Never Always Sometimes - Adi Alsaid Page 0,21

SOMETIMES

Joey’s direction. The two of them and a couple of other people made

their way across the lush soccer field to the far goal, none of them

casting so much as a glance in Dave and Julia’s direction, and Dave

was somewhat thankful to not have to explain to Julia his newfound

friendship with Gretchen, or whatever it was.

“Debbie’s been trying to kill the pink spots on her tail. Sometimes

I catch her looking at my hair and I can just tell her brain is whirring, making the connection. She’s going to come after me soon.”

Dave looked down at Julia, whose eyes were still closed. “You’re a

goof.”

“You can’t use ‘goof.’ I use ‘goof ’ about you.” She raised her head

a bit and adjusted her ponytail, then laid back against his sore ab

muscles. “I bet that when we travel the world and we’re hanging out

with other travelers at hostels and stuff like my mom does, we’re

gonna fight each other for whose turn it is to tell people about the

Nevers. ‘You told it last time!’ ‘No, you did! Let me tell it.’”

“I don’t think you’ve ever been as excited about anything as you are

about this.”

“Don’t be hyperbolic. Remember that time when I asked for just

one donut hole and they not only refused to charge me, but gave me

three of them?”

“Yeah.” Dave smiled at the memory. “You couldn’t stop giggling

for the whole car ride.” He picked out a blade of grass that had gotten

stuck in her hair. A shriek broke out across the soccer field, and

when Dave looked in the direction it had come from, he saw Joey

DAVE 75

bear-hugging Gretchen, lifting her feet off the ground. She was

laughing, allowing herself to be wrapped up.

“Kind of like the time that author you like responded to your

e-mail.”

“I was not giggling,” Dave said. “My voice just cracked while

laughing.”

“I’ve never seen you happier,” Julia said, poking his side, making

him squirm.

All of a sudden it felt silly that he’d even thought he might be

developing a crush on Gretchen. A few good conversations and

noticing that she was prettier than he’d realized did not amount to

anything. Okay, so she was friendlier than he’d given her credit for.

But Dave was an outsider. Without Julia, he’d probably be a loner,

and Gretchen was not one for loners. Her ex-boyfriend, the one who

had graduated last year, he vaguely remembered, was very much a

Joey Planko type. Athletic and popular and not even a dick about

it. Dave couldn’t recall the guy’s name, but now flashes of the two of

them last year came back to him. The guy had tattoos and could go

from clean shaven to hipster beard within a week. Dave could grow

exactly three hairs above his lip on each side.

The principal, Dr. Hill, walked out onto the blacktop and everyone

held their breath, hoping that their temporary idyll wasn’t quite over

yet. But Dr. Hill squinted against the sun, lingered for a second at the entrance to the building, then took a seat at a picnic table and smiled

his approval. Dave pulled his phone out of his pocket and played

one of his favorite songs, Beck and Daniel Johnston singing “True

76 NEVER ALWAYS SOMETIMES

Love Will Find You in the End.” It felt a little cheesy and cliché, and

therefore perfect, especially since the meaning would be lost on Julia.

Never pine silently, the Nevers said. This felt like speaking up.

As the beautiful harmonica hook rang out, Dave put his hand on

Julia’s forehead, right above her temple. “My mom used to do this to

me to get me to fall asleep,” he said, starting to run his fingers gently in a circle.

Julia sighed. “I can see why. That feels nice.”

She seemed to sink deeper into his stomach. Beck’s honey-coated

voice sang into the perfect California air, Dave mouthing the words.

“You’ll find out just who was your friend.”

Dave glanced back at Gretchen and her circle of friends one last

time before closing his eyes and putting her out of his mind.

When school let out that day, there was a palpable sense of happiness

in the air. Dave knew that there were still interminably boring days

to come. But for now they were forgotten.

Dave met Julia by her locker, though she didn’t bother replacing

any of the books in her bag. They ambled to Julia’s Mazda, for once

in no rush to leave. “That was actually nice. This even feels like a

nostalgic walk down the halls,” Dave said. He pretended to choke up,

“I’m gonna miss it so much!”

“Maybe that nap in the sun fried my brain, but I can see myself

looking back fondly on some parts of high school.”

“You mean homecoming football games?”

“And the Kapoor