**Years Later**

17year old Julia walked down the hall holding her books close to her chest. She walked up to her locker and started putting her code in when all of a sudden somebody reached over and pushed the books out of her hands. She turned to give them a piece of her mind but they were gone. She turned to pick up her books and bumped into somebody. “Will you watch whe… I should’ve known.” She sighed rolling her eyes. “Why are you always bothering me?” She asked crossing her arms.

“Maybe because I feel like it.” 18year old Dmitri said now standing at 6’1.

Julia shook her head. “Well maybe you could feel like picking up my books.” she said leaning against the lockers.

“What if I don’t feel like it?” he asked crossing his arms.

“What if I whoop your ass!” she hissed.

“Yea right.” He scoffed. “Private school girl isn’t going to do anything.”

“You are such a pain in the ass.” She smirked. “Why do you keep calling me that.”

“Because you are a private school goody two shoes.”

“I haven’t been in private school for two years.” she sighed.

“That may be Julia Ali. Anyway! Heard about that boy you hit the other day. What is that fist made off… Steel?” he jokingly asked as he bent down and picked up her books.

Julia smirked as she took her books. “Maybe you should ask him. I mean he is the one that got hit.” she said as she opened her locker and placed her books inside. A boy by the name of Ronald called her a bitch and she showed him what kind of bitch she was… Taking her gym bag out she slammed the locker. “Oh wait! I just remembered… Maybe you should ask your left eye!” She shrugged and walked off.

DC looked dumbfounded as she walked off. “Yo! Wait up!” he called turning and running after her. He walked in front of her but turned to look at her. “I let you hit me.”

“I find it kind of strange that a 6year old boy would just let a girl hit him and then run home crying. Telling his mother.” She said with a smug smile.

“I was playing. I knew what I was doing. Didn’t even hurt.”

“Well if it didn’t hurt let me hit you again.” She teased as she balled up her fist and raised it to hit him.

DC caught her flying fist and shook his head. “Not even missy. Anyway prom is coming up and I need a date. Know somebody?”

Julia stopped walking and looked at him. If only this boy knew she had all of these feelings for him. She had feelings for him the moment she punched him. But he never saw her. He only saw those girls who were dancers and cheerleaders. She gave up on him after she met Zachary. He made her melt the moment he said her name and every since then they been together. “Don’t know maybe you should ask one of your whores to the prom.” She replied.

DC chuckled. “Why they gotta be whores. How come they can’t my friends or my ladies?”

“That was mean wasn’t it?” She asked timidly. She sighed and smiled. “Maybe you should ask one of your lady whores. Is that nicer?”

“Maybe I should… So uh… Julia Simmons wanna go to prom with me?” he asked.

Taken back, she punched him in his stomach and he stumbled back into the wall. She didn’t have to say anything as she walked out and went to track practice. Out of breath he stood straight up, “It was a joke!” he called before he coughed. Damn that girl had a arm on her. DC shook it off and went to his locker.

“Yo that is the wrong one to mess with. You know that’s Zach’s girl.” A boy by the name of Andre said stepping up to his friend.

“Who?”

“Zachary Martin… Julia is his girl. I thought you knew that.”

“She ain’t dating Zach.” He said as he and Dre walked to the locker room. He knew his future wife wasn’t dating anybody. She would have said something.

“She is… They been dating for weeks now. Your late.”

“No she’s not dude. I know Lia and I know she ain’t dating nobody.” DC said as they walked out and started walking past the track.

“What you think home girl swing the other way… I mean damn she got muscles and all but that don’t make her gay.” Dre said as he waved a few ladies who had on their cheerleading uniforms.

DC shook his head. “I didn’t say she was gay either. I just know Lia… I mean we’ve been friends since we were little.”

“Didn’t look that way when she punched you.” Dre teased. “Remember a few year back you came to school with a black eye. You said she hit you… Dude I’ll never forget that.” he laughed. Every time he thought back to that day he had to laugh. It was too funny. He looked up and saw Julia come out the gym. “Yo look!” he said as he pointed to her. DC looked over and saw Lia running up to some dude. He picked her up and they kissed. “What I tell you? Ole girl is dating Zach.”

DC stopped and looked at her. Hell naw! That was his woman. What the hell was he doing with her. Just watching them made him furious. He wanted to go over and punch the crap out of Zach! How could Lia betray him like that.

Lia slid down the length of Zach’s body and smiled up at him. “Hey baby. I thought you weren’t coming.”

“I thought I wasn’t going to finish that test on time. Luckily I did.” He chuckled. “Hey I was wondering if you were free this Friday night. Action flick just came out.”

She smiled shyly. “I’ll have to see if my mother isn’t having guest over.” she lied knowing she had to talk to the big man before she did anything.

“You gotta ask pops. I know the deal baby.”

Rolling her eyes she swatted his arm. “Ok fine you caught me. But I’m sure he will allow me to go.”

