Darry was in a bad place. He didn't know where to turn. Sure, he helped CW out when he found out about CW's wisdom teeth. Thankfully, it was something Darry's dad did for a living, and it all worked out. Maybe.
Of course, CW didn't get to eat anything good for Christmas, but then he did have Crystal to take care of him.
And there was the Junie situation. She said they needed a break from each other. He was afraid to ask for how long. He just gave her a nod about the matter. Only, he wished he'd hugged her then, but she left so fast he didn't have a chance, and now he was left with her Christmas present.
So here he was at the place they first met, the Youth Center. Maybe it was the worst place to go. He felt so overgrown in a crowd of kids, but he felt it was a place of good memories, even if it was cheap food and arcade games. After all, it was a community place and a safe place.
Thankfully, the place was hopping. Kids playing games, familiar pizza right down to the sticky floor. At least for a moment, he wasn't worrying about Junie and what she might be up to. He knew from CW that she'd met someone.
It had left him with a lump of anxiety in his throat. He really hoped he'd catch the flu. Hopefully, sickness would take this misery right out of him. But then he saw a quaint face. She was alone, sitting in the corner, looking through some old graphic novels on the donated library shelf.
There was something poignant about her in those glasses.
"Kat, right?"
"Yeah, right." She definitely had the Gen Z look about her. Very aloof and terribly serious.
"You want this?" He found himself asking. It was a little wrapped package. Something on Junie's list. He got it while the prices weren't too pricey.
"What is it?" Her cheeks swelled up as if it might be a prank.
"I don't think anyone wants it." He shrugged. "Um, last present under the tree and well, we took the tree down, already." He took a seat on the bench near her.
"Really, we'll probably keep ours up til Valentines Day." She told him her little sister liked it that way. She explained it was a fake tree and how her brother said it was too prickly to put back in the box.
"Well, Merry Christmas." He didn't want it.
"Oh."
He saw a brief smile as she ripped it open with pleasure to find it was a blind box. "Oh my God!" She was thrilled to find out it was a labubu. "I wanted one so bad, but I knew I wouldn't get it."
"Well, it might be a lafufu." He looked at her blankly.
"No, it's not." She told him it was so furry and cuddly.
"But, it's just a little goofy monster." He didn't get it.
"Oh, it's amazing." She sighed with sweet laughter. "I love it. I really do. And..and..I'll keep it."
"So you'll just hang it on your backpack or something?"
"No," Kat cuddled the little stuffed toy. "I'll put it in my undie drawer."
"What?"
"I don't want my sister to find out about it. She'll want it, and I'm not giving it to her." Kat made it seem that her family made her give up things to her little sister, but Darry didn't quite believe her.
"Well, I hope you hide it good." Darry shrugged.
Kat nodded with a smile as if she'd just found a little lost puppy that she would never let go of.
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