I handed her Precious and took Duke home. It was no surprise when Halle pulled into our driveway. I’d had time to think on the ride back from Notre Dame, and really didn’t see the benefit in causing a big stink about her having a date to Homecoming. If I wanted to be exclusive, I knew how to do that. I wasn’t ready for that kind of relationship.
“How was your trip?” she asked.
I led her up to my apartment and filled her in on the weekend. I told Halle that I liked it and it was one of my top choices. I also told her about receiving an offer from USC. She was more excited about that one than about Notre Dame. USC had the Roski School of Art and Design and also a School of Dramatic Arts that Halle was interested in.
We fell back into a comfortable conversational rhythm. She reminded me why I felt that there might be something more between us eventually. It didn’t take much convincing on Halle’s part to get me naked. As we made love, I looked forward to when we would be in California together to make our movie. I wanted to learn to surf. Halle told me that because of my role as a baseball player, I could get specialized training paid for by the studio. I would have to check into that.
Halle kept me in bed all afternoon. We never talked about the dance. I think it was apparent to both of us that we were okay, and by extension, the other girls were too. If Tami had sent Halle to me to do her dirty work, I would never have been mad at her. Next time Harper or Missy showed up, I would have to show them how to talk to me.
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Chapter 25 – Don’t You Want to Share the Guilt? Monday October 19
This morning Rachel had big news. How did I know it was big news? My first clue was that she was actually waiting for us when we came down to stretch. The second clue was when she began to fidget and bounce up and down. It was all I could do to ignore her as I prepared to run. Rachel’s excitement had Duke and Buster frisky, and they were tearing up the backyard as they played.
I finally stood up and picked up my Bo staff.
“What are you so happy about?”
“I came in fourth at regionals—that qualifies me for sectionals—if I do well there I get to go to state—my coach thinks I didn’t run my best race so she says I’ll be a shoo-in for state—I was disappointed none of my other teammates placed high enough to go but I can hardly wait to see how well I do! Isn’t that great?”
Rachel said all this in one burst of words. I had to concentrate, or I wouldn’t have been able to follow what she said. Rachel waited for my response as I froze for a few seconds, and then smiled. From what I gathered, she had placed well enough in her cross-country regional to move on to sectionals. Rachel squealed when I picked her up and put her on my shoulder. That got the two rowdy dogs to follow us down the street as I ran with her on her perch.
“David! Put me down!” she yelled. “I’m going to pee!”
Where do girls learn to say they’ll pee on you to get you to stop teasing them? They must have classes that also teach them ‘the look,’ the pout, and the eye-roll, with the much more difficult sigh added for effect.
Rachel was a little chatterbox the whole time we ran. I felt sorry for Greg when Mac became a little older. What was I saying? Kyle was just as bad. I imagined when Nate began to talk as well. Angie might have to disown one of them.
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I planned my entrance at Lincoln High today. It wasn’t only girls who could do sexy. I wanted a few to realize I wasn’t without resources. The master, Adrienne, had taught me how to turn heads. I wore my handmade leather boots with the silver zipper on the side, AGed-15 jeans, and my Tommy Hilfiger fitted leather racing jacket. The jeans had strategically placed rips to show a little skin, which meant going commando. The sacrifices we have to endure for fashion.
My plan was all well and good except for one little detaiclass="underline" the girls had planned also. Sporty Brook wore her silk sweats that I was confident would trigger our school dress code policy as soon as she stepped inside. It wasn’t possible to have even a thong on and wear those pants. She also wore a tight V-neck t-shirt, and her bra enhanced her assets. Classy Halle had dressed in black slacks, a pink cashmere sweater and high heels that enhanced her already superior posterior. Farm girl Zoe wore her work jeans, a plaid button-up shirt, and cowboy boots.
All that was missing was surfer-girl Pam and Catholic schoolgirl Lisa Felton to complete my fantasy lineup. My California surfer-girl seemed to have been avoiding me for the last couple of weeks. I would need to find her and see what was going on. It wasn’t like her to not talk to me at least a couple of times a day.
I did my best cool-kid swagger and struck a pose in front of the three girls. I was stunned when they purposefully checked me out and then acted as if they weren’t impressed. Who were they kidding? I was David frickin’ Dawson, star quarterback, fashion model, and movie star. I was giving them my best thousand-yard sultry stare when everything was ruined. Someone gave me a hip-check and about knocked me down. My archnemesis Tracy giggled and made me laugh. Curse that evil woman!
Tracy linked arms with my women and escorted them to the front door. I stood there, rooted to my spot, and admired the view as they walked away. The crowd of students clustered near the front door seemed to part like the Red Sea. I saw them each peek back to make sure I inspected their sexy little behinds. I bit my lower lip when they each put a little extra wiggle in their walk. Damn! We all knew they had me right where they wanted me. I don’t know why I even tried.
◊◊◊
My choice to come to school in model clothes was a mistake. Although Brook, Halle, and Zoe weren’t impressed, the rest of the female population noticed. The rip in my jeans on my left buttock seemed to be a magnet. At every turn, I found someone would either grab or pinch my butt. I had to enlist Tim, Jim, and Wolf to be my bodyguards until I got to gym class. There were boxers in my duffle bag that should help.
Coach Diamond sent me to the trainers to be checked out. I had a few dings, but nothing major. I went back out to the weight room to work out with Wolf. Today we did our lower body.
“I would just die if April said she wanted to do what Clare did Saturday,” Wolf blurted out.
I glanced around to see if anyone was listening to us.
“Why?” I asked.
His head snapped up and stared at me. He knew how I was and didn’t believe I’d asked that.
“I couldn’t let her do that.”
“Why?” I asked again, raising my eyebrows.
“What do you mean, why? I wouldn’t want a bunch of other guys pawing her.”
I agreed with him completely but was feeling contrary this morning.
“So far I’ve only heard a bunch of me responses. What about her?” I asked.
He seemed confused.
“All I’m hearing is you talking about what you want. What about what she wants?” I asked.
“I’d have a real problem if April wanted to pull a train,” Wolf snapped at me.
“But you were willing to help Clare,” I said.
“That’s different,” he complained.
“Okay, explain to me why it’s different?” I asked.
“I was just one of many. Clare had sex with multiple partners, right in front of her boyfriend.”
There was so much I needed to teach my poor ignorant friend. Where to start?
“First off, you were next to last, correct?” I asked.
Wolf just nodded.
“Think about it. I bet you can figure out how many people you had sex with,” I said, and by the expression on his face, I needed to be clearer. “No condoms, remember?”
He gave me a sour look. Clare had made a point that she wanted everyone to leave a deposit in her.
“That’s not the same,” he complained.
“Denial is a river located in Egypt. It’s not, however, the state of refusing to admit the obvious truth, despite what some misinformed friend might tell you. Don’t listen to him. It’s a river. Really, it is,” I said.