Last Kiss Goodbye • Teenage Juice Ortiz

73 - What He Deserves

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THE PAST

With little bites, June ate her sandwich. She wasn't hungry at all. There was a feeling of unrest in her stomach, warding off all food. 

Erik hadn't been to school for four days. 

Last Monday, when they had decided to work on their comic, he had sent her a text that he needed to go home because something had happened to his grandma. 

The day after, she sent him a text to ask how his grandma was, on which he replied that she was in the hospital now, but that he had been hit by a car on his way to visit her, leaving him with a bad concussion. She asked him if he wanted her to come over, but he told her he needed sleep. 

Yesterday she sent him another text, on which he hadn't replied. It bothered her. 

"You're not hungry?" Juan gently nudged her arm. 

She sighed. "Not really. I'm worried about Erik. Maybe I should stop by after school, to check up on him... He doesn't answer my texts."

"Well if he's not answering your texts, he definitely doesn't want to see you," Emilio chimed into the conversation. A smirk crossed his lips as he looked at Jordy. "At least that goes for me when I'm not answering."

"You're not answerin' because you're a dick," her friend answered dryly. "Nobody's surprised by that. But I don't know June – maybe watchin' a screen is making him feel sick? I would stop by after school if I were you. I can give you a ride? I neither would mind to join you, but I gotta go to judo class."

"That would be great, I can take the bus on my way back." She turned her face to Juan. "Unless you want to pick me up?"

Juan exchanged a look with Emilio, then he shrugged. "E and I are gonna watch a movie, but I can pick you up halfway?"

"No it's okay, it's a little ride with the bus." She knew Emilio didn't like Juan calling off things because of her, and she rather kept him on her good side. 

"But are you sure you wanna go to Erik?" Juan asked. "I mean – he'll let you know when he wants to see ya, right?"

She shrugged her shoulders. "I also thought I didn't want to see anybody after... Beth. But afterwards, I was glad Riley took me to your home."

The way he sucked in his lip a little, told her he was chewing it, something he did when he was feeling nervous. As she caught his glance, he quickly looked away. She suppressed a sigh. This wasn't about her wanting to spend time with a friend again, right? She thought they'd gone over that at the pool party. 

Luckily, he didn't say anything about it this time and June decided to put the subject to rest. 

. . .

There were two more classes before school was over. She kissed Juan goodbye, she wouldn't see him tonight, and got into Jordy's car. 

"Give him a hug from me," Jordy said, stopping the car in front of Erik's house. 

"I will if someone lets me in," June sighed. "I don't know... I don't like not hearing anything from him..."

"He's probably just sleeping honey. Don't worry so much."

June nodded hesitantly, then she got out of the car and headed for the front door. 

The door was opened by Erik's mom. She was a quiet, bit skittish woman, although she was always friendly.