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

Nate’s geometry teacher who told her that his grades were definitely improving. Juliana was very happy to hear that.

The bell rang. She was on her way out when her chemistry teacher, Mrs. Tucker called out to her.

“Yes?” asked Juliana.

“Mr. Andrews emailed me telling you to go to his classroom. He has something for you.”

Juliana thanked her and left. She knocked at Mr. Andrews door and stepped inside.“Hello Ms. Belrose. This came for you today.” He opened a drawer on his desk and took out a closed envelope. He handed it to her.

It was from Columbia. Juliana’s hand shook when she took it from him. Mr. Andrews chuckled at her response. He told her that she had nothing to worry about. He had complete confidence that she was accepted. Mr. Andrews continued talking to her but she couldn’t hear anything. Her mind was completely blank.

“Juliana.”

“Hmm?”

“I asked if you were going to open it.” Juliana looked up at him and shook her head.

“Not yet.” she told him.

Mr. Andrews nodded. Juliana thanked him and left the classroom. She was afraid of what it said inside the letter. Sophie had left early for an appointment so she had to open this alone. She made her way to her car. At least if she wasn’t accepted no one would be around to see her when she raged out, not that she was an aggressive person.

It had been fifteen minutes and Juliana had not opened the letter. She took a breath and finally decided to open it. Just as she ripped a side of the envelope. Someone knocked on her window. It was Vincent.

Instead of rolling down her window, she stepped out of her car. “What?” she asked him.

“Fifth period started twenty minutes ago. You’re late. What are you doing in your car? Are you okay?”

“I’m fine, thanks. Wait a minute, what are you doing here?” she asked turning the tables on him.

He grinned. “Wouldn’t you like to know? What’s that?” he said noticing the envelope in her hand.

“Either my acceptance or rejection letter from Columbia.” she told him, she leaned against her car. “I haven’t opened it.”

She was afraid of what was inside. Vincent could tell. “Want me to open it for you?”

Julian looked up at him. She slowly nodded and handed him the envelope. He ripped it open. He slowly took it out and opened the letter. Juliana held her breath as he read it out loud to her.

“Ms. Juliana Belrose. We thank you for applying at Columbia University. As we carefully reviewed your application, we regret to inform you that-” she cut him off.

“I didn’t get in! I didn’t get in!” she shouted. She felt like punching something so she did. She kept punching and kicking her car. Vincent just stood there, he couldn’t hold his laugher anymore.

She turned around and glared at him. “What’s so funny?” she asked him her green eyes seemed to be on fire.

He was afraid to tell her. She looked like she was going to murder someone. “Um. I was kidding. You were accepted. I just wanted…I’m sorry Jules. If I would have known you were going to react like that. I wouldn’t have done it. Juliana? Are you listening?”

Juliana started laughing. “I got in?” Vincent smiled and nodded. “I got in! Oh my God! I did it!.” She was so happy she jumped into Vincent’s arms and hugged him tightly. Vincent hugged her back. She had wrapped her arms around his neck. She had forgotten all about her acceptance when she hugged him. He smelled amazing. She slowly let go of him.

“Sorry.” she said. “I was just excited.”

He gave her a crooked smile. “It’s okay and if you wouldn’t have told me I wouldn’t have noticed.”

Juliana couldn’t believe it. She was going to Columbia University in New York city. Vincent saw her glowing for the first time. He liked seeing her this way. He liked how she hugged him. Juliana held the acceptance letter to her chest and twirled around.

“I did it.” she repeated again. Vincent stopped her before she got too dizzy.

“In honor of you getting into college, I want to take you to dinner.” Juliana eyed him for a minute. Was he being for real?

“So?” he asked when she didn’t answer him. What’s the worst that could happen? She thought to herself. He was just trying to be nice.

“Okay.” she said. Vincent looked shocked.

“Really? It’s about time.” he told her.

“About time?” she asked him. He didn’t answer her question. He simply told her that they would go out to dinner on Friday.

“Friday? That’s Valentine’s Day.”

“I know.” was all he said and left her there speechless. Juliana didn’t mind, she got in.


Chapter 12

Vincent had texted Juliana earlier telling her he would arrive around eight. When she didn’t text back, he worried that she didn’t receive his message. He hoped she did receive the message and decided there wasn’t a need to text back. He had showered and dressed in dark blue jeans, a nice grey dress shirt and his Nikes.

“Where are you off to?” The question came from his older brother, Enzo. He was leaning on the doorway. He looked like Vincent, except their eyes. Enzo had their father’s grey eyes. Vincent and him had grown apart since their move but Vincent needed to change that. He grinned at his brother.

“I have a date.” He told him as he put his wallet into his back pocket. Enzo eyed him as he took a seat on Vincent’s bed.

“What?” Vincent asked since Enzo was almost glaring at his younger brother.

