The Vicendum Chronicles @ The True Virus: The Freshmen- No. 8

Chronicle 8

“The Big Man On Campus: He Knows”

Two good ankles.

That was what Thomas Rydell had wanted for weeks.

He finally had them.

Football season was over.

Tommy had gone back to the doctor two weeks after the Deer Lake game expecting to finally be cleared. Instead, he had been told to wait another two weeks.

So he waited.

Then he was cleared.

By then, Crestview had already finished its season.

They had not made the state championships. Their season had been uneven, to put it kindly. The ridiculous comeback against Deer Lake had been the high point.

Christ the Savior, meanwhile, went undefeated.

Nobody saw that coming.

Tommy certainly hadn't.

Now he was sitting in Physics class with two healthy ankles, an arm that desperately wanted to throw something and absolutely nothing worth throwing.

He crumpled up a piece of paper.

He looked at the garbage can.

He looked at Mrs. Kershaw.

Mrs. Kershaw looked at him.

"No."

"I didn't do anything."

"You were about to."

Tommy slowly lowered the paper.

"I was going to throw it away."

"You were going to shoot it from fifteen feet away."

"It was going in."

"Mr. Rydell."

Tommy sighed and got out of his seat.

He walked the paper over to the garbage can and dropped it in.

"There."

"Thank you."

"That was a waste of an arm."

Mrs. Kershaw ignored him.

Tommy sat back down.

Keisha wasn't there today.

Neither were Joey or Chloe.

That meant Tommy was without most of his usual crew. More importantly, Keisha wasn't sitting nearby to jab him awake if he started drifting off.

Which was unfortunate.

Because Tommy started drifting off.

His head slowly lowered.

His eyes closed.

The crowd was roaring.

Tommy stood on the sideline in full uniform, staring across the field.

CRESTVIEW 24

WASATCH 29

He looked up at the clock.

Eight seconds.

State championship.

Ball on the six-yard line.

Tommy pulled on his helmet.

"Let's go!"

He ran onto the field.

Across from him were the Wasatch Sasquatches.

Tommy grinned.

Sasquatches.

He would never understand how anyone could say that with a straight face.

He got behind centre.

"Set!"

The crowd was deafening.

"Hut!"

Tommy took the snap.

He dropped back.

One step.

Two.

Three.

The pocket held.

For now.

Eric broke open.

Tommy saw him.

No.

Too obvious.

He moved away from Eric.

The rush came from his right.

Tommy stepped left.

Terry slipped underneath into the flat.

Wide open.

Tommy looked at him.

No.

Not for the championship.

The pocket collapsed.

Tommy scrambled backwards.

Danny was in the back corner.

One defender.

Danny looked back.

Tommy planted his feet.

This was it.

He threw.

The ball sailed high into the air.

Danny jumped.

The defender jumped.

Their hands-

"Maybe Tommy wants to answer it!"

Tommy's eyes shot open.

He jerked upright.

The entire class was looking at him.

Kayla Brady was laughing beside him.

Tommy blinked.

Mrs. Kershaw stood at the front of the classroom.

"Mr. Rydell?"

Tommy looked at her.

Then at the board.

Then at Kayla.

Then back at Mrs. Kershaw.

"...yes?"

More laughter.

Mrs. Kershaw waited.

Tommy tried desperately to figure out what was happening.

He had nothing.

"What was the question?"

The class laughed again.

Kayla laughed harder than anyone.

Mrs. Kershaw merely nodded.

"That's what I thought."

Tommy rubbed his eyes.

Mrs. Kershaw turned back toward the class.

"I'll repeat it for those of us who have recently returned from wherever Mr. Rydell was."

Tommy leaned toward Kayla.

"I hate you."

"No, you don't."

Mrs. Kershaw repeated the question.

A hand went up on the other side of the room.

She called on the student.

The student answered correctly.

"Exactly."

Tommy frowned.

He could have answered that.

Probably.

The bell rang.

Tommy gathered his books and headed into the hallway.

He had barely made it ten feet before Kayla caught up with him.

"Hey, Sleeping Beauty."

Tommy looked at her.

"Thank you so much for waking me up."

"You're welcome."

"I was about to win the state championship."

"Really?"

"Eight seconds left. Down five. Danny was in the corner."

"Did he catch it?"

"I don't know. Somebody woke me up."

Kayla smiled.

"Maybe if you got enough sleep last night, you could answer questions in Physics instead of winning imaginary football games."

"I could've answered it."

"You didn't even know what the question was."

"I would've figured it out."

"Sure."

Tommy shifted his books under his arm.

"I've been cleared to play football and there's no football left to play. What am I supposed to do?"

Kayla looked at him.

"You really need to throw things, don't you?"

"Yes."

"I noticed."

Tommy looked suspiciously at her.

Kayla continued walking.

"The track and field team is having an off-season practice after school."

Tommy caught up.

"Track?"

"Track and field."

"I know what track and field is."

"Do you?"

"People run around in circles."

"...and throw things."

Tommy stopped.

Kayla stopped too.

"What things?"

She smiled.

"I'm a discus thrower."

Tommy stared at her for a moment.

"You throw those big Frisbees?"

"They're not Frisbees."

"They look like Frisbees."

"They're discus."

"Disci?"

"Discus."

"Discases?"

Kayla started walking again.

"You're an idiot."

Tommy followed her.

"So you think I should throw Frisbees?"

"I think you have a strong arm and apparently an uncontrollable psychological need to throw anything that isn't nailed down."

"That's fair."

"You might be good at discus."

Tommy thought about it.

"What about javelin?"

Kayla looked at him.

"What about it?"

"I'd rather throw a javelin."

"Why?"

"I saw Ben-Hur."

Kayla stopped again.

Tommy nearly walked into her.

She stared at him.

"What?"

"The Roman gladiators looked cool."

"Tommy."

"What?"

"Those weren't javelins."

"They had spears."

"Roman soldiers had spears."

"Exactly."

"You said gladiators."

"Same idea."

"No, it isn't."

Tommy frowned.

"They all looked cool."

Kayla shook her head.

"So because you watched Ben-Hur, you want to throw a javelin?"

"Yes."

"You know the Roman Army doesn't fight with javelins anymore, right?"

"I'm not joining the Roman Army."

"Good. I think they'd be relieved."

Tommy considered this.

"So can I throw one?"

"A javelin?"

"Yeah."

"Probably."

"Then I'm throwing the javelin."

"I said you might be good at discus."

"Javelin is cooler."

"Are you coming or not?"

Tommy looked down the hallway.

He had no football practice.

No game to prepare for.

No film to watch.

No ankle to rehabilitate.

Just two good ankles and an arm with nothing to do.

"What time?"

Kayla smiled.

"After school."

Tommy nodded.

"I'll think about it."

"Good."

"...but I'm throwing the javelin."

Kayla rolled her eyes.

"Just show up, Tommy."

He grinned.

He was already thinking about it.

After school, Tommy headed toward the gym.

This wasn't really track and field season.

It was autumn. The serious practices wouldn't begin until later. Today's practice was optional, mostly conditioning, with the coaches getting a look at the athletes they already had.

...and, apparently, one football player who had nothing better to do.

Kayla had spoken to Coach Cory Dumerville and convinced him to give Tommy an informal tryout.

She had also found Tommy a uniform.

Tommy saw her standing near the gym entrance.

Kayla saw him.

She immediately grabbed a bag from the ground and ran toward him.

Tommy watched her approach.

Then he frowned.

Kayla was wearing a blue and gold Crestview windbreaker.

The windbreaker went past her waist.

Her legs were completely bare beneath it.

Tommy stared.

Kayla reached him and held out the bag.

"Here."

Tommy took it.

"Where are your pants?"

Kayla looked down.

Then back at him.

"I'm wearing pants."

"No, you're not."

"Yes, I am."

Tommy looked again.

"I can see your legs."

Kayla pulled up the bottom of her windbreaker.

Underneath, she was wearing blue and gold running briefs.

"See?"

Tommy stared for a second.

"Oh."

Kayla let the jacket fall again.

"They're running briefs."

"Those count as pants?"

"They do here."

Tommy looked down at the bag.

"Am I wearing those?"

"You can."

Tommy looked back at her.

Kayla grinned.

"I got you shorts."

"Good."

"I thought you'd say that."

Tommy opened the bag and looked inside.

Blue and gold.

Crestview.

Not football.

...but at least it was a uniform.

"So everybody dresses like this?"

"The girls mostly do."

"Why?"

"They're comfortable. They're easy to move in. It's pretty standard for track and field."

Tommy nodded slowly.

This was already a strange sport.

"Coach Dumerville said you can practice with us today. Nothing official. He just wants to see what you can do."

"With the javelin?"

"With whatever he tells you to do."

"The javelin."

Kayla rolled her eyes.

"Go change."

Tommy headed into the gym.

He found the locker room and pulled the uniform out of the bag.

Shorts.

Definitely shorts.

He changed into them.

Then he thought about Kayla again.

Running briefs.

Apparently that was just what girls wore.

Tommy looked at himself in the mirror.

Football players covered themselves in pads from their shoulders to their knees.

Track athletes apparently had a different philosophy.

He picked up his clothes.

What is this special sport where women don't wear pants?

Tommy was beginning to think track and field might be interesting.

Tommy stepped outside.

He was wearing his Crestview jacket over his new track uniform.

Shorts.

Definitely shorts.

He started toward the track.

Then somebody ran past him.

Tommy turned his head.

The runner was a boy.

He wasn't wearing a shirt.

He also wasn't wearing shorts.

Tommy watched him go.

Kayla hadn't been kidding.

He really could wear the running briefs if he wanted.

Tommy decided the shorts were fine.

The runner rounded the track and eventually came back toward him.

Tommy recognized him.

Jarvis Henderson.

"Hey, Jarvis."

Jarvis slowed down.

"Hey."

Tommy looked at him.

"Aren't you cold?"

"No."

Jarvis didn't even hesitate.

"I'm getting some good runs in."

"It's November."

"I noticed."

Jarvis bounced lightly on his feet.

"I'm warm."

Tommy looked toward the hurdles.

"I thought you did hurdles."

"Two hundred."

"You're not hurdling."

"Not yet. I'm not going over anything until I'm warmed up enough."

Tommy nodded.

Then he looked at Jarvis's uniform again.

"Is that why you're not wearing pants?"

Jarvis looked down.

"I am wearing pants."

"Those are briefs."

"Running briefs."

"Kayla said the same thing."

"Kayla's right."

Tommy considered this.

"So the hurdles aren't why?"

"Partly. I don't like anything getting in the way."

