Bad Seed

“Julie,” I said. “Please, just let me explain what happened.”

“There’s nothing to explain,” she snapped. “Leave me the hell alone.”

She hung up. I closed my eyes and cursed myself for not calling her sooner. How could I have been so stupid? I hurt her so badly that now, she wouldn’t even listen to my explanation.

As tired as I was, I knew I couldn’t wait. I jumped out of bed and ran to my car. I sped through town until I reached Julie’s house. My head was racing as I ran up to her front door. I knocked, hard and fast.

I could hear Julie moving around inside, and when I peered through the glass, I saw what was unmistakably her shadow. She didn’t come near the door, so I knocked again. And again. Still, nothing. I was beginning to lose hope when I realized that, if I left, that would be the end. I’d never get another chance.

I decided it didn’t matter how long I had to wait, I would stand out there for hours until Julie finally let me inside. I had to explain myself. Julie needed to know the truth – that I didn’t just stand her up for no reason.

Finally, ten minutes later, Julie finally came toward the door. She stopped on the other side with her hand on the doorknob. I could see her through the glass, her eyes glazed with tears and her lips set in an angry line.

“Please,” I said softly. “Just open the door, Julie.”

When she did, the look on her face was enough to knock me backward. I took a step away from her glare. Daggers shot out of her beautiful eyes. For the first time, I doubted whether I would be able to fix things.

“I don’t want to hear it,” Julie said before I could speak. “There is nothing you can say that will make up for last night.”

“It wasn’t my fault,” I began.

“I don’t want to hear it!” she yelled. “You stood me up, Michael! I waited for you for three hours! Three hours of just sitting around, hoping you would show up.”

“I’m sorry, I—”

“Your apologies don’t mean anything,” Julie said. Her anger was still written all over her face, but buried deep down was something else. Something worse. She was heartbroken, and it was all my fault.

“I never meant to—”

“It doesn’t matter!” she yelled. “Just get out of here. I don’t ever want to see you again.”

“You don’t mean that,” I said. “When I tell you what—”

“You don’t get to tell me anything anymore,” Julie said. “I’ve heard enough from you. You lied to me. You let me fall for you. You slept with me! All while keeping a huge secret from me!”

“That was—”

“And I forgave you!” Julie snapped. “For all of that, I forgave you. I wanted us to make things work. I was so excited to see you, to celebrate Christmas with you. I couldn’t wait to be with you again. I spent all those days missing you and being miserable. And for what? Just so I could be stood up and made a fool of?”

“You aren’t a fool—”

“You’re damn right,” Julie said. “I’m not. Which is why I will never give you another chance. I will never see you again. I will never talk to you again.”

“Julie—”

“No.” Julie shook her head in disgust. “I’m done.”

She slammed the door in my face and stomped away. I stood frozen on her doorstep, just staring through the glass and hoping she would come back. After a few minutes, I raised my fist to knock, but it was no use. Before I even touched the door, I dropped my hand and turned around.

My chest felt heavy as I slowly climbed into my car. I turned on the car but didn’t pull away. Instead, I stared up at Julie’s house. I wanted nothing more than to run inside and force her to listen to me. She still didn’t know

the truth. She still didn’t know about Josh.

And yet, I knew I had to leave. The look on Julie’s face told me everything I needed to know. She was done with me. Forever.

I drove home in a fog. My body and my mind were both wrecked. After almost losing my brother, meeting my biological mother, and losing Julie, I was fried. I fell into bed and let the exhaustion consume me.

CHAPTER 31