“I’m sorry but don’t you have a girlfriend named Hayley?” Since Vincent and his brother hadn’t talked much since they arrived in California, he hadn’t told his brother about him and Hayley breaking up. He thought this was a chance to change that-to get close to his older brother again. They were best friends when Enzo was still in high school. When Vincent had arrived as a freshman in Kenwood Park high school, Enzo was a junior. Enzo didn’t mind that his brother was “freshmeat.” He took his younger brother under his wing. Vincent was always hanging with his brother and his friends, but eventually Enzo had graduated, gone off to college and took part in the family business.

“Nope,” said Vincent. “not anymore. She decided to break it off since we are on different parts of the country.”

Enzo smiled. “Whoa, I didn’t think that girl was smart enough to do that.” Vincent returned the smile. Enzo never liked Hayley. She was a blonde with an attitude. She was too conceited. She used Vincent whenever she wanted something-of course his brother would please his princess but damn would it bother him. He wanted shake some sense into his little brother.

Vincent was putting on his watch when he caught his brother staring at him again. “Dude, what the hell? Do I have something on my face?” He sounded irritated.

Enzo laughed. “Chill. I was just thinking about when we were younger and I was getting ready for a date, you’d be in my room laying on my bed while you watched. You’d ask me where I would take girls and my response would always be-”

“A man never reveals his secrets” Vincent finished for him. Enzo smiled.

“You remember that?”

“Dude, I remember everything you say.” Enzo raised an eyebrow. Vincent coughed. “Well not everything.”

“Sure,” joked Enzo. “So who’s this girl you're taking out?”

Vincent hesitated for a minute. He wanted to keep Juliana on the down low for now. It’s not that he didn’t want to tell his brother about her but he hadn’t told anybody not even his friends back in Chicago. He just wanted to take things slow with her. Juliana seemed to be a good girl not one to just mess around with. When he went out with Hayley for the first time, they had slept together. Juliana was different. He didn’t want to fuck things up. There was something about her…

“Hello!” Enzo waved a hand in brother’s face. Vincent brushed him off.

“Just a girl.”

“Just a girl?” Vincent simply nodded. Since Vincent wasn’t giving him anymore, Enzo decided to stop with the questions. He waved his hands in surrender. “Okay, well hopefully this girl is way better than…” He didn’t have to finish. Vincent already knew who his brother was talking about.

Vincent shook his head. “Come on, Hayley wasn’t that bad.”

Enzo scoffed. “The only ‘good’ from that girl was her body. Sorry man, you know it’s true. Her personality sucked.” They both laughed. Vincent knew his brother wasn’t lying. Vincent looked that the time on his watch: 7:48.

“Alright, I better get going. I told her I’d be picking her up around eight.” Enzo got up from the bed and stretched.

“Okay, remember: no glove, no love.” He smiled.

Vincent laughed. “I am no rush to get laid, man.” Enzo shrugged and smiled. Enzo was about to leave when he asked his brother where he was taking his date.

Vincent grinned and said, “A man never reveals his secrets.”


Chapter 13

Vincent parked his car in front of Juliana’s house. He called her once but no answer He tried a second time no answer. Vincent saw her car parked in her driveway, he also saw some of the lights were turned on. He wondered if Juliana was purposely trying to avoid him. She did seem sort of distant at school. She did say hi to him but then ran to the girl’s bathroom. He decided he wanted to get a straight answer from her. If she didn’t want to go then she should tell him so.

He stepped out of his car, locked his car and knocked on her front door.

Someone opened the door. “Can I help you?” It was a boy. He had dark black hair with hazel eyes. He seemed to be around thirteen or fourteen years. He was tall for his age too. Vincent decided it might be Juliana’s brother.

“Hi, um. Is Juliana home?”

The kid eyed him for a minute. “Yeah, she is but she can’t talk now. Who are you?”

“I’m Vincent. Vin for short. I’m a friend from school.” Vincent told him. “I was supposed to take your sister out to dinner tonight.

“Oh, well that isn’t going to happen tonight or even tomorrow night, sorry dude.”

“What do you mean?” asked Vincent “Is she okay?” The boy noticed concern in Vincent’s eyes.

He nodded. “Yeah, she’s fine but she‘s super sick. I’m Nathan. Nate for short.” Nate reached out to shake Vincent’s hand. Vincent smiled and shook it. “You know, you’re more than welcome to come in and hang. My mom is out of town for a couple days.”

“Haven’t your parents ever taught you to never invite a stranger into your home?” Vincent joked. Nathan laughed.

“Fine, can I see your ID?” Vincent shook his head and smiled. He reached into his pocket and fetched out his wallet to show Nate his license.

“Okay, you’re clear. Come on in.” Vincent stepped into the house. It was a really beautiful home. He knew that Juliana’s mother was a interior decorator so it wasn’t a surprise to see her house so well