Instead of taking his leave as he did yesterday, he stands quietly behind her. As the students around them begin to leave, several acquaintances note her arm stretched behind her. With sad eyes and curious glances they smile, but nobody bothers to do more than nod and say a low goodbye.
"Jules," Katie calls softly and weaves her way through the throng of mourners with Jeff at her side. "Sorry we lost you in the crowd on the way to the site."
They hug, although Jules only uses one arm since her other is still being held, and Katie's eyes widen in shock. She gives Katie's arm a gentle squeeze of warning, worried what her friend might say.
"Hey West," Katie says softly, acknowledging his presence and then surprising both Jules and West by wrapping him in a hug.
Jeff follows suit with a warm embrace for Jules and a 'guy hug' for West. With the ice broken, Jules looks at West when he steps forward. Their bodies are so close they are touching down the length of their arms from shoulder to clutched hands.
He wears his signature black combat boots with dark slacks and a dark blue dress shirt. Although he tried to tame his thick, wild hair by slicking it back and to the side, a few black strands manage to fall loose. He lifts his hand to push the hair back as the four of them stand there in an awkward silence, looking at one another.
"You ready to go? Jeff's parents invited me and mom over for dinner, but we can drop you off at home on our way," Katie informs Jules as she wraps her arm around her no longer 'off-and-on' boyfriend. They are totally on now, and totally all over each other. Katie told Jules they decided they didn't want to waste any more time being stupid. When your life is spared, when you get a second chance, you plan to make the most of it. Jeff and Katie had certainly stared mortality in the face and they were ready to live . She gets it.
West stares at Jules, waiting for her to answer, and she falters. She looks down at their hands without moving her head. She doesn’t want to leave yet. She wants to talk to him, to stand in his shadow, to take in his presence.
"Ummm."
West angles his body towards her, bends his head lower and pulls her gaze to his. "I was actually hoping we could talk. I'll take you home, if you want."
She feels her lips form a breathless 'Oh,' and gives a small nod. Katie tilts her head in that special way she has, curiosity written all over her face.
Snapping out of her daze, Jules looks up at West. "Yeah, sure. I can hang around." She turns to Katie and asks, "You good with that?"
Katie laughs under her breath and then slaps a hand over her mouth. Her eyes shift around nervously to make sure no one heard her. Jules understands. Any moment of happiness is one more moment than the forty-five deceased have. It is a guilty feeling.
"You don't need our permission," Katie mumbles in Jules' ear, and then pulls her in close for another hug. "You so better call me later," she orders; putting her face within inches of Jules and staring at her.
"Yes ma'am."
Katie stretches up to press a kiss to West's cheek, which makes his cheeks turn a deep red as he looks completely taken aback.
"I still haven't thanked you for that night," she whispers against his cheek; her voice cracking. "I don't know how."
Jules' eyes prick with tears when West pulls his hand from hers and hugs Katie tightly, although his eyes are fastened on Jules’ face when he replies to Katie's comment.
"You don't need to. Ever." He pulls back, but keeps his hands on her shoulders resembling a parent reassuring a scared child. He bends forward so they are at eye level. "Okay?"
"’Kay," she agrees, and a small tear drips from her lashes.
He hands her back to Jeff, who mouths a voiceless, 'Thanks man' before they leave for their car.
West and Jules stand together silently and watch Katie and Jeff leave. He runs a hand through his hair with a sigh before slipping his hands into his pockets. Jules feels his gaze on her and
"Jules," Katie calls softly and weaves her way through the throng of mourners with Jeff at her side. "Sorry we lost you in the crowd on the way to the site."
They hug, although Jules only uses one arm since her other is still being held, and Katie's eyes widen in shock. She gives Katie's arm a gentle squeeze of warning, worried what her friend might say.
"Hey West," Katie says softly, acknowledging his presence and then surprising both Jules and West by wrapping him in a hug.
Jeff follows suit with a warm embrace for Jules and a 'guy hug' for West. With the ice broken, Jules looks at West when he steps forward. Their bodies are so close they are touching down the length of their arms from shoulder to clutched hands.
He wears his signature black combat boots with dark slacks and a dark blue dress shirt. Although he tried to tame his thick, wild hair by slicking it back and to the side, a few black strands manage to fall loose. He lifts his hand to push the hair back as the four of them stand there in an awkward silence, looking at one another.
"You ready to go? Jeff's parents invited me and mom over for dinner, but we can drop you off at home on our way," Katie informs Jules as she wraps her arm around her no longer 'off-and-on' boyfriend. They are totally on now, and totally all over each other. Katie told Jules they decided they didn't want to waste any more time being stupid. When your life is spared, when you get a second chance, you plan to make the most of it. Jeff and Katie had certainly stared mortality in the face and they were ready to live . She gets it.
West stares at Jules, waiting for her to answer, and she falters. She looks down at their hands without moving her head. She doesn’t want to leave yet. She wants to talk to him, to stand in his shadow, to take in his presence.
"Ummm."
West angles his body towards her, bends his head lower and pulls her gaze to his. "I was actually hoping we could talk. I'll take you home, if you want."
She feels her lips form a breathless 'Oh,' and gives a small nod. Katie tilts her head in that special way she has, curiosity written all over her face.
Snapping out of her daze, Jules looks up at West. "Yeah, sure. I can hang around." She turns to Katie and asks, "You good with that?"
Katie laughs under her breath and then slaps a hand over her mouth. Her eyes shift around nervously to make sure no one heard her. Jules understands. Any moment of happiness is one more moment than the forty-five deceased have. It is a guilty feeling.
"You don't need our permission," Katie mumbles in Jules' ear, and then pulls her in close for another hug. "You so better call me later," she orders; putting her face within inches of Jules and staring at her.
"Yes ma'am."
Katie stretches up to press a kiss to West's cheek, which makes his cheeks turn a deep red as he looks completely taken aback.
"I still haven't thanked you for that night," she whispers against his cheek; her voice cracking. "I don't know how."
Jules' eyes prick with tears when West pulls his hand from hers and hugs Katie tightly, although his eyes are fastened on Jules’ face when he replies to Katie's comment.
"You don't need to. Ever." He pulls back, but keeps his hands on her shoulders resembling a parent reassuring a scared child. He bends forward so they are at eye level. "Okay?"
"’Kay," she agrees, and a small tear drips from her lashes.
He hands her back to Jeff, who mouths a voiceless, 'Thanks man' before they leave for their car.
West and Jules stand together silently and watch Katie and Jeff leave. He runs a hand through his hair with a sigh before slipping his hands into his pockets. Jules feels his gaze on her and
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