Jarvis shrugged.

"...and they're comfortable."

"Your friends don't make fun of you?"

"All the time."

"You don't care?"

"Nope."

Jarvis grinned.

"I won state last year."

Tommy's eyebrows went up.

"You did?"

"Gold medal."

Jarvis pointed at himself.

"Eighth in all of Cascadia."

Tommy looked considerably more impressed.

"Really?"

"Really."

"By Jove."

"Exactly."

Jarvis started backing toward the track.

"I'm going to the Olympics."

Tommy smiled.

"Sure."

Jarvis stopped.

His expression didn't change.

"1984."

Tommy realized he wasn't joking.

"You're serious."

"Very."

Jarvis turned around.

"See you around, Rydell."

He took off.

Tommy watched him accelerate back onto the track.

Apparently Jarvis Henderson intended to become an Olympian.

Tommy looked around.

He hadn't really paid attention to track and field before.

There were athletes everywhere.

Some wore one-piece uniforms.

Some of the boys wore tank tops and shorts.

Another boy had a Crestview top with running briefs.

A few of the girls wore sports bras with shorts.

Others wore sports bras with the same running briefs Kayla had shown him earlier.

Kayla was one of them now.

Her windbreaker was gone.

Tommy noticed.

He quickly looked somewhere else.

Then he looked back.

Coach Dumerville noticed him first.

Kayla followed his gaze and saw Tommy standing near the edge of the track.

She and Dumerville headed toward him.

Dumerville was a solidly built man who somehow managed to look annoyed even when nothing had happened yet.

Tommy straightened up.

Dumerville stopped in front of him.

"Rydell?"

"Yes, sir."

"Brady tells me you want to throw."

"Yes, sir."

Tommy looked around again.

He couldn't resist.

"Why does everybody wear beachwear?"

Kayla covered her mouth.

Dumerville didn't smile.

"It's not beachwear."

Tommy looked at him.

"It's athletic wear. They wear it because it's comfortable, because it allows them to move and because they don't need excess clothing getting in their way."

"Oh."

Dumerville stepped slightly closer.

"...and most importantly, Rydell..."

Tommy waited.

"They're not wearing it for your eyes."

Tommy immediately turned red.

"I know that."

Kayla looked away.

"I knew that."

"Good."

"I was just asking."

"You've asked."

"Yes, sir."

Dumerville turned toward the throwing area.

"Come on."

Tommy followed him.

Kayla walked alongside Tommy.

She glanced over at him.

Tommy was still red.

Kayla grinned.

She didn't say anything.

Coach Dumerville was right.

The uniform wasn't for Tommy.

Kayla wore it because it was her uniform, because it was comfortable and because she liked competing in it.

Still...

She had wondered if Tommy would notice her.

He had.

That was nice.

Kayla kept smiling as they walked toward the throwing area.

They reached the throwing area.

Kayla headed toward a bag containing the discuses.

Tommy followed.

Kayla glanced back at him.

Then she bent down directly in front of him to get one.

Tommy stared.

He didn't mean to stare.

He didn't even realize he was staring.

He just...

Stared.

Kayla took her time.

Tommy continued staring.

Kayla knew.

She was trying very hard not to laugh.

"RYDELL!"

Tommy jumped.

He looked at Dumerville.

"What?"

Dumerville stared at him.

Tommy realized what he had been doing.

His face immediately turned red.

"Sorry."

Kayla giggled.

She stood up and handed Tommy a discus.

Mission accomplished.

Tommy looked down at it.

Then toward the equipment.

"Where are the javelins?"

"Later," Dumerville said.

"...but-"

"I want to see your arm first."

Tommy looked at the discus.

"Okay."

"Throw."

Tommy stepped into the circle.

He held the discus.

He looked downfield.

Then he threw it.

It went somewhere.

Not especially far.

Not especially straight.

Dumerville watched.

"Again."

Tommy took another discus.

He threw again.

His jacket pulled against his shoulder.

Tommy frowned.

"This thing's getting in the way."

"Then take it off."

Tommy took off his jacket and tossed it aside.

He picked up another discus.

He threw.

Better.

Still not good.

Dumerville folded his arms.

Kayla tilted her head.

Tommy picked up another.

He wound up.

"Wait."

Kayla walked over.

"You're throwing it like a football."

"It's a thing I'm throwing."

"It's not a football."

"I noticed."

Kayla stepped behind him.

"Your feet are wrong."

She put her hands on him and moved him into position.

Tommy looked down at her hand.

"Like this."

She adjusted his shoulders.

Then his arm.

"Don't just stand there and throw it with your arm. Use everything."

"Oh."

"Turn."

Tommy turned.

"No."

Kayla repositioned him.

Tommy smiled.

"Like that?"

"Like that."

She stepped away.

Tommy threw.

The discus travelled considerably farther.

Tommy's eyes widened.

"Whoa."

Kayla smiled.

"Again."

Tommy picked up another discus.

He got into position.

Kayla watched.

"Your shoulder."

Tommy adjusted it.

The wrong way.

Kayla walked over again.

"No."

She put her hands on him and corrected him.

Tommy smiled again.

Kayla noticed.

She smiled too.

Tommy threw.

Farther.

The flight wasn't especially pretty, but the discus was travelling now.

Dumerville watched carefully.

Tommy picked up another.

This time his stance was almost right.

Almost.

He shifted slightly.

Kayla came over.

"You had it."

"Did I?"

"Yes."

She moved him back.

"Oh."

Tommy threw again.

Dumerville narrowed his eyes.

There was something there.

It wasn't technique.

Tommy barely had any.

It wasn't control.

That needed work too.

...but the arm was there.

"Again."

Tommy threw.

Dumerville watched where it landed.

Then he nodded.

"All right."

Tommy turned toward him.

"All right good?"

"All right, you have an arm."

Tommy grinned.

"I told you."

"You told Brady."

"She told you."

"...and now I'm telling you."

Dumerville pointed toward the discuses.

"Keep working. Brady, keep him from inventing his own technique."

Kayla smiled.

"I'll try."

Dumerville headed toward another section of the field.

Tommy watched him leave.

Then he looked at Kayla.

Kayla was smiling.

A lot.

Tommy looked at her for a few seconds.

"I have a girlfriend."

Kayla's smile barely changed.

"I know."

Tommy hadn't expected that answer.

"Oh."

"I know Chloe's your girlfriend."

"Okay."

Kayla waited.

Tommy rubbed the back of his neck.

"I just thought..."

"You thought what?"

Tommy looked at her.

"You know what."

Kayla smiled wider.

Tommy sighed.

"You were doing that on purpose."

"Doing what?"

"Kayla."

She giggled.

Tommy pointed at her.

"That."

"What?"

"You know."

Kayla finally relented.

"Okay. Maybe."

Tommy looked at her seriously.

"I really like Chloe."

"I know."

"I don't want-"

"I'm not trying to break you up."

Tommy stopped.

Kayla shrugged.

"I just wanted you to notice me."

Tommy looked at her.

"Why?"

"Because you're cute."

Tommy's face reddened again.

"Oh."

Kayla laughed.

Tommy looked down at the discus in his hand.

"I notice you."

"You do?"

"Yes."

Kayla smiled.

"I like you, Tommy."

Tommy looked back at her.

"I like you too."

He immediately realized how that sounded.

"As a friend."

Kayla nodded.

"As a friend."

"Good."

Tommy relaxed.

That settled that.

He stepped back into position.

He raised the discus.

Kayla watched him.

Tommy shifted his feet.

Wrong.

Kayla walked over.

"Again?"

"What?"

"Your feet."

"Oh."

She put her hands on him and moved him back into position.

Tommy smiled.

Kayla smiled.

"There."

"Thanks."

She stepped away.

Tommy threw.

Neither one of them thought there was anything more that needed to be said.

He had a girlfriend.

Kayla was his friend.

Nothing complicated about that.

The next morning, Chloe discovered that everybody knew more about her boyfriend than she did.

She had missed school the day before because she was in Vancouver visiting her older brother, Carl.

Apparently this had been a mistake.

She heard the first story before first period.

Tommy had joined the track and field team.

That was interesting.

Then somebody told her Kayla Brady had spent the entire practice touching him.

That was less interesting.

Then Chloe heard that Tommy had spent the entire practice staring at Kayla.

Then that Kayla had deliberately bent over in front of him.

Then that Tommy and Kayla had hugged.

Then that Kayla had been practically naked.

Then that Tommy had been practically naked.

Then that both of them had been practically naked.

By lunch, somebody told Chloe that Tommy and Kayla had disappeared behind the equipment shed together.

Chloe stared at the girl who told her.

"For what?"

The girl shrugged.

"You know."

"No. I don't know."

The girl gave her a look.

Chloe rolled her eyes.

That one was stupid.

Obviously.

Probably.

Then somebody else said Tommy had kissed Kayla.

Someone else said Kayla had kissed Tommy.

Someone else said they had tried to kiss each other but Coach Dumerville caught them.

One boy claimed Tommy had been wearing nothing but running briefs when it happened.

Chloe knew that one was false because somebody else had already told her Tommy wore shorts.

That didn't make her feel much better.

By the afternoon, Chloe was walking down the hallway with Joey.

"This is stupid."

"Yes," Joey said.

"They can't all be true."

"No."

"Some of them contradict each other."

"Yes."

"Tommy couldn't have kissed Kayla behind the equipment shed while Coach Dumerville was yelling at him for staring at her somewhere else."

"Probably not."

Chloe stopped.

Joey stopped.

"Probably?"

"I'm agreeing with you."

"Then don't say probably."

"Fine. Definitely."

Chloe started walking again.

Joey followed.

"He wouldn't kiss her."

"Okay."

"I know he wouldn't."

"Okay."

Chloe looked at her.

"Stop saying okay."

"What do you want me to say?"

"I don't know."

"Then okay."

Chloe groaned.

They turned the corner.

Tommy was coming the other way.

Chloe stopped.

Tommy smiled when he saw her.

"Hey."

Chloe didn't smile back.

Tommy's smile disappeared.

"What's wrong?"

"We need to talk."

Tommy looked toward his classroom.

"I have class."

"So do I."

The bell hadn't rung yet.

Chloe stepped in front of him.

Tommy looked at Joey.

Joey raised her hands.

"Don't look at me."

Tommy looked back at Chloe.

"What happened?"

"You tell me."

Tommy frowned.

"What?"

"What happened yesterday?"

"At track?"

"With Kayla."

Tommy paused.

"Oh."

That was not the response Chloe wanted.

"What does 'oh' mean?"

"It means oh."

"Did you kiss her?"

