"Jackie and Jane were twins? Who both happened to have depression?"
"Pretty much, yeah..."
"That must have been hard for their parents..."
"They had a third sister, actually, as well..."
"A third?"
"Jemima... But she died when she was two..."
"Aww... That's sad..."
Julie and Tom walked and talked. For once Julie felt truly happy, to have a friend she could talk to and trust.
Of course, before the disaster, she would have had her entire family to talk to.
But ever since they'd lost their parents, Alex had become cold and hard. He hardly ever smiled, or laughed. He just lived.
Julie looked up at the sky. It was already beginning to lighten.
"Uh..."
She looked at Tom.
"Thanks again for saving me."
"That's ok," he replied, looking into her eyes. "As long as I can see you again?"
"Of course."
Climbed into bed thinking of nothing but Tom.
The next morning at breakfast she eyed Alex carefully, hoping he wouldn't notice the bruises that were beginning to appear on her arms.
For the entire day she thought of the excitement of that night, and of Tom.
That evening she settled into her bed. She did the same as the previous night, constantly checking her clock and Alex's footsteps as he did his routine checkup on her, right on time, before settling into his own bed and falling asleep.
Julie stared at the window longingly as she tried to fight the addiction to excitement and adventure that seemed to be growing on her.
Suddenly a face appeared and fingers tapped on the window.
Julie remembered the ladder she'd left by the the window. She gasped in surprise and shock and rushed over.
"Shhhhh!" She hissed as she opened it. "Not so loud! Alex isn't fully asleep yet, don't wake him up!"
"Your brother? Oh, don't worry. He won't wake up." Tom said in a slightly hushed voice.
"Anyways... I was wondering if you could come round to my place?"
He unzipped and zipped his dark blue jacket.
"After... You get dressed, of course..."
He looked at her nightdress.
Julie herself looked down and realised just how short it was.
Her face went bright red and she slammed the window in Tom's fingers before he got a chance to wolf-whistle.
He pulled them out quickly and covered his mouth before it got a chance to scream.
Julie stifled a giggle before she closed the curtains and dived into her wardrobe.
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