Turn the Other Way

"Julie, stop freaking out," Zack said softly to me as I paced to the other side of the room. I bit my thumb nail and watched him sternly. "She's an ex girlfriend. As in we don't see each other anymore."

"Well why would you dump someone that beautiful!" I exclaimed, taking a seat on the bed. He sighed and sat opposite of me.

"I didn't dump her..." he trailed off sadly.”She dumped me. She cheated on me."

"Well there seems to be a lot of that in your life," I scolded, immediately feeling bad for my words. His face fell as he tried at another smile. I'd never seen him fail at those before.

"I guess I deserved that," he sighed, running a hand through his thick hair. "Sorry. Just...I don't know. Relax. Things won't go astray with her, alright?"

"Fine, Zack," I spat, crossing my arms. Jealously still burned deep in my blood from seeing her. Her emerald gaze still haunted my vision. Of course Zack didn't break up with her. She seemed perfect. "I'm gonna...I don't know. Watch TV."

"Can I...join you?" he asked hopefully. I closed my eyes and sighed before nodding meekly. I scooted over a bit on the bed and allowed him to sit next to me. He pulled the blanket up over our legs and put his arm around me as he clicked the remote. "What channel?"

"Don't care," I said uninterestedly. "Just turn it on." I felt his eyes on me for a moment before the TV clicked on, showing the Discovery Channel. He shrugged and put the remote on the side table as he began to watch the show. As for me, my mind was still drifting. Still thinking about my night with Brian. And the fact that he didn't respond to my text was killing me. I held tightly onto my phone, waiting for its vibrations to come through. He was the only one who could truly make me feel better now.

After about ten minutes, I began to doze off. My eyelids felt heavy from the amount of stress placed on my shoulders all in two days. Zack shifted positions a bit before apologizing to me. I mumbled something incoherent and shut my eyes again. I heard a phone ring and quickly brought my now wide awake eyes to my phone. Its dark screen stared back.

"Hello?" I heard Zack ask through the receiver. I groaned and fell back to the pillow. "Yeah, this is him. Oh...hey." I noticed him eye me subtly. I growled and stood up, heading over to the window. I felt him watch me until I stopped. "Yeah. Sure, let me ask." He covered up the phone as he spoke to me. "Hey Julie? Gena wants to know if we'd like to hang out with her tonight. Go to the bar and stuff."

"Fuck no," I said simply. "I'm not going, and you better not be going."

"Julie!" he shouted in shock. "I can't believe that! She's a good friend and just because we dated more than five years ago shouldn't matter. We're over! I want to spend some time with my friends while I'm here!"

"Well than why the fuck did you bring me?" I yelled back loudly, balling my fists tight. "Why am I here if you just wanted to hang out with your old girlfriends!?"

"I'm surprised by this Julie. Seriously," he said softly as he uncovered the phone and leaned into it again. "She said she doesn't want to. She's tired. But..." I glared at him and mouthed the word "don't" clearly. "I haven't seen you in a while and was wondering if maybe we could still hang out?" My jaw dropped as he watched me helplessly. I stomped over to my suitcase and shoved my disheveled clothes tightly into the small space. "Julie," he stared, getting off the bed. I went into the bathroom and threw my facial products into the suitcase as well. "Julie, this is ridiculous. We're just going as friends. What the fuck are you doing?"

"I'm going home, Zack," I cried, feeling tears begin to spring from inside. "I can't take your fucking psycho sister and your judgmental mom. And I can't take your slutty ex girlfriend. I'm not happy. I just want to be home," I screamed all in one breath. He hurried to cover the phone though I had already finished my sentence.

"No, don't worry about it Gena," he said reassuringly. "Let me call you back later. Alright. Bye." He tossed the phone on the bed and grabbed my arms. "And just how are you going to get home?"

"I'll get my ticket changed. I'll buy a new one if I have to!" I shrieked, pulling away from him. "You cheated on me once; you're going to do it again. I know it. And you completely ignored me when I said don't. What the fuck?!"

"I'm sorry. I might not have this chance again..." he trailed off, his gaze shifting to the ground.

