[Little Adventures] | A CGLRE/Agere Story

"Friends with someone like you."- [Chapter Five]

A/N: Very huge warning for Lacie talking badly about age regression/treating it as a bad thing. Also just general angst. also, just because I'm curious, what are y'alls opinions on Lacie's character? 

I honestly can't wait to write in June's new friends, y'all will like them. May and Milo are really, really sweet characters and I'm excited for you to meet them. Anyways, this chapter is kinda short, sorry about that. 

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June woke up to her phone ringing.

She groaned, ignoring it for a moment as she stretched and gave herself a second to get out of bed. Once she was up, she heard the ringing stop, only to start up again a second later.

"Who is trying to get ahold of me now?" June muttered, going over to her desk and picking up her phone. She don't know what caused her to do this, but she answered the phone without thinking. It was like some part of her half awake brain triggered an annoying instinct.

She quickly realized that this "instinct" was very inconvenient the moment she heard Lacie's voice on the other end. She held back an annoyed grown and listened to her best friend's words.

"You haven't spoken to me in five days."

"I know."

"How come?"

"Doesn't matter, I gotta go-"

"No, you're not doing this to me. You can't just ghost your friend and not explain why. If you won't explain now, I'll come over there right now."

June's eyes widened. She didn't know what to say. She had been ignoring her because she knew Lacie would be judgmental about her results. "No, no, no. Don't come over." she said, quickly.

"Then get to talking."

Sometimes, Lacie talked in this demanding voice that could convince anyone to do about everything. Like whatever she was requesting was now the law, and the person being bossed around had to listen, or else.

June went quiet. She had just woken up, and she wasn't ready to start this conversation. "Lacie...I got my test results back and I was scared."

"About what? If you already have them, then you got it done with, right? You're a neutral, and you can get rid of the thought in your head that you might be a little or whatever," Lacie's voice sounded genuinely confused. She made the assumption that June wasn't a little, and hadn't managed to put together everything.

"Lacie..." June's voice was wavery, and she was ready to cry from the anxiety alone. "I am a little, Lace. According to my test, at least. I'll be getting onto the bus to Caretot in a few days," she sighed, not knowing how to continue her statement.

"Nice joke, haha," Lacie gave a sarcastic laugh. "If you just needed a break from me, you could tell me. I'll back off, I have other people, you don't need to lie."

"Lacie!" June was getting annoyed with her obliviousness. "I'm serious. I'm not gonna be attending Lindenbrook with you."

There was a moment of silence, before Lacie's voice sounded again. "Really?"

"Yeah...my dad says that I have to go, and that he'll let me retake my test when I get back at the end of the school year." she explained. "I don't think I'm a little." she added.

"B-but you still tested as one. And until further notice, that's your classification..." Lacie sounded hurt, as if June did something wrong by being classified as an age regressor. "I'm sorry, but I can't be friends with you until you get reclassified."

In response to those words, June felt so many emotions bubble up in her chest at once. Sadness, because she was losing her best friend to something she couldn't do anything about. Anger, because her best friend was so willing to drop her over a harmless title. So many things, conflicting all at once in her head.

"Really? You're dropping me because the stupid test says that I'm a little?" June's voice got louder, raising to what was basically a shout into her phone.

"I'm dropping you because my parents would kill me if they knew I was friends with-" she cut herself off. "Um..." she trailed off, going quiet.

"Friends with who?" June snapped. She was angry, and defensive. Yeah, she didn't want herself to be a little either, but Lacie's behavior towards her because of the label wasn't okay. June didn't realize how bad and hurtful it all was until she was the one that Lacie was talking about.

And now, she felt rightfully mad. About every backhanded statement, about every rude side comment and insult. It all wasn't okay, and she shouldn't of just sat there and listened to it like it was for as long as she did.

"Friends with someone like you." she muttered meekly.

"Why do care so much about your parent's standards?" June questioned. That's all it came down to. Her parent's thoughts on the different classifications influencing hers.

"Please don't contact me until you've been retested. I'm sorry."

June heard silence on the other end, followed by a heart-breaking beep that signaled that Lacie had ended the call. June didn't know who to be angry at anymore. Herself, for being so childish that her best friend hated her. Lacie, for judging her so much. The test itself. She couldn't tell you.

But what she did know that she was currently panicking. And crying. And trying to pull herself together. But before she knew it, her breathing was speeding up and her vision was blurred by tears. She didn't like being this worked up. It was tiring.

She slammed her phone back on her desk clumsily, making her way over to her bed, where she grabbed a stuffed toy off of her bed. A soft little cow, with gray patches instead of black ones. She remembered that her dad had gifted it to her in secret. She never let her mom in her room, because arguments about how "enforcing childish behaviors" was bad whenever she caught a glimpse of the small collection of comforting toys on her bed would ensue.

She squeezed it, sitting on the edge of her bed and trying to slow down her breathing, not knowing what else to do. At some point, she heard her door open. She didn't look up, knowing it was her father. He came to sit next to her, wrapping his arm around her.

"I heard shouting from the living room, I wanted to wait until you were done to come and talk to you. Was that Lacie?" Archer asked, speaking softly as if to avoid startling her. June nodded a bit.

"You don't have to tell me what she said, or talk about it. But if you do, I'm here. Okay?"

June nodded again. "She doesn't wanna be friends with me anymore," June didn't look up at him, fiddling with the stuffed toy in her hands. It was small, one that could easily fit into a bag and be hidden. The fur was soft, making for a small, snuggleable stuffie.

"I'm sorry, sweetheart. I know you care about her,"

"I-if..." June paused, wiping at her face with one hand as she composed herself. "Was Lacie a good friend in the first place?" she asked, looking up at Archer. Archer seemed taken aback, not knowing how to reply.

"I can't decide that for you, June. But the fact that you have to ask that question isn't meaningless. You'll have to think on it," he settled.

"Okay. C-can I be left alone, please?" she asked politely. Archer nodded softly.

"Of course, I just wanted to make sure that you were okay. If you need anything, I'll be in the living room," he stood up, going to her door and leaving her alone, as requested.

June didn't know how to feel. She was being hit with a mixture of emotions all at once and it was exhausting. It was no wonder that she ended up falling back asleep.