Taking This Too Far., Alexandra Wolf [best young adult book series txt] 📗

their way to their car and left.

“Damn. Vin has a nice ass body. Did you see that eight-pack? I’m going to have dreams tonight.” said a smiling Sophie, laying her head back on the headrest.

“Yes, I saw.” said Juliana without any enthusiasm.

“I can’t wait for tomorrow.” said Sophie. “I need it. Jean-Paul and I are over. I don’t want to talk about it either. Just please come with me.”

Juliana sighed. “I don’t have a choice, now do I?”

“Nope.” grinned a happy Sophie.


Chapter 7


Juliana paced her bedroom. It was nine-thirty. Sophie should have been here by now. Juliana had called her four times but it would go straight to voicemail. She texted her twice and no replies. Juliana was growing restless. In some way she didn’t feel like going to the party but it took her forty-five minutes to get her hair curled just the way she wanted. She tried to do her make up the way she saw it in a magazine and it came out.

She couldn’t decide on what to wear, she didn’t want to show up in jeans and a tee. She wanted to go for something different, so she settled for a black strapless dress. It was nice and simple. Juliana received it as a gift for Christmas, so it was the perfect opportunity to wear it. The end of the dress stopped right above her knees. Juliana was worried it was a tad short but her mother had assured her that she looked beautiful.

Juliana tried calling Sophie one more time. This time she answered.

“Jules, I’m so sorry. My car broke down and I couldn’t find my phone charger. Jake is on his way to pick me-” Wherever Sophie was the service kept breaking. Juliana tried to make out what she was trying to say.

“It’s okay. I’ll wait for you.” said Juliana.

“No-” the line was going static again. “-is going to pick you up. I got to go. The service here sucks.”

Before Juliana could ask who was going to pick her up, Sophie had hung up. Crap, thought Juliana. She could drive to the party but she had no idea where Danny lived. She could have texted someone but it was pointless. She would still get lost; she had no sense of direction.
Sophie had told her someone was going to pick her up but she couldn’t make it out. She wanted to call Sophie again but then her phone rang.

Juliana blanched. Why was Vincent calling her?

She swallowed and took a breath. “Hello?”

“Hi, um.” he seemed nervous as well. “I’m outside your front door.”

“You’re what?” she almost shouted into her phone.

“Outside your front door.” he repeated.

Juliana closed her eyes. “Okay, I’ll be there in a minute. Let me grab my purse.” With that she hung up. Why did Sophie ask him to pick her up? Why couldn’t she send Jake?

She grabbed her purse and coat and made her way downstairs. Her mother had taken her brother to a friend’s house and wouldn’t be back till late. She turned off her lights, took a deep breath and opened her front door.

There a very handsome Vincent waited for her. He seemed taller to her even with her five inch heels. He stood maybe six foot two. He was in dark jeans, black v-neck and his Nikes.

He smiled at her. “You look nice.”

She smiled back. “You don’t look so bad yourself.” She locked up. He had parked on the sidewalk.

“Where’s your car?” she asked him when she didn’t see his Mustang.

“My dad wanted to borrow it for tonight so he let me use his Beemer. Next time I’ll pick you up in my car.” he winked at her. He was teasing her. Juliana teased right back.

“Who says there will be a next time?” she smiled. He laughed. A booming laugh. Juliana never heard him laugh before. It was a nice sound.

He was gentleman; he opened the car door for her. Before she knew it, they were on their way. Juliana stayed still in the passenger side. Vincent drove like a natural. He turned the radio on so there wouldn’t be any silence. Juliana thanked him for it, she hated awkward silences.

Juliana turned the music down. Vincent didn’t mind.

“Why did Sophie send you to pick me up?” she asked him as he turned onto the freeway.

“She didn’t. Jake sent me. Sophie’s car broke down near Jake so he went to pick her and I was close your house so he asked me to pick you up.” It seemed reasonable to Juliana.

“How’d you know where I live?”

“Jake told me. He texted me the address and I found it on my GPS.”

“Oh okay.”

“I’m not a stalker.” he laughed.

“I didn’t say you were.” she told him.

“You were thinking it.” he said his eyes went from the road to her.

She smiled. “That is not true and wipe that smile off your face and keep your eyes on the road. It makes me nervous.”

“I make you nervous?” he asked

“No.” she lied. She hoped he couldn’t tell. With that, Juliana turned the music back up and he drove in silence. The faster they arrived to Danny’s house the faster she could get away from Vincent.


Chapter 8

Juliana could breathe again. Vincent parked the car across the street from Danny’s house. His house seemed full. You could hear the hip hop/ electro music intensely coming from the house. People were talking and drinking in front of the house, others were making out and just arriving.

Juliana had texted Sophie in the car, Sophie had texted her saying that she would be there in ten minutes.

