What would happen if I continued to change?
"Why don't you join us for lunch on Monday?" I said as sudden inspiration struck. "Dean found this cool tree on the edge of the campus. No one ever goes out there, so it's a great place."
"Dean Jackson is your tutor? All-American-I-Can-Do-No-Wrong Dean Jackson?"
"The one and only," I answered, shooting him a small new-to-me smile.
His eyes widened slightly at my smile, but he didn't comment. "Sure, maybe," he said as the first bell rang. "I better go so I'm not late to class," he said, shuffling off down the hall.
I watched his retreating back with a serious knot in the pit of my stomach. I knew he wouldn't meet me for lunch. It was an unwritten rule that our friendship wasn't designed to be shared.
I was still bogged down with guilt over James when I met Dean after school by his jeep.
"How was your afternoon?" he asked as I threw my backpack into the backseat.
"Nauseating. PerryPervert called me up to go over my English essay. I had the pleasure of watching him jiggle his junk the whole time I stood there. It was like a train wreck. I didn't want to look, but I couldn't seem to help myself. I'm pretty sure I threw up a little."
"What a dick," he said, putting the vehicle in reverse.
"I think that's the problem. Maybe he doesn't have one and he keeps checking to see if something magically appears."
Dean snorted.
"So, what are we doing tonight?" I asked, letting some of my insecurities show.
"You'll see," he said in his mysterious cloak-and-dagger voice.
"Really?" I asked sarcastically. The idea of a plan I had no knowledge of was enough to fill me with apprehension up to my neck. I was already pretty sure that I wasn't going to like his plan. Especially since he'd thrown the words family around all willy-nilly. My fears were verified when five minutes later he pulled into a long curved driveway in front of a huge sprawling yellow ranch house. Everything about the house in front of me was inviting. The exterior of the bright sunny yellow house was adorned in multiple potted plants that carried an array of different kinds of flowers. Multiple well-trimmed trees broke up the long expansion of St. Augustine grass that filled the space between the house and the curved driveway. The large trees provided shaded areas that were occupied by tastefully arranged sitting areas for those who would like to watch the world go by. If I had stumbled on the house in the forest, I would have labeled it as enchanting. Even being smack-dab in a community full of other houses, it stood out, practically screaming hominess. I'd seen enough TV to know that in the suburbs this house would be classified as a dream home with outstanding curb appeal. Everything about it screamed hard work, love and something else I couldn't quite put my finger on. One thing was abundantly clear. I did not belong here.
"My house," Dean said, stating the obvious.
"I see that. I'm not going in there," I said, shaking my head to emphasize my point. There was no way I was going in there to be paraded around to his family.
"Come on, Mads , it'll be fine. My parents are dying to meet you," he persuaded.
"You've told your parents about me?" I screeched in an unnaturally high voice.
" Mads , they figured something was going on since I've been MIA almost every afternoon for the last two weeks."
"Well, sure, but don't they just assume you're hanging with friends or something?"
He laughed. "My parents never assume anything. It used to drive my older sister Trish nuts."
"You have an older sister?" I asked, momentarily distracted.
"Yeah, she's a junior up at FSU, majoring in art therapy. You'll get to meet her next week when she comes down for Thanksgiving."
I was already shaking my head negatively. "No. I'm not meeting anyone in your family," I said, folding my arms stubbornly across my chest. My multilayer of black bracelets clinked together.
"Come on, Mads , don't be a baby. They're going to love you."
I snorted,
"Why don't you join us for lunch on Monday?" I said as sudden inspiration struck. "Dean found this cool tree on the edge of the campus. No one ever goes out there, so it's a great place."
"Dean Jackson is your tutor? All-American-I-Can-Do-No-Wrong Dean Jackson?"
"The one and only," I answered, shooting him a small new-to-me smile.
His eyes widened slightly at my smile, but he didn't comment. "Sure, maybe," he said as the first bell rang. "I better go so I'm not late to class," he said, shuffling off down the hall.
I watched his retreating back with a serious knot in the pit of my stomach. I knew he wouldn't meet me for lunch. It was an unwritten rule that our friendship wasn't designed to be shared.
I was still bogged down with guilt over James when I met Dean after school by his jeep.
"How was your afternoon?" he asked as I threw my backpack into the backseat.
"Nauseating. PerryPervert called me up to go over my English essay. I had the pleasure of watching him jiggle his junk the whole time I stood there. It was like a train wreck. I didn't want to look, but I couldn't seem to help myself. I'm pretty sure I threw up a little."
"What a dick," he said, putting the vehicle in reverse.
"I think that's the problem. Maybe he doesn't have one and he keeps checking to see if something magically appears."
Dean snorted.
"So, what are we doing tonight?" I asked, letting some of my insecurities show.
"You'll see," he said in his mysterious cloak-and-dagger voice.
"Really?" I asked sarcastically. The idea of a plan I had no knowledge of was enough to fill me with apprehension up to my neck. I was already pretty sure that I wasn't going to like his plan. Especially since he'd thrown the words family around all willy-nilly. My fears were verified when five minutes later he pulled into a long curved driveway in front of a huge sprawling yellow ranch house. Everything about the house in front of me was inviting. The exterior of the bright sunny yellow house was adorned in multiple potted plants that carried an array of different kinds of flowers. Multiple well-trimmed trees broke up the long expansion of St. Augustine grass that filled the space between the house and the curved driveway. The large trees provided shaded areas that were occupied by tastefully arranged sitting areas for those who would like to watch the world go by. If I had stumbled on the house in the forest, I would have labeled it as enchanting. Even being smack-dab in a community full of other houses, it stood out, practically screaming hominess. I'd seen enough TV to know that in the suburbs this house would be classified as a dream home with outstanding curb appeal. Everything about it screamed hard work, love and something else I couldn't quite put my finger on. One thing was abundantly clear. I did not belong here.
"My house," Dean said, stating the obvious.
"I see that. I'm not going in there," I said, shaking my head to emphasize my point. There was no way I was going in there to be paraded around to his family.
"Come on, Mads , it'll be fine. My parents are dying to meet you," he persuaded.
"You've told your parents about me?" I screeched in an unnaturally high voice.
" Mads , they figured something was going on since I've been MIA almost every afternoon for the last two weeks."
"Well, sure, but don't they just assume you're hanging with friends or something?"
He laughed. "My parents never assume anything. It used to drive my older sister Trish nuts."
"You have an older sister?" I asked, momentarily distracted.
"Yeah, she's a junior up at FSU, majoring in art therapy. You'll get to meet her next week when she comes down for Thanksgiving."
I was already shaking my head negatively. "No. I'm not meeting anyone in your family," I said, folding my arms stubbornly across my chest. My multilayer of black bracelets clinked together.
"Come on, Mads , don't be a baby. They're going to love you."
I snorted,
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