice ‘I don’t want to be here’ tone.

“just fantastic” I reply sarcastically. Obviously he wasn’t the same as before. Before he was nice and sweet and would want to pick me up at the airport. Now he’s just bitter.

“just asking.” He says rudely and I cross my arms without replying. “so, you from around here or-“ he changes the subject, trying at least.

“no, I grew up with Dakota back in Washington.”

“oh.”

“what about you?”

“lived here in maine until I was 15 and then my parents moved us back to Italy when my grandma was dying. I’ve been back here though for about a year now.” I didn’t say anything back and he didn’t try to continue the conversation.

Did he really not remember me? Or that summer? Was it just some stupid fling to him? Ugh! I seriously don’t know how long I’ll be able to last without telling someone. Dakota doesn’t even know about him nor my situation afterwards. She had already left for maine by the time I got home. The only people who knew were my brothers, grandparents, and doctor.

We pull up to the house and I quickly get out of the car, "You don’t talk much, do you?” Adam asks, this time grabbing my two big suitcases.

“not with you.” I say harshly and walk into the decent size house. Once the door opens the screaming began and it wasn’t on my behalf. All the noise was Dakota jumping up and down squealing cause I had finally showed up. She was still dressed up as if they just walked through the door and didn’t take the time to change. She hugs me tightly and I drop my bags to the floor.

"You’re here!”

“yup. Left my job, my house, my life to come all the way across the country for you.” I reply sarcastically.

“You’ve become very bitter since your trip.” She mentions. I smile and nod. “come, you must meet Finn.”

She drags me into the living room where Finn was sitting on the sofa reading a book. “Finn, this is as you can tell, Juliana.”

“nice to finally meet you.” He says, barely taking his eyes off the book. We’d talk a lot over skype, facebook and the phone. It was as if we already knew each other.

"You too.”

“and you already met Adam. Where is that boy?” she wonders out loud. “oh well, just so you know Adam lives with us. Someone doesn’t have the guts to kick him out. But he isn’t a bother much of the time. Here, I’ll show you to your room, you must be wiped.” That was the first intelligent thing she said this whole time. Sleep. Defiantly something I could use. I nod and we continue to walk up stairs. My bags were already in the bedroom but nothing else touched. It was a deep pink with turquoise trim. The bed was a black frame and a simple pink and brown comforter. All in all, it was a fairly magnificent bedroom.

“Adam did everything in here, so I hope you like it. I thought it may be a bit girly for you but he was sure you’d love it.”

“he was right, it’s amazing.”

“well darn, he knows you better than I do.” Dakota says laughing to herself. “I’ll let you sleep now, dinner won’t be for another three hours or so, would you like me to wake you for that?”

“defiantly wake me.”

She smiles and leaves, quietly closing the door.

A thought popped into my head that maybe, just maybe, Adam did remember me. I mean, he got my favorite colors down and knew how I would want my room designed. He couldn’t have just guessed at that, could he?

I start unpacking all my stuff and personalizing the room more. There was a soft knock on the door when I started on my second bag, “come in.” I say and the door opens. I didn’t know who to expect since Dakota said she wouldn’t bother me until dinner. I turn around and see Adam standing there in the doorway. “hey.” I say, standing up.

“hi, I wanted to apologize for earlier. I was rude to you when it was just Finn making me go pick you up that was aggravating me. I’m assuming that’s why you were so mean back though.”

I smirk, “yeah, pretty much. Thanks for apologizing.” See? I knew he hadn’t changed for the worse. It was only me that that had happened to.

“so, you like the room?” he asks, stepping in a little further.

“I love it. Dakota said that you decorated it?”

“well, my sister helped.”

“oh, you have a sister?”

“yeah, she’s fourteen now and is convinced that you’re the same Juliana that she met a few years ago. So she wanted to make the room how that Juliana would like it.” so he doesn’t remember me, but his sister does. Interesting…

“will she be at the wedding?” I ask.

“if I can convince my parents to fly her out here, then yes. She hasn’t been to the states since she was six”

“well, I’ll hope to meet her. I’m gonna finish unpacking now, so unless you want to stay and help…”

“nah, I’ll go make dinner instead.” He left and I silently thanked that he was making dinner and not Dakota. I’ve tasted both their cooking and Adam is much better at it than Dakota will ever be.

After unpacking my second bag I head back downstairs to find Dakota setting the table.

“good you’re up. Adam is just finishing up the dinner and then afterwards we were going to go to this club nearby”

“Dakota, you know I don’t do that.”

“thought that you might’ve changed a little over the years. Guess not.”

She always gets upset that I’m so conservative. “sorry, tried it once, and you know how it turned out.”

“no I don’t actually.”

“well, I don’t either. So you know as much as I do. And since I don’t know, then I know I don’t want to not know again… did that make sense?”

“no, but you don’t make sense, so it equals out.” I throw the napkin I was folding at her.

“hey hey, there will be no throwing of anything. This is your ‘welcome to hell’ dinner and must be treated with all respect.” Adam says, stirring some sauce. I burst out laughing and it took Finn and Dakota another second or so to realize what he just said.

“hey!” they both yell at him, and then Finn speaks up, “if you want a room tonight you’ll watch that mouth of yours mister.” I walk over and grab the salad off the counter.

“see? They’re already talking like parents”

“hmm, indeed they are.”

"You know what Adam?” Finn asks.

“chicken butt?” Adam guesses

“no, you’re grounded.”

"You can’t-“

"You want a room tonight?”

Adam sighs and finishes the pasta and sauce, “like I said, parents.” He mumbles and shakes his head. I laugh and continue finishing the table. After dinner, which was both delicious and silent. Finn and Dakota get dressed to go out.

