Page 1 of Being Julia

CHAPTER 1

Julia, it’s time for dinner,” my dad yelled up the stairs.

“I’ll be right down, Dad,” I said as I closed my laptop.

I walked downstairs and sat down just as Mom put the breaded chicken plate on the table. Collin sat down shortly after I did and took a sip of his milk. My mom finally sat down and smiled, letting us know that it was okay to begin eating.

“Have you talked to Hailey?” she asked as she looked at me.

“I talked to her yesterday. Why?”

“Peyton said she’s been a little down lately and thought maybe she mentioned something to you.”

I cocked my head and gave her that, “I’m sorry, but if I knew, I wouldn’t tell you, look.”

“No, she hasn’t said anything to me,” I said.

Once convinced that I knew nothing, she darted her eyes to Collin. “What about you?”

“Uh…no. Why would she tell me anything?” he asked as he tore into his chicken.

“I’ll talk to her tomorrow, Mom.” I smiled.

“Thank you, Julia.”

My ears drowned out the voices of my family's conversations because my mind wouldn’t stop thinking about Brody Sullivan and his hot, muscular body. There was nothing I wanted more than his strong arms wrapped around me.

“Hello? Earth to Julia,” my dad said.

I snapped out of my fantasy world and looked at him. “What, Dad?”

“Where were you?”

There was no way I could tell him I was dreaming about Brody because he was so protective. I was the only sixteen-year-old on the face of the planet who had never been on a date with a boy. But all that was going to change very soon.

“I’m right here, Dad,” I replied with a sarcastic grin.

“I know you’re right here, Julia. You’re physically here, but your mind was somewhere else.”

“No, it wasn’t,” I said as I shook my head.

My mom put her hand on my dad’s, and he sighed. I got up from the table and put my plate in the sink. As I headed upstairs, Collin came up behind me.

“Hey, sis,” he said.

“Yeah,” I said as he stepped into my room and shut the door.

“I heard Brody talking about you today in school.”

“Shut up! What was he saying?” I asked.

Collin sat on my bed and looked down at the floor. He was a really sweet kid, and even though I was older, he made it his business to look out for me.

“Well, what did he say?” I asked in anticipation.

“He said that he thinks you’re hot and wants to take youout,” Collin replied, looking up at me with the same eyes my father had.

I squealed as I jumped on the bed in excitement. Tingling sensations were shooting through my body as the thought of dating Brody Sullivan invaded my mind.

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