“I hope so.” Zach took her hand. “Come on let me walk you to the track.

“It’s like 10inches away.” she laughed quietly

“So.” he said as they began to walk.

Julia let him walk her. Just as she put her hair in a ponytail she caught somebody staring at her out the corner of her eye. She looked over and saw it was Dmitri, he looked puzzled and hurt. When their eyes locked he looked down and began to walk away. Now she felt a little bad… But why did she even care. He never once thought about her when he was with his girls so why should she! Shaking him from her head she entered the gate and turned to her boyfriend. “I’ll see you after practice?”

“You know it.” he said as they kissed again and she went to stretch. As she sat on the ground she saw a few other girls walk past her. She couldn’t stand them. They couldn’t stand her.

“Hey Sister Julia! What’s going on?” Her best friend Monica asked as she sat next to her.

“Hey Nica…” she sighed as she began to stretch. “Why do you always call me that?”

“Well because you have the name of a preacher’s wife or something. Seriously… Anyway! I saw you and Zach. You two look pretty serious.”

“We’ve been dating a few weeks.” She said shaking her head.

“Either way you two look close. Am I sensing high school sweethearts?”

“Am I sensing a nosey best friend?”

“Maybe.” Monica giggled as she stretched her leg out and leaned over to touch her knee with her nose. “Oh I saw your friend staring at you today. What’s going on with that?”

“What do you mean? What friend?”

“Dmitri Calhoun.”

“That fool just has a staring problem.”

“He has somebody but it ain’t a staring problem. He has the love bug.”

“The what!?” she laughed as she sat up and looked at her friend.

Monica moved in front of her they put their feet together. Julia took her hands and pulled her forward. “Love bug. Meaning he was pissed when he seen you and Zach all lovey dovey. Meaning he indeed has feelings for you. You can’t tell me that boy doesn’t have feelings for you.”

“He doesn’t.”

“He does! Why you think he’s always messing with you.”

“Look heffa.” She started as they started laughing. “I am going to tell you like I told my mother. If he likes me so much why does he continue to flaunt his girls in my face.”

“Make you jealous.”

“You sound just like Angela.” Julia scoffed as Monica pulled her forward. “Besides he had all his life to say something and it’s kind of late to say something when I’m with somebody I happen to like very much.” she said not taking a breath until the sentence was finished.

Monica shook her head as they parted and stood up. “Julia who are you fooling.”

“I’m not trying to fool anybody. I’m just trying to tell you nothing is going to happen where DC and I are involved. It’s not even like that. We are friends and enemies. Next door neighbors. Besides you just said me and Zach looked like high school sweethearts. Make up your mind!” she said as got in place to start running. Their coach was coming onto the field. “Plus it would never work between us.” she said softly.

“Simmons! Hurdles!” The coach called as she blew her whistle. Julia took off. Thinking about what her friend just said. Could it be true? Could DC have a crush on her? Maybe and maybe not! But she wasn’t about to live single just to find out.

She jumped the first hurdle and when she looked up she saw him. He was in the center of the field staring at her.

DC watched as she started off. She had on a dark green Nike speed suit, a pair of black track shorts and some ice white tennis shoes. Every since they were little she had speed. She was always running and she was always beating the kids in the neighborhood. Her arms and legs pumping hard and fast, her six pack very well known as she ran and put her all into it.

Second hurdle. Julia jumped but her back foot hit it and she tripped. Falling onto the grass. “Shiiii!” she hissed as she looked at her throbbing ankle that turned the wrong way when it landed on the ground.

“Simmons!” The coach called as she ran over. She got on the ground with her and looked at her ankle. “I’m going to remove your shoe.”

Dmitri ran over and kneeled beside her. “Hey you alright?” he asked looking at the swollen ankle.

“I’m flat on my behind how do you think I fe----OW!” she cried.

Coach shook her head. “Sprained ankle. You might not be able to race this weekend.” she said as she looked up at her best runner.

“No! I… It’s… Are you sure? I mean come on it‘s just a sprained ankle. It‘ll be fine by Saturday‘s meet.”

“Let’s take you in and check it out. Young man can you help me.” she asked looking at Dmitri.

“Yes ma’am.”

Julia sighed as she jerked her hand away from him and stood up on her own. “I’m fine.” she hissed as she started to walk but stopped and almost fell. He caught her in his arms.

“Let me help you inside.”

“Fine.” she mumbled as he picked her up and carried her into the building. As he walked to the girls locker room she smiled. He smelled so damn good. Like something spicy yet sweet.

He looked down in his arms and smiled. “I hope you like what you’re smelling.”

She looked away like not even happened. Once they were in the locker room he sat her on the table. “You know this is your fault.” She huffed.

Funny as hell, he thought as he started laughing. “How on earth could this be my fault. I wasn’t the hurdle nor was even near you.”

