Page 2 of Barefoot Dreams
Mommy and Daddy keep telling me to keep smiling and be kind because kindness will always win, and I believe it, but I think I might like Griffin’s way better.
XOV,
Julie Birdy Lovinski
Julie – Age 11
Dear Diary,
Today was a weird day, not good, not bad. Just weird. And I really dislike that word, so maybe it was bad and maybe I should be mad, but I’ve never really felt mad at anything or anyone—not even Owen with his ridiculous nicknames for me—so I’m not sure how to do it.
Mom says I have a kind heart and it’s my biggest strength but I kind of wish I could get angry for once because today I overheard possibly the worst thing ever!!!
Griffin—MY Griffin—kissed someone else!
He was telling Callum and Luke about it when they were up in their tree house, and they didn’t hear me climbing up. I’m always very quiet but I almost fell off the ladder when he said those words.
He’s been my hero since I was eight and I always thought he was just mine, but now he’s all grown up. Griffin is thirteen and he’s kissing other girls. Is that normal? It sounded disgusting to me, but the boys were all excited about it and started asking him weird questions about his man parts.
He said he felt that flip flopping sensation in the bottom of his stomach like the kind you get when you go on a roller coaster.
I knew that feeling, I’ve read about it in books, but they all say it only happens when you’re around someone special. I always got it when Griff was around, but he felt it with someone else.
Should I ask Mom about it? Yeah, I think I will. She’s the best! She’ll have the answers.
XOV,
Julie Birdy Lovinski
Julie – Age 13
Dear Diary,
I know what love is! It’s beautiful and magical and all the amazing things my books always talk about. But it also hurts. So so much!
It pierces right through you when you watch someone you love, love somebody else.
I had to watch that today.
Kimmy and Griffin started dating. Officially. And right in the middle of the football field.
The guys won their game today, and I was just about to run out and congratulate them when the cheerleading squad did that with Kimmy leading them and she jumped in his arms and kissed him.
I’ve never felt anything more painful.
In a way, I didn’t feel anything tonight either. Not until Mom was wiping a tear off my cheek with a sad but warm smile.
And then it hurt too much so I grabbed her hand and ran. Mom silently followed me.
No questions asked because she’s the best.
It was when we got home that she said I should never give up. If I love something or somebody more than life itself, I shouldn’t give up. That sometimes our roads are twisted and full of roadblocks but eventually they lead us home.
It hurts to think about it now. Hurts to sit here and know that he’s with her but despite the pain, I can’t erase him from my heart.
Maybe he’ll find his way to me someday, maybe that’s all I have left. Hope.
XOV,
