Debutante Hill by Lois Duncan Page A

Lynn.
    â€œWhat the heck—”
    Lynn smiled, enjoying his surprise. “Hello, Dirk; we missed you at dinner.”
    â€œLynn is spending the night with me.” Anne turned to him accusingly. “We did miss you at dinner, Dirk. Where were you?”
    Dirk said, “Out.”
    â€œI know ‘out.’ Out where? With that Brad Morgan?”
    â€œSo, what if I was?” Dirk retorted defiantly. “I guess I’m old enough to pick my own friends.” Then his voice softened before the concern in her face. “Don’t worry about me so much, Annie. Be a good kid and run out to the kitchen and fry me a hamburger. I’m starved, and this peanut butter doesn’t exactly hit the spot.”
    â€œAll right, but you don’t deserve it,” Anne said.

    She disappeared into the kitchen.
    Lynn hesitated and then seated herself on the far end of the sofa. The silence was awkward.
    She thought, I should say something—no, why should I be the one? Let Dirk speak first. I’m a guest in his house; let him be polite to me.
    Dirk shifted uncomfortably.
    Finally he said, “So you’re spending the night with Anne? I didn’t know you two were that close friends. I—I—” He fumbled for words. “I’m glad you did come.”
    It was the friendliest thing Dirk had ever said to her.
    Lynn said, “I’m glad, too. I like your sister very much. I didn’t realize before how talented she is. Why these water colors—” She gestured toward the walls. “They’re just wonderful!”
    Dirk brightened, his discomfort seeming to fall away.
    â€œAren’t they good? She’s never had any instruction, either. She just picks up a brush and goes to it, and those pictures come out.” His face was gentle when he talked of his sister. “With all the work she does here, the housework and cooking and her schoolwork, you’d never think she’d have time to work on something like that. She’s a great girl. She deserves a lot more than she’s got.”
    â€œWhat do you mean?” Lynn asked softly.
    â€œI mean at school mostly. Anne deserves to be in the clubs and on the student council and at all the parties—you know, one of the Crowd who run things. Just because she’s so quiet and doesn’t come from the Hill doesn’t mean she doesn’t have a lot on the ball!”
    â€œYes,” agreed Lynn sincerely, “I realize that now. I never really knew Anne until recently. I guess I was too tied up
with my own friends to try to get to know somebody else. But I do know her now, and I’m going to do everything I can to see she’s included in everything that comes along.”
    Dirk was quiet a moment. Then he said, “Thanks.” After a moment, he reached across and put his hand over hers. “About the other evening—I’m sorry.”
    He opened his mouth, as though he were going to say more, and then he closed it again. Lynn felt his hand tremble over hers. She turned toward him and found him looking at her. There was nothing defiant in his eyes now, nothing mocking. She felt strangely confused by the intensity of his gaze.
    â€œThat’s all right, Dirk,” she said, surprised by the tremor in her voice. “I—I guess—Let’s forget about it, shall we?”
    He nodded without speaking.
    They sat there in companionable silence, listening to the clatter of dishes from the kitchen. The little room was warm and cozy in the light from the lamp on the table.
    Lynn thought, I’ve never seen Dirk like this, just relaxed and comfortable and happy. He’s always fighting something when I see him at school, trying to get the best of somebody, to show the world that he doesn’t care. He’s much nicer like this. And much more attractive.
    Later that night, when she lay beside Anne in the narrow bed, Lynn thought about Dirk again.
    He is a nice boy,