That Time I Loved You by Unknown

Author:Unknown
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: Epub3
Publisher: Liveright

One morning before school, June came by the house as usual to pick her up. June stared at Josie, who’d taken to holding her books against her chest and walking with her head thrust forward like a turtle.

“That’s it,” June said, yanking on Josie’s upper arm and pulling her in the opposite direction.

“What are you doing, June? Quit fooling around. We’re going to be late.”

“You and me are ditching school, Jos.” June’s grip was fierce. Josie was perplexed; between the two of them, June was definitely the rule abider.

“Where are we going?”

“Ditching school. The mall. We’re going to walk around, eat lunch in the food court, and then I’m going to take you to a matinee.” She poked Josie in the shoulder. “You. Need. Cheering. Up.” She grinned. “Besides, I need to get my mind off my love life.” For a moment, Josie’s mood picked up. Playing hooky and going to the mall was a pretty big no-no. Their parents would ground them for a lifetime. They were only allowed to go to the mall on Saturdays, and even then, June’s parents didn’t always grant her that. This was an adventure, and she and June hadn’t had one in a long time.

For the first time since the whole Bruce thing started, Josie had never been happier to hear her friend complain. They cowered in the back corner of the bus shelter, waiting for the Warden bus, their backs to the street in case a passing car contained a parent who would tell on them. Finally, the bus came, they got seats, and the landscape went by, squat strip malls in shades of grey. Josie sat without speaking, gazing through the filthy glass even though June tried to talk to her.

“So, what film do you want to see, huh? Amityville Horror is playing still. You wanted to see that?” June hated scary movies but knew Josie loved them. Josie pressed the back of June’s hand with hers and nodded, still staring out the window. June also fell silent.

The stores weren’t even open yet when they arrived. They strolled through the empty mall, looking in the store windows to kill time. Empty of people except for some custodians pushing large mops, the place felt eerie

“Hey, Jos. Can you talk to me? Like, tell me about your aunt if you want. Anything.”

They were stopped in front of Fairweather, and the Christmas display was already up. The lady mannequins stared at them with vacant eyes among reindeer and tinsel. June and Josie were dressed in the outfits that they’d bought together here, at this mall: matching coats, but June’s was red where hers was navy, same Cougar boots, same hats with different coloured stripes and pompoms. They could have been twins. The details of their faces were lost in the reflection but Josie knew June was staring at her.

She opened her palm for June to take. June grabbed on to it instantly and squeezed. Josie took a breath and considered, measured and weighed her heart against June’s tender one.

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