“You distracted me. This is your fault. Had you not been staring at me I wouldn’t have fell.” She rolled her eyes wishing the coach would hurry up and come in the room.

“Had you not looked at me you wouldn’t have fell.” He shot back.

“Get out! I’m tired of looking at your face.” Arms crossed, face down.

DC went into her space and raised her head. “Why are you trying avoid the fact that you were staring at me. Just admit it.”

“If you don’t get out my face I’m going to admit my fist into your face.” She hissed. Just as she was about to punch him he caught her fist once again and put it down.

“I’m tired of you raising your fist to me.”

“I’m tired of you testing me.” She said through gritted teeth.

DC let her go and swiped his lips. He knew how to get her back. Nodding because he was very sure of himself he charge her and pulled her close. He looked at her for a second before he leaned in closer. “What are you doing?” she asked just a above a whisper. Her heart began to pound against her chest. She felt all of these tingly feelings course through her body. She was so nervous! He was two inches away from he sweet lips that he could smell. Smelled like grape.

“Simmons I want to----” Coach Laurel started as she opened the door and saw them. Lia and DC pulled back and looked away from the coach and the trainer’s gaze. “Young man can you leave… Please.” The coach said as she saw her runner tense up when she manage to look her way.

“Yes… Yes ma’am.” he stumbled as he glanced at Julia and quickly left the room.

Laurel closed the door and looked at her. “Is everything alright Ms. Simmons?”

“Yes.” she sighed still reeling from the almost kiss. Laurel and the trainer came over and checked out her ankle.

Sometime later Julia limped out the locker room. She wasn’t going to be able to run this Saturday and if the pain persisted she wouldn’t be able to run Tuesday either. “Hey you alright?”

“Yea I’m fine.” Lia mumbled as Zach sat next to her.

“What they say?”

“Can’t run Saturday and I might not be able to run Tuesday.”

“Damn…” he sighed. “Don’t worry you’ll be alright. I know it. You want me to take you home?”

“No Larry’s coming to get me.”

Zach wrapped his arm around her waist and she laid her head on his shoulder. She didn’t know what to do. She was with one boy she liked a lot. But she was also fooling herself with another boy she liked.

DC was coming back out, in his baseball practice uniform. He saw Lia and Zach hugged up and he couldn’t help but feel jealous. After he left the locker room earlier he went to boy’s locker room. He needed to collect himself before he went out and embarrassed himself. How was it possible that he was so close to her lips that he didn’t take his chance. He been wanting to kiss her since he knew what kissing really meant. He just had a chance and he blew it!

As he watched her now he sighed. She was happy with Zachary Martin. Otherwise she wouldn’t have been all up on him after what just happened in the locker room. He also cursed Laurel for coming in like she did. He couldn’t stand that woman sometimes.

“Hey slugger!” Larry called out after he parked his truck and walked up the walk way.

Julia looked up and saw her father. She smiled every time she heard that name. “Hey daddy.”

“How you doing?”

“It’s just a sprained ankle.” she chuckled as he inspected the neatly wrapped ankle.

“What they say?” he asked eyeing the young man next to her. He knew Zach. Also knew he wasn’t his favorite person in the world.

“Can’t run until further notice.” she shrugged.

“Well let’s get you home and put some ice on that ankle.” he suggested as he stood straight up and helped her up. He grabbed her bag and threw it over his shoulder.

Julia turned to Zachary and hugged him. “I’ll call you later.”

“Ok.” he said rubbing her back. They avoided kissing because Larry was standing there watching them. Zach chuckled as Larry shot him a look and helped his daughter to the Navigator.

“I don’t like him you know.” he said on their walk over.

“Daddy you don’t like anybody.” she chuckled. Larry put her bag in the back and helped her in. After closing the door he went around to his side.

She turned to get in and she saw Dmitri staring at her. Like before she saw hurt and confusion but along with it she saw a hint of desire. Monica who was leaning against the fence followed DC’s eyes and saw him staring at Julia. She saw she was staring at him the same way.

Nosey she whistled and slid up beside him. “Sooooooo… how have you been?” she asked her hands behind her back.

“I’ve been better. What Moni…”

“It’s Monica or Nica. Get it right boy! Anyway what’s going on with you and my bestie.”

“What does it matter?”

“It matter’s a hell of a lot.” Zach’s booming voice said stepping up behind them. “What going on with you and my girl?”

“She’s my friend. Look why am I answering to you.”

“You weren’t looking at her like you were just friends. What’s the deal!” Zach asked with some attitude.

“Why do you care?”

“Because she is my girl and I will do whatever to keep it that way.”

“Is that a threat?” DC asked stepping in his personal space.

“No it’s a promise.” Zach warned. He never liked violence but every since he became involved with Julia he kept his guard up. Nobody was going to take her from him.

“I’ve known her longer. I know her better than you. I also live next door to her. Let’s just see who’ll really get her.” DC challenged.