Body Guard

"Yeah...this is just the first time you and I have been out alone without having to worry about...well you know." Sighing I rubbed the back of my neck, "Sorry, I'm just being weird."

Julie:
I nodded in understanding. "I know what you mean. Its a little weird to hanging out like...normal?" I tried out the word. "Are you having fun?" I asked.

"That's exactly it. Our relationship has never been...normal. But this is really nice." A smile grew on my face as I continued, "But I am having a lot of fun."

Julie:
I smiled back, pleased that the day was going well. "Well our relationship is sometimes normal. At least when we were kids, it was." I said.

"I don't know if I'd call our relationship as a kid normal. You were always running because I was a gross boy. Or I had to be the mule to carry things for all your friends....honestly no, you were correct. That seems rather normal." I laughed at myself and leaned back in my seat.

Julie:
I giggled and shook my head. "I didn't run away from you," I argued. "But you were gross..." I admitted, recalling several times he was somehow covered in dirt and mud.

"When it was just us no. But your friends were over often and they made you run." Her friends had always been a pain in my side. Even now. Depending on who it was it was either they treated me like a servant, which technically even then I was, or as we grew older they played their little mind games and made me do odd things.

Julie:
I knew he wasnt the biggest fan of my friends. He made it pretty clear. "For whats its worth, even when they were over, I liked you best," I told him. And it was the truth. I loved my friends, but they were all a certain way. They were rich and even at that young age, they knew it. I'd had to yell at them countless times to leave Cody alone.

I wasn't the biggest fan of her friends. But it mostly stemmed from their spoiled mindsets. They didn't seem to care how difficult they made my life. Whether that was when I was younger, or now and my job. They did have their moments. They were great friends to Jules, and weren't afraid to help her live a little.
"You liked me best?" I raised an eyebrow but smiled in gratitude.

Julie:
I smiled back and opened my mouth to answer when the waitress came back with our food. She set it in the middle of the table, which was fine because we were sharing. When she walked away, I grabbed a fork and speared a piece of sushi. "I still do," I said, shrugging before putting the piece in my mouth.

I watched her with the fork and picked up my own. "Why is that?" Genuine curiosity filled me. I wasn't much different than anyone else. I felt I was rather normal all together. But perhaps that was what she saw in me.

Julie:
I swallowed my bite and took another. "You really have to ask?" I shrugged. I took a sip of water and leaned back in my seat. "You've always been there. I cant recall a single time when I needed and you werent there." I told him. "Every single time."

My brows furrowed and I paused in reaching for another bite. I had always been there? It seemed like such a small and minor thing, but even I knew just how important such a thing was. A soft smile curved my lips and I looked down at the table as I pondered the reason why I'd always done that.

It wasn't much of a mystery and a faint touch of color came to my cheeks as I happened upon the answer. I cared about her. At times I cared for her more than simple friends. Other times she was like a sister. But it really did just boil down that she was important to me.

Julie:
I looked down at my plate like it was the most interesting thing on the planet, surprised that I had essentially admitted how much I needed him. 

I took a few more bites and set the fork down. "I'm stuffed," I said, trying to ease my own awkwardness.

I looked up after she called herself stuffed and I huffed a brief laugh. "Where did your appetite go? I've seen you devour so much more." It was a bit forced but as I speared my second piece of sushi the smile that came to my lips after putting it between my lips wasn't nearly as forced.

Julie:
I rolled my eyes. "Are you calling me fat?" I asked, jokingly. He had seen me eat before. "I had that pretzel before." I excused myself.

"I am not calling you fat at all." Poking my tongue out at her for a moment I went for my third piece. If she wasn't going to eat more then I had plenty to eat on my own. "I am saying that when you feel up to it, you can put away an impressive amount of food."

Julie:
I smiled and shrugged. "Maybe I just like stealing pizza from you," I teased. Whenever we had pizza as kids, I always insisted on eating the last slice, even if I was stuffed.

"That...would make sense. You could have as much pizza as you wanted almost whenever and you still took the last slice every time." I went on to take another piece of sushi before setting my fork aside. Taking a deep drink I leaned back in my seat.

Julie:
I couldn't help the giggle that escaped my lips. "You got this adorable little pout every time like you didn't just eat four slices." I laughed.

"One day I'll know what that final slice of pizza will taste like..." With a dramatic sigh and a longing gaze towards the ceiling I had to fight a laugh.

Julie:
"Oh it tasted so much better just knowing you didn't get it," I teased, sticking my tongue out at him. I looked at the leftover food and then at him. "Are you finished?" I asked, grabbing my wallet to throw a couple of bills on the table.

I looked over the remaining pieces of sushi and used my fingers to grab one more. Stuffing it in my mouth I nodded. I used my napkin real quick to clean my hands while I tried to hurry and chew the bite of food.

Julie:
I laughed and shook my head. I reached over with my napkin to wipe a piece of rice off his lip. "I wasn't rushing you. If you're not done, we're in no hurry," I said.

Swallowing more in surprise than actually being done, I smiled at her. I hadn't expected her to wipe my lips for me. "It's alright. Besides we might as well get you some enjoyment by playing dress up with me."