Young Writers Society

Jennifer laughed, it was a for goodness sake! Laugh. Jennifer looked at Naya and smiled. "I think you can change Julian. See, the trick with Julian is to not fight back with him. That way he can't win. Just be super nice to him, you know the whole 'kill him with kindness act'. It works, trust me."

Naya folded her hands on her lap and sat down on Julian's bed. "How? How do I put up with this? I'm not exactly a patient person."

Jennifer took Naya's hands and forced her to look into her eyes. "You can change him. You can show him that love exists." She said.

"I can't I-" Naya was interrupted.

"Then fight him! Be witty with him. Be a smartass, whatever you do just force him to pay attention!" Jennifer said sharply.

***

Julian figured he should go upstairs and pack. Jasper poured a drink for himself. "Why are you back so early?" Jasper asked.

Julian gulped down the last of the alcohol. "My wife."

Jasper bursted out in laugher. "I never thought I'd hear you say those words."

"Don't remind me. Now if you don't mind, I'm going upstairs to pack so her and I can move in." Julian smiled a wicked one.

Jasper shook his head. "Maybe you should have left her in Rome, ehh?"

Julian didn't turn around as he started up the stairs. "I wish." Was his only answer.

Naya raised her brow. “So you want me to get drunk again? That definitely forced him to pay attention...” That and spending time with Enzo...and walking into the bedroom with only a towel on but Naya thought it’d be best not to mention that....

“No, but I'm sure you’ll think of something,” Jennifer encouraged.

Naya shook her head. “I can’t do it,” she said, “I can’t, your brother scares me.”

“That's just his ammo,” Jennifer waved away as if it weren’t a problem. "He's harmless really..."

“But, he has this way of looking at you...it reminds me of Ja-” she quickly stopped herself before she said Jace’s name.

Jennifer looked at her in confusion before grabbing her by her elbows.

“Look, Naya, if anyone can do this, it’s you,” her eyes glinted with determination. “You’re right, the two of you are completely different, but that’s a good thing! He needs someone like you around right now.”

“But-”

Before Naya could finish her sentence, there was a knock at the door, followed by Julian’s voice.

“Can I come in?”

Jennifer turned to look at Naya before responding, “Yeah, come in!”

The door knob turned and in came Julian. Once inside he eyed his sister and Naya with a look of suspicion.

“Everything alright?” he asked Jennifer.

Jennifer gave a wide smile. “Yup!”

Silence fell in the room lasting for several seconds before Julian decided to break it.

“Don’t you have some place to be?” he asked Jennifer sternly.

It took a moment before Jennifer realised what he meant. “Oh, right, of course!” she smiled, giving Naya one last look of encouragement before leaving, closing the door behind her.

Julian didn't turn around to face Jennifer as she left his bed room. His eyes of suspition went directly to Naya. Then he shook his head, and headed to his dresser. It was mostly empty.

"What was that about?" He asked, his back to Naya. He could feel her shrug behind him.

"Just, uh girl stuff. You wouldn't be interested." She said calmly.

If she was lying, she was good at it. Julian packed his stuff in a large yellow duffle bag. He closed the now empty dresser and carried the heavy duffle with one hand. He turned to face her.

"Do you need anything from your house?"

She cocked her head to the left to look at him at an angle. "Like what?"

"Like clothes? Items that you might want." He finished leaving the tone of annoyed.

She squinted. "I'm confused what are you talking about?"

He looked at her dangerously. "I bought us a... Home." He said, not giving much information about this 'home'.

She looked a little taken back. She stared at him for a couple minutes, as if her brain didn't function well enough. She placed both of her palms on the bed, she avoided eye contact. "You bought a house... Where is it?"

"Not too far from here, but if you want stuff from your house... We better get a move on." He spoke and then started for the door, not waiting for her.

Naya quickly followed him out. Once she reached the hallway she accidently bumped into Jace just as he stepped into the house.

“I see you’re back early...” he had a smug smile on his face that Naya had to fight every fibre of her body not to slap. “Man, do I love it when I’m right...”

Naya shoved passed him and headed for the truck with fury. She was looking forward to going home, even if it was for a few minutes. The truth was she already had all her stuff with her, but Julian didn’t have to know that, at least this way she could see her family again, especially Rosa. Growing up, her maid had been more of a mother to her than her own, in the three days she'd been away from home, it was Rosa who she'd missed the most.

