"Why don’t you go to the mall with Nikki?"

"I don’t feel like it" Julie immediately responded.

"Why?" said Julie’s mom, astonished at Julie’s reluctance to go some where with her best friend

"Let’s just say, we’re not on good terms right now"

"Ah,, kids, always having little fights for no reason," Julie’s mom commented.

"Mom I’m not a kid, and we didn’t have a ‘little’ fight for no reason"

"So what was the reason?" inquired Julie’s mom

Julie thought about it. There was no real reason, she realized. They just both over reacted. It wasn’t her fault or Nikki’s. It was just waiting to happen. Like a volcano in some ways. A friendship waiting to erupt and break free. They had always been opposites, it was just a matter of time when they found they didn’t need each other anymore. She didn’t hate Nikki, but it was just different.

"It was just fated. We just aren’t meant to be best friends"

"Julie- haven’t I always told you that you’re the only one who determines your fate. It’s not something already set out for you. We have to learn to choose the right paths, so that we control fate in the right way."

"Mom. You’re wrong. Some things just happen. I can’t explain it. I know it was a small fight, but it has a lot of meaning. Things are changing Mom, and unfortunately or fortunately me and Nikki aren’t changing together. We have different tastes, different likes, and they just don’t comply with each other."

"Honey. I’m sorry to say it, but you are the only one over reacting. It’s easy to see why you’re having a fight. You started it, because you weren’t ready for a real friendship. How many times have I told you that friendship isn’t about popularity?"

"Uh.. Mom... this has absolutely nothing to do with popularity."

"Then what does it have to do with?"

"Fate"

"Don’t you understand Julie? You determine your own fate. If you decide to call up Nikki and apologize for whatever you did—you can change your fate. But if you instead decide to be stubborn and sit here doing nothing about it, your fate’s going to change for the worse. "

"Okay Mom"

Her Mom didn’t understand how she felt. She didn’t understand the way Julie thought either. She couldn’t talk to her Mom any more about things like this because they had opposing view points. Her mother didn’t realize the ways of life. Julie hadn’t realized either, until a few months ago. Ever since the day she met the boy in the woods.

She had been thinking about him a lot lately. He was different, but in a special way. She felt that he needed her to help him. How she could help, she didn’t know, but she knew she just had to help him however she could. She remembered the disgust she had felt when she first saw him smoking that cigarette. But since then she had seen deeper, past his mask of denial. She had seen his true character. He was charming but not in a romantic way. She didn’t know how to explain it except with a metaphor-- if he was a star in the universe, he would shine brighter than the rest. She didn’t know about him, his past or his future. But she understood his soul.

She had also occasionally thought about Zac. She wanted to see him again, but she was afraid. What if she had finally met what Nikki would call, ‘the guy of her dreams’? Could Zac, the funny, exciting boy she met in the woods be part of her future? Get back to the real world, she scolded herself. It was just a kiss… well two. Two simple kisses. And then a hug- well an attempt at one. Or was he just trying to help her up? He could have easily just helped her up using her hands, as she had done. But he had wrapped his hands around her, tightly, like he didn’t want to let go. But it didn’t mean anything at all.. In France, you would kiss anyone as long as you knew their name. She always hugged people she knew, if they were leaving or if there was something wrong. People kissed and hugged other people as a friendly gesture. But not in the way Zac had, she thought. Zac’s hugs and kisses had meaning.

Thinking about hugs and kisses made her have the sudden urge to eat chocolate. (ya know as in, "Hershey’s Hugs n’ Kisses") She walked over to the refrigerator and looked around for chocolate. As always she was unlucky- no chocolate. Gosh I feel like chocolate apple mousse, she thought. But who had ever heard of chocolate apple mousse? I’m starting to sound pregnant or something with all these strange cravings she thought and grinned.

"Hiya Jules- whats so funny?" Nick questioned

"Oh- nothing. You wouldn’t happen to have any chocolate would you?"

"Actually I do. If you want it- it’ll cost you baby"

"Don’t baby me- what do you want?"

"Oh, just maybe you do the dishes for a week and play along with a little story? " replied Nick

"What do you mean -little story?" interrogated Julie.

"You’ll find out when you agree to the deal"

"Aw, come out with it Nick, you know I’ll find out soon enough"

"Only if you agree to the deal, remember dishes included"

"Yeah yeah okay, what’s the deal?"

"I just told you- do the dishes and play along with the story"

"No stupid -I mean what’s the deal with the story?"

"Well I asked Lana to go to dinner with me, and she said yes."

‘So what’s the problem?"

"I know Mom and Dad won’t let me go"

"Why?"

"’Cause remember I came back three hours past curfew last week when I went out with the guys"

"What? I never heard about that. Why d’you do that? Three hours past curfew. That doesn’t sound like you, Nick"

"Well I lost track of time. But anyway back to the story. I’m telling Mom I have to help out with the Student Council dance at school, so then I’ll meet up with Lana"

"There is no dance"

"That’s the idea. All you have to do is make sure you tell Mom there is"

"Then she’ll make me go to this imaginary dance" Julie whined.

"There’s where your part comes in. Just go out with Nikki or one of your friends instead, and you’ll have fun and I’ll have fun too. We’re both happy."

"And why do I have to lie about all of this just to save your ass"

"Because I’m such a nice brother and because I have a large stash of chocolates under my bed"

"Nick the blackmailer strikes again. Fine I’ll do it, no big deal, but it’s not cause you are a nice brother it’s only because of the chocolate."

"Whatever. Just make sure you stick to the deal. As I said your side of the deal is under the bed. Don’t look anywhere else. It’s under my bed."

"Got it."