We played all afternoon. Peggy had really missed me.
Monday December 1
WHEN I STROLLED UP to the front door at school, the guys swarmed me. We went inside because it was freezing out. Peggy was a little irritated with them; she thought this was her time with me. They all wanted to see my tattoo. Cassidy goaded me into taking off my shirt so they could see the full effect. I played along, and suddenly the girls all wanted to see it. Peggy made me put my shirt back on.
In PE I went to the trainers. Paige checked me out and declared I was in good health. Wolf and I lifted and he told me terrible jokes. He wanted to talk about his threesome.
“I think Jim’s going to ask Piper out,” he told me.
Cassidy had already clued me in. It seemed this dating arrangement was coming to an end.
“So where does that leave you?” I asked.
“To be honest, I think I want to date someone else, too. Cassidy is more like a friend than anything else. She needs to be with someone who’ll love her,” Wolf said.
“Have you all talked about this? I don’t want to have to deal with a crying Cassidy,” I warned him.
“Some. This is all coming from Cassidy. She’s encouraging Jim to date Piper, and they seem to like each other. She’s been working on me, too. She has suggested a few people. One of them is your ex, April,” he confessed.
They would make a good couple if she had grown up some. Also, as a tall guy, it was hard to find a tall girl to date. Cassidy had given Wolf confidence with girls, so he should be able to handle her. The more I thought about it, the better the match seemed.
“You should ask her out. Just be careful of her little sister. She’ll be a man-eater by the time she hits Lincoln High.”
He gave me a confused look.
“Her sister is very good looking and a little Lolita in training. She’ll see you as someone she can practice her charms on. Be warned, April does not appreciate it. I’m just giving you fair warning.”
“Thanks, I think.”
“You’ll be fine. Just keep thinking she’s only 12 or 13. That should keep you out of trouble.”
He had a worried look, and I smiled at him. Wolf would figure it out.
“So, who have you guys decided Cassidy should go out with?” I asked.
“What?”
“She’s found you both someone to date, isn’t it only fair you two help her out?” I asked.
I could tell the idea had never crossed his mind. I don’t think he or Jim had thought about Cassidy dating other guys. Guys are dumb that way, and I could tell it bothered him. I decided to see if he was ready to give her up.
“I might want to take her out,” I said, and then took a half a step back, just in case.
He had a thoughtful look on his face, which was the whole reason I’d told him that. It was one thing to talk about dating someone else, but he had to realize what he was giving up. Cassidy was quirky, fun, and had a hot little body. I was a little jealous that Jim and Wolf were dating her. If her dad wasn’t set on us not dating, I would have asked her out. Cassidy was just one of those people who make you smile. You just never really knew what to expect.
We continued to lift in silence as Wolf worked it out. When we were done and getting dressed, he stopped me before I left.
“I’d be fine with you dating Cassidy. I know that when Jim and I start dating other people it’ll be over between all of us. This way we can all be friends after we each go our own way. I think if the three of us go out much longer, we’ll be at each other’s throats. I also don’t think it’ll work with just Cassidy and me. It’ll be better if she’s dating someone like you because we’d know she was being treated right. I just want to be a fly on the wall when you have to talk to Coach,” he said with a big smirk.
“Wolf, I don’t really see Cassidy and me going out. You three are good friends of mine.”
“Well, Jim and I have talked. Cassidy has never made it secret she thinks the world of you. If there was anyone who could have stolen her away from us, it was you. We both agreed that, if it did happen, we’d be fine with it. We’d give you some shit, but we know you’d be good to her. We also knew you’d never do it while we were dating. I just want you to know Jim and I don’t want you to not date her because of your ‘Bro Code.’”
Wolf seemed serious, but I still didn’t see it happening. I might go out on dates with her as a friend, but I didn’t see any romantic hookups in our future.
AT LUNCH, I FOUND YURI in line. We went to our table by the window. I had decided I was going to help him find a girlfriend, while also helping someone who was lonely. I’d been noticing there were a couple of girls who always ate alone. If anyone would understand, it would be Yuri.
“What?” he said, because I was grinning at him.
“I think you’re ready for a girlfriend,” I said.
“Piper?” he asked hopefully.
“Are you kidding me? She tried to kill you last week. Just give up that pipe dream,” I said, proud of my very bad pun on Piper’s name.
“Have you been saving that one?” Yuri moaned.
“Nope, just thought of it,” I said, then explained my idea. “When you told me about moving here and having no friends, it got me thinking that there might be others who feel the same way. If you pay attention, there are some girls who could use a friend.”
I thought about it for a moment and needed to word it so Yuri didn’t think this was a strategy to take advantage of lonely girls.
“What I’m proposing is we have lunch with some of these girls and get to know them. If you become friends first and find you like each other, then ask them out. Are you willing to help me with that?” I asked.
“I’m not going out with some dog,” he warned me.
“Yuri, you have so much to learn. First, you trash your reputation with what you said to Piper, then you just keep going. Girls talk. To build your reputation back up, you may have to take out a few frogs and treat them right. You might even find out you like one.”
“Okay. I came to you for help, so I’ll believe you on that one.”
“Look around and find a girl eating alone who you think you might want to be friends with.”
He picked one out and we went and to sit down with her. She had glasses and some acne, but other than that she looked like any other girl who was trying to not be noticed.
“Hi. I’m David and this is Yuri, do you mind if we join you?” I asked.
“I know who you are: the Jock and the Mouth,” she said.
I liked that she had some spunk to her; she would keep Yuri on his toes. I sat down, but Yuri hesitated after hearing her comment.
“Oh, sit,” she told him. “Your fearless leader has no manners.”
I was expecting a mousy wallflower. This girl surprised me.
“You don’t seem to be shy; how come you’re eating alone every day?” I asked.
“I’ve been waiting for you two to invite me over,” she teased me.
“I’m sorry, if I’d known ...” Yuri started, before I smacked his arm to stop him embarrassing himself.
“She’s giving you shit. I don’t think you’re ready to be friends with her,” I told him.
“What’s that supposed to mean? Wait, did you come over here to pick me up?” she asked.
Yuri blushed and I just laughed.
I explained what we were doing, which caused Yuri to blush even more. We started talking as if Yuri wasn’t there.
“Is he trainable? I heard he has a mouth on him,” she said.
“Well, I’ve been working with him, but he does get off the leash and pee on the rug now and then. I think with a firm hand, he might turn out okay.”
“He is cute, and I’ve been looking for a project. Do you want me to take him off your hands?”
“Please!”
“Okay, but you owe me,” she said.
Yuri had finally had enough.