idiot.” I feel a thousand times better now that I am sharing my misery with a good friend instead leading her on. “You aren’t mad are you? I mean, I figured with Kim…”
“I’m not mad. A little confused maybe—he’s a neanderthal.”
“Yeah, wel. He’s my neanderthal. Or he could be if he wanted to. Sometimes I think… and then he wanted us to go to the dance with Keith and Bily?
Arrgg!!”
I am chuckling some more. “You know what I think? Jason isn’t sharpest tool in the shed. Although he is definitely a tool.” She laughs too. “Come on.” I have an idea on how this evening doesn’t have to be a total bust. Mandy and I leave the gym and turn right. There is one section of halway that doesn’t get chained off when they have school functions. They always turn the lights off to discourage students, but clearly it has the opposite effect. The wals are already lined with couples. I never bring girls here—it seems kind of sleazy to me. But tonight it has the desired effect because before we get very far Jason’s hand grips my bicep and turns me around.
I can tel that is as far as he thought. Jason may be an idiot but he isn’t going to punch his big brother—I’d slaughter him. He is standing there with one hand curled into a fist and looking back and forth between Mandy and I al injured-puppy-like.
“She’s al yours, dude.” I grin and wink at him then I leave the happy couple to make fools of themselves in a dark crowded halway.
Back in the gym Kim is sitting at our table—alone. “Where’s Mr. Dependable?” I can’t help asking when I sit down. Kim rols her eyes at me, but she doesn’t defend him. A week ago I would have taken her lack of defense as a sign of progress. Now I know I’ve been fooling myself. Kim Penney is a lost cause.
“He wanted to make a phone cal. He’s in the hal, I imagine.”
Are you enjoying yourself, Kim?”
“Not realy.”
Her admission thrils me despite my resolution to remember the whole lost cause thing. “Wil you dance with me?” Kim looks shocked. “You already know I’m a good dancer and it ended up pretty wel the last time.”
“I remember, so I am going to say no.”
“I was joking Kim—mostly. I just want to dance. My brother just stole my date, so I find myself in need of a new dance partner.” Kim sighed with the air of a martyr before nodding ‘yes’. Instead of puling her into the throng of students beneath the disco bal I tugged her in the other direction into a corner where I can imagine we had some privacy. It isn’t as good as holding her on Steve’s balcony, or during out stage kisses, or even as good as helping her with plastic toy armor at The Fun Factory . Now I know that any moment Paul is going to walk back in and take her away from me. I know that this isn’t a beginning for us—it is just a moment that means more to me than it ever wil to her. This thought almost makes me walk away. But her dress is like nothing between my hand and her waist and while her hair is stil braided her one exposed bare shoulder has me hypnotized.
“Maybe you can tel me why?” I have to say something even though I doubt there is anything she can say that wil make this better.
“Why what, Marshal?” She sighs and acts like she’s tired of this conversation already—after only half a second of talking.
“Why you are with him? Why he is better for you.” I want to add ‘than me’, but a guy has to have some pride. I wil admit that I don’t have much where Kim is concerned, but there are stil a few remaining shreds. “Is it realy because he is so dependable ?” I say the word with al the same inflection as one might use while describing brussels sprouts, or spinach, or anything else that tastes awful but we eat because it is good for us. “Is it because he wouldn’t hurt you? He isn’t alone in that category Kim.” I barely resist adding that I am in that category. That I would cut off my arm before I hurt her.
“I
“I’m not mad. A little confused maybe—he’s a neanderthal.”
“Yeah, wel. He’s my neanderthal. Or he could be if he wanted to. Sometimes I think… and then he wanted us to go to the dance with Keith and Bily?
Arrgg!!”
I am chuckling some more. “You know what I think? Jason isn’t sharpest tool in the shed. Although he is definitely a tool.” She laughs too. “Come on.” I have an idea on how this evening doesn’t have to be a total bust. Mandy and I leave the gym and turn right. There is one section of halway that doesn’t get chained off when they have school functions. They always turn the lights off to discourage students, but clearly it has the opposite effect. The wals are already lined with couples. I never bring girls here—it seems kind of sleazy to me. But tonight it has the desired effect because before we get very far Jason’s hand grips my bicep and turns me around.
I can tel that is as far as he thought. Jason may be an idiot but he isn’t going to punch his big brother—I’d slaughter him. He is standing there with one hand curled into a fist and looking back and forth between Mandy and I al injured-puppy-like.
“She’s al yours, dude.” I grin and wink at him then I leave the happy couple to make fools of themselves in a dark crowded halway.
Back in the gym Kim is sitting at our table—alone. “Where’s Mr. Dependable?” I can’t help asking when I sit down. Kim rols her eyes at me, but she doesn’t defend him. A week ago I would have taken her lack of defense as a sign of progress. Now I know I’ve been fooling myself. Kim Penney is a lost cause.
“He wanted to make a phone cal. He’s in the hal, I imagine.”
Are you enjoying yourself, Kim?”
“Not realy.”
Her admission thrils me despite my resolution to remember the whole lost cause thing. “Wil you dance with me?” Kim looks shocked. “You already know I’m a good dancer and it ended up pretty wel the last time.”
“I remember, so I am going to say no.”
“I was joking Kim—mostly. I just want to dance. My brother just stole my date, so I find myself in need of a new dance partner.” Kim sighed with the air of a martyr before nodding ‘yes’. Instead of puling her into the throng of students beneath the disco bal I tugged her in the other direction into a corner where I can imagine we had some privacy. It isn’t as good as holding her on Steve’s balcony, or during out stage kisses, or even as good as helping her with plastic toy armor at The Fun Factory . Now I know that any moment Paul is going to walk back in and take her away from me. I know that this isn’t a beginning for us—it is just a moment that means more to me than it ever wil to her. This thought almost makes me walk away. But her dress is like nothing between my hand and her waist and while her hair is stil braided her one exposed bare shoulder has me hypnotized.
“Maybe you can tel me why?” I have to say something even though I doubt there is anything she can say that wil make this better.
“Why what, Marshal?” She sighs and acts like she’s tired of this conversation already—after only half a second of talking.
“Why you are with him? Why he is better for you.” I want to add ‘than me’, but a guy has to have some pride. I wil admit that I don’t have much where Kim is concerned, but there are stil a few remaining shreds. “Is it realy because he is so dependable ?” I say the word with al the same inflection as one might use while describing brussels sprouts, or spinach, or anything else that tastes awful but we eat because it is good for us. “Is it because he wouldn’t hurt you? He isn’t alone in that category Kim.” I barely resist adding that I am in that category. That I would cut off my arm before I hurt her.
“I
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