George and I were walking home together. We had planned to do the paper today, since it was due tomorrow.

He opened the door to his house and a burst of a sweet smelling aroma filled my nose. His mother's been baking again. There was a fresh plate of cookies that had steam rising from them on the kitchen table.

"Shall we get to work?" I asked, setting my books on the table.

"Yep," he said.

I opened my textbook and flipped to the page the teacher suggested would help us the most. On that page was a chart of the Periodic Table.

"Which one do ye want to do?" asked George.

I looked at the book some more. "I'm not sure. What about you?"

"I have no clue," he said.

I scanned the book a few more times then came up with an idea. "I know," I said, "what we can do. I close my eyes and put my finger on a random one. Whichever one it lands on we do the paper on."

"Sounds good t'me," he agreed.

I covered my eyes with my hand and placed my finger on the left page. I looked at the element my finger landed on. "Lithium," I said.

"I don't know anythin' about lithium," said George.

"I don't either," I said taking a cookie. "Ow!" I said as I dropped the cookie on the paper. The cookie was hotter than I thought.

"Are ye okay?"

I put my finger in my mouth. "Yeah, I just didn't think the cookie would be that hot."

I carefully lifted the cookie off our paper, trying not to burn myself again. There were crumbs left on the paper and I flicked them off with my free hand.

"Do ye want some milk with yer cookie?" asked George.

I nodded my head. "Lithium is mainly used for medicines and treatments," I read aloud from the book.

I wrote that down on the paper in way that was much longer than a sentence, along with the introduction. "This is gonna be harder than I thought."

"Let's make it easier with a record," said George walking over to his collection. He put the needle on the record and Little Richard's "Keep a Knockin'" filled the room.

"Is that the record that I bought you?" I asked, looking up at him.

He smiled and his cheeks turned slightly pink. "Yeah."

That made me blush as well. Memories of that day flooded my mind, not paying much attention to anything until I heard George calling my name.

"Julia!"

"Oh, sorry. What?"

"Ye went blank for a minute."

"Oh. We should get back to work," I said. I picked up the pencil.

There was a silence as we both awkwardly flipped the pages of our textbooks.

"What else are we supposed to put in the paper?" George asked.

I took a deep breath. "I have absolutely no clue," I said.

"What about where it's most commonly found?" he suggested.

"Brilliant."

I flipped back and forth between pages. There was nothing about where it's found. "Do you have an encyclopedia or something that can help?"

He got up from his chair and went upstairs. It was a few minutes before he came back carrying a book with a big L on the leather cover.

"I almost forgot that me grandmum gave me a set for my birthday a while back," he said.

He set it down on the table and opened the cover as dust came flying out. "You don't use it much?"

"Haven't found a need for the letter L," he replied.

~**~

"George!" I said.

"Wha'?"

I got up to get my things. "I have to get to work and we haven't finished the report!" I started taking big breaths because I wasn't sure what to do.

I started pacing the room. I'm not the greatest under pressure. George got up and grabbed me by the shoulders. "Calm down, calm down. Don't ye worry, I'll finish it. I'll get it all done for tomorrow. I promise."

I threw my arms around him in relief. "Thank you so much," I said. "You're the best."

I opened the door and waved goodbye. "See you tomorrow," I say as I close the door behind me.

I rush to the café as fast as I can. I notice that I usually wait until the last minute to get to work.

I walk into the building and get my apron on. I collect my pad and pencil as I see my boss yelling an African American. They seem to be arguing over something.

"I have a right to eat here," shouted the stranger.

"Not anymore. I just placed a new sign up. Can't a negro read?" shouted Mr. Richardson.

I got over to the scene because people were starting to crowd around. "What's the problem?" I asked.

"This negro came in here right after I placed a sign that clearly states that this is a white only building," answered my boss, not looking away.

Frankly, I didn't notice the new sign either. I was a bit taken back because I never thought Mr. Richardson to be a racist.

"Well, don't you think that's a bit harsh?" I asked.

"Of course not. Don't you read the papers? They carry diseases," he answered.

"They do not!"

"Oh yes they do! They just wrote a column about it," he argued. He threw today's newspaper on the table. On it was the a little column off to the side titled, Blacks, A Deadly Carrier.

"That's a lie! I would know whether or not I carry a disease!" Yelled the stranger.

"Well obviously you don't!" Said Mr. Richardson, trying to get in the poor man's face.

"Just let him eat here in peace!" I began to shout.

"I will not tolerate that tone from an employee. Either you shut your mouth or you're fired!" He shouted back.

I looked him dead in the eye. I didn't shout and I kept my voice level. "Then I guess I'm done working for you," I say. I calmly untied my apron and put it away. I walked out of the café.

I heard the bell ring after I had just left. "Ye didn't have to do that," said the voice of the stranger.

I turned around. "He didn't have to be such a racist."

"My name's Harry," he said.

"My name's Julia."

He smiled. "Well, I best be on my way. Thank you," he said.

"It wasn't any trouble," I said as I waved and turned to walk home.

~**~

That entire experience completely ruined my day. Sure it felt great to help the poor man but I just hate that I quit my job and that my ex boss was a bloody racist of all things.

I took the long way home so I could have a little more time to myself. I just completely forgot that Paul's house was on the way.

Paul was playing soccer or as the British call it, football, with Mike. To make matters worse, Mike had to open his mouth. "Say hi to your girlfriend."

"She isn't my girlfriend anymore, Mike," said Paul.

I kept my head down and just tried to ignore them. "What happened? She found out yer a wanker?" Mike said. I couldn't help but smile a little.

I finally turned the corner and got home. I went up to my room because I was worn out from just everything. I put on one of my Elvis records and just listened.

I stared up at the ceiling and just laid there thinking. Nothing good ever comes from that.

A few minutes later, or hours, I can never tell, my mother called me down. "What is it, Mom?" I asked as I walked down the last step.

"Someone's here to see you, Jules," she answered.

"I told you not to call me that," I say.

"Aw come on, it suites yah," she says as she pinches my cheek when she walks by.

I walk to the door and was a bit surprised by who I saw standing in it. Paul was holding flowers in his hands and it looked like he just recently combed his hair.

"Paul," I exclaimed. "What are you dong here?"

He looked down at the flowers then back at me. "Julia," he started, "I want ye to take me back. Before ye say anythin' let me explain. I thought that my feelings for ye disappeared. I thought that I would start see other people, but when I see ye hanging out with George, I get jealous. I realize I still have feelings for ye. Please. Take me back."

I didn't know what to say. I didn't know what to think or feel either. "Paul...I– I can't. I'm done with all this switching back and forth. It isn't fair for me and it definitely wasn't fair for either you or George. I'm sorry, but no."

I could see the hurt in his eyes. It made me feel like such a bad person, and who knows, maybe I am.

"I understand completely. It's yer choice. I'd be pretty tired of switching too, I guess. Could we still be friends?" he asked. I pulled him in for a hug. He asked the one that was missing from the last time we spoke.

"You will always be my best friend, Paul."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~************************************~~~~~~~~~~~~

Asdfghkl guys ily this chapter is kinda lame in my opinion but what I think is irrelevant. I wanted to do the racism thing because I know that it isn't acknowledged in fanfics so I thought I'd do something but you guys probably don't care because once again fanfic but small paulia moment awww I miss them