Back To Us Read Online Free PDF Page B

community center knew him and seemed to love him. He chatted with the janitors the same way he did with Mrs. Connor. He was friendly to everyone and when he asked them how things were going, it wasn’t just small talk, he seemed genuinely interested. I envied his ease with people and, as the days passed, began to feel sort of disappointed that our little game with Don was just a game. I had to remind myself that even if I thought Justin was cute, it was better that he wasn’t interested. My focus was supposed to be on finishing school, not the drama that came with dating.
    The rest of June seemed to fly by. I’d fallen into a routine. Work during the week, and Saturday mornings at the laundromat. The rest of the weekend I got to hang out—mostly with Mike and Mel, sometimes with Susan and Greg, which did nothing to help me feel less like a third wheel, but it kept me busy. I’d given Justin my number in case he ever made it down to Brooklyn and wanted to hang out, but he never called. Our friendship was confined to the community center, and even though Don was still convinced the two of us had something going on, things between me and Justin were strictly platonic. The more time I spent around Justin the more I had to convince myself that it had to, it needed to, stay that way.

July Fourth wound up falling on a Thursday, which meant that the community center would be closed on both the fourth and the fifth, making it a short week at work for me. On that Monday I arrived to work early and bumped into Justin on my way in. Don wasn’t even at the front desk yet, that’s how early it was. Instead Justin and I ran into him in the break room pouring a few sugars into his coffee. Don and Justin exchanged morning greetings while I found a spot in the refrigerator for my lunch.
    “So what are you two doing for the Fourth?” Don asked. He was looking at me so I figured he was waiting for me to answer, not Justin.
    “Umm, I. . .I’m not really sure yet.” 
    “Don’t tell me you forgot the barbecue?” Justin said, sounding surprised and disappointed at the same time. He played his part well, sometimes I thought he enjoyed the little game we were playing more than I did.
    “Yeah, right. The barbecue. I didn’t forget.”
    Don glanced at his watch. “Oops, it’s later than I thought, I better get up front.”
    “So what are your real plans for Independence Day?” I asked Justin when Don was out of earshot.
    “You thought I was joking about the barbecue?” 
    “I figured it was all part of our “get Don to think we’re dating” plan.”
    “Yeah, well, it kind of was, but now that I think about it, I’d like to formally invite you to my family’s annual July Fourth rooftop deck bash.”
    “You guys have a rooftop deck?” I asked, trying to hide the awe in my voice. In my entire nineteen years I’d never known anyone who lived in a place with a rooftop deck. I knew they existed, but I didn’t spend time with the types of people who had that kind of money.
    “Well, my parents do,” Justin said, then paused. “So what’s it gonna be?”
    I pictured what Justin’s apartment looked like and my curiosity piqued. “I already told my brother and his girlfriend that I was going over to her family’s house.” And the truth was I didn’t see myself fitting in with the rooftop deck crowd.
    “So you’re spending the day with your brother’s girlfriend’s family? What about your parents? They don’t celebrate the Fourth?”
    I laughed. My father’s opinion of American patriotism wasn’t particularly good. “Uhh, no. They don’t celebrate July Fourth in Croatia.”
    “Wait a minute. Is that where your parents are now?”
    “It’s where they’ve been for the past five years,” I replied, casually.
    “Wait a minute.” I could see Justin doing the math in his head. “You were fourteen when they left for Croatia? Who took care of you?”
    “Long. . .”
    “I already know what you’re gonna