CakePops

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   "Hey Cecil!" Called out June. They had been strolling through the mall when they noticed the taller girl. They hadn't realized Cecil's height until now.

  Cecil looked over at June and her face lit up. June admired her outfit. Cecil had distressed jean shorts that were barely noticeable beneath her pink cat themed sweater that was 2 sizes too big. Her black heeled boots went all the way until right before her knees and fishnets covered the rest of her legs. June smiled. 

  “Hello,” Excitement flooded Ceil’s voice. June assumed she was having a rough day based on her dramatic attitude change. “I wasn’t expecting to see you here, June.”

  “Yeah, I needed to get a few things.”

  “But isn’t there a mall by your mom's house?”

  June froze. They might as well just tell her. “I thought maybe you’d be here. Your apartment isn’t that far from here is it?’’

  Cecil raised an eyebrow. “You came all the way here so you’d maybe see me?”

  “I tried texting you but you didn’t respond.” 

  “Oh, I’m sorry,” Cecil pulled out her phone and began unlocking it. “I turned my text notifications off and I guess I forgot to turn them back on.”

  “You had them off? Why?” 

  Cecil paused, almost as if deciding whether or not to tell June.

  “Just someone I haven’t seen in a long time trying to get a hold of me. He knew me before I came out, I’m just worried he won’t be cool about it.” June looked at her sympathetically 

  “How about this,” Cecil was quick to change the subject. “How about we walk around together and get our stuff and then we can talk more while we do that.

  They strolled around the mall, talking about nothing in particular. June kept an eye on Cecil, it looked like something was wrong but they didn't want to pry. 

  They walked around Hot Topic looking at bracelets and shirts. At one point June realized they had lost Cecil. They found her a minute later with a black choker with red lace and detailing.

  “Why the choker?”

  Cecil looked down at it. “I thought Xavier would like it.”

  “He definitely would. I haven’t known him for long but it seems like his style.”

  She smiled and put it with the rest of her stuff.

  An hour later they were leaving. The hot afternoon air felt heavy but it was a nice change from the stuffy air inside.

  “You want a ride home?” June asked, knowing Cecil had walked there.

  “If it's not too much of a bother.”

  June had a cute little white car. The car was clean inside and out, which Cecil didn’t see as odd. June loved having things clean.

  “So what’s up with you and Xavier?”

  “I like the stickers,” Cecil pointed out the childish stickers all over the dashboard.

  “My cousins did that. Honestly I’m just scared that they’ll rip if I try to take them off. I’d rather have a thousand glittery pink whale stickers than what remains of them when I fail to peel them off.”

  “Little cousins?”

  “You’d think that.”

  A quiet laugh escaped Cecil’s lips. 

  “Now stop changing the subject and answer my question.”

  “What question?”

  June glanced over, “Mhm.”

  Cecil grinned, “fine.”

  “Yesss.”

  “If you must know, we had our first date on Tuesday, it was fun, I like him.”

  “Aww-” June yelped as Cecil elbowed them in the side. She laughed and smiled.

   The sound of the small car faded as the shorter of the two pulled over and cut the engine. June sat crisscrossed on their seat and turned towards the passenger seat.

  “Is he perhaps a keeper?”

  Sadness, nostalgia, and happiness flashed across Cecil’s face.

 “You sound like my mom.”

  The small comment had completely thrown June for a loop. He had never heard Cecil speak of her parents, she actually avoided the topic.

“If you don’t mind me-”

  “They passed away in a car accident 3 years ago.” Tension filled the Honda, the weight of it almost suffocating. 

  “You were gonna try and ask why I didn't talk about them and get all awkward and scared and take 4 years so I saved you the time. When I was 16 I was sitting at home waiting for them to get home so I could finally come out to them. I was sitting at that kitchen table for 2 and a half hours before I got a call from the hospital saying they both died. My mom on impact and my dad later in surgery. Instead of going into child services I just emancipated myself, used the money I got from my parents and moved out of France. I lived with my uncle for a year before I got my apartment. He pays my rent so I can pay for other stuff. Answer your question?”

  Slight rain tapped against the window. June had no clue how to respond to that. After a minute or two June tried to sputter something out and Cecil reassured her that it wasn't necessary, Cecil was an adult who would be just fine.

   The radio fizzled and the rain faded as June drove Cecil home. 

  They walked to the apartment door together (June didn’t want to leave Cecil alone) and the strawberry blonde was pleasantly surprised when he was invited in. They had a few snacks and watched a movie until Cecil had returned to her normal behaviour, then June went home, knowing Cecil probably wanted time alone.