Deep End Dance
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“Gaze around,” she said. “Why do you drag razors all over your body? Why have I spent the past five years bingeing on thin mints, waffles, and then purging? Why are each of us so haunted and stricken?”
“Justin’s deception still pisses me off, though,” I said. 
“He’s a master manipulator,” Juniper said. “A crusty contrarian.”
“Justin,” I shouted. He turned from the hot dog stand and smiled sheepishly.
“Wise up to the games being played around you, kiddo,” he yelled, tapping his temple. “You’re way too gullible for the modern age.”
“Go to hell,” I responded.
“Is it vomit time, Juniper?” Justin laughed, opening his mouth to expose his macerated chilidog.
“You spread caustic fumes every time you speak,” Juniper replied.
“Everyone wants to see me suffer,” he said. “It isn’t just or true - I demand a stage to put forth my important wisdom and beliefs. That’s all I desire.” 
“Try telling the truth for once,” I called out, and Justin took off running towards the pool. Staff went after him but he had a head start. As he approached the pool, he seemed to float over the chain link fence and began bouncing on the diving board seconds later, only two inches of stagnant water waiting below him in the deep end.
“This is for each of you who lack true faith,” he shouted, “who don’t recognize me fully as a human with much to offer the multiverse.”
“Don’t escalate, Justin,” a staff said. “We’ll find a solution and talk it out.”
Justin shouted, “Toga, toga…” as each bounce brought him higher.
“Wait up, Justin,” I shouted, standing. “Hold on a moment, okay?” 
He looked up, nearly losing his balance on the diving board. He paused, raising his hand to cut the afternoon glare.
“What the hell do you want, Bubba?” 
“Wait a minute,” I said again, now walking toward him. “Just hold on.”
“What is it, Miss Piggy?” he said, eventually crouching on the diving board. I hustled over, my breath heaving. 
“Wait up,” I said.
“God, you’re a flabby creature,” he said.
“Comes standard with the Geodon and Zyprexa pills I take.”
“Lame-ass excuse,” he said. “Ma would never accept that. She’d say you opened your mouth and ate each of those glazed donuts and potato chips on your own.”
“How’d your Ma pass again?” I asked.
“Destroyed by Sophia,” he said. “I told you that already, bud.” 
“A harrowing tale it was,” I said.
“No room for superheroes,” he said. “They don’t exist around here - they don’t have space for those chumps in this lonely city.”
“Right,” I said. 
“What do you plan to do when you arrive at the pool?” Justin asked.
“Not sure,” I said. “Give me a minute to think up something impressive.”
“I’ll probably have already Swan dived to my death by then,” he said. 
“Maybe I’ll get naked and dance,” I said, and some people in the crowd laughed.
“A disgusting image is now in my head, thanks to you, sir,” he said.