Julian put his and her stuff into the back seat. He got into the truck and so did she. She wasn't talking, wow something pretty bad must have happened for this chain of events to happen. She didn't twiddle her thumbs she just put her seatbelt on and stared forward.

Julian started the engine. He looked over at her. "Are you okay?" he asked.

She looked over at him. "Would you really care if I wasn't." She made it a cold statement.

Julian clenched his jaw from saying a couple things he would like to say to her. She should be damn well happy he even asked. "Guess not." He growled. To her house it was...

As soon as they approached Naya's street, she took off her seatbelt.

“Park this crap-wagon here so the neighbours won't see...”

She didn’t stick around to hear Julian's response, she didn't care what he had to say. Jace had really pissed her off beyond imagination. She just jumped out of the truck and headed straight for her home.

“Miss Naya,” acknowledged the door man, lowering his head slightly.

The family door-man let her in and Naya stepped inside. She looked around her house and saw that no-one was around. Suddenly, Rosa scurried through the hallway, a look of pure glee on her face as she pulled Naya into an embrace.

“Oh, Miss Naya!” she shrilled, before letting her go and planting two kisses on her cheek. “I don't understand. What are you doing back so early?”

“Long story, Rosa,” Naya responded dryly. “Where's mom and dad?”

“Ah, unfortunately, your parents are away on business.”

Of course...she should’ve known they wouldn’t be home. After all, they weren’t expecting her to show up this soon.

“So, no-one’s here?” Naya asked, addressing Rosa again.

Rosa crinkled her nose a little as though she had to make a confession. “Well...”

At that precise moment a strong smell of Brandy filled the air.

“Ah, Naya, my darling!” on cue her grandma walked out of the living room and into the hallway carrying a large glass in her hand.

“Grandma,” Naya responded before taking the old woman’s Brandy from her. “I’ll take that, thank you...” she said, handing it over to Albert. The last thing she needed was her grandma drunk, Olivia Du Maurier was insensitive, rude and painfully honest at the best of times, under the influence of alcohol she was ten times worse. “What are you doing here?” Naya asked her.

“Well, my villa is currently being refurbished so, much to your mother’s dismay, I’m staying here for a few days...” her hawk-like eyes suddenly looked Naya up and down. “You look thin,” she said bluntly before continuing. “So where is he then?” she asked, trying to look past Naya.

“Who?” Naya asked.

“Your husband, dear.”

“Oh, he's-”

“Right here.”

At that moment, Julian stepped inside.

“Ah, Mr Julian,” smiled Rosa excitedly. “Lovely to finally meet you...”

Naya watched Julian nod politely at her before turning to her grandmother.

“Grandma, this is Julian...Julian, this is my grandmother Olivia du Maurier...” Naya awkwardly made the introductions.

“Pleasure to meet you Miss du Maurier,” Julian politely put out his hand.

“Julian Anderson...” Naya's grandma didn't shake his hand, instead she threw a distasteful look at him. Oh, dear, this wasn't a good sign. Naya could almost see the cogs of suspicion and distrust turn inside her grandma’s mind as she scrutinised him.

Naya could sense Julian was feeling a little uncomfortable with this reception. “You should get your things,” he said to Naya. “I’ll wait outside.”

“You’ll do no such thing!” Naya’s grandma smiled. It was a very knowing clever smile, the kind of smile Naya had grown to be weary of from her grandmother. “You shall join me for afternoon tea. It’ll give us a chance to....talk...”

Naya didn’t like the sound of that, and neither did Julian by the look on his face. “Grandma, it’s fine, he can wait outside-” Naya insisted.

“Nonsense!” she shrilled, “you go upstairs and get your things, dear, Julian and I will be out in the garden.”

Naya gave Julian a guilty look before letting Rosa lead her up the stairs.

The air was thick with tension. Julian didn't really want to spend time with Olivia, she looked like an older version of Naya. Which, on Julian's part he thought was weird. The only difference was that Olivia was tipsy and their eye color and height.... Maybe even weight.

"Come come, Julian we have a lot to discuss!" She showed him to the tea room? Which was completely spotless and empty.

