Something so displeasing

 

"She's actually gone goth," Darry winced with disgust. He couldn't believe Junie. It was like he didn't know her at all, and she said, "Don't you think I look Asian now? I always wanted to look Asian." Not that there was anything wrong with that, but why now? He asked himself, as he shufled on with his cart of books, hoping nobody noticed that he wasn't quite himself today. 

Suddenly, he felt so blue, he'd lost his Christmas spirit. It pained him to think that this might be the end of him and Junie. He looked up then and saw someone staring at him as if he were under a microscope through those wire-rim glasses.

"Oh, sorry," he said, doing his best to smile. "Kelsey, right?"

"Kat." No smile, just terribly Miss Serious.

"Oh, right," he nodded, and asked if he could help her find a book.

"Who were you talking about?" She wanted to know.

"Oh..just..just my girlfriend Junie." He nodded. It was hard to smile, even now. He knew he didn't like change, and one thing leading to another filled him with doubt about their future.

"Are you going to break up?"

He looked at her as if she were only a middle schooler. He was talking to a middle schooler. He wasn't sure where this might be going.

"No, of course not. She just changed her hair color, that's all. I'll just get used to it." He sighed about the matter.

"Are you sure?"

Darry couldn't help but laugh. "I'll try, how about that?"

"But you don't have to." She looked over her wire-rimmed glasses. "Nothing lasts forever."

He nodded. She was just making him teary-eyed. He didn't expect that. He found himself pointing to the Youth Adult section. "You might find what you're looking for."

"I doubt it."

He spied a sly smile. She did not go away, but she looked at books while he shelved. He noticed she put the books in their proper place.