1980
Brookline, Massachusetts
"Conan? What are you doing?"
June went to visit Conan as usual, and went straight to his room. He wasn't there. She looked for him around the house and found him staring at himself on the mirror, silently.
"Nothing." he looked extremely sad.
"What's wrong, sunshine?" she gently asked.
"Don't call me that." he frowned, and walked out. June instinctively walked back to give him room to walk and he went back to his bedroom, closing the door behind him. She wondered why her friend was so frustrated, and walked to his bedroom as soon as he closed the door.
She opened the door and saw him sitting on his bed, looking out the window.
"Conan, we still have time to go out today... you wanna grab something to eat?"
"No." he said.
"Come on, you love St. Patrick's Day!" she said, trying to cheer him up.
"I'm not in the mood for leprechaun jokes this year, June."
June came by and sat on the bed, by his side. Talking about it started to make him frown. "Care to tell me what really happened, Conan?"
He sighed. "People keep telling me I look gross, and I usually don't care but..."
"...but Kaley was laughing at you, right?"
Kaley Kells was Conan's crush during sophomore and junior years of high school. June always saw her as a bully, she wouldn't directly engage in it, but she encouraged bullying against other people, by pointing and laughing at the insults thrown at Conan and many other students. Conan, on the other hand, fell for her, and refused to believe she was mean. She had blue eyes, blonde hair, the petite dream girl. Conan was always trying to make her laugh, and she would laugh at him, but not for the right reasons.
"Am I doing something wrong June?" Conan said, still frowning and looking at the window.
"Yes." June said, now looking angrier than ever. Conan noticed the change in June's voice and looked back at her.
"What..."
"Why do you keep doing this, Conan? Seriously." June asked, harshly.
"June, Kaley isn't..."
"Yeah, I know. But if she keeps doing this shit I'll fucking punch her in the face."
"She's not..."
"She's mean, Conan. She's fooling you. She doesn't like your jokes. She thinks you're pathetic!" June exclaimed.
Conan was surprised at June's reaction. The truth shocked him for two reasons: he never expected to be referred to as "pathetic", it hurt him deeply. But most of all, the way June was willing to defend him from Kaley's ridicule. Deep inside he knew he was making a fool of himself, but he was pretty optimistic it would work somehow. June certainly wanted to say it for the longest time, considering how she just exploded like that. She wanted to be there for him more than anything.
"Well..." Conan said. "That's not really nice, June."
"I'm sorry, sweetie." June relaxed. "I just hoped you realized..."
Conan sighed. "I see what you're saying. It's just a bit hurtful to accept it."
"You're not pathetic..."
"I know."
"Your freckles are adorable, and... your eyes aren't ugly, okay? They're just lying to you."
Conan felt warm for the first time that day. "Thanks, March."
"Do you still want to eat?"
He giggled. "Of course. I always want to eat."
