It's been such a long time since I posted anything. I was reading this story the other day and decided that I could write it much better now. So that's what I'm going to do, and I'm renaming a few characters too. This story is going to be much better than it was when I first posted it. If you would like to read the original to compare, just leave me a comment telling me how to email it to you and you shall get it.


I hope you like the new version as much as I'm liking it.

Juelea was a lot of things; nervous, excited, scared, happy, sad, you name it, she was feeling it.

She was about to embark on the longest plane ride she’d ever gone on by herself. Back to Orlando; Juelea really missed Florida.

“Goodbye Australia,” she whispered as the plane taxied down the runway.

*~*~*~*~*

Nearly eighteen hours later Juelea closed her eyes and sent up a silent ‘thank you’ prayer that the plane landed safely.

It was only when she was standing in the Customs line that she realized she had no idea who, if anyone, was meeting her at the airport. There was no family in the area so Juelea was counting on the friends she’d had before moving to Perth.

Of course, if she had really thought about it, she wouldn’t have worried.

When Juelea got to baggage claim she heard, “JUELEA MONROE!!” and someone came flying at her.

*~*~*~*~*

“Ugh, Nick. Get off,” Juelea laughed. She was actually rather surprised her friend wasn’t wearing a disguise.

Nick stood, dusted himself off and held his hand out to help her up.

“Thanks,” she said, hugging him.

“Ah Juelez. You know better than a wimpy hug,” he laughed before squeezing her tight.

After catching her breath, Juelea asked, “So, how’s the new house?”

“Oh you know. It’s a house.”

“Haha Nickolas. Haha. Why didn’t your brother come with you?”

“Because he doesn’t know you’re back. It’s a surprise.”

The lights for the luggage carosuel started flashing and nick clapped his hands together while chanting, “Luggage! Luggage! Luggage!”

He looked over at Juelea who was rolling her eyes and apologized. “Sorry. Late night recording session and then picking you up this early. Had to have a Monster. It’s finally kicking in.”

“I can tell. And you’ll need that energy. Here comes my luggage,” she pointed.

*~*~*~*~*

“Why did you bring so much? Wouldn’t your parents have it shipped to after you got here?”

They were in the parking garage, trying to fit her six suitcases into Nick’s little car. “I would have had them do that but my parents weren’t that excited when I told them I was moving back. They wanted me to stay in Australia.”

They were soon on their way.

*~*~*~*~*

“That’s MY room Nick!” someone shouted. “Who’s in it?!”

Juelea wished the person would shut up. She was trying to sleep.

“Be quiet or you’ll wake her up,” Nick said, sounding as though he were walking toward the now open door.

“Tell me who’s in my bed,” the voice insisted.

Juelea recognized the voice now. She picked up a pillow and chucked it out the door, hoping it would hit it’s mark.

“SHUT UP Aaron. I’m trying to sleep. Jerk.”

Next thing she knew, a body had landed practically on top of her and was screaming, “LEA! LEA! LEA!” while bouncing.

Juelea could hear Nick laughing. She shoved Aaron hard and he tumbled off the bed.

“I told you to be quiet. Now if you value your life you will leave this room and not make a peep until I CHOOSE to wake up,” she pointed to the door, “NOW GO!”

*~*~*~*~*

Several hours later Juelea woke and gathered her shower stuff and walked into the attached bathroom.

She immediately decided against using the tub because she knew that she’d go right back to sleep.

*~*~*~*~*

Juelea walked down to the kitchen wearing a short jean skirt and a bright neon yellow shirt bearing the name of her Australian high school.

The brothers were sitting on stools at the counter, their backs toward her. “Hi fellas,” she smiled.

“Juele!” Aaron squealed, running to her. He wrapped his arms around her, picked her up and spun her around.

She hugged him back. Aaron was the friend she had missed the most.

“You’re really back? Like for good?”

“Of course for good. Well, I’ll have to go back for Jesse’s birthdays and Christmas and stuff like that but I am staying.”

“Jesse?” they both asked.

“Oh. That’s right,” she ran back to her room and grabbed one of the photo albums she’d brought with her.
Juelea sat on Nick’s stool after pushing him off (they’d known each other so long that they treated one another like brother and sister), and opened the book.

“This is my baby,” the brothers gasped. “brother. His name is Jesse and he’s almost one.”

Jesse was pretty much the only thing Juelea was missing about Australia. Well, she missed her friends and her goddaughter Emma too.

“But I thought your mom couldn’t--” Nick reached around her and smacked the back of his brother’s head.

“Be nice Nick. She can’t. Jesse is adopted. He was born in New Zealand.”

As they looked through the photos, Juelea would point one out every few pages and tell a story about it.

*~*~*~*~*

Juelea was on her laptop, emailing her mother when Aaron knocked on the door.

“So,” he said, flopping onto the bed. “I’m not getting my room back am I?”

“Not on your life,” Juelea replied, not looking away from the screen. “Although you CAN have your bed. It stinks like boy. And Nick said I could either pick one of the beds from the other bedrooms in the house or get a new one. Yours isn’t all that comfy.”

“Well now. Even though you just insulted my insanely comfy and NOI+N-smelly bed. I should still tell you.”

“Tell me what? And those are not insults. They are facts. Boys smell funny. Especially you.”

“Hahaha. Nick’s having a party for you. To celebrate your homecoming. All the guys are coming. In fact, AJ is already here.”

Even though Nick was like a brother to her, Aj had ALWAYS been her favorite Backstreet Boy.

Juelea bounded downstairs. When she saw Aj she said, “Ok. I’m here. Party can start now.”

Juelea had been in Florida for two months and was doing great. Aaron had surprised her by telling her that he would be starting school with her.

“But you’re not going to study the same subject I am,” she protested when he said they would have classes together.