Julian didn't think they had much to discuss. This was going to be a really good conversation or really bad one. Olivia was so tipsy she couldn't get to her chair without falling over. Julian helped her to her seat.

"I do not need help!" She growled, with a smile planted on her face.

"Sorry, Ma am." Julian bit out.

She tried to pour tea into a cup and filled the cup up halfway and spilt the rest on the floor.

Awesome. Sweet. Magical. A drunken grandma.

Naya stopped midway up the staircase.

“I know that you left a few things that you said you didn’t need anymore...” Rosa was still walking up the stairs, “but I packed them all into a box for you anyway, just in case you changed your mind,” she paused for a moment, realising that Naya was no longer following her. “Miss Naya?” she asked.

Naya bit her bottom lip. “Could you bring it down for me, please?” she said. “I really don’t think it’s a good idea for me to leave Julian alone with grandma. You know what she's like when she's drunk...”

“You’re right,” agreed Rosa. “Okay, I’ll be down with your things in a moment,” she said before scurrying up the stairs.

Naya hurried down and ventured through the ground floor, stopping just short of the back yard where she spotted her grandma and Julian sat at a table. Her grandma appeared to be yelling at one of the servants to get her another pot of tea.

“I don’t know if you know this,” she heard her grandma say to Julian as she pulled out a ladies cigarette and began to light it, “but I knew your grandfather...”

“Really?” Julian seemed genuinely interested by this.

“He and I used to attend the same College...” her mind drifted as if she was recalling those days in her head. “He was quite the character: a hard businessman, ruthless, always one step ahead...” her eyes looked up at Julian’s and for several seconds it was like a staring competition, until she finally broke it to put her cigarette to her mouth. “You remind me of him...or perhaps it is too early to say...”

Naya found herself wondering what she meant by this.

“Tell me, Julian,” her grandma continued blowing out a blanket of smoke into the air. Her voice had a deceptively airy tone in it, “how are you finding my granddaughter? Be honest...”

Julian didn't feel tense by this, in fact he was sure he could never feel anything anymore. His grandfather had meant a lot to him. His grandfather taught him things and actually spent time with him. No one in the world other than... A very few others meant more to him. Julian looked at Olivia, it wasn't a blank look but perhaps a dangerous one. He didn't mind sitting with an old woman to keep her company-he just didn't like to talk about something he didn't have... Feelings for someone, anyone really.

"I didn't intend on lying," Julian spoke gently. Maybe, gently was the wrong word. "She's beautiful, she's not exactly wife material but I don't love her... I never will." His tone changed at the end. Seemingly more, final.

Olivia's fingers shook as she took the cigarette out of her mouth, her eyes dead locked on Julian's. She exhailed the smoke through her nostrils. She closed her eyes and shook her head with a fake smile faintly on her faded red lipstick smeared lips. "You may look like your grandfather, but you have no passion your the new generation. How do you know you cannot love hmm?" She coughed.

Julian's facial expression never changed. "It's not up for discussion."

Her face took a turn for the worst. "Don't you be cutting wise with me. I am still your elder... Now, you have no intention of staying with my grand daughter?"

Julian just stared. "No." He answered, honestly.

The feeling's mutual, Naya found herself saying inside her head. She was angry. Fair enough he didn't want to stay with her but he didn't have to discuss it so bluntly with her grandmother. Composing herself, Naya tried her best to act as though she hadn’t heard a word and stepped out into the back yard to approach the two of them.

“We should go,” she said, avoiding both their gazes. “It’s getting late...”

It wasn’t late at all, Naya just didn’t know what else to say. To his credit, Julian stood up immediately to leave.

Naya’s grandma stood up and put out her cigarette. “Naya, dear...” she began, as if on the verge of explaining something, but Naya didn’t want to hear it, she just wanted to go.

“Tell mom and dad that I stopped by,” she said to her, before giving her an awkward hug goodbye.

I wasn't long before Julian and Naya were in the old vintage truck again. Julian focused on the road as if it were a religion. Naya had said it was getting dark, it was barely sun down. He couldn't help but think about the conversation he'd had with Olivia. Did she think about his grandfather? How did she know him? How had they met? What was the point of this stupid damn feud anyways? Julian was driving, and driving. Soon, Naya fell asleep, he couldn't blame her. He needed a nap real bad too.

