Flipped Again

Chapter 7: New and Old Discoveries

I sat awkwardly, mostly observing Shelly and Eddie's conversation, but not really listening at all. Every so often I'd flick my focus towards Juli, but quickly averted my gaze when I realised what I was doing.

Juli seemed to have the same plan of attack as me, eating the food and sipping the lemonade in between polite nods at the ongoing conversation.

"Why Eddie, you certainly do have an impeccable taste in fashion." Shelly admired.

Eddie gloated. "Well, I'm not so interested in it myself, but I suppose my partner does keep me up-to-date in the latest styles"

As Juli beamed my stomach twisted into a knot of fury. They were 'partners'.

Shelly looked taken aback and scanned Juli's outfit. Almost at the same time both Juli and Eddie looked stricken as their eyes widened in slight panic.

"Wow, really? I never expected you to be one to keep up with the trends Juli...Good for you, good for you." Her beady eyes were still surverying Juli's garments.

I mean it was true, she was wearing loose, tattered overalls and a plaid shirt. She looked effortlessly amazing in her own right, but up to trend? Even I wasn't so sure. To me it looked like something I'd seen her wear when we were children. The thought of that set my stomach going.

Juli coughed on her tart, bringing her hand up to her mouth to cover her chewing.

"Yeah uh..." She said finally. "I've uhm...required an eye for...that sort of a thing." She fidgeted. "Although, the latest fashions aren't for me personally, I prefer..." She looked down at her outfit now. "This sort of a thing"

Shelly nodded amusedly, blatantly judgemental "I see. That makes perfect sense-Now where were we?"

As they continued their previous conversation I watched as Juli breathed what seemed to me, a deep sigh of relief. To be honest, I often felt that way after finishing a conversation with Shelly, but it was obvious she'd just told her a pack of lies.

"Latest fashions" I mused under my breath, almost laughing.

I heard a sharp intake of breath from Juli. She'd heard me. "Oh because you know so much more don't you?" She scoffed.

"Mm. Least I don't lie about it." I said airily.

"Are you calling me a liar Loski?" She said raising her voice ever so slightly with a sharp degree of aggression in her tone.

"Maybe I am. Baker." I replied with the same edge to my voice.

"Oh you insolent, no good, wretched-"

"Oops." I said, tipping my full cup of lemonade so that the contents spilled over her legs.

She gasped loudly, gaining the attention of Shelly and Eddie now. I laughed at the sight of her delicate eyebrows furrowed angrily in genuine rage.

She looked up at me, a malicious glint in her eye. "You think this is funny Bryce? Let's see who's laughing now"

And with a smooth manoeuvre of her hands she swiftly picked up the burnt pie, hoisted it above her head and before I knew what was happening, thrust it towards me.

My arms immediately formed a shield infront of me, but cream and apple filling still splatted- making it's way through gaps of my fingers and onto my face.

"My pie!" Shelly wailed.

Without thinking, I shovelled some of the apple filling into my hand and threw it back at her which made Juli scream, and Shelly cry further. I expected we must've been causing quite a scene at this point.