“Squirrel!” Her shout took me aback for a split second because, like most of the things she does, this was uncharacteristically within her character. Her glasses teetered on the edge of her nose, face reddened from the abrupt scream. She followed up her exclamation with a few puppy-like barks.

“Holy crab apples, Jules!” I screamed. I hit her, but not like punching. It was more playful than I expected. It was not hurtful in any way, but it still could’ve been considered assault. Not that Julie would’ve filed charges against me. Someone else observing the altercation may. But we were friends. “Do you know how fast my heart is racing right now?” She smiled, shrugging.

“How fast?” Julie asked, winking at me.

“Not funny, girlfriend,” I barked at her. “That could’ve been serious.” She and I were hanging out at the mall, me with a cherry Icee in my hand, and my white blouse was pristine. Mom bought it a week ago for me, specifically to wear to Aunt Chrystal’s visitation. My Aunt was a Bible-loving Jesus follower, talking about how he died for me and is alive today. I wasn’t sure how I felt about all that Jesus stuff, especially with my friends, several of whom were Agnostics, Atheists, and Wiccans. Like a good Southern Baptist girl, I went to church with my Mom, even though she was ostracized from most churchy functions because she divorced my alcoholic, abusive Father. I wasn’t allowed to go to dances. Short skirts, like miniskirts, all my friends wore? Forget it! There was no way she would let me wear something that revealing. Julie had a body to fill out all the right places, but not me. Instead, Mom bought me tight jeans. I thought that would be a sin, turns out it was okay. Even though I knew it left nothing to the imagination. My Jordache jeans showed off all my assets. Okay, my one asset. It was the one part of me Julie was envious of. “You know I’m wearing this to my Aunt’s funeral today. If I spill one drop of this on this top?”

“Mama will kill you?” Julie laughed. “Shouldn’t have ordered the Cherry.”

“I hate the Cola flavor. Yuck.”

Julie tapped the bottom of my Icee cup. “Whoops! Sorry about that.” She raised her hands in surrender. “Must’ve slipped.” She swooped the bright fluorescent green hair out of her eyes, her bangs falling down to her chin, which I thought was cute. Both her ears were pierced, not extraordinary or different, but the tiny chain that linked it to her nose ring? That was different. No one at Livermore High did different like Julie. She was a cross between Goth and Punk. She wasn’t dark enough for Goth and not Punk enough for punk? Julie asked me once how you couldn’t be punk or Goth enough. I never answered her.

“Not even a little bit funny, Jules.” Inspecting the white flowy blouse, I checked up and down for any potential stains, little flecks of red Cherry Icee. Whew! Not a single drop. Thank you, Jesus.

Jules plopped down on one of the metal chairs in the food court. Somehow, I’m not sure how we managed to end up at the food court, even though the Icee stand was at the other end of the mall. I don’t remember what the hell we were talking about. Knowing Julie, it was boys. Guys only wanted one thing from her. And Julie wasn’t about to give that way to just any dude.

I plopped into one of the three empty chairs, realizing my mistake. The paper cup hit the table hard with a thud, the lid flying off it, Cherry Icee falling into my lap! I looked over at Julie, her hands covering the smile widening across her face. It was cold. Icee cold! The acid-washed color changed from whitish-blue to reddish-purple. My jeans were soaked with the sticky substance, but, amazingly enough, not the blouse.

“Don’t move, Shari!” Julie shouted at me.

“It’s SO COLD!” I yelled. The red sticky liquid was dripping onto the tiled floor. I could hear the plop plop of it, wondering how it must look to anyone looking at me right now. I was cold, embarrassed, and afraid to move even an inch. And now? Now I had to pee from the cold!

“I know, sweetie. But if you move, you’ll get it on that blouse! Don’t move! I’ll be right back,” she shouted. She ran off, where and for what exactly, I didn’t know. Ten seconds later I heard the sounds of squeaky wheels, Julie pushing a mop bucket full of steamy, hot, soapy water in my direction, a mall custodian chasing after her.

“Hey! Where are you going with that young lady?” A balding man wearing a uniform shirt with an embroidered name tag that identified him as Carl was chasing after her, with a bottle of some cleaner in his right hand and a few rags in his left. “You can’t just run off with my mop and bucket! Get back here!”

That day, the mall was almost empty. We saw three mall walkers, elder ladies, walking for exercise with their bright-colored tracksuits, pristine white Reeboks, and headbands. I saw three mall security guards, which was unusual. It was rare to spot them. Most of the time, they conversed with the retail employees instead of doing their rounds. Their usual friends must’ve been on break or not working because their presence was noticeable today.

“Okay!” Julie shouted, breathing hard. “I got the mop!”

I glared at her. “And exactly how does that help me? I need this goop off me!”

“Young lady,” Carl panted, out of breath also, “why did you . . .” Carl looked under the chair, seeing the Icee covering the tile underneath the chair. “Oh. I see. I think you picked the wrong day to wear white, didn’t we, young lady?” He laughed, but I scowled at him. “Jules!”

“Yeah. Keep your shirt on.” She paused for a second, knowing it was a funny thing to say, but not laughing. Carl did. Julie snatched the rags from Carl, pushing the Icee off my lap, ensuring not to wipe up but down. All the remaining Icee liquid slid onto the floor. My jeans were ruined, that I was sure of, but now I could stand up.

Carl started mopping up the Icee, Julie throwing the damp rags on the table. “That was a close one!” she exclaimed. “Man. You are so lucky, Shar. If that had been me? It would’ve been all over my shirt, shoes, jeans, eyes, and hair.”

I started crying. “I want to go home.” Julie side-hugged me, grabbed my hand, and walked us back to her Toyota.