Did I happen to mention I'm impressed

 "See, I knew you'd look spiffy with black hair." His grin was a little uneasy, but Junie took it in stride. It seemed he always got to the Coffee Shop right when she did for her shift.

She bit a grin back.

"So are you going to make some time for me, or what?" He asked when she brought him the diet coke.

"What do you want?" She couldn't stop grinning. Yeah, she was glad someone adored the new Junie. She knew Darry was not a fan. It was just on a whim. Actually, Connor suggested it. It was crazy how this fellow came around out of nowhere. Omaha, she guessed. This was the burbs. He didn't go to her school, but he was so flattering with that silly grin of his.

"Oh, just a little of your time, is that all right?" There was something extremely attractive about him and Junie could only dream of what he might look like without that black beanie of his.

"Could I get you anything?" She mentioned the pie special, the patty melt. 

"You know what I want," he cracked with laughter. 

"Do I?" Junie grinned back. After all, he'd waited for her shift to end last time, and they walked around in the cold doing nothing but talking about what they did and did not like about life. As in parents, crazy siblings, and sightings of wolves in the neighborhood.

As of yet, she hadn't mentioned him to Darry. It wasn't like anything was actually happening. Only a little bit of her wished it would happen. A lot like she wished something would happen with Darry, but that hadn't happened either. Now Darry was being aloof. It was almost Christmas, and it was beginning to feel like a terrible time of the year to her.

Yes, she loved Connor's essence, the look he gave her. He wanted it too. It felt as if it vibrated around her. And there was something mysterious about it, or was it mystic instead?

"Hey!" CW gave her a look with a big fat lip of authority. Immediately, it felt as if the trance had broken. He called her back to the kitchen.

Junie thought he was being a pest. She went back to see what he wanted.

"You know, we stopped serving an hour ago." CW snapped. "Why are you even here? Aren't you supposed to be in school?"

Junie shrugged politely, assuring him that the guy only wanted a Diet Coke.