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"What are you up to?" I ask, somewhat severely
"Don’t use that tone with me," Infinite Darlene snaps I’ve pushed her too far "You’re going to have to trust me on this one, okay?"
God, I wish I could trust her
Seeing that I won’t argue any further, her face brightens "I heard what you said to Joni today Thank you for trying"
"I wasn’t trying for you I was trying for ainst Chuck"
Now it’sto win that fight We can’t be against Chuck Being against Chuck is like being against Joni right now"
"That’s how she sees it But that doesn’t mean that’s how it is"
"How she sees it is exactly how it is She’s the one calling the shots"
"You’re upset"
"Duhl Of course I’ it out on me"
"I am NOT TAKING IT OUT ON YOU Sometimes it’s actually not about you"
"Well, to ht with Infinite Darlene She knows I don’t want to fight with her So I just throw my hands up in the air, screa--supportively laughing--as I leave
I want to laugh, too
It hurtsthrough town on my way home from school, the sun on its way to down, the streets decorated with o (but home, eventually) and no one to see My backpack is heavy, hts even heavier So I focus on the shops and the sky, expose my face to the wind
I stop at the tune store, where I’reeted by Javier and Jules Half the store is Javier’s, half is Jules’s--they have entirely differentin whether the tune you’re looking for is ether for more than twenty years, and today as they offer ue the blues, I want to ask theether with someone for twenty years seee twenty days Twenty weeks would be a stretch How can they stand there behind the counter, spinning songs for each other day in and day out? How can they find things to say--how can they avoid saying things they’ll always regret? How do you stay together? I want to ask them, the same way I want to ask o up to old people and ask theerald croons through the speakers, then PJ Harvey lets out a forlorn cry I flip through Javier’s sale bin and see he’s sneaked soly tells ainst having too many PJ Harvey dreams
It’s colder outside when I leave, or maybe that’s only because I felt so warrounds I look to the funky puff-couches in the corner and see Cody ( with his new boyfriend, whose name is either Lou or Reed They have sunk into the cushions, sharing a single cup of latte, sip by sip Happiness rises from theesture that I can’t I pretend I’ out of time