Tommy's eyes widened.

"No!"

"Did she kiss you?"

"No!"

"Did you go behind the equipment shed with her?"

"What?"

"Did you?"

"No!"

"Were you wearing running briefs?"

Tommy stared at her.

"No."

Joey snorted.

Chloe looked at her.

"Sorry."

Chloe turned back to Tommy.

"Did she bend over in front of you?"

Tommy hesitated.

Chloe noticed.

"Tommy."

"Yes."

"On purpose?"

Tommy hesitated again.

"...I think so."

"...and you stared at her?"

Tommy looked uncomfortable.

"For a little bit."

"How long is a little bit?"

"I don't know."

"Did Coach Dumerville have to yell at you?"

Tommy sighed.

"Yes."

Chloe stared at him.

"Did Kayla put her hands on you?"

"She was teaching me how to throw."

"That's not what I asked."

"Yes."

"Where?"

"My shoulders. My arms. She moved me around."

Tommy demonstrated vaguely.

"Because I was throwing the discus like a football."

"Did you like it?"

Tommy stopped.

Joey looked at him.

Chloe waited.

"I don't know."

Chloe knew that meant yes.

"Did you hug her?"

Tommy paused again.

"Yeah."

Chloe's stomach dropped.

"Why?"

"I made this really good throw."

Tommy became animated despite himself.

"It was way farther than the others. Even Dumerville was impressed. Kayla ran over and hugged me."

"...and you hugged her back?"

"Yeah."

"Why?"

"Because I made a really good throw!"

Tommy looked genuinely confused.

"We were celebrating."

Chloe had finally heard the part nobody else had bothered telling her.

The hug made considerably more sense now.

She should have felt better.

She didn't.

"Did you tell her you have a girlfriend?"

"Yes."

That answer came immediately.

Tommy looked almost triumphant.

"I told her."

Chloe blinked.

"What?"

"I told Kayla I have a girlfriend. I told her I like you. She said she knows and she isn't trying to break us up."

Tommy spread his hands.

"So..."

Chloe stared at him.

"So what?"

"So nothing happened."

Something about that answer made Chloe even more frustrated.

"Something happened."

"What?"

"I don't know!"

Tommy stared at her.

Chloe hated that she couldn't explain it.

She knew what she felt.

She couldn't turn it into words.

So she turned it into rules.

"Don't let other girls touch you."

Tommy frowned.

"What?"

"Don't let them put their hands all over you."

"She was teaching me discus."

"Then she can teach you without doing that."

"How?"

"I don't know!"

Tommy shook his head.

"...and don't stare at girls when they bend over in front of you."

"I didn't know I was staring!"

"Then don't!"

"Okay!"

"...and don't let girls flirt with you."

"How am I supposed to stop somebody from flirting with me?"

"Tell them to stop!"

"I told her I have a girlfriend!"

"...and don't hug other girls."

Tommy stared at her.

"I hug Joey."

Chloe stopped.

Joey slowly looked at Chloe.

Then Tommy.

Then Chloe again.

"Leave me out of this."

Tommy pointed at Joey.

"I hugged her after the Deer Lake game."

"That's different."

"Why?"

"Because she's Joey."

"That's not an answer."

"She's our friend!"

"Kayla's my friend!"

Chloe opened her mouth.

Nothing came out.

Tommy shook his head.

"So what am I supposed to do? Ask you every time?"

"What?"

"Every time I hug a girl. Do I need your permission first?"

Chloe was frustrated.

Embarrassed.

Angry.

Scared.

She answered before thinking.

"Yeah. That would be nice."

Tommy stared at her.

Joey closed her eyes.

Chloe immediately knew she'd said something wrong.

Tommy's expression changed.

"So I need permission."

"That's not-"

"You just said I do."

"I didn't mean-"

"If this is what having a girlfriend means, then I don't want it."

Chloe froze.

Tommy stepped around her.

"Tommy."

He kept walking.

"Tommy!"

The bell rang.

Students began disappearing into classrooms.

Tommy didn't turn around.

Chloe stood in the hallway.

Joey stayed beside her.

For several seconds, Chloe didn't move.

Then she looked at Joey.

"Did he just break up with me?"

Joey watched Tommy disappear around the corner.

"I..."

She looked back at Chloe.

"I don't know."

Chloe didn't know either.

That was worse.

Tommy kept walking.

He didn't look back.

He was angry.

At Chloe.

At himself.

At whatever had just happened.

Mostly at Chloe.

He didn't need permission to hug somebody.

That was ridiculous.

She wasn't his mother.

Tommy turned the corner.

Kayla was standing near her locker.

She saw him.

"Hey."

Tommy walked directly toward her.

Kayla smiled.

"What's-"

Tommy hugged her.

Kayla blinked.

Then she hugged him back.

"Hi."

Tommy held onto her for another moment.

Then he pulled away.

Kayla looked at him.

"Everything okay?"

"Yeah."

It wasn't.

Tommy noticed a small alcove farther down the hallway.

Nobody was there.

He looked back at Kayla.

"Come here."

"What?"

"Come here."

Tommy took her hand and led her toward it.

Kayla followed.

They stepped out of sight of the main hallway.

Tommy turned toward her.

Kayla looked confused.

"What are we-"

Tommy kissed her.

Kayla froze.

Only for a second.

Then she kissed him back.

Tommy put his arms around her.

Kayla did the same.

They kissed again.

Then again.

Kayla had wanted Tommy to notice her.

She had wanted him to think she was pretty.

She had wondered what kissing him would be like.

Apparently she was finding out.

Tommy kissed her again.

Kayla enjoyed it.

At first.

Then something started bothering her.

Tommy wasn't smiling.

He wasn't nervous.

He wasn't acting like Tommy.

Kayla pulled away.

"Wait."

Tommy tried to kiss her again.

Kayla put a hand against his chest.

"Tommy."

He stopped.

"What?"

"What's wrong?"

"Nothing."

"Something's wrong."

"I'm fine."

"No, you're not."

Tommy looked away.

Kayla stared at him.

"What happened?"

Tommy didn't answer.

"Did something happen with Chloe?"

Tommy looked back at her.

"We broke up."

Kayla stared.

"What?"

"We broke up."

"When?"

"Just now."

Kayla's eyes widened.

"Just now?"

"Yeah."

"You broke up with Chloe five minutes ago and came over here and kissed me?"

Tommy frowned.

"When you say it like that-"

"How else am I supposed to say it?"

Tommy folded his arms.

"She confronted me."

"About what?"

"You."

Kayla's expression changed.

"Me?"

"About yesterday."

"Oh."

"She heard all these stupid rumours."

Kayla looked concerned.

"What rumours?"

"That we kissed. That we went behind the equipment shed. That you were practically naked. That I was practically naked."

Kayla blinked.

"We weren't."

"I know!"

"I was wearing my uniform."

"I know."

"So what happened?"

"I told her the truth."

Tommy started counting things off.

"I told her you were helping me throw. I told her you hugged me because I made that really good throw. I told her I stared at you."

Kayla raised an eyebrow.

"You told her that?"

"She asked!"

"Okay."

"...and I told her I told you I have a girlfriend."

Kayla waited.

"Then she started making rules."

"What rules?"

Tommy threw his hands up.

"I can't let girls touch me. I can't hug girls. I can't let girls flirt with me. I can't look at girls."

"I don't think she can stop you from looking at people."

"Exactly!"

Kayla gave him a look.

"That's not necessarily what I meant."

Tommy ignored that.

"Then she said I should ask her permission before I hug another girl."

Kayla winced.

"She actually said that?"

"Yes."

"What did you say?"

Tommy paused.

"I said if that's what having a girlfriend means, then I don't want one."

Kayla stared at him.

Tommy stared back.

"So..."

"So?"

"We broke up."

Kayla tilted her head.

"Did Chloe say you broke up?"

Tommy stopped.

"No."

"Did you say, 'I'm breaking up with you'?"

"No."

"Did either one of you actually say you're not boyfriend and girlfriend anymore?"

Tommy frowned.

"I said I didn't want a girlfriend."

Kayla gave him a long sideways look.

"What?"

"Nothing."

"What?"

Kayla folded her arms.

Tommy sighed.

"I thought you'd be happy."

"Why?"

Tommy looked genuinely confused now.

"Because you like me."

"I do."

"You said I was cute."

"You are."

"You wanted me to notice you."

"I did."

Tommy gestured between them.

"So..."

Kayla's eyes narrowed.

"Do you want me to be your girlfriend?"

Tommy hesitated.

Kayla noticed.

"Tommy."

"What?"

"Do you want me to be your girlfriend?"

"I..."

Tommy stopped.

Kayla waited.

He didn't answer.

She understood anyway.

"You only kissed me because you think you broke up with Chloe."

Tommy looked down.

Kayla's expression softened.

"You still love her."

Tommy's eyes started watering.

He looked away quickly.

"Yeah."

Kayla sighed.

Tommy wiped his eyes.

"I don't want her telling me what I'm allowed to do."

"I know."

"She's not my mom."

"I know."

"I didn't cheat on her."

Kayla was quiet.

Tommy looked at her.

"I didn't."

"Yesterday?"

"Yeah."

"No."

Tommy nodded.

"Exactly."

Kayla looked down.

Then she sighed.

"I screwed up too."

Tommy frowned.

"What did you do?"

"Yesterday."

"What about it?"

"I knew you had a girlfriend."

"You said you weren't trying to break us up."

"I wasn't."

Kayla shook her head.

"I really wasn't."

"Then what did you do?"

Kayla looked embarrassed now.

"I wanted you to like me."

"I do like you."

"I know."

She looked at him.

"I wanted you to notice me. I wanted you to think I was attractive."

Tommy's face reddened slightly.

"I did."

"I noticed."

Despite everything, Kayla smiled.

Then the smile disappeared.

"I didn't know how else to do it."

"What?"

"Make friends with you."

Tommy stared at her.

"So you bent over in front of me?"

Kayla covered her face.

"Don't say it like that."

"You did!"

"I know!"

Tommy almost laughed.

Kayla lowered her hands.

"I thought if you thought I was pretty, you'd want me around."

"I would've wanted you around anyway."

Kayla looked at him.

"Oh."

"You're fun."

That made her smile.

Then she looked toward the hallway.

"I think I helped screw this up."

"You didn't make Chloe make rules."

"No."

Kayla looked back at him.

"...but I definitely didn't help."

Tommy wiped his eyes again.

Kayla stepped forward and hugged him.

This time Tommy didn't hesitate.

He put his arms around her.

His face pressed against her shoulder.

