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asked you because I wanted you there with me.” He’s never seen Julia angry before. Confused, he pauses, “Why do you think I asked you?”
    “I’m not sure!” she yells, throwing her hands in the air. “Were you trying to prove something? That you’re living on the wild side? I’m sure you could have found some tall blond stick figure named Kiki or Bunny to tag along! Did you honestly think I’d fit in with those people?”
    His mouth drops open, but no words are forthcoming. He’s never thought about whether she’d fit in with his friends or not. Why wouldn’t she? Julia gets along with everyone.
    “Jules, I wasn’t trying to prove anything to anyone. I just wanted to be with you.” He attempts to put his arms around her, but she pushes him away. “Julia?”
    Her eyes well up and she fixes her gaze on the ground. He knew she’d be upset but there’s more to this than his drinking. There has to be.
    “Julia, please talk to me. Did something happen?”
    “Besides you ignoring me half the night?” she snorts. “Where do I begin?!”
    Sitting on her front steps, Julia replays the conversation she overheard in the bathroom. What they said, what she said. He’s speechless, can feel the color draining from his face.
    “Your friends,” Julia pauses, shaking her head. “Those guys treated me like an object, a piece of meat,” she chokes back a sob, “and the women…like I’m something they scrape off the bottom of their shoe.”
    “Julia, I am so sorry.” He doesn’t know what else to say.
    She wraps her arms around her legs, resting her head on her knees.
    “Will, you want to know the worst part?” His eyes grow wide, thinking with horror, It gets worse than what she’s already told me? “The worst part is you didn’t even notice,” she rubs her hands over her eyes. “I hardly recognized you last night. You turned into someone else, and I didn’t like that person at all.”
    He covers his face with his hands, letting her words sink in, then rubs his fingers over his throbbing temple.
    “Did you feel uncomfortable with my family or Gabby?”
    “No, of course not.”
    She nods, contemplative, “Maybe that’s because they didn’t treat you like shit.”
    Will’s eyes well up. No, her family didn’t treat him like shit. He can’t say he was totally comfortable around them at first, but they were welcoming. Julia’s family isn’t anything like his own, but that doesn’t bother him. His father didn’t come from money, though Will hasn’t spent much time with that side of the family. It’s almost like his dad doesn’t want to be reminded of where he came from.
    Julia’s extended family is so big, loud and overwhelming, but he’s envious of their affection for one another. He knows his family loves him, but except for Ellie, they aren’t demonstrative people.
    He didn’t even know he craved that kind of affection until he met Julia. She’s warm and accepting and he royally screwed up last night. What was he thinking? How could his friends treat her like that? He clenches his fists, furious with them, but more upset with himself.
    How could I treat her so poorly?
    His chin drops to his chest, his shoulders droop, the realization hitting him hard. I am different around them . That’s the world he was raised in, the world he knows. He understands how to operate in that world, with those people.
    He wants to tell Julia the person she saw last night isn’t him. She’s probably the only person who really knows him, but he can’t get the words out. He’s confused and ashamed and his hangover isn’t helping him articulate his feelings.
    “I need to take a nap,” Julia says, rising. “I didn’t get much sleep last night and my train leaves in a few hours.”
    “Do you need a ride to the station?” he asks, hopeful, and grabs the railing, pulling himself up.
    “No. I’m all set.” She turns away from him. “Goodbye Will.”
    Julia disappears into the house, closing the