Jag watched Mal clam up completely in the face of Archie.
He then gave her a look.
She mouthed, “I’ll hurry.”
Jag rounded the counter, sliding a finger across her hip ashe did, then rested his ass on a stool by Mal’s.
She didn’t lie.She hurried.
Mal avoided watching her.
It wasn’t that long ago Jag had been Mal’s age so he knewwhat was going on with this.
He was crushing, huge.
So much, whatever was fucking with his head had come out inan ugly way, a way that he’d disappointed her, and now he was embarrassed he’dacted like a dick.
When Jag had his cherry Coke, Mal had his shake, and Archhad taken off, he let Mal have a couple of swallows before he admitted, “Allright, kid, I lied.”
Mal looked up at him.
“You’re gonna get a lecture, a short one, but an importantone,” Jag went on.
Mal’s face started screwing up.
Jag was quick about saying what he had to say before the boysaid something he’d regret.
“Fabe’s a cool guy.We both know that.What isnotcool is you talking trash to him.And I’ll just say that’stohim orabouthim if he’s not around.He is who he is and how he is and that’s none of yourbusiness, outside how he treats you.And I know he’s cool with you.So there’snot one single reason for you not to be cool with him.Are we on the same pagewith that?”
Mal looked guilty and hid it by turning away and slurping upmore ice cream.
“I’ll take that as a yes,” Jag said, lifting the glass andtaking a sip (and Archie had bona-fide Coca-Cola glasses, with the bulbous topand the narrow base).
Shit.
Fountain cherry Coke made with two syrups and seltzer justcouldn’t be beat.
They sat in silence.
They sat in silence longer.
Mal made those slurping noises that meant his shake wasgone.
And they sat in silence after that.
Jag had hoped the kid would open up, but it seemed he wasn’tgoing to.
He still gave him more time before he got off his stool,grabbed both their glasses and headed behind the counter to put them in the busbin.
He then positioned himself opposite Mal at the counter andleaned into his forearms to get eye-to-eye with the boy.
When they locked gazes, Jag spoke.
“Right, Igottaget back to work,Mal.It’d be groovy you worked on your homework a little.And when Fabe getsback with his smoothie, it’d be cool you said words to make amends.That’s upto you.But from here on in, your day fucks with your head, you need someone tosit with and just be, you tell Arch to call me.I’ll be here.”
He then reached out, rapped his knuckles on the counter infront of Mal for no reason at all, just to punctuate his point, and he startedto make his way to wherever Archie was.
“You really came right here when Archie texted?”