For a few seconds, he tried not to cry.

Then he stopped trying.

Kayla held him.

"It's okay."

"No, it's not."

"I know."

Tommy sniffed.

"I love her."

"I know."

"I don't want to break up."

"I know."

Kayla rubbed his back.

Tommy stayed against her shoulder.

After a moment, Kayla smiled.

"I'll fix it."

Tommy lifted his head.

"What?"

"I'll talk to Chloe."

Tommy stared at her.

"You will?"

"Yeah."

"What are you going to say?"

"The truth."

Kayla shrugged.

"That I flirted with you. That you told me you had a girlfriend. That you didn't do anything with me yesterday."

Tommy looked guilty.

"Today doesn't count."

Kayla stared at him.

Tommy thought about that.

"...because we broke up?"

Kayla continued staring.

"...maybe?"

"Tommy."

"What?"

Kayla shook her head.

"We'll figure that part out."

Tommy looked worried.

"Do you think she'll take me back?"

"I'll get her to."

"Without the rules?"

Kayla smiled.

"We'll work on the rules."

"That's not what I asked."

"I know."

Tommy frowned.

Kayla hugged him again.

"I'll help."

Tommy slowly hugged her back.

"Okay."

Kayla rested her chin against his shoulder.

She had wanted Tommy Rydell to notice her.

She had succeeded.

Maybe a little too well.

Chloe was crying.

Not quietly.

Not gracefully.

She was crying hard enough that Joey had to take her by the arm and pull her down the hallway.

"Come on."

"Where?"

"Somewhere else."

"I have class."

"So do I."

"I'm already late."

"So am I."

Joey pushed open the door to a stairwell.

Nobody was there.

Good enough.

She led Chloe inside and let the door close behind them.

Chloe leaned against the wall.

Joey stood in front of her.

For several seconds, neither said anything.

Chloe wiped her face.

It didn't accomplish much.

"I screwed up."

Joey sighed.

"I don't know."

"I did."

"You might've."

Chloe looked at her.

"Thanks."

"I'm trying to help."

"You're terrible at it."

"I know."

Chloe wiped her eyes again.

"I didn't mean it."

"What?"

"That he has to ask permission."

"I figured."

"I don't want him asking me permission every time he hugs somebody."

"Okay."

"I just..."

Chloe shook her head.

"I don't know."

Joey waited.

"Something was wrong."

"With Tommy?"

"With Tommy and Kayla."

"Okay."

"...but I don't know what."

Chloe started crying harder again.

"I don't know what I'm mad about!"

Joey moved closer.

Chloe looked at her helplessly.

"He told me everything and I thought I'd feel better."

"You didn't."

"No!"

Chloe wiped her nose with her sleeve.

"He didn't kiss her. He didn't go behind the equipment shed. He wasn't naked. She wasn't naked."

"Nobody was naked."

"I know!"

"Just making sure."

Chloe gave her an irritated look through her tears.

Joey shrugged.

Chloe looked down.

"He told her about me."

"Yeah."

"He told her he liked me."

"Yeah."

"He didn't lie to me."

"No."

"So why did I still feel like he'd done something?"

Joey leaned against the opposite wall.

"I don't know."

"You're supposed to help."

"I'm fourteen too."

Chloe sniffed.

That was unfortunately true.

Joey thought about it.

"Maybe the permission thing was wrong."

Chloe looked at her.

Joey continued.

"I don't want to ask you before I hug Tommy."

"I know."

"...and Tommy shouldn't have to ask you before he hugs me."

"I know."

"Or Keisha."

"I know."

"Or his mom."

"Obviously!"

"I'm establishing the rule."

"There isn't supposed to be a rule!"

"Okay."

Chloe groaned.

Joey thought again.

"...but staring at Kayla when she bent over..."

Chloe looked at her.

"That was wrong."

"You think?"

"Yeah."

Joey nodded.

"...and Kayla bending over in front of him because she wanted him to stare was wrong too."

Chloe sniffed.

"Okay."

"Tommy probably should've looked away."

"Yes."

"...and Kayla probably shouldn't have done it."

"Yes."

Joey shrugged.

"Maybe that's it."

Chloe stared at her.

"That's it?"

"I don't know."

"That's the whole answer?"

"Maybe."

"So Tommy can hug girls."

"Probably."

"...but he can't stare at them."

"Not like that."

"...and they can't bend over in front of him."

Joey paused.

"People are allowed to bend over."

"You know what I mean."

"I know what you mean."

Chloe rubbed her face.

"Is it really that simple?"

Joey considered it.

"I don't know."

Chloe groaned.

"It sounds like it could be."

"That's not helpful."

"It's all I've got."

The stairwell door opened.

Both girls looked toward it.

Kayla stepped through.

She saw Joey.

Then Chloe.

Her eyes immediately settled on Chloe.

Chloe's expression changed.

Joey noticed.

Kayla noticed too.

Kayla had been thinking about what she was going to say.

She had practically written a speech in her head.

She was going to tell Chloe that she had flirted with Tommy.

That she shouldn't have.

That Tommy had told her he had a girlfriend.

That Tommy loved Chloe.

That nothing happened at practice beyond some stupid flirting and a celebratory hug.

That Tommy hadn't understood why Chloe was upset.

That Chloe probably hadn't understood why Chloe was upset either.

That Kayla had helped make the whole thing worse.

That Tommy didn't really want to break up.

That everybody had screwed something up.

Kayla knew exactly what she needed to say.

She just needed to say it in the right order.

"Tommy kissed me."

Joey's eyes widened.

That was not the right order.

Chloe stared at her.

"What?"

Kayla immediately realized how that sounded.

"Tommy kissed me."

"When?"

"Just now."

Chloe's face changed.

Kayla quickly continued.

"...but that's when I knew something was-"

"You kissed Tommy?"

"No, he kissed-"

"You KISSED TOMMY?"

"I kissed him back, but-"

Chloe moved.

Joey barely had time to react.

Chloe shoved Kayla.

Hard.

Kayla stumbled backward.

Her head struck the wall.

The sound echoed through the stairwell.

Kayla dropped.

Everything stopped.

Chloe stared.

Joey stared.

Kayla sat against the wall.

One hand went to the back of her head.

Her face twisted in pain.

"Ow..."

Chloe's anger vanished.

"Oh my God."

She moved toward Kayla.

Joey immediately stepped between them.

"Chloe."

"I didn't-"

"Stay there."

"I didn't mean-"

"Stay there!"

Chloe froze.

Kayla pulled her hand away from her head.

She looked dazed.

Chloe started crying again.

Only now it was different.

"Oh by Jove."

Joey crouched beside Kayla.

"Kayla?"

Kayla blinked.

"I'm okay."

"No, you're not."

"My head hurts."

Chloe covered her mouth.

"I didn't mean to do that."

Joey looked back at her.

"I know."

"I just pushed her."

"I know."

"I didn't mean for her to hit the wall."

"I know."

Kayla tried to stand.

Joey put a hand out.

"Wait."

"I'm fine."

"You just hit your head."

"I know. I was there."

Joey stared at her.

Kayla stayed seated.

Chloe was shaking now.

"I'm sorry."

Kayla looked at her.

Chloe couldn't stop crying.

"I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I'm sorry."

Kayla didn't answer.

Chloe looked terrified.

"We have to get somebody."

Joey nodded.

"The office."

Chloe wiped her face.

Then she stepped toward Kayla again.

Joey watched her carefully.

Chloe stopped a few feet away.

"Can you stand?"

Kayla looked at her.

"I think so."

Joey helped Kayla to her feet.

Kayla swayed slightly.

Chloe's face went white.

"Sit down."

"I'm okay."

"No, you're not!"

Kayla stared at her.

Chloe started crying harder.

"Please."

Kayla leaned against the wall.

Joey looked toward the door.

"I'll get somebody."

"No."

Chloe spoke immediately.

Joey looked at her.

Chloe wiped her face.

"I did it."

Neither girl said anything.

Chloe swallowed.

"I have to take her."

"Chloe-"

"I did it."

She looked at Kayla.

"I'm taking you to the office."

Kayla stared at her for a moment.

Then nodded.

"Okay."

Joey stayed on Kayla's other side.

The three girls headed toward the door.

Chloe opened it.

Kayla stepped through.

Joey followed.

Chloe came last.

A few minutes earlier, Chloe had been terrified that Tommy didn't want to be her boyfriend anymore.

Now she was terrified she'd seriously hurt somebody.

Tommy suddenly seemed like the smaller problem.

Kayla was okay.

That was the important part.

She had a painful bump on the back of her head, but nothing that kept her from returning to class.

Joey returned too.

Chloe didn't.

After Joey told Principal Davis what had happened, Chloe was kept in the office away from everybody else.

She wasn't suspended.

Not exactly.

She was being sent home for the rest of the day.

She could come back tomorrow.

That didn't make Chloe feel much better.

Lily arrived to pick her up.

Davis spoke to her privately first.

Then Lily came out.

She didn't look angry.

Chloe almost wished she did.

They walked to the car without saying much.

Lily started it.

They pulled away from Crestview.

Chloe stared out the window.

For several minutes, Lily drove in silence.

Then she spoke.

"Mr. Davis told me you shoved another girl."

Chloe looked down.

"Kayla."

"Kayla Brady?"

"Yeah."

"Why?"

Chloe didn't answer immediately.

Lily waited.

"Tommy."

Lily glanced at her.

"What about Tommy?"

Chloe swallowed.

Then she started talking.

Once she started, it came out quickly.

"I wasn't here yesterday because we were visiting Carl and Tommy went to track practice and Kayla was there and everybody kept telling me things about them."

"What things?"

"That she was touching him. That he was staring at her. That they hugged. That they kissed. That they went behind the equipment shed. That they were practically naked."

Lily raised an eyebrow.

"They were not practically naked."

"I know."

"Good."

"Kayla was wearing her track uniform."

"All right."

"...but she bent over in front of Tommy on purpose."

Lily glanced at her again.

"Tommy told you that?"

"He said he thinks she did."

"What else did Tommy say?"

"That she helped him throw the discus. She kept putting her hands on him to move him around."

"Was she showing him how to throw?"

"Yes."

"All right."

"...but he liked it."

"Did he tell you that?"

"No."

"Then how do you know?"

Chloe hesitated.

"I asked him."

"...and?"

"He said he didn't know."

Lily waited.

Chloe frowned.

"That means yes."

"It might."

"It does."

Lily decided not to fight that particular battle.

"What about the hug?"

"He made a really good throw and they hugged because they were excited."

"All right."

Chloe stared at the dashboard.

