(I Just) Died In Your Arms ~ Stanley Uris

008

Julia's POV

I trotted happily down Canal Street, holding three quarters in my hands. My hair bounced as I ran, I had ditched my bike for a while and decided to try traveling on foot for once.

It had been a week since Stanley's bar mitzvah, I haven't heard from him since. I called, even went over to his house, but I got waved away by his dad every single time. I decided to give up on looking, and try to have fun this summer.

When I had woke up the morning after he had stayed over, my bed was empty and the window was left open, obvious that Stan had left before I could wake up. The only thing left from him was a sticky note left on my desk that read:

Sorry Julia
~Stanley

I was confused as to why he wouldn't wait for me to wake up, but what is done is done. Stan was gone, and I couldn't do anything to get him back.

Richie and I hung out a lot, but it seemed he was getting distant, like he was hiding something. Then, he didn't call me for three days straight, so at last, I was all alone.

After a good half hour of walking, I began to get thirsty. I was stupid and didn't drink water before I left, letting the 90 degree weather do a number on me.

I frantically checked the pockets of my jean shorts, looking for a dollar or something. I cane up with only 3 quarters, so maybe I had enough to get some.

I ran into the pharmacy, looking for water under a dollar. I bent over and rummaged through them, not finding one. I sighed, and wiped the sweat off my forehead.

"Julia?" A familiar high pitched voice rang behind me. I looked behind me, flicking my hair away from my shoulders.

"Eds?" I asked. Eddie nodded, and my eyes trailed down to the bright white cast on his arm. "Oh my god, Eddie! I'm so sorry!" I exclaimed, holding my hands to my mouth. I hadn't seen him in weeks, ever since that day we went into the house. He looked different, surprisingly different for it just being a month. His skin was paler and the life seemed to be sucked out of his expression. He didn't stand as tall as he used to, and his voice wasn't as quick anymore.

"It's fine really." He was blinking away some tears, looking down. I turned over his cast, and saw the big letters spelling "LOSER"

"Who did this?" I asked, holding his arm in my hand. How was he so calm about this?

"Greta." He confessed, looking down back at the floor. I looked back at the counter, angrily glaring at her propped up feet on it. I lost my thirst. This made me furious. Greta was always up my ass all the time, usually finding something wrong with me so she can pick on me. Most of the time it was my occasional acne, or how I just wasn't right for this world. Either way, it really bothered me.

"I'm so sorry. You wanna talk? I haven't seen you in ages." I wrapped a friendly arm over his shoulders and he nodded quickly.

"Yes. Please." He smiled weakly, walking with me out the pharmacy. This was way more important than getting hydrated.

I walked with him out the door, sitting down next to him on the curb. Eddie clutched his prescription to his stomach, as if someone were to take it from him. His knees bounced nervously, looking at the street. I knew he was looking for his mother, who'd be filled with rage if she saw him hanging out with me.

"Have you seen any of the losers?" The last word hit hard, the burning feeling of frustration burned in my heart. I had seen a couple of them, each encounter worse than the last.