chapter 22

~*~one week before Christmas~*~

Julie sat at her kitchen table looking at all of her bills which were piled up. She had gotten a job at a clothing store, but she wasn't making nearly enough to pay for her apartment, food and other things. She had already maxed out her credit cards by buying Christmas presents.

"Julie, if you need help, I'll help you" her sister said over the phone.

"No, I'm ok. I promise. I just need two more weeks"

"but didn't you say that your rent was due last week. Julie if you don't pay it they'll kick you out"

"I have to go. love you"

"Me too" her sister sighed hanging up.

"two thousand, four hundred and seventy six dollars." Julie said after adding up how much her bills were, "I'm in debt" she whined.

Her phone rang again, "Hello?"

"Miss Smith? Hi this is AT&T, we're worried about your phone bill payment."

"Two weeks" she said repeating the familiar phrase.

"Two weeks isn't going to do it. You have four days from tomorrow to get it to us."

Julie just hung up the phone and grabbed her keys. She drove to Orlando and sat in front of Aj's house, contemplating on whether or not to go in. Finally she got out and walked up to the front door and knocked.

"Hi" Jessica said answering the door.

"Hi, how are you?"

"Good, and you?"

"I'm ok, can I come in?"

"sure" she said letting her in, "Aj's in the studio"

Julie walked up there, "Aj?"

"Hey" he smiled standing up and taking off his headphones

She nervously sat down and crossed her legs.

"You look great"

"Thanks" she said knowing he was lying. It was obvious she was stressed out., "What are you doing?"

"Just listening to a demo that someone sent me. It's pretty good. So what brings you here?"

Julie just started balling, "Aj, I don't have any money. I can't pay my bills and they said they were going to kick me out of my apartment and all my credit cards are maxed out and I have to eat at Aaron's every night cause I don't have any money to buy myself food. And they're gonna turn off my house and cell phone. I don't know how to take care of myself." she sighed, "you always took care of me, I just never realized"

"Don't you have a job?"

"I don't make enough money to pay everything off"

"Well I'm sure there's something that you can do to get them to give you extensions.

"This is the extension period" she cried

"Well, I still care for you and I want you to be ok so I'll be happy to help you out. How much do you need?"

Julie bit her lip, "Around three thousand"

Aj sat there for a second

"i know that it's a bad time of year, with Christmas and everything, but i swear I'll pay you back."

"I'll be back" Aj went downstairs and came back with his check book. He wrote a check and gave it to Julie, "Don't worry about paying me back. It's my pleasure to help you out"

"Thank you so much" she said looking at the check, "Aj, I only needed three thousand, you gave me six"

"I know, to make sure you get back on your feet. Listen, I'm gonna put a call into Jive and see what I can do about getting you a job. They'll pay you a lot more. Or, I know how you like to do make up, we need somebody on tour with us"

Julie knew how much money they made and knew what a good opportunity it would be, "I'll think about it"

"ok"

"This means so much to me, Thank you again." she said standing up

"Where are you going for Christmas?"

"Kentucky"

"how'd you afford tickets?"

"oh, umm, Aaron bought them"

"Oh. So you're spending Christmas with him?"

"Yea"

"Well I have a present for you. Do you want it now?"

"You bought me a present?"

"Yep" he said walking downstairs and went to the Christmas tree, "Here" he said handing her a medium sized box, "don't open it till Christmas"

"Ok. This is a nice tree"

"Not like the one's you would pick out"

Jessica looked over at them and cleared her throat 

"I have to get going back to Miami, I'll see you later ok?"

"Yea,"

"Bye" she said giving him a hug and a soft kiss on the cheek.

"Bye" he smiled watching her leave.

"Hi honey" Aaron's mother said waving from across the street.

"Shit" Julie said before waving.

"Well come over dear"

Julie walked over, "Hi, how are you?"

"Good, what brings you back here?"

"I needed to talk to Aj"

"Oh, I see. Is my son with you?"

"No, he's back in Miami"

"Oh, I see. Well go ahead and get home before it rains"

"Ok, bye" she smiled walking back to her car. She drove back to Miami and stopped at the bank. She went home after and felt a big flood of relief come over her. She walked up to her apartment and saw Aaron sitting in front of her door.

"Hey, what's up" she said to him.

"My mom called"

"oh, hey look, I can explain"

"What's there to explain. You went to his house after we agreed not to and who knows what went on"

"Nothing. I just needed to talk to him"

"About what?"

"I needed some help" she said opening her door.

"What kind of help?"

"Aaron, please not now ok?"

"I just want to know"

"I'm having a little trouble paying my bills and I needed some money to get me back on track. And since Aj has always taken care of me, I asked him for help"

"I would help you"

"With three thousnad dollars?"

"If that's what you needed"

"Well next time I need help I'll ask you ok?"

"so what did you have to do for the money?"

"I'm not a prostitute, Aaron" Julie said shaking her head

"Well-"

"Stop" Julie said, "I don't need this from you right now"

"I just wish you would trust me"

"You're the one who doesn't trust me. You don't understand where I'm coming from Aaron. I haven't had to take care of myself before. I went strait from living with my parents, to living with AJ and now I'm on my own and I cant do it"

"Yes you can. You just need a better job."