"Well than take your second chance with your whore of an ex girlfriend and let me go home," I growled, zipping up the suitcase. I slipped my shoes on and grabbed my ticket, rushing out of the room and down the stairs. Matt and Mrs. Baker were sitting on the couch, talking softly. Matt saw me and looked up with concern in his eyes.

"Everything OK? We heard yelling..."

"Can you take me to the airport?" I asked him, finally letting my tears fall freely. For the first time since I'd been here, Mrs. Baker gave me an apologetic look.

"Yeah sure, Julie," he sighed, standing up and shoving his hand in his pocket to retrieve his keys. "Let's go."

I stood at the airport, feeling all the weight and stress of New York lift off my shoulders. The inviting California sun shined through the glass, catching the new glint in my eye. I checked my phone again and read the text carefully.

We're here.

I smiled fully and rolled my heavy suitcase out of the airport and into the fresh air. I jumped up and down a few times when I saw the familiar face of Leana. She peeked out of the car, looking back and forth for any sign of me. "Leana!" I shouted loudly. Her head snapped in my direction. She grinned a toothy grin and waved me over, shaking violently in her car seat. I jogged as fast as possible over to the car without tipping my suitcase. I opened the back seat and tossed my luggage in before shutting the door and joining her up front.

"Baby, I'm sorry about Zack but I'm so happy your home!" she shouted, pulling me into a tight hug. She back away and shoved the keys in the ignition. "So are you guys...done?"

"No," I sighed. "I never dumped him."

"It's fucked up that he wanted to hang out with his ex girlfriend while you sat at home with his fucking crazy family," she growled. "I fucking hate that kid now."

"Yeah me too," I chuckled, leaning my chin against my palm as I stared out the window.

"Home sweet home!" Leana said as she opened the front door. I left my suitcase by the door and looked around at my new bedroom. Leana and Jimmy's living room. I'd stay at home but it was bought out by someone who wasn't even remotely related to me. And I didn't have Zack's keys.

"Leana!" Jimmy said happily, joining us in the room. "I have something for you." He was fully equipped in a handsome black and purple tuxedo. His hair looked decent, not quite as messy as usual. He eyed me carefully, a fake smile appearing on his face. "Oh...hi...Julie," he smiled. "Leana, can you come in the bedroom for a second?"

"Sure..." she said unsurely, throwing me an apologetic look. He pulled her roughly by her wrist and shut the door behind him. I snuck up to the door and lightly put my ear against it.

"Is she staying?"

"Yeah, I told you."

"I thought it was in a week! She can't stay!"

"Why?" Leana asked defensively. Jimmy was quiet for a moment.

"Leana...will you marry me?" My heart jumped. I heard her gasp as a tiny contraption clicked.

"Yes! Fuck yes, Jimmy!" she whispered, beginning to cry.

"And she can't stay because I have two tickets to Hawaii for our honeymoon."

"You cocky bastard," she cried. "You knew I'd say yeah."

"I know, baby. I know how you really feel. But do you understand now? I don't think we should leave the house to her for an entire two weeks. It's too much. She has other people who would allow her to stay..."

"Oh yeah? Like who?"

"Like...Johnny."

"Johnny lives with his wife. Brittney hates all of us. And Matt lives with Val in a tiny apartment. And Brian...just no."

"Why not?"

"It's a long story baby."

"OK," he sighed. "Well you have to go tell her that she can't stay."

"...fine." I rushed back into the living room and regained my previous position. Leana came out of the room wiping the tears from her eyes with a smile plastered on her face.

"You OK?" I asked obliviously. She smiled and held her hand out, revealing her large purple rock. "Your engaged?!" I screamed shrilly. "I'm so happy for you!" I pulled her into a tight hug, and received a less enthusiastic one in return. "What's wrong?"

"You have to leave..." she trailed off. "Me and Jimbo leave for Hawaii tonight..."

"But...where will I go?"

"I hate to tell you this Julie, but-"

I angrily pulled my luggage up the steep pathway, eyeing the small gray building as I went along. I remembered this house from long ago. All of the memories began to come back to me all at once as I stopped in front of the door. I sighed heavily and gathered all the courage I could as I reached up and pressed in the doorbell. My heart began to pound as footsteps hurried to the door. I looked away as the door opened. I felt a pair of eyes curiously watched my form.

"Julie?" Brian asked in confusion. "Julie, what are you doing here?"