That was two more words than she had ever said to me in all the weeks previously.
I turned back toward her, and smiled. “Thank you for giving me a second chance.”
I headed toward English class knowing that I’d be seeing Sherry there. I didn’t know what to expect. Would she be Sherry the vamp from the last few weeks, or Sherry the friend that I had seen just this morning?
Sherry was already in the classroom when I arrived, just a few seconds before the late bell. She flashed me a big smile.
That was no help; that smile was typical of Sherry’s behavior in both roles.
I went through class, and was glad that the end of school was drawing near. Camille would take me home, maybe park with me at Lake Shore Point and tell me what a jackass I was. I knew I deserved nothing less.
When the class bell rang, signaling the end of the period, I flew out of the room. I already had my homework ensconced in my attaché case, and was curious if I would get a glance of Kristen before she peeled rubber out of the school parking lot again.
Kristen’s Camaro was still in its usual spot, and it was empty. I looked around, and didn’t see Camille or Kristen.
I waited a bit, and felt somebody grab my shoulders from behind me.
“You are a lovable and adorable fool!”
Kristen! It was my little blonde Goddess. “Huh?” I said, not sure where Kristen was coming from.
Kristen spun me around and kissed me on the lips, using one of her unforgettable erection special kisses. Blood ran into that organ that Kristen’s kisses tended to stimulate.
My girlfriend finally broke the kiss and said, “Sherry found me during lunch. She told me you were heartbroken when you were driving home yesterday with Camille. She gave me your letter and told me how much you really love me!”
Sherry did that for me? Why?
I nodded dumbly.
Kristen saw the confusion in my eyes. “You didn’t sign it, but just used your first initial. I noticed that it was on music paper. It was your note, wasn’t it?”
“If it said that I’m a complete asshole, that I’m sorry, and I love you, then yes, I wrote that note.”
“You also asked for forgiveness, you lovable lug!”
“Oh, yeah. It was late last night when I wrote it, actually.”
“So, why are you confused?” Kristen asked. “Sherry told me you gave the note to her to give to me. Isn’t that right?”
“I don’t know what I was thinking when I gave that to Sherry,” I admitted to Kristen. “I wasn’t thinking, actually. She was so happy this morning that I forgot that she might find this a good opportunity to get between us.”
“She told me what you did to get her on the cheerleading squad,” Kristen said.
“Sherry did that herself. She got a perfect ten at the tryouts.”
“You mentioned to Camille about her gymnastics, and then Camille sponsored her.”
I just nodded, unable to correct Kristen about the order in which those things happened.
Kristen turned serious. “You know, Jim, when she showed me that note, I thought, great. It serves you right. You are an asshole. Then, as she told me what you had done, and how much she really liked you, I remembered what you said about her last weekend. I realized that she really does love you. She loves you so much, and she then goes and does something like that; trying to get us back together.”
This was easily the weirdest twisting logic from a female that I had ever heard.
Kristen continued, “It took me a while, but I realized that if I loved you half as much as she loves you, then I would accept your apology, and probably ask for one as well. I was out of line yesterday.”
I didn’t know what to say, so I just kissed my lovely blonde Goddess. I tried to make it into the female equivalent of one of Kristen’s erection specials, and I hope that I succeeded. Kristen did sigh after we broke it off.
I heard a smattering of applause, and saw Camille and Patty on the other side of Kristen.
Camille saw me notice her, and came over to the two of us. “Kris, Jim… Can I give the two of you a word of advice?”
“Huh?” asked Kristen, who was surprised at Camille’s boldness.
“Take it from me. I’ve seen girlfriends and boyfriends before, and the one thing that can spoil a relationship is misunderstanding each other. If you’re angry at something, let your lover know. Don’t let it fester in your mind until you say something that the both of you will regret.”
Kristen and I looked at Camille, stunned.
Camille, having delivered her sermon, simply smiled and left. Patty smiled and left as well.
The two of us looked at one another in stunned disbelief for a couple of minutes.
Finally, I broke the ice. “I think we have the nicest friends in the world.”
“Definitely,” Kristen agreed. “The nicest friends in the world.”
The weekend was upon us. My parents and Kristen’s were going to meet for dinner at Kristen’s house. I pointed out that neither one of us had made a commitment to be there as well. “You know, if we let them have dinner together without us, it will give them a chance to talk about us a bit more freely.”
“So, what do you want to do?”
“Is there anything to do in Madison?”
“Wisconsin?”
“Yes,” I said, smiling. “Do you want to cross a state line with a minor for immoral purposes?”
“Not tonight, Jim.”
Huh? “Oh? Why not?”
“Sherry has her first game tomorrow. Don’t you think we owe it to her to give her our support in the stands?”
“Hey! That’s a great idea! Can we take her to Vaughn’s afterward?”
“Let’s do that,” Kristen said, smiling, “and then hit Madison tomorrow night. That would just be an overnighter, but there are some good restaurants there.”
I sighed. “Damn! I wish I had her phone number.”
Kristen smiled. “I have it. Let’s invite her parents in case they attend the game, too.”
“You have her number?”
“She gave it to me earlier today.”
Later on, when we were at Kristen’s, we made up properly. First, we talked. It seemed that Kristen had been feeling rejected from my reaction to her request on Sunday morning, despite what I told her. In addition, she admitted that her feelings could partly be due to PMS, her cycle having started on Tuesday. For my part, I pointed out that I was actually jealous of her being able to talk with Amy, and I explained to Kristen my conversation with the junior earlier that day.
We attended the football game. The team lost, but the cheerleaders definitely won. Sherry was in perfect form and looked like she had been on the squad for years. The cheerleaders even featured her in a routine that had her doing cartwheels and ending with a series of end over end flips that culminated in a complete flip, which drew excited applause from the stands.
Kristen and I were proud of Sherry, and we were grateful for how she had played matchmaker to us. Her parents declined our invitation to Vaughn’s, but let her go with us.
Both Kristen and Sherry declined the Belly Buster dessert, even when I offered to help them eat it. Kristen had a carrot cake instead.
Sherry said, when asked if she wanted dessert, “Now that I’m a cheerleader, I’m going to have to watch my figure.”
This elicited laughter from both Kristen and me, and even Sherry was smiling at her comment.
It was time for me to talk. “Sherry, Kristen and I thank you very much. You don’t know how much we are indebted to you for what you did for us.”
Sherry shook her head. “No, Jim. The only thing I did was help you pass a note to Kristen. If anybody should be thankful, it’s me.”