“You want to go in?” Vincent asked her.

She wanted to wait for Sophie but she didn’t want to look stupid outside waiting for her. She nodded and walked beside Vincent. They made their to the front of the house.

“Vinny!” someone shouted. It was Danny. He came over and shook Vincent’s hand and hugged Juliana.

“Dang, Julie. You are looking beautiful. Damn, those longs legs…do you play soccer?”

Danny was a sweet guy if it were some other guy, Juliana would probably say something. She smiled at him and thanked him. “No, Dan. I don’t play soccer.”

“Well you should.” he joked. “Well come inside. Grab a drink.”

Vincent let Juliana go in before him. He felt protective of Juliana at the moment. When Danny made that comment, he almost wanted to tell him something, but he calmed himself. Juliana wasn’t his to protect. Besides why did it matter to him? Maybe he felt like that because he was hurt. His girlfriend Hayley had broken up with him over the phone two weeks ago. She had told him that long relationships never worked out and she didn’t want to try.

The lights were turned off in the house. The only lighting was colorful party lights that were set by the DJ to illuminate the dance floor. Juliana definitely felt out of place. Vincent sensing it grabbed her hand and guided her to the kitchen where the rest of the varsity soccer team was.

“Vinny.” They shouted in unison. They all came up to him shook his hand and gave him manly hugs.

“I see you brought the beautiful Juliana Belrose as a date.” said Nick, a blond haired boy sitting near the kitchen’s island.

Vincent looked over at Juliana who was looking at her phone. He knew she heard what Nick had asked him and she was pretending to mess with her phone so she didn’t have to feel so weird.

“Yeah. I did.” he said. He noticed her cheeks flush. She was still messing with her phone. He was surprised she didn’t say anything. He thought she would retort but she didn’t.

“Sophie’s here. I am going to meet her outside.” she said.

“Okay” he said and she left.

********************************************************************************

“He said what?” asked Sophie. Juliana had to tell Sophie what happened. They were outside while Jake and Vincent were inside hanging with everyone else.

“I was his date.” she told her.

Sophie smiled and hugged Juliana. “Aw, he likes you.”

Juliana laughed. “No, he doesn’t. I think he just said that to help his ego.”

“Juliana, you’re hot. How can he not like you? You’re smart and sweet. You are down-to-earth. You’re every guy’s dream girl.” Sophie said, with one serious face.

“Whatever.” said Juliana brushing that conversation aside. “How was the ride with Jake?”

“He’s talking to someone.”

“Who?”

“He’s talking to Lexie Franco. He told me they’ve been talking for almost two weeks now.” Sophie seemed upset about it. Juliana was confused. Sophie always acted as if she couldn’t stand Jake but now that he seemed to forget about her, she was saddened.

“Really? Well that’s good.” said Juliana. Sophie glared at her. “What?! I thought you didn’t like him.”

“Well…I didn’t but I don’t know…” Sophie was a walking contradiction. “I don’t want to talk about it. I want to dance.”

So that is just what they did. Sophie danced with Luke, a cute football player. Juliana was sitting near the stairs when Danny asked her to dance, she didn’t want to offend him in his own home so she agreed. Juliana just felt the music and danced to the beat of it.

Vincent and the guys came out of the kitchen. The house was full mostly on the dance floor. Vincent looked into the dancing crowd. There he saw Juliana dancing with Danny. He didn’t know why but it bothered him. He definitely didn’t like it. He didn’t understand it. Juliana was his partner, well emphasis on was. It was something about her that drew him to her…

He couldn’t just go up there and ask to cut in…or could he? He did. Vincent walked right behind Danny tapped him on the shoulder and asked if he could dance with his date. Danny of course didn’t mind. Juliana just looked at Vincent. He smiled crookedly at her. She smiled back at him. His breath caught in his throat. Hell, he wanted this girl.


Chapter 9


Juliana was driven home by Jake after the party. Vincent had offered to drive her home but she nicely refused. She got home around three in the morning. Her mom’s car was in the driveway; she knew she’d be asleep. Her mother wasn’t one to get mad for coming home late. She trusted Juliana. Once kicking off her heels, Juliana changed in her pajamas and took off her make-up. She jumped into bed and fell asleep.

Her Sunday morning was spent shopping with her mother, and lunch at her favorite restaurant, Acapulco. Her younger brother Nathan ended spending the night at a friend’s house, so her mother and her decided to spend the day together. Her mother asked how the party was but all Juliana would say was that it was fine and nothing more.

By the time they arrived home, it was 7 o’clock. Juliana went straight to her room. She placed her bags on the floor and texted Sophie.

“Hey. Where are you?” she hit the send button. Three minutes later she received a reply.

“At home.