“June?” Will called. “This afternoon, my place?”
I didn’t want to stay there with them for even a second longer, so I smiled and nodded, then walked away very slowly.
“Tonight?” asked James.
“Yeah, sure,” answered Will.
There was no hesitation in his voice.Yeah, sure, what?
I leaned against the door to listen.
“You sure?” continued James.
“Yeah. Don’t ask me again.”
“I thought being with Little Miss Perfect would make you change your mind.” I froze in place.
“Do you think I could tell you about something like that?”
“And why not?” taunted James, amused. “Didn’t you find your dream girl?” His sarcastic tone offended me, but I wasn’t surprised. Every time he opened his mouth I ended up feeling degraded.
“Come on, James, can’t you be serious for once?”
Of course, I didn’t pretend that Will had said he’d just found the woman of his dreams; I wasn’t that delusional. But the skeptical answer he gave made my stomach turn. I decided it was time to go before I heard something that I’d regret hearing.
>> <<
“Do you want me to pick you up?”
Will called me around five thirty, taking me by surprise. I hadn’t expected him to keep any of his promises.
“I’ll go there. I remember where you live,” I said apathetically.
I should’ve forgotten about how much I heard in the morning; after all, there could be a more reasonable explanation for what was said. But my suspicion toward Will only grew.
“All right.”
“Later, Will.”
I was about to hang up when Will stopped me.
“June?”
I stayed still and quiet.
“I can’t wait to see you.”
“Yeah.”
I couldn’t say anything else; I only felt relief when I hung up. I headed to the garage to dust off my bike. I felt my heart skip a beat when I saw that the old frame had remained intact after countless moves. I almost jumped when I got to the kitchen. Mom was perched on the seat like an owl with her iPad under her nose, looking at a collection of multicolored splotches. “To what do we owe the honor of taking that old heap of steel out for a ride?”
“Mom!”
She looked out the window curiously, pointing at the bike.
“Does the occasion have a name?”
“I’m gonna study at Amelia’s.”
