"Don't blame me, love made me crazy."
Jules Howard has always lived in the shadows of her sisters, being the middle child is never easy, especially when you're only half related. When a tragic accident ends the life of her parents and her eldest sib...
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Today was a day Jules would rather have slept through. She didn't want her eyes to peel open and be in the reality of the fact she wasn't going to be able to see her older sister opening her birthday presents. People had told her the firsts are always the hardest, but she knew everything without her sister and parents would be hard.
After coaxing herself out of bed and forcing herself to get dressed for school, she searched through the boxes in her closet that she hadn't unpacked. Jules still wasn't convinced she was staying here, so it'd save her a job repacking when she left again.
There was a knock on her door as she pulled down one of the boxes, "Come in."
"Hey." Alex beamed as he entered. He noticed her opening a box, "So, you're finally unpacking?"
"Just looking for something." Jules told him, peeling open the cardboard. She probably wasn't the best person to talk to today, her mood had dropped considerably the moment she'd woke up.
Inside the box, wrapped in a blanket and sheets of bubble wrap, sat a thick candle in a clear glass jar. The white candle smelt of vanilla and cinnamon, and displayed on top, fused in by the wax were small cinnamon sticks and decorative orange slices. The label read The Lucy Co. in a cursive font.It was a small business her sister was about to start right before she passed away.
"Oo." Alex went to pick up the candle, "This smells amazing."
Jules took it out of his hands, cradling the glass against her chest, "Did you need something?"
"Oh, uh..." Alex's smile faltered as he acknowledged her tone and her body language, "I was gonna ask if you were riding with us today?"
"Kiara's picking me up." Jules told him, placing the candle on her desk.
Alex was unsure why she was suddenly giving him the cold shoulder. He was certain they were getting along great now, but he didn't want to push it, especially because she seemed like she didn't want to talk. At least not yet.
"Okay." He nodded, backing towards the door, "See you at school."
Jules sat on the edge of her bed, staring at the candle that she'd never lit and never would. It was the only thing she had here left of Lucy, and Jackie had an antique teapot sitting in her bedroom. It was sad to think that all they had left of a human being was a couple of objects.
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"I'll be okay." Jules reassured Kiara as they stood at her school locker.
