Night At The Library (Lost Souls #1)

Chapter 12: Julie

It was my birthday, and I was celebrating with my best friend Alex. Our birthdays, along with her twin sister Kayla's, were only two weeks apart, so we always celebrated together. Our moms had been friends since middle school, and their bond had brought us girls together as friends too. While I loved both Alex and Kayla, I had always been closer to Alex.

Our parents decided to throw our 8th birthday party in Alex and Kayla's backyard because it was bigger and could fit a big bouncy house. As we climbed into the bouncy house, I couldn't wait to join in the fun. But just as I was about to slide down, a boy with slick blond hair blocked my way. I vaguely remembered him as Mason, a neighbor whose mom worked at my dad's company.

With a mean attitude, Mason said, "You can't slide down! You're too fat! You're going to pop this bouncy house as soon as you sit on it."

His words hit me like a ton of bricks. I had always been a bit chubby, but I hadn't felt self-conscious about it until then. Holding back tears, I climbed down from the bouncy house, pretending I'd changed my mind about sliding. Alex didn't question me and just suggested we grab some food.

We headed to the table to grab sandwiches, but as I went to take a bite, I saw Mason making pig noises and mocking me. I put the sandwich down, feeling humiliated, and went to play with the other kids.

From that day on, my relationship with food changed. I started closing up and pushing Alex away until her family moved to Texas when we were ten. I closed down even more, spending all my time at the library, finding solace in books. I started eating less and my body also started changing to an hour glass figure, I went from being called "Piggie" followed by a pig snorting sound while walking down the hall to a "You should sit on my lap, baby girl". I started wearing baggy clothes, hoping to blend into the background and be ignored.

When college rolled around, I found myself in a whole new world. Surrounded by strangers, I felt more invisible than ever. People barely glanced my way, let alone acknowledged my presence. But rather than wallowing in self-pity, I threw myself into my studies with a newfound determination.

The library became my sanctuary once again, a place where I could lose myself in books and forget about the loneliness that weighed on my heart. I buried myself in my work, pouring all my energy into my studies and striving for academic excellence.

Despite the distance that had grown between us, I couldn't shake the longing to reconnect with Alex. She had been my rock growing up, my confidante and partner in crime. So, one day when I was 15, I mustered up the courage to ask my mom if she could get Alex's number from Jackie, her mom.

But days turned into weeks, and still, there was no response from Jackie. Something didn't feel right. Had I done something to upset them? Had they moved on without me? The unanswered questions gnawed at me, filling me with a sense of loss and betrayal.

I had lost my best friend, and I couldn't understand why. Was it something I had said or done? Or was it simply a case of drifting apart as we grew older? Whatever the reason, the pain of losing Alex lingered, a constant ache in my heart that refused to heal.

Despite the painful memories, I felt a sense of empowerment in sharing my truth with Will, never have I shared something like that before. With anyone. Maybe my initial thought of Will wasn't at all right. I felt like I could talk to him about anything, about all my insecurities and he would embrace me no matter what.

"I'm sorry that happened to you, Julie. Kids are mean. They never know what lies deeper than what people show. You were strong. You are strong."

"You don't even know me." I laugh lightly.

"I feel like I've known you forever. Have you ever felt something like that for anybody?"

He threw me off. I was starting to feel something in my chest. Something I wanted to know more about. What if I was falling for him. I didn't want to catch feelings for the guy, so I decided to switch the subject.

"And what about you, Will?" I asked, eager to change the subject but also curious to hear his own stories and dreams. "If words were no impediment, what kind of story would you tell?"