To whom will her heart belong?

Chapter 01 - Summer is here - so is he

Julia's Point of View

"Finally, summer vacation has arrived." I sighed and stretched out lazily on the sun lounger next to our backyard pool. What a very long year it had been between finally graduating, moving back to my childhood home and losing my grandmother.  My eyes filled with tears as I remembered her last weeks with us.  The Alzheimer's disease had finally taken it's final toll on her body and left her unable to wash, eat, remember us and finally unable to breathe.  Her passing weighed heavy on my heart as she had been my best friend and confidant all through my life. I felt the tears welling up and quickly blinked them away.  I had said my final goodbyes at the funeral and grandma's house before we left the big city.  It was time to start anew.  

I lay on the lounger basking in the sun's warm glow.  I soon drifted off into a dreamless sleep for the first time in many weeks.

"Whooohaaaaaaa!" Suddenly a loud wail and a cold splash of water jerked me out of my relaxed state.  Annoyed I sat up, ready to tell my little brother and his friends to get lost, but what I saw made my jaw drop and I froze.  In front of me stood my childhood best friend or at least a very tall and very muscular version of him. I looked him up and down. In all the years that had passed he had not changed very much at all. He still had wavy blonde hair, piercing blue eyes and the muscles of a Greek god.  I suppose he would be much taller than I was now as well.  "Heya Jules!" Alex smiled as he drew near to me,.  "Wow, long time no see!" He grabbed my arm and pulled me in for a big bear hug,  I was caught off guard and bumped into his large chest quite hard, my breath catching.  "Alex, is it really you?"  I looked up in disbelief.   I could not believe Alex would still be here after so many years had passed, after the way I ran out on him the very last night before we left for the city without so much as a goodbye or a second glance.  I guess not many things had changed around town while we were gone. He chuckled and ruffled my hair as he used to do when we were kids.  "Who else would it be Jules? I see I have finally outgrown you, little gnome!" he said still laughing.  My cheeks turned hot and I quickly remembered how the teasing used to be the Bain of my existence.   Yes, I used to be much taller than he was when we were kids but eventually puberty hit and most males my age towered over me. I glared at him.  "Well I suppose I should ask how the weather up there is then, gigantor!" I retorted angrily  I did not like being teased about how short I was and my time away had taught me how to vocalize my feelings regarding certain subjects quite nicely.   I turned and grabbed my towel from the lounger and wrapped it around me tightly, all the while still glaring at Alex.  "Woah, Jules! I was just teasing!" Alex put his hands up in defense, a small smile tugging on the corners of his mouth.  "Well don't! It is a super sensitive subject.  By the way, what are you doing here?  I thought you would still be away at college?" I asked c*****g my head to one side.  I saw a flash of something in his eyes but before  I Could Pinpoint what it was, it was gone again.  "Back for the summer, Jules. Just like you." Alex said quietly.  I had the feeling that I touched on something just then, but I let it go not wanting to pry and spoil our reunion any further that my pissy mood already had.  "Want to get some lunch?" I Asked with a smile and was pleased to see his eyes light up at my request.  "Love to.  I just need to get a few things out of the way. " He smiled.  "How about a late lunch?  I can pick you up at around two?" I nodded my head in agreement and I could feel the excitement building up in my stomach.  Why though I did not know.

As I ran inside the house I had the feeling that this was going to be far more than a summer to remember.  

Alex's Point of View

I had heard that Julia Andrews had moved back to town and had been trying to control the urge to drop in on her.  I wanted to give her time and space to settle in before I made my appearance.  For most of my childhood Julia and her family had lived next door to us, but they left for the big city when her grandmother had gotten ill.  I had not seen her ever since.  Remembering the last words I said to her my hands started sweating and my heart pounded so loudly that I was sure it was about to burst out of my chest.  I remember it as though it was yesterday.  We were both fourteen and sitting on the swings at the park down the road from our collective houses.  I told her that I loved her then.  She looked at me, burst into tears and ran off.  I never saw her again after that.  They left for the city the next morning.  

Now I was standing in her back yard.  Staring at her lounging in the hot sun.  Her  hair cascading down the side of the sun lounger in golden waves.  She was still as beautiful as ever.  "f**k!" I sighed running my hand through my hair.  "Why am I so nervous?" It was not as though she ever had any feelings for me.  None that I was aware of.  This was my best friend, my best friend with the beautiful hair, the most gorgeous lips..... I dove into the pool with a loud wail before my thoughts took over completely and I lost the nerve to make my presence known to her. "Whooohaaaaaaa!" I  must have splashed as I hit the water because when I came up for air she was angrily staring at me. "Gosh she was beautiful when she was angry." 

"Heya Jules!" I was smiling as I walked closer to her. "Wow, long time no see!" I pulled her into a big hug and felt her body stiffen as she collided with my chest, a bit harder than I would have liked and I tightended my hold on her as she spoke. "Alex, is it really you?" As she looked up at me I could see the questions forming in her blue eyes. I was supposed to be away at college.  "Who else would it be Jules? I see I have finally outgrown you, little gnome!" I laughed and ruffled her hair unintentionally. "God I could not help myself, it took all of myselfcontrol to ruffle her hair instead of running my fingers through the long sliky golden locks. "Well I suppose I should ask how the weather up there is then, gigantor!" I felt her stiffen and push me away.  She was angry again. As she turned to grab her towel I knew I would have to stop her, I could not bear to not see her for another day or two again. "Woah, Jules! I was just teasing!" "Well dont! It is a super sensitive subject.  By the way, what are you doing here?  Taken aback by her question I answered the only answer that I knew would satisfy her curiosity without letting on to much about why I was here. "Back for the summer, Jules. Just like you. She suddenly smiled "Want to get some lunch?" I perked up at the proposal.  I would love to have lunvh with Julia Andrews.  But I need to take care of a few things first so I will be seeing her at two this afternoon.  My heart is soaring.  The most beautiful girl in town is having lunch with me.  She is finally home again.