Chapter Six: Quiet Evenings and Loud Thoughts
548 Words
Julia always hated the way holidays made everything louder. Louder expectations, louder memories, louder reminders of everything that never quite went right. The house felt too full even when it was quiet, decorations hanging where warmth was supposed to be.
She dropped her bag by the door and kicked off her shoes, careful not to trip over the loose rug she’d fallen on more times than she could count. The charm rested in her pocket, warm against her fingers as if reminding her it was still there
Her mother’s voice floated from the kitchen. “You’re home early”
“Talent show ended sooner than I thought,” Julia replied, shrugging off her coat
Her mother smiled, but it was tired, distracted. “Dinner’s almost ready. Try not to make a mess”
Julia swallowed. She knew her mother didn’t mean it harshly, but it still stung. She nodded and retreated to her room, sitting on the edge of her bed and staring at the charm in her palm
“Try not to make a mess,” she whispered to herself. As if she didn’t already spend every day trying
Her phone buzzed.
Liam: You survived today. I knew you would
A small smile tugged at her lips before she could stop it.
Julia: Barely. I think the charm deserves some credit
Liam: Or maybe you’re stronger than you think
She stared at the message longer than necessary. No one ever said things like that to her. Her fingers hovered over the screen before she finally typed back
Julia: Holidays make everything harder
There was a pause. Then another buzz
Liam: Yeah. They do. But they don’t get to decide how you feel
Julia leaned back against her pillow, clutching the charm as warmth spread through her chest. For once, she didn’t feel completely alone with her thoughts
That evening, she helped set the table, moving carefully, deliberately. A glass wobbled near the edge, her heart jumping as she reached for it. It steadied instead of falling. She blinked, staring at it like it had betrayed her expectations
Her mother noticed. “Huh. Guess tonight’s your lucky night”
Julia smiled faintly. Lucky. The word felt strange, unfamiliar
Later, curled up in bed, fairy lights glowing softly on her walls, Julia replayed the day in her mind. The applause. Liam’s grin. The way he looked at her like she mattered. The charm warmed again, gentle and reassuring
Her phone buzzed once more
Liam: Walk home tomorrow? Weather’s supposed to be icy
Julia: You just want another chance to save me from falling
Liam: Maybe. Or maybe I just like being there
Her heart skipped. She rolled onto her side, pressing the charm to her chest
Julia: Okay
She lay there for a long time after, staring at the ceiling, listening to the distant sounds of laughter and television from the living room. For the first time, the noise didn’t feel so overwhelming
Maybe the charm wasn’t just changing her luck. Maybe it was changing how she saw herself. Maybe it was teaching her that warmth didn’t have to be loud, and love didn’t have to be perfect to be real
As sleep finally pulled her under, Julia held onto one quiet thought
Tomorrow didn’t feel so scary anymore
- Writer
