7. Making someone smile

 Just when Junie thought Darry might live with his grandmother and go to school in California, he came back. For a while this summer she thought she might go with him and his parents, but then she got the babysitting gig and decided she better make some money. So she was keeping busy with a family's three daughters while he was away. It kept her busy, unsure what back to school might mean.

"Well, of course, I'm not going anywhere," he told her right away. Evidently, there were a lot of things he didn't like about California.

"It's so expensive out there." Also, he'd seen a lot of the devastation of the wildfires. As luck would have it, they were moving his grandmother to this area.

"Was that the real reason you went?" Junie knew Darry had another year of high school, although most of it would be at the nearby college. He could study there for free while in high school.

"Yeah, it was my dad's big switcharoo- idea," he shrugged now about the trip to California as they were at their favorite place, the youth center, where they could still get a slice of pizza and a drink for about eight dollars. Of course, they both remembered when they could get it for five bucks.

"Will she live with you guys?" Junie wondered.

"I don't think that would work out," Darry laughed. "She's very independent. But we'll have to make time to see her. She's getting an apartment."

"In a Senior Living Place?" Junie assumed.

"Oh, not my grandma." Darry grinned. "Although there are a lot of people there her age or older. It's not all that far from the new Dollar Tree, and she got on there."

"Really?" Junie knew she shouldn't be excited about the place, but she hadn't gone to the new one. She found most of her skin care products there, and it was always fun to see the decor, toys, puzzles, containers, and greeting cards.

They chilled in the dining area. It was loud as it usually was, but it was good to hang out together. She studied Darry's face while he slurped on his soda drink.

"Don't tell me, you want to work there?" He smirked.

She kept smiling, wondering what was different about him. Junie laughed back and told him no. It was then that it dawned on her that Darry wasn't wearing his glasses anymore.