Never Always Sometimes - Adi Alsaid Page 0,55

drunken asshole. That was very

cliché of me. I remember that part, and you’re completely right. It’ll

never happen again. Except for the five or six times I still have to be a cliché to live out the Nevers. I’m happy for you, Dave. Now Marroney

and I have someone to go on double dates with!”

Dave laughed and shoved his hands into his pockets. “I’m sorry

about what I said, too. Every time I think about it I feel sick. Things

were heated. I didn’t mean it.”

184 NEVER ALWAYS SOMETIMES

“Water under the proverbial bridge,” Julia said, feeling that peculiar

urge to poke him. But when her finger touched his stomach, it didn’t

just pull away like it always did. It lingered there as if it had its own agenda, and Julia had to take a step backward to keep from making the

moment awkward. What the hell was going on with her? “I’m going

to try to get to know Gretchen better,” she said. “With the exception

of your gross underappreciation for a certain faculty member at this

school, you’re the best judge of character I know. If you say she’s cool, she’s cool.”

“Thanks, Julia,” he said, smiling sheepishly like he was wont to do.

“No worries.” The hallway was quieter now, just a few stragglers

shutting their lockers and rushing to class, the sound of their sneakers slapping against the linoleum floor. Teachers reached to shut their

doors so latecomers couldn’t sneak in. “I gotta get going or else Ms.

T is gonna smack me around for being late. See ya!” Julia said, forcing

cheerfulness.

They parted ways with a smile and Julia took a seat in class, happy

that the tension had been put to rest so easily. That she was having

strange thoughts and buzzing at his touch could be chalked up to

it still being so early in the morning. Cringing when she thought of

Gretchen, that was just because of what she knew about Gretchen,

nothing to do with Dave liking her. Maybe the buzzing was just relief

that everything was still right between Julia and Dave, relief that her

ominous recollection of their fight had been a case of overworrying.

This was all normal.

JULIA 185

CUE THE MONTAGE

JULIA HAD BEEN the one to suggest the three of them hang out

together. She wanted to see in Gretchen whatever it was Dave saw in

her. She really did, even if she had her doubts about it.

Julia parked her car at Morro Bay, running late as usual. She stepped

out of her car, avoiding a beer bottle that lay shattered nearby. When

Dave’s bench came into view, it was strange to see a second body on

it next to his. Julia had always loved this moment, the slow, watchful

approach before Dave saw her.

Now there was a head of blond waves next to him, and Julia could

hear them laughing. The sound actually slowed her down. She felt like

she was about to interrupt, which was bullshit. This was Julia’s bench

to share with Dave. If anyone should feel like she was interrupting, it

was Gretchen.

This was not normal. Gretchen being there, and Julia’s reaction to it.

She took a breath, forced herself to move at a normal speed, to

approach casually. “Hi, guys,” she called out, waving.

“Hi,” Dave said. “You guys know each other, right?”

“Yeah, of course,” Gretchen said, waving her hand once across her

body, “we had world history together last year.”

“And we have a standing appointment every Tuesday to talk about

you behind your back,” Julia said. “Nothing too judgmental. Just what

color you should dye your hair, how you’re super conceited for running

for prom king. That kind of thing.”

“Oh my God, teach me to keep a straight face like you do,” Gretchen

said. “That was so good. You didn’t even flinch.”

Julia smiled and went to Dave’s side of the bench, scooting him

toward the middle, feeling bittersweet that he’d be closer to both her

and Gretchen. “Sorry I’m late. What’d I miss?”

“Well, Dave was telling me he’s never mall-ratted before, and I was

having trouble believing him.”

“Mall-ratting? That’s a thing? I thought that was a made-up term

from that nineties movie.”

“Apparently it exists,” Dave says. “People go to the mall. To hang

out. For hours.”

“Surely, you mean they go to indulge in the great tradition of

consumerism before returning home to enjoy their recently purchased

products,” Julia said.

“No. Just . . . to spend time at the mall.”

“Spend money, you mean.”

“I can’t tell if you guys are kidding,” Gretchen said. “You’ve seriously never hung out at the mall? You’re going to get your teenager licenses

revoked.”

“I don’t think we were ever issued any,” Dave said. “We’re eighteen

and going on sixty-five.”

JULIA 187

“Look, having better taste than most people our age doesn’t excuse

you from