"He told Kayla he had a girlfriend."

Lily glanced at her.

"He did?"

"Yes."

"He told her about you?"

"Yes."

"...and then?"

"I got mad."

"Why?"

"I DON'T KNOW!"

Lily flinched slightly.

Chloe immediately shrank into her seat.

"Sorry."

"It's okay."

"No, it's not."

Lily looked over at her.

Chloe's eyes were filling again.

"I don't know why I was mad. That's the problem."

Lily kept driving.

"So I told him he wasn't allowed to let girls touch him or hug him or flirt with him and he said he hugs Joey and I said that was different."

"Why?"

"Because Joey's Joey."

Lily thought about that.

"Fair enough."

"...but Tommy said Kayla was his friend too."

"Also fair enough."

Chloe looked irritated.

"Whose side are you on?"

"Yours."

"It doesn't sound like it."

"I'm your mother. Being on your side doesn't mean telling you you're right about everything."

Chloe looked back out the window.

Lily continued driving.

"What happened after that?"

"He asked if he needed my permission before he hugged another girl."

Lily waited.

Chloe sank farther into the seat.

"I said yes."

"Oh."

"I didn't mean it!"

"I was hoping not."

"I was mad!"

"I know."

"Then Tommy said if that's what having a girlfriend means, he doesn't want it."

Lily looked at her.

Chloe started crying again.

"I think he broke up with me."

"Oh, honey."

"...and then Kayla found me."

Lily's expression became more serious.

"What happened?"

"She said Tommy kissed her."

Lily was silent.

Chloe rubbed her eyes.

"She said Tommy kissed her and I..."

She swallowed.

"I acted stupid."

"You shoved her."

"Yeah."

"Because Tommy kissed her?"

"She kissed him back."

"That still doesn't make it okay to shove her."

"I KNOW!"

Chloe was crying hard again.

"I know! I know it doesn't!"

Lily looked over.

Chloe had both hands over her face now.

"I could've really hurt her."

"She's all right."

"I know."

"You did the right thing taking her to the office."

"I shouldn't have pushed her in the first place."

"No."

Chloe cried harder.

Lily reached across and put a hand on her shoulder.

"Okay."

"I'm sorry."

"I know."

"I don't know why I did it."

"Chloe."

"I don't!"

"Chloe."

She looked at her mother.

Lily squeezed her shoulder.

"We don't have to solve this in the car."

Chloe sniffed.

"...but-"

"You're upset. I'm driving. You're crying. Neither of those things is helping."

Chloe wiped her face.

"We'll talk when we get home."

Chloe looked out the window again.

"Am I grounded?"

"Yes."

Chloe sighed.

"How long?"

"I haven't decided."

"That's worse."

"I know."

By the time they got home, Chloe wasn't crying anymore.

That lasted approximately three minutes.

She sat with Lily and tried to explain it again.

Only this time she wasn't explaining what happened.

She was trying to explain herself.

"I don't understand."

Lily sat across from her.

"What don't you understand?"

"Why I care."

"About Tommy?"

"About everything he does."

Lily smiled slightly.

Chloe frowned.

"It's not funny."

"I'm not laughing at you."

"When we were six, I didn't care if Tommy played with another girl."

"No."

"When we were nine, I didn't care."

"No."

"When we were twelve..."

Chloe paused.

"Okay. Maybe a little."

Lily smiled.

Chloe groaned.

"...but not like this!"

"No."

"Now he looks at some girl and I feel..."

She waved her hands.

"...whatever this is."

"Jealous?"

"I guess."

"Scared?"

Chloe thought about it.

"Maybe."

"Angry?"

"Yes."

"There's probably more than one thing."

"That's worse."

"It usually is."

Chloe dropped her head onto the table.

"Why?"

"Because you're fourteen."

Chloe lifted her head.

"That's your answer?"

"It's part of it."

"That's a terrible answer."

"It's still true."

Lily leaned back.

"You haven't done this before."

"Done what?"

"Had a boyfriend."

"I've had Tommy."

"You've had Tommy in your life since you were six. That's not the same thing."

Chloe frowned.

"He's been your friend. Now he's your boyfriend. You're trying to figure out what that means."

Lily paused.

"So is he."

Chloe looked at her.

"Tommy screwed up too?"

"Of course he did."

That seemed to surprise her.

"What did he do?"

"I'm not going to give you a list."

"Why not?"

"Because I think lists are how you got into this mess."

Chloe stared at her mother.

Lily smiled.

Chloe did not.

Lily continued.

"You're both young. Neither of you knows what you're doing."

"That's comforting."

"It should be."

"It's not."

"I didn't say either of you was stupid."

Chloe looked down.

"You don't have experience yet. Experience is how you learn some of this."

"...but that doesn't help me now."

"What doesn't?"

"I still feel things I don't understand."

"I know."

"...and then I don't know how to tell Tommy."

"I know."

"...and when I tried, I told him he needed permission to hug people."

"Yes."

Chloe groaned and covered her face again.

Lily waited.

"So what am I supposed to do?"

"Next time?"

"If there is a next time."

"There probably will be."

Chloe lowered her hands.

Lily thought for a moment.

"Start with what you know."

"What does that mean?"

"You know you didn't like Tommy staring at Kayla."

"Yes."

"So tell him that."

"I did."

"No. You told him not to stare at girls."

Chloe paused.

Lily leaned forward.

"Those aren't the same thing."

Chloe thought about it.

"You can tell Tommy, 'I didn't like it when you stared at Kayla.'"

"...and then?"

"Then let him answer."

"What if he says he didn't mean to?"

"Listen to him."

"What if I still don't like it?"

"Tell him."

Chloe frowned.

"That's it?"

"That's where you start."

Lily thought about how to explain the rest.

"You and Tommy are going to have boundaries."

"Rules."

"No."

"What's the difference?"

"A rule is you deciding what Tommy is allowed to do."

Chloe listened.

"A boundary is you telling Tommy what makes you uncomfortable. What hurts you. What you're willing to accept in a relationship."

"So he can't do it."

"That's not what I said."

Chloe frowned.

Lily smiled slightly.

"This is the difficult part."

"Oh."

"You tell Tommy how something makes you feel. Tommy tells you what he meant. You listen to him. He listens to you. Then the two of you figure out what you're comfortable with together."

"What if we don't agree?"

"Then you keep talking."

"What if we still don't agree?"

"Then you have a harder problem."

Chloe didn't like that answer.

Lily could tell.

"There isn't always going to be a perfect answer."

"That's stupid."

"Yes."

Chloe blinked.

Lily shrugged.

"Relationships would be much easier if everybody came with instructions."

Chloe almost smiled.

Almost.

"...and Tommy gets boundaries too," Lily said.

Chloe looked at her.

"What boundaries?"

"I don't know. They're Tommy's."

"So he can tell me he doesn't like something I do?"

"Of course."

"What if I think it's stupid?"

"You listen anyway."

Chloe frowned.

"Then you tell him why you think it's stupid."

"Nicely?"

"Preferably."

"What if he doesn't listen to me?"

"Then that's a problem."

"What if I don't listen to him?"

"Then you're the problem."

Chloe stared at her.

"You're supposed to be on my side."

"I am."

Lily reached across the table and took her hand.

"That's why I'm telling you."

Chloe squeezed her mother's hand.

"What if I don't know my boundaries?"

"You won't."

Chloe looked alarmed.

"Not all of them."

"Oh."

"You'll learn."

"How?"

"Sometimes because something happens and you realize you don't like it."

"Like yesterday."

Chloe looked down.

"Some things that bother you now might not bother you when you're older. Some things you think are fine now might bother you later. Tommy will change too."

"So we just keep making it up?"

"Pretty much."

"That's terrible."

Lily laughed.

Chloe finally smiled.

Just a little.

"There's one thing that doesn't change," Lily said.

"What?"

"You talk."

Chloe looked at her.

"You tell him what happened. You tell him how it made you feel. You listen when he tells you what he meant and how he feels."

"...and no rules."

"No unilateral rules."

Chloe stumbled over the word.

"Uni...what?"

"No declaring yourself Queen Chloe and issuing laws."

Chloe smiled.

"Can I be Queen Chloe anyway?"

"Not while you're grounded."

Chloe frowned.

Lily squeezed her hand.

"You work together. That's the point."

Chloe was quiet.

"Is it easy?"

"No."

"Great."

"Some things will be easy. Some won't. Some boundaries will be harder to work out than others."

Lily paused.

"...and sometimes you're going to get it wrong."

Chloe looked down.

"Like today."

Chloe's eyes watered again.

Lily got up and moved beside her.

Chloe leaned into her mother.

Lily put an arm around her.

"I really love him."

"I know."

"I don't want him to hate me."

"I doubt he hates you."

"You don't know that."

"No."

Lily held her.

"...but I know Tommy."

Chloe sniffed.

"So do I."

"Then start there."

Chloe rested her head against her mother's shoulder.

For the first time all day, she had some idea what she wanted to say.

She just didn't know when she'd get to say it.

Chloe returned to school the next morning.

She wasn't looking forward to it.

Her mother had driven her.

Partly because Chloe was grounded.

Partly because Lily wanted to make sure she actually went inside.

Chloe had barely made it down the hallway when she saw Kayla.

Kayla saw her too.

They both stopped.

For a moment, neither moved.

Then Chloe walked toward her.

Kayla did the same.

Chloe looked immediately at the back of Kayla's head.

"Are you okay?"

"Yeah."

"Really?"

"Really."

"Does it hurt?"

"A little."

Chloe looked miserable.

"I'm sorry."

Kayla opened her mouth.

"I'm really sorry."

"Chloe-"

"I shouldn't have pushed you."

"I know."

"I could've really hurt you."

"I know."

"I wasn't trying to make you hit the wall."

"I know."

Chloe looked down.

"That doesn't make it better."

"No."

Kayla paused.

"...but I'm okay."

Chloe nodded.

She didn't look particularly reassured.

Kayla sighed.

"I should apologize too."

Chloe looked up.

"What?"

"I screwed up."

"You didn't shove me into a wall."

"No."

Kayla thought about that.

"You've definitely got me there."

Chloe almost smiled.

Almost.

Kayla took a breath.

"I didn't get to finish what I was trying to tell you yesterday."

Chloe's expression changed.

"About Tommy."

"Yeah."

Chloe looked away.

Kayla continued.

"He kissed me."

"I know."

"I didn't kiss him first."

Chloe looked back at her.

"Tommy kissed me."

"...and you kissed him back."

"Yeah."

Chloe's expression hardened slightly.

Kayla noticed.

"I did."

She didn't try to excuse it.

