its about time

Vada's eyes burned. She felt a little bit of a headache, or was it her ear? Maybe..it was a bad tooth?

No, it was actually none of that. She guessed..unless it was stress, being cornered by Josie.

She should have seen it coming. There was a second, in the school lunchroom, she was certain Josie was going to sit at her table, but Vada left without incident. Besides, her lunch time was up. Then again, in the commons by the garden ..that was still too cold to go into. Why had she stop to see what the class was doing out there?

Josie looked at her as if she was going to say something, but Vada didn't give her a chance.

Finally, Josie caught Vada in the empty circle of the YA section. It was the so-called place to go to makeout, but it was clear now, after 6 p.m.

"I need to know something." Josie's quiet words jerked Vada to her attention.

"What?" Vada knew that was an odd thing to say.

Josie hugged herself as if Vada should know, but Vada only looked at her speechless.

"You and Dean." Her pout made Vada doubt what to say.

"What? What do, you, want to know?" Vada said ever so quiet, even if they were the only two people here.

"It was you..You're the one ..who.." She couldn't finish her sentence.

"Look..look..I don't have a good answer for you." Vada put the book she was about to shelf back with the books that needed to be shelved. "Technically, you two ..were..over..but..I know..I know..." She turned away and dropped to the big cushioned table where people could sit and read books. Although, she'd never seen anyone do that here. "I just didn't want him to go."

Josie cleared her throat.

"I dunno. I thought ..we were friends. Real friends." Josie turned away from her and sat on the other side, hugging herself.

"I know. I..I thought so too..and there are a lot of reasons..it shouldn't have happened, but still..it was like... one last chance. As if I could change his mind..and as you can see..I didn't change anything. Not with Dean." Vada shook her head. "He wouldn't even talk to me when he was here."

It was quiet then.

"Did he talk to you?" Vada then asked.

"A little. Not much. We had nothing to say." Josie's voice was sad. "I really tried, you know. I mean. I've..I've written him letters. Its just..I didn't want it to be like, when Ian upped and left. Its terrible, when someone who, you, thought the world of..tells you..oh..you're like the little sister I never had. I didn't want to hear that from Dean." She sighed.

Vada felt so empty, a part of her wished Dean could at least think that, of her.

"I still need to be your friend." Josie was sobbing. Vada could hear her sniffs, and before she knew it Vada was in tears too. Josie reached for her hand. Vada took it.

"I've missed you." Josie turned to her, and they hugged as if nothing would ever tear them apart.