"I know" she sighed laying down. Tears started forming again.

"Awww, baby, don't cry"

"I'm just a little stressed"

"Tomorrow, we'll get everything straightened out ok?"

"k"

"Let's go to bed" he said helping her off the couch and to her bedroom.

~*~Next Morning~*~

Julie cooked breakfast for her and Aaron.

"Can you get that?" she called to him as her phone rang.

"Hello?" Aaron asked

"Hey, is Julie there?" A guy asked

"Who's this?"

"Aj,"

"Oh, hold on" he said, "Babe, it's AJ"

Julie went over and took the phone from him.

"Hello?"

"Babe huh?" AJ chuckled, "you tell your pretty boy boyfriend that there's no need to make me jealous. When you wise up you'll come back to me"

Julie didn't say anything.

"Are you there?"

"Yea"

"Well fucking answer  me then"

"You didn't ask a question."

"So what are you doing?"

"Cooking"

"You never cooked here. You just sat around all day."

"Whats wrong with you? Are you drunk?"

"Maybe"

"Call me when your sober ok?"

"How about you come over here, and me and you can fuck"

"I have to go"

"No"

"AJ, I told you to call me when you're not drunk"

"I want to talk to you"

"No, you're not talking to me. You're degrading me"

"I just gave you six thousand fucking dollars you stupid bitch. You wont get off the phone with me until I say so!" he screamed at her.

"Bye AJ" she said hanging up.

~*~five hours later~*~

Aaron had went home after he and Julie took care of her bills. Julie's doorbell rang.

She opened the door without looking through the peep whole.

"Aj, what are you doing here?"

Aj walked in and closed the door, "That was so rude of you to hang up on me"

"Did you drive four hours to tell me that?"

"No, I drove fours hours to do this" he said grabbing her and kissing her.

"Get off!" she said pushing him back.

"Just let me" AJ said bringing her to her room.

"Let go of me!" Julie screamed trying to wiggle out of his arms.

Aj pinned her to her bed and straddled her. 

"Please don't Aj"

"I just wanna be with you" He said taking off her shirt.

"I don't wanna be with you"

AJ finished taking off her clothes as he tried to keep her still, "Julie, if you don't calm it's gonna be much worse. I'll be gentle if you calm down"

Julie gave up her struggle and laid there crying.

"I hate you Aj" she sobbed as he took off her pants and underwear.

"Shhhh" he said entering her. He took her gently this time and tried kissing her.

"No" she cried shaking her head.

Aj kept going and tried to make love to her.

"I hate you I hate you I hate you" Julie kept repeating the whole time.

Aj finished with a few quick pumps. He pulled out and kissed Julie's cheek.

Julie turned on her side and buried herself under the covers.

"Baby" Aj started

"Please leave"

AJ stood there staring at her shoulders as they shook from her crying

"Come on Julie. You know I only did that out of love. I just thought if you felt how gentle I could be, you'd love me again."

"Goodbye Alex"

"Jules"

"Would you just get out"

"Can you look at me"

She turned and looked at him. Her black mascara had run down her face.

"Oh god, I'm so sorry"

She turned back over and hugged herself.

AJ sat on the edge of her bed. The two sat in silence for about thirty minutes. AJ kept rubbing Julie's leg through her thick comforter.

"I wish I could take it back" Aj finally said

"Well you can't" Julie said softly. She sat up, "Look Alex, you need to go"

"Can I take you out? Can I do something to make it up to you?"

"There's nothing you can do"

Aj just sat there.

"Get out" Julie said again.

Aj nodded standing up, "I Love you. Always remember that"

Julie was about to say something but just turned over and waited for him to leave. A couple of minutes later, she heard the door shut. She stood up and walked into her bathroom. She took a shower and sat down on her bed.

"Hello?" She asked answering the phone.

"Hi baby" Aaron said, "I missed you so I thought I call and see if I could come over and stay the night"

"Oh, Ummm sure if you want" she said softly.

"Are you ok?"

"Yea"

"You don't sound like it"

"I'm fine" she said as tears started to fall again

"Do you want me to come"

"Yea" she said as she started sobbing.

"What's wrong"

"Just come over"

"I'll be there in a minute" he said getting off. About ten minutes later, he rushed up to her apartment.

"Jules?" he said coming in. She sat on her couch in just a robe eating ice cream.

"What's the matter?" He asked sitting next to her.

"I can't tell you, you'll be mad"

"At you?"

"No"

"Then who?"

Julie took a deep breath, "Aj came over here, I didn't know he was coming"

"And what happened"

"I told him no" she cried

"did he rape you"

"Yes" she nodded

Aaron just hugged her, "i love you ok, no matter what happened"

"why do you put up wth all of this? I have so much drama"

"I don't know"

"You should get a girlfriend who has no problems"

"I wouldn't love her as much as I love you. So should I go to AJ's house?"

"No"

"I wanna do something about it"

"Just hold me"

"Ok" he said pulling her in his arms, "I can't believe he did this to you. He used protection right?"

Julie sat up in shock, "I don't remember him putting one on"

Aaron didn't say anything, "We'll get through this ok?"

"Ok"