"...but then I knew something was wrong."

"What do you mean?"

"He was acting weird."

"Tommy always acts weird."

Kayla smiled slightly.

"Different weird."

Chloe waited.

"He wasn't happy."

"What?"

"He kissed me, but he didn't look happy about it."

Chloe frowned.

"That doesn't make any sense."

"I know."

"So why did he kiss you?"

Kayla hesitated.

"I think he got spooked."

"Spooked?"

"About not having a girlfriend."

Chloe stared at her.

"He told me you broke up."

Chloe's face fell.

Kayla quickly continued.

"...but then I asked him what happened."

"What did he say?"

"That you told him he needed permission to hug girls."

Chloe closed her eyes.

"I know."

"...and he told you if that's what having a girlfriend means, he doesn't want one."

"Yeah."

Kayla tilted her head.

"Did either of you actually say you were breaking up?"

Chloe opened her eyes.

"No."

"That's what I asked him."

"What did he say?"

"He said he told you he didn't want a girlfriend."

Chloe sighed.

"That's Tommy."

"Yeah."

Kayla looked down.

"He thought I wanted to be his girlfriend."

Chloe's expression changed again.

"Did you?"

"No."

Kayla answered immediately.

Chloe studied her.

"I like Tommy."

"Obviously."

"Not like that."

"You bent over in front of him."

Kayla's face reddened.

"I know."

"You wanted him to stare at you."

"I know."

"You told him he was cute."

"I know."

"You kissed him back."

"I KNOW."

A couple students passing them looked over.

Kayla lowered her voice.

"I know."

Chloe folded her arms.

"Then what did you want?"

Kayla didn't answer immediately.

"I wanted him to like me."

Chloe stared at her.

"As a friend."

"Why didn't you just talk to him?"

Kayla looked embarrassed.

"Because apparently I'm stupid."

Chloe almost smiled again.

"You're not stupid."

"I bent over in front of somebody because I wanted to make friends with him."

"That's a little stupid."

"Thank you."

"You're welcome."

Kayla sighed.

"I thought Tommy was cool."

Chloe blinked.

"Tommy?"

"Yes."

"Thomas Rydell?"

"Yes."

"My Tommy?"

"How many Tommys do you know?"

Chloe thought about it.

"One."

"Then yes."

Kayla leaned against the lockers.

"Everybody knows him now."

Chloe listened.

"He's the freshman quarterback who almost beat Christ the Savior. Everybody talks about him. People know his number. People know when he's hurt. People know when he's coming back."

Kayla shrugged.

"I'm an athlete too."

Chloe looked at her.

"I throw discus."

"I know."

"I've been doing it longer than Tommy's been doing it."

"Probably."

"...and nobody cares."

There wasn't much bitterness in Kayla's voice.

Mostly embarrassment.

"I could make a really good throw and maybe Coach Dumerville notices. Tommy throws a football and everybody in school knows about it."

Chloe hadn't thought about that.

"I got jealous."

"Of Tommy?"

"Yeah."

Kayla nodded.

"I wanted people to notice me too."

Chloe was quiet.

"...and I thought maybe if Tommy liked me, I could..."

Kayla struggled for the words.

"Be around everybody."

"The football players?"

"The football players. You. Joey. Everybody."

Kayla shrugged.

"The cool kids."

Chloe stared at her.

"We're the cool kids?"

Kayla stared back.

"Apparently."

Chloe considered this new information.

"Huh."

Kayla laughed.

Chloe finally smiled.

Just a little.

Then Kayla became serious again.

"I went about it the wrong way."

Chloe's smile disappeared.

"I shouldn't have flirted with your boyfriend."

"No."

"I shouldn't have tried to get him to stare at me."

"No."

"...and I definitely shouldn't have kissed him back."

"No."

"I know."

Kayla took a breath.

"I like you too."

Chloe raised an eyebrow.

"Not like that."

"Oh."

"I mean I like you. You're nice."

"I shoved you into a wall."

"Yesterday wasn't your best day."

Chloe looked down.

Kayla smiled slightly.

"I don't want to be some soap opera villain."

Chloe looked back at her.

"What?"

"You know."

Kayla made her voice dramatic.

"'I'm going to steal your boyfriend, Chloe Summers.'"

Chloe stared.

Kayla continued.

"'Soon Thomas Rydell shall be mine.'"

Chloe laughed despite herself.

Kayla smiled.

"I'm serious."

"I know."

"I don't want Tommy."

Chloe's smile faded.

"Not like that."

"Okay."

"...and he doesn't want me."

Chloe looked away.

Kayla stepped closer.

"He doesn't."

"You don't know that."

"Yes, I do."

"How?"

"Because I asked him."

Chloe looked at her.

Kayla continued.

"I asked if he wanted me to be his girlfriend."

"What did he say?"

"Nothing."

Chloe frowned.

Kayla nodded.

"Exactly."

"Oh."

"He still loves you."

Chloe's eyes watered.

She looked away quickly.

Kayla continued.

"He told me."

Chloe wiped one eye.

"Then why did he kiss you?"

"Because he's an idiot."

Chloe looked back at her.

Kayla shrugged.

"You're allowed to love an idiot."

Chloe laughed through her tears.

Kayla smiled.

Then she became serious again.

"Please don't stay mad at him because of me."

Chloe didn't answer.

"If you're going to be mad at somebody..."

Kayla pointed at herself.

"Be mad at me."

Chloe shook her head.

"It's not that simple."

"I know."

"No, I mean..."

Chloe thought about what Lily had told her.

"I don't think I know what I'm mad about yet."

Kayla lowered her hand.

"Oh."

"I know I'm mad."

"Okay."

"I know I'm hurt."

"Okay."

"...but everything happened so fast."

Kayla nodded.

Chloe looked at her.

"So thank you."

"For what?"

"For talking to me."

Kayla smiled slightly.

"You're welcome."

Chloe looked down the hallway.

Kayla hesitated.

"Have you talked to Tommy?"

Chloe shook her head.

"No."

"Not at all?"

"No."

Kayla looked concerned.

"Are you going to?"

Chloe thought about it.

Yesterday she would have answered immediately.

Now she didn't.

"I don't know yet."

Kayla nodded.

"Okay."

Chloe looked at her.

"I'm still..."

She searched for the word.

"Emotional."

"Yeah."

"I don't want to say something stupid again."

Kayla reached behind her head and gently touched the bump.

"Probably a good idea."

Chloe's eyes widened.

Kayla grinned.

Chloe stared at her.

Then she laughed.

"I'm sorry!"

"I know."

"I'm really sorry."

"I know."

Kayla smiled.

Chloe smiled back.

They weren't friends.

Not yet.

...but they weren't enemies either.

That seemed like enough for one morning.

Days passed.

Tommy didn't talk to Chloe.

Chloe didn't talk to Tommy.

They saw each other.

That was unavoidable.

They went to the same school.

They had the same friends.

They walked through the same hallways.

Sometimes Chloe would see Tommy coming toward her.

Sometimes Tommy would see Chloe.

One of them would find somewhere else to look.

Neither knew who was supposed to talk first.

So neither did.

Chloe was still grounded.

She had plenty of time to think.

Unfortunately, she didn't want to think.

Especially about Tommy.

She had already thought about Tommy enough.

She had thought about what happened at track practice.

She had thought about what Tommy told her.

She had thought about what Kayla told her.

She had thought about the kiss.

She had thought about shoving Kayla.

She had thought about what her mother said.

She had thought about boundaries.

She had thought about rules.

She had thought about whether Tommy was still her boyfriend.

She had thought about whether Tommy wanted to be her boyfriend.

She was tired of thinking about Thomas Rydell.

So she decided to stop.

That lasted until she opened her locker.

Tommy was there.

Not actually.

That would've been easier.

A picture Chloe had drawn of the two of them was stuck inside the locker in a magnetic heart frame.

Chloe stared at it.

"Oh, come on."

She closed the locker.

That solved that.

Then she went to class.

She opened her notebook.

Tommy was there.

Chloe stared at the drawing on the cover.

She had drawn it months ago.

Tommy was smiling.

Chloe was smiling.

There were little hearts around them.

Chloe closed the notebook.

She needed the notebook.

She opened it again.

Tommy remained.

"Go away."

The girl sitting beside her looked over.

"What?"

"Nothing."

Chloe tried to pay attention.

After school, she went home.

She went to her room.

Tommy was there.

A drawing hung beside the bookcase.

Another was tucked beside some books.

There were more in a drawer.

One was under her bed.

Chloe didn't even remember putting it there.

She picked it up.

Tommy.

Again.

She sat on the floor.

Months ago, after the lake, drawing Tommy had been fun.

She had drawn his face.

His hair.

His stupid expressions.

Him smiling.

Him pretending to be a shark.

Him with her.

Sometimes she had drawn him badly.

Sometimes she had drawn him very badly.

She had kept those too.

Now her room was full of him.

Chloe put the drawing down.

"I hate you."

She immediately felt guilty.

"I don't hate you."

She picked the drawing back up.

"I hate that you're everywhere."

The drawing didn't respond.

That was probably for the best.

Chloe put it on her desk.

Everything would work itself out.

Eventually.

Probably.

She just needed to think about something else.

Anything else.

Chloe looked around her room.

There was another Tommy beside the bookcase.

"Oh, by Jove."

Tommy was single.

He had decided that.

Probably.

He had told Chloe he didn't want a girlfriend.

Chloe hadn't said they were still together.

They hadn't spoken in days.

Therefore, Tommy was single.

Tommy liked having things settled.

So that was settled.

Being single meant he could talk to girls.

He could flirt with girls.

He could think girls were pretty.

He could hug them.

He could do whatever he wanted.

Nobody could tell him otherwise.

Tommy tested this theory.

There were plenty of girls at Crestview.

Tommy wasn't bad at talking to them either.

Being the freshman quarterback helped.

Even injured, he had become somebody people knew.

Girls knew who he was.

Some of them thought he was cute.

Tommy discovered he rather liked that.

He talked to one girl between classes.

She laughed at his jokes.

Tommy thought she was pretty.

That went well.

Then she asked him what he was doing that weekend.

Tommy almost said he might see Chloe.

He stopped himself.

Another girl talked to him at lunch.

She liked football.

Tommy liked football.

That seemed promising.

Then she asked him what movies he liked.

Tommy started telling her about one Chloe hated.

That became a story about Chloe.

Then another story about Chloe.

The girl listened for a while.

"Do you still like her?"

Tommy stopped.

"Who?"

"Chloe."

"Oh."

Tommy thought about it.

"No."

The girl stared at him.