“sure you don’t want to come along?” Dakota double checks with me. More like quadruple checks, I don’t think she understands that I defiantly don’t do that type of stuff.

“positive. Go have fun. Just don’t make any babies.” I was sitting on the couch and Adam, who was in the other room cleaning up burst out laughing.

They leave and I shut off the t.v., walking into the kitchen to see if Adam needed any help. But the moment I walked in he was just finishing up putting the stuff into the fridge. I sit down at the island while I watch him put stuff away. Then he grabs a beer and turns around “shit!” he jumps back, knocking stuff over in the fridge.

“sorry,” he just laughs it off and puts the beer on the counter.

“want one?” he asks, pointing to the beer.

“no, I don’t drink.” I say, hadn’t we already gone over this before?

“so you were being honest earlier? huh”

“yep.”

“enlighten me, where did this horrible night happen?”

I laugh as he attempts to use his Italian accent but fails terribly.

“well, if you must know, it was in your home country.”

“hey, hey, no dissing the Italians here.”

“I’m not doing any such thing.” I say.

“if you say so, please, continue.”

“well, it’s a fairly long story, I don’t think you’d be interested in it.”

“I doubt that. whenever people say it’s too long, it’s actually fairly short.”

“okay, well, here it goes…”

"You did it!” my family cheers as I meet up with them after the ceremony. I smile at them all and search around for my friends.

“don’t be getting too wasted sis, I don’t need another one of ‘em.” My brother Dylan tells me. He was referring to my other brother, Thomas, who was known for heavy drinking.

“don’t worry Dylan, I’m that last one to be doing that.” I hug him, as well as the rest of my family and then run off with my friends for the all-night graduation party.

The next morning was horrible. I didn’t drink or anything, but I was still exhausted. I came home to my room filled with balloons. It was a family tradition, so I was expecting it, but still, when you’re so tired, you don’t exactly expect anything.

After that party I started packing and getting ready for leaving for college. Everything was set in place. That is, until June 26th a week after graduation. My parents were driving home from visiting with my grandma and got into a five car pile up. They were in the middle of it and died on the scene. My life was just tossed upside down.

We did a quick funeral that my brothers took care of and then before I knew it I was on my way to Italy.

I was also known as the goody two shoes, and without consulting me, my friends bought me a ticket to Italy. They hoped that after everything I’ve been through, it would be a nice break. And for once, they were right. It was an amazing break. My first night I had my first glass of wine. Then my second, third, fourth, fifth…by the end of the night I was wasted. That’s all I remember about it. the next morning I woke up and had a killer headache, nothing from the night before was in my memories. So, ever since, I decided that alcohol defiantly wasn’t my thing.

I gave him the flashback. Everything he needed to know, and nothing that would give him the truth about me, him, or even us.

“sorry about your parents.” He says. Was that really the only thing he got out of that story!?

“eh, shit happens.”

“yeah. I guess it does.”

“so, I told you a story, now it’s your turn.”

“what about?”

“I dunno, got any girl back home?”

He rubs his jaw, “ah, not quite.”

“not quite?” I question.

“it’s part of the reason I came back to the states.”

“fell in love with a tourist eh?”

“yup, her name was Skye…” Oh. My. Fucking. God! I didn’t think he was being serious but he was! He loved me. L-O-V-E!

Guess I left that out before, huh? Well, my full name if you must know is Juliana Skye Richards. While in Italy I went by Skye. Change of location, change of identity; that’s how I saw it. I had also dyed my strawberry blonde hair black and wore violet contacts.

“that’s all I get huh? A name?”

"nah. There’s just not much to say about it.”

“I suggest starting at the beginning.”

“well, I was walking back from my sisters play. I was part of it to my dismay, the prince in shining armor.” I laugh at this. He never told me what part he was playing, just that he’d gotten back from a play. “hey, it was for a good cause. Well, sort of. Anyways, I decided not to change since my condo was just down the street from the school. But to get there I was walking by this restaurant bar place and there was this totally wasted girl who was practically about to get raped by this group of guys. Okay, maybe not that, but if I hadn’t shown up, who knows what would have happened. I sort of pretended to be her boyfriend and they all backed off. Since she wasn’t coherent enough to tell me where she was staying I just took her back to my place for the night. After that, we basically spent the whole summer together. I was like her personal tour guide. We went all over Italy and even into France. Then the summer ended and it was time for her to go back to the states. She had promised to stay in touch, but I haven’t heard from her. So I came here, knowing that Finns girlfriend was from Washington as well, maybe she knew her…”

“washington’s a fairly large state.”

“a guy can hope, right?”

“right. I’m guessing she didn’t know?”

“nope. I just don’t feel like going home yet. Part of me thinks I’ll run into her when I least expect it or something.”

You have no idea how right you are. I think. I couldn’t think of anything to say. What do you say to that??

“I know what you’re thinking. That it’s crazy to come back for some girl-“ I cut him off.

“I wasn’t thinking that.”

“no?”

“no.”

“then what were you thinking?”

“that I didn’t know what to say to that.” he looks at me like he doesn’t believe me, “seriously! That’s what I was thinking!”

“and now that you’ve had time to think about it?”

I ponder this. What did I really think about him coming back to the states for some girl? Well, not some girl, me. But he didn’t know that. “that Skye is very lucky to have a guy like you love her.”

Then before I knew what was happening, his lips softly but urgently crushed against mine. I let the kiss last about a minute, maybe two, but pulled away.

“I should get to bed. Jetlagged and all.” I say, almost as a whisper, and walk up to the room falling onto the bed instantly.

What just happened down there?