trying to figure out who we are,” I say very casually.
“Well, she’s got a lot more thinking to do,” he says. “Like the whole God thing.”
“Not everyone believes in God like you and me.”
He flashes a second of anger, but it melts when I offer my best smile in return. This conversation is like a swimming meet and I need to push ahead to the finish line.
“She does believe in God, she just hasn’t put it all together.”
“Scott, what do you mean?”
“Here’s the story,” he says, and I lean forward as if I’m expecting a kiss. “An angel once found a demon broken and nearly dead. The angel held out his arms to help the demon. The demon looked at the angel and asked, ‘Why would you save an evil demon like me?’ The angel answered, ‘Because without you, there is no me .’”
I’m smart, but I play dumb. “What do you mean?”
“If she really believes in vampires, then she believes in evil. If she believes in evil, then she believes in demons. If she believesin demons, she must believe in angels. If she believes in angels, then she believes in God,” he says. “You don’t get good without evil. They coexist.”
“That’s a rational explanation for the irrational, don’t you think?”
“There’s an order to things in the universe,” Scott says, then finishes his pop.
“So do you believe in demons and vampires?” I ask, almost amused.
He lets out a small, almost embarrassed laugh. “Not like Samantha does, but, I guess I do.”
“You’re one interesting man, Scott Gerard,” I say. My arms stretch out like I am trying to touch the wall of the pool. I can’t reach out any farther to him; he’s got to reach back.
“You too,” he says, then touches me. “I mean, you’re interesting, not an interesting man.”
I think he’s blushing, but I can’t see all of his face. Instead, I feel his skin. “Thanks.”
The moment’s ruined by more yelps from Cody’s table and another incoming bread bomb. I stare back at Cody, but he’s not looking at me. They’re too busy now throwing food at each other. I see the server walk by the table again, but that just sets off another laugh riot.
“I’m sorry, we should—,” I start.
“I wanted to get to know you for some time,” he says. “But I’d have to break my rule.”
“Your rule?”
“Since pretty girls don’t usually talk to me, I don’t talk to them,” he says as he blushes. “By talking to you, I’m breaking my rule. I wonder what other trouble you’ll get me into?”
“Really?” I lean in. I want to push the hair out of his face; I want to see his eyes.
“I watched you, how you interacted with everybody at school,” he says.
“Well, Robyn taught me that,” I say.
“No, it was different,” he says. “People clung to Robyn because it made them feel popular too, like they were part of something. But I think people hang around you because you make them feel better. I see how people talk to you when they’re upset or crying.”
“I try to be there for my friends.”
“Robyn gave people what they wanted, you give people what they need,” he says without a single pause, like he’s been rehearsing this little speech for some time. “People worshipped Robyn, but people like you. I think that’s probably better for everyone.”
“Everyone except you liked me, I guess,” I say, teasingly.
“I saw you with guys like Cody and couldn’t figure you out,” he says, pointing in their direction. I won’t turn around. Not only because I don’t want to look at Cody again, but also because I can’t take my eyes off Scott. He’s pushed his hair aside. If he blushes any more, there’ll be no more blood left in the rest of his body, which would be disappointing for both of us later.
“Figure out what?” I ask. I’m fingering my trinity of necklaces with my left hand. My right hand flicks Scott’s fingers. He looks up again. I throw back my hair and smile.
“Never mind,” he says. Scott
“Well, she’s got a lot more thinking to do,” he says. “Like the whole God thing.”
“Not everyone believes in God like you and me.”
He flashes a second of anger, but it melts when I offer my best smile in return. This conversation is like a swimming meet and I need to push ahead to the finish line.
“She does believe in God, she just hasn’t put it all together.”
“Scott, what do you mean?”
“Here’s the story,” he says, and I lean forward as if I’m expecting a kiss. “An angel once found a demon broken and nearly dead. The angel held out his arms to help the demon. The demon looked at the angel and asked, ‘Why would you save an evil demon like me?’ The angel answered, ‘Because without you, there is no me .’”
I’m smart, but I play dumb. “What do you mean?”
“If she really believes in vampires, then she believes in evil. If she believes in evil, then she believes in demons. If she believesin demons, she must believe in angels. If she believes in angels, then she believes in God,” he says. “You don’t get good without evil. They coexist.”
“That’s a rational explanation for the irrational, don’t you think?”
“There’s an order to things in the universe,” Scott says, then finishes his pop.
“So do you believe in demons and vampires?” I ask, almost amused.
He lets out a small, almost embarrassed laugh. “Not like Samantha does, but, I guess I do.”
“You’re one interesting man, Scott Gerard,” I say. My arms stretch out like I am trying to touch the wall of the pool. I can’t reach out any farther to him; he’s got to reach back.
“You too,” he says, then touches me. “I mean, you’re interesting, not an interesting man.”
I think he’s blushing, but I can’t see all of his face. Instead, I feel his skin. “Thanks.”
The moment’s ruined by more yelps from Cody’s table and another incoming bread bomb. I stare back at Cody, but he’s not looking at me. They’re too busy now throwing food at each other. I see the server walk by the table again, but that just sets off another laugh riot.
“I’m sorry, we should—,” I start.
“I wanted to get to know you for some time,” he says. “But I’d have to break my rule.”
“Your rule?”
“Since pretty girls don’t usually talk to me, I don’t talk to them,” he says as he blushes. “By talking to you, I’m breaking my rule. I wonder what other trouble you’ll get me into?”
“Really?” I lean in. I want to push the hair out of his face; I want to see his eyes.
“I watched you, how you interacted with everybody at school,” he says.
“Well, Robyn taught me that,” I say.
“No, it was different,” he says. “People clung to Robyn because it made them feel popular too, like they were part of something. But I think people hang around you because you make them feel better. I see how people talk to you when they’re upset or crying.”
“I try to be there for my friends.”
“Robyn gave people what they wanted, you give people what they need,” he says without a single pause, like he’s been rehearsing this little speech for some time. “People worshipped Robyn, but people like you. I think that’s probably better for everyone.”
“Everyone except you liked me, I guess,” I say, teasingly.
“I saw you with guys like Cody and couldn’t figure you out,” he says, pointing in their direction. I won’t turn around. Not only because I don’t want to look at Cody again, but also because I can’t take my eyes off Scott. He’s pushed his hair aside. If he blushes any more, there’ll be no more blood left in the rest of his body, which would be disappointing for both of us later.
“Figure out what?” I ask. I’m fingering my trinity of necklaces with my left hand. My right hand flicks Scott’s fingers. He looks up again. I throw back my hair and smile.
“Never mind,” he says. Scott
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