Tommy stared back.

"...maybe."

She smiled.

Tommy didn't particularly appreciate that.

Another girl lasted even less time.

Tommy caught himself comparing her laugh to Chloe's.

He didn't tell her that.

He was learning.

Eventually, Tommy noticed a pattern.

He could talk to other girls.

He could flirt with other girls.

He could like other girls.

His mind seemed perfectly capable of being single.

His heart apparently hadn't received the message.

That was annoying.

One evening Tommy was lying on the floor watching television.

The Love Boat was on.

A rerun.

Tommy watched anyway.

He liked The Love Boat.

Usually Chloe watched it with him.

Tommy tried not to think about that.

Then the Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders appeared.

Tommy sat up slightly.

He remembered this one.

He had definitely remembered this one the first time too.

Especially Stacy.

Tami Barber, though Tommy didn't know her name then.

Tommy had liked her.

A lot.

Chloe had noticed.

Of course Chloe had noticed.

Tommy could almost hear her.

He could remember her looking at him.

He could remember trying to pretend he wasn't staring at the television any differently than usual.

He could remember Chloe mercilessly making fun of him.

Tommy smiled.

Then he looked at Stacy again.

Something about her had caught his attention the first time.

Watching her now, Tommy finally understood what.

She reminded him of Chloe.

Tommy's smile disappeared.

Chloe.

He kept watching.

Chloe.

Somebody said something funny.

Tommy barely heard it.

Chloe.

Tommy reached over and turned off the television.

The room went quiet.

"Stupid show."

He went to his bedroom.

He dropped onto the bed.

His parents had already talked to him.

Both of them.

They had explained boundaries.

Not rules.

Boundaries.

Apparently Chloe's parents had probably given her some version of the same speech.

His parents had also told him something important.

Tommy hadn't been wrong to object.

Chloe couldn't simply decide that he needed permission to hug another girl.

She couldn't make rules for him.

She wasn't his mother.

Tommy had been right about that.

That should've made everything easier.

It didn't.

Because his parents had also told him that being right about one thing didn't make him right about everything.

Tommy hated when adults did that.

He had stared at Kayla.

He had liked Kayla flirting with him.

He had liked Kayla touching him.

He had liked being noticed.

Then, after his fight with Chloe, he had kissed Kayla.

His parents didn't know that part.

Tommy stared at the ceiling.

Maybe Chloe had a fatal flaw.

That would solve everything.

People had fatal flaws.

He had heard about those.

If Chloe had one, then he could decide that was why they couldn't be together.

Trying to control him could be Chloe's fatal flaw.

There.

Solved.

Tommy lay there.

Nothing felt solved.

He rolled onto his side.

His parents had told him something else.

Only Tommy could decide whether he wanted to break up with Chloe.

Nobody else could decide for him.

He would know in his heart.

Tommy had nodded when they told him that.

It sounded very wise.

Now he had absolutely no idea what it meant.

How was his heart supposed to tell him?

Did it feel different?

Was there supposed to be some moment where he suddenly knew?

Was he supposed to wake up one morning and not care about Chloe anymore?

Was he supposed to look at another girl and want her more?

He had tried that.

It hadn't worked.

Tommy rolled onto his back again.

Maybe he didn't want Chloe to be his girlfriend.

Maybe he did.

Maybe he wanted Chloe without the rules.

Maybe Chloe didn't want him anymore.

Maybe she hated him.

Maybe she knew about Kayla.

She definitely knew about Kayla.

Tommy covered his face with his hands.

"By Jove."

He missed her.

That was the only part that wasn't confusing.

Tommy lowered his hands.

He stared at the ceiling.

"Why can't this be easier?"

The ceiling didn't answer.

Apparently nobody knew.

The next day, Terry found Tommy at his locker.

"You doing anything tonight?"

"Homework."

Terry stared at him.

Tommy stared back.

"Thomas Rydell is voluntarily doing homework on a Friday night?"

"It's Thursday."

"That's worse."

Tommy closed his locker.

"What do you want?"

"I'm having a party."

"No."

Terry blinked.

"I haven't invited you yet."

"I'm practicing."

Terry followed him.

"My parents are gone."

"Congratulations."

"I've got the whole house."

"Congratulations."

"People are coming."

"Congratulations."

"Girls are coming."

Tommy stopped.

Terry smiled.

Tommy continued walking.

"No."

"Oh, come on."

"I'm not interested."

"You haven't even heard about it."

"I heard girls."

"Lots of girls."

Tommy rolled his eyes.

"That doesn't make it better."

"It got you to stop walking."

Tommy looked at him.

Terry grinned.

Tommy continued walking.

"I'm not going."

"Why?"

"I don't want to."

"Why?"

"Because I don't."

"That's not a reason."

"Yes, it is."

Terry caught up again.

"You've been miserable for days."

"I'm fine."

"You've been walking around school like somebody shot your dog."

"I don't have a dog."

"Exactly."

Tommy frowned.

Terry lowered his voice.

"You've got to let go of Chloe."

Tommy stopped again.

"I'm not talking about Chloe."

"That's the problem."

"What?"

"You don't talk about her. You don't talk to her. Then you walk around thinking about her."

"I'm not thinking about her."

Terry stared at him.

Tommy stared back.

"...all the time."

"Sure."

Tommy started walking again.

Terry followed.

"You've got to move on."

"I have moved on."

"Then come to the party."

"Why?"

"Because there'll be people there."

"There are people here."

"People who aren't in school."

"They're the same people."

"Different building."

Tommy almost smiled.

Terry saw it.

"Come on. Music. Food. Drinks."

Tommy looked at him.

"Girls."

"You said that already."

"There will be lots of girls there."

"So?"

"So talk to them."

"I talk to girls."

"Then talk to them at my house."

Tommy sighed.

"Terry-"

"Maybe you meet somebody."

"I don't need to meet somebody."

"How do you know?"

Tommy opened his mouth.

Nothing came out.

Terry shrugged.

"You won't know until you find out."

Tommy hated that.

Mostly because he couldn't immediately explain why it was wrong.

"I don't believe you."

"You don't have to."

"About the girls."

Terry looked offended.

"You think I can't get girls to come to my party?"

Tommy looked at him.

Terry Rasmussen was not Tommy.

Terry wasn't the quarterback.

He wasn't the guy everybody had suddenly started talking about.

...but Terry had something.

People liked him.

He could sit down at almost any lunch table and somebody would make room.

He knew seniors.

He knew girls Tommy had never spoken to.

He knew people from other schools.

Tommy had seen it.

If Terry said he could fill his house with people...

He probably could.

Including girls.

Terry saw Tommy thinking.

"You're considering it."

"No."

"You are."

"No."

"You've got that face."

"What face?"

"The one you make before you do something."

"I don't have a face."

"Everybody has a face."

Tommy frowned.

Terry grinned.

"Tonight."

"I didn't say yes."

"You didn't say no."

"I said no about fifteen times."

"Yeah, but those were before you started thinking."

Tommy shook his head and walked away.

Terry called after him.

"Lots of girls!"

Tommy didn't turn around.

He did think about it.

That evening, Tommy sat at the kitchen table doing homework.

Jason noticed immediately.

He walked through the kitchen.

Stopped.

Walked backward.

Tommy looked up.

"What?"

Jason stared at the books.

Then at Tommy.

Then at the books again.

"What?"

"Nothing."

"Why are you looking at me?"

"I'm witnessing something."

Tommy frowned.

Jason pulled out a chair and sat across from him.

"What happened?"

"Nothing."

"Did you get in trouble?"

"No."

"Did a teacher threaten you?"

"No."

"Are you failing something?"

"No!"

"Then why are you doing all your homework?"

Tommy stared at him.

"Because I'm becoming more studious."

Jason nodded slowly.

"Of course."

"I am."

"Naturally."

"People change."

"They certainly do."

Tommy looked back at his homework.

Jason remained seated.

Tommy wrote something.

Jason watched him.

Tommy stopped.

"What?"

"Nothing."

"Stop looking at me."

"I'm not doing anything."

"You're waiting."

"For what?"

"For me to tell you."

Jason smiled.

Tommy sighed.

"Terry invited me to a party."

"There it is."

Tommy put his pencil down.

"His parents aren't home."

Jason's expression changed slightly.

Tommy noticed.

"There'll be people there."

"I assumed."

"Probably a lot of people."

"Okay."

"...and he wants me to come."

Jason waited.

Tommy waited too.

"Well?"

"Well what?"

"Say it."

"Say what?"

"No."

Jason frowned.

"What?"

"'No, Tommy. You can't go.'"

Jason looked confused.

"Why would I say that?"

Tommy looked confused now.

"Because it's a party."

"Yes."

"At Terry's house."

"Yes."

"His parents aren't there."

"I heard that part."

Tommy stared at him.

Jason thought about it.

"What time?"

Tommy blinked.

"What?"

"What time is the party?"

"I don't know. Tonight."

"...and you have school tomorrow."

"Yeah."

Jason nodded.

"Call us before eleven."

Tommy continued staring.

"I can go?"

"Yes."

"Really?"

"Yes."

"You're letting me go to a party with no parents?"

"I'm letting you go to Terry's house."

"Where there's a party."

"Yes."

"With no parents."

"Tommy, if you'd like me to change my answer-"

"No!"

Jason smiled.

Tommy immediately became suspicious.

"What's the catch?"

"No catch."

"There has to be a catch."

"You call home before eleven."

"That's it?"

"No."

Tommy knew it.

Jason leaned forward.

"Don't do anything stupid."

Tommy waited.

"That's incredibly specific."

"I thought so."

"What counts as stupid?"

"You'll know."

Tommy stared at him.

"Why does everybody keep telling me that?"

"What?"

"'You'll know.'"

Jason laughed.

"I'm serious!"

"All right."

Jason became more serious.

"If there's alcohol there, don't drink too much."

Tommy blinked.

"You're telling me I can drink?"

"I'm telling you not to drink too much."

"What's too much?"

"You'll know."

"DAD!"

Jason laughed again.

"Okay. If you're starting to feel it, slow down. You don't have anything to prove."

Tommy listened.

"You don't have to drink at all."

"I know."

"...and you don't have to do anything else because everybody around you is doing it."

"I know."

"I'm saying it anyway."

Tommy nodded.

Jason continued.

"If somebody hands you a glass and you don't know where it came from, don't drink it."

Tommy frowned.

"Why?"

"Because you don't know what's in it."

"Oh."

"Same with pills."

"I'm not taking pills."

"Good."

"I'm not stupid."

"I didn't say you were."

Jason paused.

