Jules didn't realize when a fly appeared in his bowl of oats.
"Are you listening to me, Jules?"
Why did you have to mess with my food, fly?
"The school called, apparently you haven't been to school for two days!"
You don't see me sticking my head in the trash can, now do you?
"You leave the house every day with your bag to go to school—"
If you just asked I would have given you some.
"—so where are you going?"
Okay, I'm lying I wouldn't have given you but asking is the polite thing to do.
"JULIAN!" Marie slammed her hands on the table.
Jules blinked slowly, dazed. "Why are you shouting, all of a sudden?"
"All of sudden? I have been talking to you for the past three minutes!"
"Yeah?" His head felt heavy, but not as heavy as the weight on his chest.
"Where have you been going during school hour
Trigger warning: depression, suicideIt took three seconds for the smile on Venus's face to melt away. Three seconds for her to fall apart. Three seconds for Jules to realize what a fool he was.Just three seconds.Venus laid back down on the bed gasping. Jules came closer hovering unsure what to do, where to touch, how to make it all better. Their eyes met for a second.And he was reminded of the unrealistic Bollywood movies his mom loved to watch. Where the actress always had makeup on, no matter the scenario. Wake up from bed? Flawless. Get hit by a car? Flawless. Venus looked the opposite of that.She looked-worn, tired, pale and small. There was a big lump under the sheet that happened to be her leg. There were a lot fewer wires than the last time he saw her. The bridge of her cheek was kissed by a painful bruise.She smiled, eyes glassy a watery smile. "You're such a crybaby," she squinted at him
"You don't have to go on, Jules."But he did.He realized now, finally, how much he needed to say it. Even though it felt like his heart was being crushed, by the weight of his words, his sins. Jules didn't stop."I met Manjusha when I was in sixth grade, I remembered thinking two things. One, she looked familiar and two, she wasn't pretty," he paused. "But I liked her right away. Her mom had been called as a favor by the principal to fill in as our teacher. So she brought her daughter Manju along and they both started to live on campus.Manju was good; you know the way puppies and flowers were good. Her hobbies included crying and watching movies, she was so talented she could do both at the same time. Somewhere between stopping her from having a total meltdown, anytime, a character dies. We became friends. She introduced me to anime and I taught her the fastest way to stop crying.""It was only when we had both left the boarding
"Things started going down the hill from there. My parents were getting into more arguments because of me. My grades plummeted; even football had lost its little appeal. I started having nightmares where Manju found out the truth.Everything stopped though when Manju went missing. I was worried, of course, I was worried but deep down...I was relieved. Glad she was gone. In the process of trying not to breaking her heart, of making her happy I was unhappy. I began to hate her for being delusional, hate her for being so fragile and naive. I hated Inu even more, I broke it off with her once Manju was gone.""I finally felt a semblance of peace," His voice sounded very far away, thick with tears. "They found Manju a month later or should I say they found her body. She was no longer a she but now an 'it'. I remembered seeing police cars zipping by but there was no case. Manju had drowned herself in Malarpon River jumping off the waterfall, a few miles from here.""I
Jules was happy.It was kind of terrifying really. He was half afraid of that guy showing up. The one that usually swung by when things were finally going right— Life. Yeah, that guy. Fucking terrified. But even more, overwhelming than his fear, was his happiness."So you are my girlfriend?" It sounded like a question because it was."Yes, Jules." Venus sounded exasperated and rightfully so. It had been two weeks since the incident. Not the Venus falling and almost cracking her skull open incident. No, more like the Venus crashing into Jules and completely obliterating everything in its axis— his heart.He'd looked up the definition of incident because it was beginning to be one of his favorite words.Incident: the occurrence of dangerous or exciting things.Jules was stupid or maybe just mad. Because afterward when he tried to remember while looking at Venus talking over the phone. All he remembered was
"When you said you wanted to paint me. I thought I would be the model, not the canvas." Jules said quietly. His mouth barely opening because Venus's paintbrush was dangerously close to slipping inside.She laughed and since she was so close - literally straddling him, he shivered or maybe spasmed. He couldn't decide, which was the equivalent to the feeling of thunderclouds battling on top his skin."I could have done that, but—""...then you wouldn't be Venus." He finished for her. Wild, beautiful and unorthodox.She smiled like she could read his mind.He opened his mouth to say something but swallowed his words when Venus leaned forward; her face - lips - inches from his collarbone. Her hand moved, paintbrush tracing the arch of his neck, up his Adam's apple - which bobbed and then his jawline.Jules couldn't breathe. When had things changed? When had his Sunday's changed? From watching anime, playing online games and compos
"A nerve impulse can travel through some parts of your nervous system at a speed of 288km/h.""Are my eyes deceiving me or is Jules Carson actually sleeping in class again," Venus whispered.Jules cracked an eye open and saw her grin. "You say that like you didn't keep me up all night.""Julian," she gasped, scandalously. "What are you trying to imply?""That my girl's— a screamer." He paused for an effect, loving the way her eyes danced and his heart sang. "And...""And?" she leaned towards him smiling."She's apparently afraid of scary movies." He deadpan. "But seriously, I never pegged you as a wimp. Insidious, really? It's not even half as scary as Floater."Venus dropped her head into the crook of his arm, exasperated. "You just ruined my fun." She said, her voice even quieter than before."What fun?""Khloe with a K, was totally ea
After suffering through three straight periods of AP Chem. Jules slinked off to the indoor gym to study for the surprise test Petunia was going to spring on them. Venus had given him the hint before leaving school. Apparently, she had a class by three at a community college outside town that she wanted to attend. So Adam was taking her.He was half tempted not to study, it was supposed to be a surprise after all. That thought only lasted for a second, as if he could give up this glorious tip. He intended on getting full marks to compensate for the F's he had been getting.Obviously, destiny had other plans for him.He didn't know how long he had been mulling over a probability question when the double doors of the gym opened. Maybe he should have been calculating what was the probability of nine boys all deciding to skip lunch and come here for a quick game, instead.He spotted Omar the same time his eyes found Jules'."Yo, Carson! What are you doi
Jules knew Omar was at the other side of the door waiting. He had pushed the doorbell several times but Jules was having a hard time opening the door.Omar, Shancai and him had agreed together that they would meet up at his house for the presentation. At that moment he didn't have any problems making the promise but now, now? Fuck, he was nervous. His heart was pounding so fast and loud he was sure Omar could hear it even from the six-inch wood that separated them.Venus had told him earlier. When she had started hearing the thoughts of Omar, approaching. Although still meters away, that he should just be himself."Gee, thanks mom. I feel so much better now." He'd replied drily.Venus had laughed, running her fingers through his hair. His eyes fluttered at her touch. "Okay, so tell me what's really going on," at his look, she continued. "What? I may not be able to read your min