And You're Just What I Need...

It has been two months since I came to Maine and my life hasn’t been better. Ever. It seriously felt as if I just started over my life. Which in my case, was good.

The whole summer in Italy is basically forgotten as in Finn hasn’t mentioned it and Dakota has stopped bugging me about that picture. As for me though, the problem still runs through my head. Not to mention that just last week Dakota added my brothers to the list, which meant little Katie would be here at the wedding. And lets just say, that little Katie looks A LOT like her dad.

Right now though, I don’t have to worry about that. No, I get to worry about the fact that I’m about to pick up Katelyn, ya know, Adams sister. I’m standing in the spot Adam stood two months ago, holding a small-ish sign that has her name on it and listening to Cake.

“Oh my god!” I hear a screech and pull out my ear buds, assuming that the plane had landed. It had, “I was so right!” I found the owner of the voice then and stood shocked. She hadn’t changed a bit. I mean, yes, she did, obviously. But her hair was the same dark brown, her skin the perfect tan with dazzling blue eyes.

“right about what?” I ask as she approaches me.

"You being the same Juliana as before. Like the room?” my mouth practically fell to the floor when she says this. I think back to that summer and don’t recall once telling her my name was Juliana. Then I think about when I first saw the room and thought that she remembered me. That had left my mind since I reminded myself that it couldn’t have been me, she didn’t know my name, it was just a coincidence with the colors.

“what did you just call me?”

“Juliana? That is your name right? Juliana Skye Richards.” She sounds so sure of herself.

I gulp, “um” I look anywhere but at her and settle on the screen behind her, “how-how did you know that?”

“oh! Oh! I never told you. Haha, this is awkward now…”

“yeah, very much so. and you have a lot of explaining to do on the way to the house.” We pick up her suite cases and toss them into the back of Adam’s car (it was amazing that he finally allowed me to drive it.).

“so, explanation?” I ask, pulling out of the parking lot.

“well, I don’t remember it all that clearly. But I recall sneaking into your guys’ room in France. I was looking some jewelry to wear. You always had the prettiest necklaces. I just came across your passport and well, you know the rest.”

There were thousands of questions zooming through my head, but only one that was important, “did you tell your brother Katelyn?”

“no, of course not. I may have been ten but I wasn’t stupid.”

I let out a sigh of relief, “okay, so some ground rules then. Call me Juliana from now on, or Julie, or Julia, or even Jules. But never ever, ever Skye. Got it?” she nods, “don’t talk about that summer and defiantly don’t be like ‘hey, do you remember….?’ Cause to everyone at the house, I don’t. do you understand?”

“so you’re telling me that my brother doesn’t know he is dating the girl of his dreams? And I mean literally of his dreams there.”

“pretty much.”

“oh, and I won’t say anything. Your secret is safe with me.”

“thanks.”

It was then that I notice her accent and I giggle to myself, “what’s funny?” she asks.

“sorry,” I say, between laughs, “it’s just, you have such a stronger accent than your brother and sometimes when…” I pause, “sometimes he tries to use his accent and totally fails and I really don’t know where I’m going with this.”

“probably because my accent is so much better than his! And you were going with it by the fact that thinking of my accent made you think of him attempting an accent.”

“uh, thanks.” I pull up to Dorias, “I have to pick something up and then we’ll head to the house, okay?”

“yeah, fine by me.”

“great, I’ll be right back.” I enter the store and the little bell I’ve gotten used to hearing rings above me, “good-morning doria.” I say as I walk behind the counter.

"You have today off, don’t you dear?”

“yeah, but I’m picking up the cake, remember?”

“ah, yes, now I do.” I pack up the chocolate cake and pick it up.

“well, I gotta go, Katelyn is waiting in the car. I’ll see you tomorrow.” I walk out of the store and set the cake carefully in the back seat.

“what did ya get?” Katelyn asks, attempting to open the top.

“nope, you can’t see it. not yet at least.” Katelyn sits back in her seat and pouts which makes me laugh. I pull up and park the car in front of the house. The front door instantly opens and Adam comes running out. Katelyn gets out, and they hug, smiling.

Then he looks over her and at his car, “did you see what he just did!?!!” she practically yells at me.

I nod, “what did you expect from him?” I walk over to them and give Adam a quick peck on the lips and then lean down to Katelyn, “watch this.” I whisper so that Adam can’t hear.

I stand back up and grab Adams hand, “so, don’t get mad, but-“ before I could finish he was already freaking out.

“what the hell did you do to my car Julie!?!”

“nothing, I swear. This car in the parking garage, I don’t’ know, I guess the driver was blind or something because when I-“

he lets go of me and runs around his car back to us. Katelyn had to sit down she was laughing so hard and I was bent over with tears on the edge of my eyes. “that was so not funny.”

“well next time pay attention to your sister and not your car.” I turn to the car and open the trunk and back doors. “Adam, you get her luggage, Katelyn your on carry on and I’ll grab the stuff from dories.” They do as I told them to and it only took us one trip from the car and to the house.

“this place is huge!” Katelyn freaks when she reaches her room. Adam and I were standing in her doorway watching her. His arm was snaked around my waist and I was holding on to his hand with my head on his shoulder.

“now who looks like the parents,” we hear Finn mumble behind us.

Before either of us could come back with a witty reply Katelyn screams, “FINN!!!!!” she jumps up and down and then runs over to him.

“she’s more excited to see him than me.” Adam mumbles.

“I’d be much more excited to see my brothers friends instead of just them.” I tell him.

"You’re not helping here.” I laugh.

“I know what’ll help,” I say and turn toward the hall, “follow” I motion and he does. “we’ll be right back you guys.” I tell Finn and Katelyn who were barely paying attention. I interwined my finger with his and pull him to the kitchen. “ice cream cheers up girls, jules, not guys.” He informs me and I smile.

“good thing this isn’t ice cream. Now close your eyes.”

“last time I closed my eyes you ran away from me.” this was true, I did run and hide from him last time.

“okay, hold onto me and close your eyes.” I turn to face the fridge and he wraps his arms tightly around me, “eyes closed?”

“yep.”

I pull out the mousse and turn myself to face him in his arms, “okay, open your mouth.” He smirks and does so. I take a spoonful of the chocolate and put it in his mouth.

Adam opens his eyes and stares at me intently, "You know that’s amazing, right?”

“I sure hope so. it’s chocolate mousse with chile powder in it.” he gives me a strange look.

“um, don’t ever tell me what’s in the stuff you make, okay?” I nod, “and that didn’t fully cheer me up.”

“well that’s all I got.”

“I’d have to argue with that one.” He smiles again and slightly pushes me until I’m against the counter. “I love you” he says clearly before crashing his lips to mine. I would have been into it, I really would have. But that was the first time he said those words to me and well, it’s something we really need to talk about. I pull back a little.

“what did you say?” his eyes meet with mine.

“I love you.” It was as if a lump grew in the back of my throat and the world was just spinning along without me.

“excuse me.” I say, moving out of Adams arms and to my room. I lock the door behind me and sit on my bed thinking things over. Adam came to my door first, knocking quietly.

“Juliana, what did I say?” I could hear the worry and hurt in his voice.

I don’t reply and just bury my head deeper into the bed.