Chapter 6
Lucian stared coldly at Blaine and smirked. “Do you think I’m like you, having flings everywhere I go?” Blaine silently cursed. How could Lucian’s words be so sharp? If not for Julie’s presence, he would have gone for Lucian’s throat, though he had never won a fight against him. But with Julie there, he could only say, “With a mouth that harsh, you’d better pray your wife puts up with you.” Sometimes, he felt embarrassed to have such a nasty childhood friend.
Julie froze. Lucian had gotten married? The thought stabbed her chest, twisting her insides. Pain shot through her; tears streamed down her cheeks. Blaine noticed and quickly steadied her. “Hey, are you all right?” he asked, concerned.
Julie stared at Lucian with reddened eyes. In a trembling voice, she asked, “If you were alive, why didn’t you come back to find me?”
Lucian sighed, his expression softening. He handed her a handkerchief. “Alright, stop crying.”
Blaine was baffled. “What the hell? What’s going on here?”
Lucian explained, “She’s Julie Somers.”
Blaine paused, glancing between Julie and Lucian. Unsure, he asked, “The little girl who used to follow you everywhere?”
Lucian nodded.
Blaine was stunned. “No way! You’ve all grown up now.” Grinning, he leaned closer to Julie. “It’s me, Blainey. Remember me?”
Julie shook her head. Seeing her confusion, Blaine rolled up his sleeve, revealing a tattoo. “What about now?”
She stared at his tattoo. Slowly, memories resurfaced. This was the boy who used to hang around Lucian.
Without waiting for Julie’s reply, Blaine tsked. “Wow, you’ve grown into such a stunning young woman. Come on, let’s exchange numbers.” He pulled out his phone excitedly.
Lucian, watching from the side, smacked Blaine on the head. He scowled. “Do you have a death wish, Blaine?”
Blaine sheepishly put away his phone. “C’mon, it’s been a few years since we last met. What’s wrong with exchanging contacts?”
Julie stood lost in thought. A few years? It had been five years and eight months, to be exact. She’d met Lucian in her third year of high school, cornered in an alley by bullies. He’d appeared and scared them off. Later, she learned his grandmother was their neighbor. He’d lived with her during his senior year. Back then, he’d been wild, but he’d calmed down after she started following him.
When Blaine heard about Lucian’s father, he’d come looking for him, finding Lucian tutoring Julie in math. “Whoa, did you actually turn over a new leaf after coming over to your grandma’s?” Blaine had teased. Lucian gave him a sideways glance, his gaze landing on Blaine’s tattoo. “What on earth is that?” he asked disdainfully.
Blaine puffed out his chest. “A tattoo, of course. I got it yesterday. It’s a soaring eagle. Cool, right?”
Lucian rolled his eyes. “You think that looks cool? That’s not an eagle. It’s just a little bird.”
“It’s an eagle,” Blaine protested.
Lucian waved him off. “Just get out of here. Don’t scare the kiddo here.”
After that, Blaine occasionally invited Lucian to drink or fight, but Lucian refused. Blaine teased him about grooming a girl. “Shut up and leave,” Lucian retorted, kicking him out.
That’s when Julie developed feelings for Lucian. Her feelings deepened, especially after hearing rumors he had a crush on someone. Jealous, she confessed. He dismissed her nonchalantly, ruffling her hair. “You’re too young to be thinking about dating, Ms. Somers.”
But Julie wasn’t discouraged. She asked him to wait for her to grow up. Soon after, he started avoiding her. Even she understood—he didn’t have feelings for her.
Young love was full of energy and determination. Lucian could avoid her; she’d go to him. Every day after school, she’d show up at his university. His classmates laughed, “Hey, Luce, your girlfriend is here.” “She’s just my sister, alright?” Blaine chimed in, “Yeah! Luce already has a girlfriend. You guys are way off.” Julie’s tears welled up. Lucian couldn’t bear to see her cry. Watching her tears stream endlessly, he awkwardly consoled her, “Alright, alright. Stop crying or you’ll turn ugly.”
Sniffling, Julie pleaded, “J-Just wait for me to grow up, Lucian. I’ll grow up, I promise.”
Lucian sighed. Julie continued begging, “I will. Just wait for me, please?”
“Alright,” Lucian agreed. Julie grinned tearfully. She longed to be an adult and stand by his side.
Then, one day, he disappeared. For months, she searched desperately. She found news of his death. Her world crumbled; she, a non-believer, prayed for him to return. She’d do anything to bring him back. Years passed, and he never returned. She realized there was no God to answer her prayers. Her mother’s abuse and his death plunged her into depression; she considered ending it. She visited her comatose father and stood on Harbor Bay Bridge. Zayn, a boy resembling Lucian, yanked her back. Though she knew he was a playboy with a terrible temper and no feelings for her, she couldn’t stop clinging to him. All that mattered was his face. Looking at his face, she felt alive again.
“Aww, don’t cry.” Blaine’s voice snapped her back to the present. She looked up at him. Something clicked. He didn’t have to fake his death to get rid of her. She’d stop liking him if that’s what he wanted.