“Juel, hon, there are general education classes we BOTH have to take. So there WILL be classes we have together. What are you going to study?”

“Child development and American Sign Language. I plan to open a preschool for deaf and hard of hearing children. I would ask you the same question but I already know the answer. Music, vocal preformance to be exact, and now my break’s over.”

“I’ll see you when you get home then.”

*~*~*~*~*

Juelea’s workday was very uneventful, but then, it usually was. She was glad for that, she realized, when she walked to her car.

She was also glad that her father, not her step dad in Australia, was back in Orlando for a few months. Juelea hadn’t seen him since she’d moved to Australia, but they had kept in contact through email, “old fashioned” mail and phone calls.

When she told him she was moving back he had been incredibly happy and had told her he’d have an awesome homecoming present waiting for her.

He’d given it to her a few weeks ago when he’d come to visit. It was a 2010 Malibu. She LOVED it.

Juelea was thinking about nothing in particular as she pulled out of the parking lot. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw someone who looked a bit familiar. But it couldn’t be who she thought it was, could it? She needed to make a few phone calls.

*~*~*~*~*

Teuri,

Ok, so I’m totally waving at the screen while I type this but of course, no one, well, except for the creepers who’d better not be watching me, can see.

How was Emma’s party? I’m so sorry I missed it. I hope she likes her present. Give her a big hug and kiss for me.

My dad, my REAL dad not step, got me a CAR!! I was so excited! I love, love, LOVE it! It’s emerald green.

How’ve you been doing? How’s Bradin? Tell him hi for me (wave while you say it).

Something strange happened today when I was driving home from work today. I thought I saw you-know-who, (no, NOT Voldemort) as I pulled out of the parking lot. Which is weird because Inspector Thomis said he would inform me if you-know-who (again, NOT Voldemort) left the country.

Anyhoo, enough unpleasantness. We need to talk. I’ve got something to tell you. Face-to-face chat would be awesome but I’ll make do with a phone call.

Whelp, I’ve gotta go. Aaron’s asking what I want for dinner.

XOXO Jue XOXO

p.s. you should come visit me. Braid’s dad is a pilot-make him fly you, Emm and Braid here!

*~*~*~*~*

“Man, that’s the second time today.”

“What’s the what?” Aaron asked.

Juelea and Aaron had decided that after dinner was a good time for ice cream and were currently sitting in swings at the little playground near Nick’s eating some.

“Oh nothing. I just keep thinking I see my psycho ex today. It’s ridiculous really. They’re supposed to let me know if and when he leaves Austraila.”

“WHAT?!” Aaron sounded disbelieving.

“I didn’t tell you about psycho Derrick did I?” Juelea asked him.

“Uh. No. tell me now.”

Aaron angled his body toward her and Juelea began her story.

“Well, about two years ago, I started dating this guy, Derrick. For the first year everything was jello-”

He interrupted her, “Jello?”

“It means everything was good. Jello equals good.”

Aaron nodded, “Continue.”


“About fifteen months inot our relationship, he started getting really jealous. Like so much so, he’d be pretty angry after class if a male teacher called on me. Then he tried to tell me to stop hanging out with some of my friends. And of course, I didn’t listen. One day my friend’s boyfriend Bradin, waited with me after school because I was waiting for my mom and he didn’t want to leave me by myself. I guess my mom had called Derrick and asked him to bring me home after practice because she was running late. But she forgot to tell me. Derrick looked pretty upset that I was waiting with Bradin. He turned absolutely livid when Bradin hugged me goodbye. We drove to the lake and that’s where he hit me. I wouldn’t speak to him for a week. Seven days of flowers, chocolate and different species of stuffed animal that came every three hours became annoying and finally wore me down. When I finally talked to him again, he apologized. And yes, I forgave him. But only ONCE. The next time he hit me we were on the stairs at my house, my parents were out and he was over watching a movie. I hit him back. And he pushed me and ran away. I only fell down fifteen, twenty steps at the most but I broke my leg in two places. Bradin’s the one who figured it out. And he told EVERYONE. But I had already made up my mind and broke up with Derrick.”

Juelea rose from the swing and walked to the trashcan to throw the wrapper away and went back to sit down. “He started following me around. The following me was annoying but harmless. Then the phone calls and threats started. I go t a restraining order, and a fat lot of good it did,” she snorted. “What made him go to jail for three months and on probation for five years was horrible. My parents had to go to New Zealand to finalize some paperwork with Jesse’s adoption and let me stay in Sydney. The first night was fine. The second I hardly slept because Derrick called so much. The third day was field hockey champs. My team, the one I played on, and my school won. Bradin stayed with me that night because I had told him what happened the night before. We were goofing around upstairs when we heard the noise. Down in the kitchen we found broken windows. Bradin grabbed the phone to call the cops but Derrick hit him. While they fought I ran upstairs and got my hockey stick. When Derrick turned away from him to come after me, Bradin tried to grab him from behind. Derrick pulled a knife and stabbed Bradin. Then ran. I still haven’t forgiven myself for getting my friend hurt even though Bradin keeps insisting it’s not my fault. Derrick can’t be anywhere near me but I keep thinking I see him,” she finished.

“That’s a crazy story,” Aaron said, getting up to hug her.

“It is. Even funnier is that my mom and step dad are friends with Derrick’s parents. His cousin is one of my best friends. But not even his own parents took his side. But enough of that,” she said, standing and brushing imaginary dust off her pant legs. “I challenge you to a swing off. Whomever jumps the furthest wins.”

“You’re on.”

When they jumped, Juelea won (of course), there was a small crowd of children and their moms. Juelea heard one, a girl who looked like she was about seven, say to her mother, “I hope I’m as cook are they are when I grow up,” as she and Aaron walked away.