Sleep while you can because when you wake up, I'm sure you're going to give me hell.

Finally he pulled into a lot, twelve miles out of town. There was nothing but shrubbery, and tall trees. There were many neighboors, many many neighboors. Not too close together, just enough space. Julian came to a slow stop outside their new home. He didn't smile, he had to do this. He wasn't being cruel, he was being realistic. The trailer home was roughly 1970's it was an ugly barf green and trashy white. It was what he was going to be living in for the next year, and so was she.

Julian got out of the truck and went to open the other side, Naya was curled in a ball. "Wake up, Angel Face... We're home."

They were now residents of a trailer park...

Naya rubbed her eyes and looked around. Her eyes fell on trees, lots and lots of them, and one of the most hideous things she’d ever seen. A trailer home.

“Very funny,” she told him.

Julian’s forehead creased. “Who says I'm being funny?”

Naya swallowed hard. He was serious - she could read it in his eyes. This was it, this was the last straw. Sitting up from her seat, she glared lasers at him.

“If you think that I’m going to live in that shit-hole with you then you’re very much mistaken, mister,” she fumed, ready to rip her hair out. “I don’t know what sick and cruel game you have going on here with me but I’ve honestly had enough.”

Julian listened to her in silence.

“You don’t want me, you’ve made that pretty damn obvious, and guess what, I don't want you either, so why don’t you just divorce me and save yourself the trouble?” she told him coldly. “I’d rather have my parents be disappointed in me than put up with even a year of this bullshit!”

Julian just stared at her, he was honestly getting tired of her crap as she was of his. He put his hand on the top of the door and just stared at her. He was actually searching for one instance in her life wondering if she had ever been self-less. Women, they always had to express their damn feelings they always just had to ask for directions. Julian took a deep breath and started again.

"Watch your mouth." Julian said in a low dangerous tone.

She just crossed her arms and stared at him like a bratty tween. "I won't put up with-"

Julian cut her off with a menacing look. "I don't care what you will put up with. The point is, dearest this is our house now. You can sleep in there, or you can sleep outside. Doesn't really bother me." He growled. He picked up his stuff and headed for the door.

"Who do you think you are? Telling me what to do!" She cried from the truck, she was angry all right.

He just turned and gave her a dark look. "Julian... Michael... Anderson." Then, he went inside.

“You forgot ass-hole!” Naya called after him as he went inside the trailer, earning her a glare from the nearby residents.

Naya pulled on her thickest woollen jumper, socks and gloves and grabbed a small blanket at the back of the truck. She would rather die in the cold November weather than live in that pathetic excuse for a house. She would be sleeping in the truck tonight, tomorrow she'd have to call Jennifer so that she could talk some sense into that psychotic brother of hers.

Half an hour into the night, Naya found herself wide awake, shaking from head to toe. She gathered the blanket closer towards and her and tried counting sheep inside her head to help her sleep.

The inside was better than the outside. Julian looked at the carpet, it was white with blue fibers put into it. The walls were a soothing chesnut color. The house was clean, Julian had made sure of that. The house had one big master bed room, or whatever a master bedroom could be in a trailer. The kitchen wasn't too small, and the entertainment room, well... One sofa and a TV remained. The house really wasn't that bad. Julian took a shower, turned on the heater, and made food to eat.

It was already ten pm, she still hadn't come inside. Julian checked out the window, just to look to see if she was okay. Her eyes were closed and even from a small window Julian could see her shaking. He didn't feel that bad. He felt a little bad, but she would have done the same thing in his shoes. Julian pulled on a sweatshirt and his carheart, he pulled his hood over his head. He didn't turn on the outside light and headed towards the truck. He opened the truck and pushed the seat back so he could get to her. He put one arm behind her neck and the other below her knees, she was shaking as if she was having a siesure. Her eyes opened as if someone had screamed.

"Oh my gosh, get off me!!!" She screamed. She obviously didn't know this was Julian. "I'm going to call my husband!!!" She yelped again.

Julian laughed, a real laugh this time. "I'm sure he won't miss you that much."

Naya rubbed her eyes. "Julian?!... oh you ass!" She growled. "Put me down, or you will sufer!"

"I'm already suffering." Julian threw her over his shoulder and slammed the truck door. He opened the door to the trailer and dropped her on her butt...