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||꒰𝒃𝒓𝒚𝒄𝒆꒱||
I pulled my bike up off of the hard grey cement, slowly waiting to see Juli emerge from her house. When she did, I mounted the seat and rode over to meet her.
"Hey Juli," I said with a smile. "How've you been?"
"I'm fine," she replied bluntly. "And you?"
I was elated to hear her melodic voice. "I'm doing good. Other than the usual Loski household commotion, nothing too interesting."
"Oh. Thanks for the tree," she mumbled before getting on her bike and beginning to ride off.
At this, my smile fell. What happened to the bubbly, happy Juli? "Hey, are you okay? You're riding your bike again instead of the bus, I noticed."
It looked like she tried to force a smile. "I... Bryce, can we talk?" We started to ride to school.
"Aren't we already?"
Juli giggled a little. "True. But I mean, about the tree and everything..."
"Oh! Sure, yeah, what's up?" I ran my hand through my hair, hoping I didn't look too bad.
She seemed to be bubbling with words that wouldn't come out. It kinda looked like she wanted to cry. "Did you do it just so I would forgive you and kiss you?"
Those words hit me, and as we continued down the street I was momentarily speechless. "What? No, gosh no, why would you even think that?"
Sighing, she replied, "Well... because I don't know what to think of you. First, you're dating Shelly Stalls, then you're making fun of me and throwing away my eggs, then you try to kiss me!"
As those words and the guilt attached to them sunk in, I was overcome with an urge to hug her. Resisting, I stared at the ground, ashamed. "I'm trying," I spat out. "I'm trying so hard to be better. I don't want to be a coward anymore, and I'm sorry." I looked up, meeting her eyes.
When she didn't reply, I chose not to pry. "I'm sorry, Juli."
•••
"Today you will be assigned with new science partners," Mr. Wilson said loudly as he entered the classroom.
A chorus of groans and hoorays erupted, and he silenced us once more.
"Okay, let's see," he muttered as he looked at a sheet of paper.
"Jon and Melanie."
Melanie sighed and whispered something to Shelly.
"Liz and Garrett."
Garrett didn't seem opposed, and he winked at Liz from across the classroom. What a player!
"Juli and.."
Oh buddy, how I hoped it would be me...
"Darla- you girls better prove to me that that was a good decision," Mr. Wilson warned.
They giggled and seemed pleased with the decision. Me, however? I was pretty disappointed. Juli was, in all honesty, my only friend since I lost Garrett. Funny how one argument can change so much.
"Bryce Loski, did you hear me?"
My head shot up. "Huh?"
"I said you're partners with Shelly. Pay more attention please."
Shelly? Shelly Stalls?! This was going to be some science class, being partners with her.
She, on the other hand, seemed more than pleased to be paired up with me. When I looked over at Juli, she was whispering something to Darla. But she should be whispering with me! All I wanted was to talk to her this morning and I messed that up too.
When we were instructed to switch seats and join our partners, Shelly made no hesitation in running over and coddling up next to me. Ew. Man, if you knew Shelly in real life as I did, you would hate her. I mean you would just want to avoid her and never see her again. Asking her out is probably my biggest regret. Juli's iridescent. Shelly? Shelly's... what's the word from social studies... she's gilded. Boring, coated in a thin layer of shiny prettiness. And she's mean!
"So, Bryce, are you ready to start this project?" Her voice sounded like a dog when you step on its tail. With boots on.
"Mhm."
"Oh, don't tell me you're still hung up over Juli Baker," she said with an eye roll. "There's other fish in the sea, you know."
I stifled a laugh. "Just because there's other fish in the sea doesn't mean they're all the same, Shelly."
