Moose and Goose

Chapter Fifty-four

"I said I needed to talk to you," she loudly reminds him. He's standing in front of Khalíd's bed with his giant arms crossed. "And not only did you sigh like I'm annoying you, but you pretended like I'm not here and babbled with your stupid friend!"

"He actually has the highest grade average in our group," he mumbles, and she rolls her eyes.

"I don't care! I should be more important to you when I'm clearly upset!" He stares at the large vein protruding from the side of her neck.

"First of all, calm down or get out. I don't yell at you, so don't do that with me." Judith takes a deep breath and scowls at the window. "And I don't know why you're getting worked up like we're a thing; we're not. You make it clear over and over that you don't like me, and you treated me like crap for bringing you that bike."

"I was dealing with something." Her voice is shrill, and her throat aches as she fights back tears. He rolls his eyes at her excuse.

"We're all dealing with something, Judith. Including me," Jerome tells her, and as she exhales solemnly, her body deflates into a slouch. "But that's never an excuse to take it out on other people."

"What're you doing now?" His expression gradually shifts to display his confusion.

"What," he calmly asks, and she stands up with her bottom lip quivering.

"You ignore how I feel, insult me," she says, taking slow steps toward him. "All that's left is for you to scream and hit me, and you'll be no better than David."

"Get the f-," he stops himself, and as he looks at the window, she leans over to find his eyes. "Judy, get out."

"Yeah, right. See, you pretend to be the one and only, but you're just like the rest." He meets her scowl with one of his own then watches her walk to the door.

"You look fuller, by the way." Judith stops with her hand on the knob and slowly turns her head to him. "Congrats on that."

***

"No way, he called you fat," Juniper says, looking at her over the top of her black cat eyeglasses. She's sitting on her sister's bed with her legs crossed and an open notebook between her knees.

"Yeah, I know. It was unbelievable." Judith turns to the window and stares at her reflection. "All day, like during my classes, I've been checking out my neck."

Fuck, am I really getting fat?

She watches Judy run her hands across the skin under her chin, then she returns her attention to her notes and says, "You look fine."

"You really think so?" With her lips pursed, she nods. Judith sits beside her and lets out a sigh. She glances at the papers in front of them and reads the subject: How to Administer Medicine. "You have Professor Chandler?"

"Yeah, but on Tuesday and tomorrow," Juniper says. "There's an exam coming up, so I gotta study. It stinks because I wanna go to the Monster Mash tonight, but I'm a terrible test taker."

There's a Halloween party tonight?

"You going?" Judith shrugs her shoulders.

Maybe I should. If everyone's going, then it'll be fine.

"I didn't even know there was one. I guess I've been gone for too long," she mumbles, and when Juniper doesn't respond, she clears her throat. "How's about I help you study tomorrow if you go with me to the party?"

"It's at eleven. That's like," she stops to check the time on her skinny leather watch. "Seven hours from now."

"Then that's just enough time for us to get ready." Judith darts to her feet and Juniper looks at her. With a smile, she says, "It'll be fun."