I scoff, dropping down to start sorting the busted legs and screws. This carries on for a minute before I speak up again.
“You’re jarring, you know that?”
“Didn’t I say no talking?”
I ignore her and continue, “Like—how do you look someone dead in the eye and lie so deeply? It’s maddening.”
“What lie?”
“About the kiss.” I glance up, meeting her eyes. “I know you remember it. All my friends teased me about it for weeks.”
My voice softens a little without me meaning to. “Conley kept saying I looked sick after. I was nervous as hell.”
She snorts, loud and derisive. “You weren’t nervous.”
I huff out a laugh, shaking my head. “It’s hard to believe I get nervous, but it’s true.”
She leans forward, elbows on knees, smoke still curling around her.
“No. You weren’t sick because you were nervous. You were sick because you thought I was poisonous with my ‘witchcraft’.” She flicks the joint against the tray. “And your friends weren’t teasing you about the kiss. They were laughing because you made a big joke about it.”
I stop mid-screw, staring at the splintered wood. “I?—”
“Not a pleasant memory, is it?”
“I didn’t—wait—” I push up from the floor, jaw tightening. “I knew you remembered me!”
Her eyes meet mine. “I do.”
“So why all the theatrics?” I snap before I can stop myself. “You had me losing my fucking mind over this.”
She studies me for a long while. Then, quietly:
“I don’t know why you’re so invested in me remembering. They’re not good memories, are they?”
I feel my stomach twist with something I don’t want to name.
“You weren’t a nightmare, but you were an ass,” she continues. “I know I was annoying too ‘cause I had a crush and no filter, but you treated me like trash.”
I rub the back of my neck. My chest feels tight. “Yeah, well. I was a kid, get me? Didn’t know how to handle my emotions back then. You didn’t deserve that.”
Then, I said something I rarely do.
“Sorry.”
She exhales another cloud of smoke. “Yeah, well. You can hold that.”
I blink. “Pardon?”
“Are you dumb? I said hold it.”
“Francine.”
“Jabari.”
“I said I was sorry. I was a kid.”
“I was a kid too, innit?” she snaps. “Doesn’t excuse being a fucking prick.”