"People do stupid things when they want other people to think they're not scared."

Tommy looked down.

That sounded annoyingly plausible.

"If you feel sick, call us."

"Okay."

"If you feel strange, call us."

"Okay."

"If somebody else feels sick or strange, get them help."

"Okay."

"If something happens and you want to leave, call us."

"What if nothing happens and I just want to leave?"

"Call us."

Tommy nodded.

"You don't have to stay somewhere because you told somebody you would."

"Okay."

"You don't have to get into a car with somebody who's been drinking."

"I know."

"Good."

Jason looked at him.

"...and if a girl wants to do something you don't want to do, you can say no."

Tommy gave him a look.

"I know."

"I'm your father. I'm required to embarrass you."

"Is that a law?"

"Federal."

Tommy smiled.

Jason stood.

"Have fun."

Tommy stared after him.

"That's it?"

Jason turned around.

"What else do you want?"

Tommy thought about it.

He had spent the entire afternoon preparing arguments.

He had expected to negotiate.

He had expected to get angry.

He had expected Jason to say no.

Instead...

"Nothing."

"Good."

Jason walked away.

Tommy looked at his homework.

Then at the clock.

Then back toward where Jason had gone.

He closed his book.

Jason's voice immediately came from the other room.

"Finish your homework."

Tommy froze.

"How did you know?"

"I'm your father."

Tommy groaned.

He opened the book again.

The party could wait.

Unfortunately, algebra could not.

Jason drove Tommy to Terry's house.

Tommy spent most of the ride looking out the window.

As they got closer, he could already hear music.

Jason could too.

"Sounds quiet."

Tommy looked at him.

"Very."

They turned onto Terry's street.

There were cars parked along both sides.

People were walking toward the house.

Jason slowed.

"Remember what I told you."

"I remember."

"If you don't know where something came from-"

"Don't take it."

"If you feel sick-"

"Call you."

"If you want to leave-"

"Call you."

"If somebody wants me to do something I don't want to do, I don't have to do it."

Jason smiled.

"You were listening."

"I usually listen."

Jason looked at him.

"Sometimes."

"That's more accurate."

They reached the house.

Tommy could see people through the windows.

Then he spotted Terry outside.

Terry spotted him too.

His face lit up.

"RYDELL!"

Tommy opened the door.

Jason looked at him.

"Before eleven."

"I know."

"Have fun."

Tommy hesitated.

"Thanks, Dad."

"You're welcome."

Tommy got out.

Terry came over.

Jason waited until the two of them were together.

Then he drove away.

Terry watched the car disappear.

"Your dad drove you?"

"Yeah."

"That's embarrassing."

"He knows I'm here."

Terry stopped smiling.

"Oh."

Tommy grinned.

"That's embarrassing."

"Shut up."

Terry led him toward the house.

The music got louder.

Tommy stepped through the door.

Then stopped.

Terry had not lied.

There were girls.

Lots of girls.

Tommy looked around.

There were girls from Crestview.

Girls he vaguely recognized from Christ the Savior.

Girls he didn't recognize at all.

Tommy suddenly understood why Terry had been so confident.

School looked different here.

At Crestview, even with Principal Davis constantly fighting the Deseret Council over what students were allowed to wear, everybody still looked like they were going to school.

Here...

They looked like what teenagers thought adults looked like when adults went somewhere exciting.

The girls especially.

Short skirts.

Tight jeans.

Dresses.

Bright tops.

Bare shoulders.

Makeup that some of them definitely didn't wear to school.

Hair that had clearly taken considerably more effort than anybody would ever admit.

It looked like somebody had given a group of teenagers magazines, television and movies and told them to dress for a nightclub none of them had ever actually visited.

Tommy liked it.

A lot.

He tried not to stare.

Then he remembered he was single.

Probably.

So he looked.

The other boys were looking too.

Nobody seemed particularly interested in discussing why the girls had dressed this way.

They simply appreciated that they had.

Terry leaned toward him.

"Lots of girls."

Tommy nodded.

"I owe you an apology."

Terry grinned.

"I accept."

They moved farther into the house.

The place was packed.

Music blasted from the stereo.

Somebody had turned the television on.

Nobody was watching it.

Nobody could've heard it anyway.

There was a giant keg.

Tommy stared at it.

"Where did you get that?"

Terry kept walking.

"Secret."

"You have a lot of secrets."

"I'm a mysterious person."

"You're Terry Rasmussen."

"Exactly."

Tommy found somewhere to sit.

For a while, he was perfectly happy doing nothing.

He watched people.

He watched girls.

Mostly girls.

Across the room, a boy was talking to one of them.

Tommy didn't know him.

The boy was talking a lot.

The girl kept smiling.

The boy talked some more.

The girl played with her hair.

The boy moved closer.

The girl didn't.

Tommy almost laughed.

The poor guy thought he was doing brilliantly.

He wasn't.

She liked having him talk to her.

She liked him looking at her.

She liked the attention.

She didn't like him.

Tommy could tell.

The boy apparently couldn't.

Tommy shook his head.

Some people were oblivious.

Terry eventually returned carrying a bottle.

He held it out.

"Here."

Tommy looked at it.

The bottle was unopened.

He noticed that immediately.

He took it.

"What is it?"

"Beer."

"I know it's beer."

"Then why did you ask?"

"What kind?"

"Local."

Tommy examined the label.

"Is it good?"

Terry shrugged.

"It doesn't matter. It's beer."

Tommy looked at him.

"That's not an answer."

"It's the only answer you need."

Tommy tried to open it.

Nothing happened.

He tried again.

Terry watched.

Tommy twisted harder.

Still nothing.

Terry reached into his pocket.

He handed Tommy a bottle opener.

Tommy stared at it.

"Oh."

Terry smiled.

"Experienced drinker."

"Shut up."

Tommy opened the bottle.

He smelled it.

That didn't help.

He took a drink.

His face immediately changed.

Terry laughed.

"That's disgusting."

"No, it's not."

"Yes, it is!"

"It's beer."

"Adults drink this?"

"Yeah."

"Why?"

Terry shrugged.

"You get used to it."

Tommy looked suspiciously at the bottle.

"That's the selling point?"

"The more you drink, the easier it gets."

Tommy took another small drink.

It wasn't better.

Terry nodded toward the room.

"Besides, the more you drink, the easier it'll be to talk to the girls."

Tommy looked at him.

Then he looked at the girls.

Then at the beer.

Then back at the girls.

That was annoyingly difficult logic to escape.

Tommy took another drink.

Terry smiled.

Tommy pointed the bottle at him.

"I really do owe you an apology."

"For what?"

"I didn't believe you."

"About?"

Tommy gestured around the room.

"All of this."

Terry looked pleased with himself.

"I told you."

"Where did you get all these girls?"

Terry's smile grew.

"Secret."

"No, really."

"Secret."

"I don't recognize half of them."

"That's because you're not as well connected as I am."

"You're fourteen."

"So are you."

"Exactly."

Terry patted him on the shoulder.

"Enjoy yourself."

Then he disappeared back into the crowd.

Tommy sat with his beer.

The music was loud.

The house was full.

There were girls everywhere.

For the first time in days, Chloe wasn't the only thing occupying his mind.

Tommy took another drink.

Maybe Terry had been right.

Maybe this was exactly what he needed.

Tommy was beginning to understand beer.

He still didn't like it.

...but he understood it.

The first few drinks had tasted terrible.

The next few tasted less terrible.

Apparently that was progress.

He sat in a lounge chair with the bottle in his hand and watched the party.

People danced.

People talked.

People yelled things at each other that would've been perfectly understandable if the music wasn't so loud.

Tommy was content to watch.

Then somebody sat on him.

Tommy looked down.

A girl had planted herself directly in his lap.

"Hi."

Tommy knew he'd seen her somewhere before.

He didn't know where.

She had obviously spent a lot of time getting ready.

Her hair was perfect.

Her makeup was heavier than anything girls normally wore to school.

Her clothes looked like she'd spent an hour deciding exactly how much of herself she wanted everybody to see.

Tommy noticed.

Of course he noticed.

She smiled at him.

"You're Tommy Rydell."

"Yeah."

"I knew it."

Tommy wasn't sure why that was impressive.

"What's your name?"

She told him.

Tommy immediately forgot it.

She put an arm around his shoulders.

"So you're the quarterback."

"One of them."

"The good one."

Tommy smiled.

"I didn't say that."

"You don't have to."

She smiled at him again.

Tommy smiled back.

This should've been working.

She was pretty.

Very pretty.

She was sitting in his lap.

She knew who he was.

She clearly wanted him to know she liked him.

This was exactly what Terry had promised.

The girl leaned closer.

"I love football players."

"Why?"

She paused.

Tommy hadn't meant it as a challenge.

He actually wanted to know.

"They're..."

She thought.

"Strong."

"Oh."

"...and confident."

Tommy nodded.

She ran her fingers lightly over his shoulder.

"You're strong."

"Thanks."

She laughed.

Tommy wasn't sure what was funny.

Then she asked about football.

Sort of.

Mostly she gave him opportunities to talk about football while staring at him as though everything he said was fascinating.

Tommy talked.

She touched his arm.

Tommy made a joke.

She laughed harder than the joke deserved.

Tommy looked at her.

She looked back.

Something wasn't working.

He didn't know what.

She was pretty.

Shouldn't he like her?

Tommy tried again.

He asked her something about herself.

She answered briefly.

Then she immediately turned it back to him.

Tommy asked something else.

Same thing.

She laughed.

Touched his chest.

Told him he was funny.

Tommy wasn't even trying to be funny anymore.

He started getting bored.

That seemed impossible.

There was a beautiful girl sitting in his lap.

Boys were supposed to like this.

Tommy had been specifically informed that boys liked this.

He looked around the room.

There were other girls.

He could probably talk to one of them.

That thought didn't excite him much either.

Tommy finally put his hands on the chair and stood.

The girl nearly fell off him.

She caught herself.

"What are you doing?"

"Getting up."

She stared at him.

"Oh."

Tommy picked up his beer.

"Nice talking to you."

He walked away.

The girl watched him go.

Tommy didn't notice.

Other girls did.

Tommy discovered something strange over the next few minutes.

Leaving a pretty girl apparently made other girls more interested in him.

He didn't understand that at all.

He hadn't done anything.

He hadn't insulted her.

He hadn't been trying to impress anybody.

He'd just gotten bored.

Apparently boredom was attractive.

A second girl approached him.

She smiled.

Tommy smiled back.

"Hi."

She said something.

Tommy leaned closer.

"What?"

She repeated it.

Tommy still couldn't understand her.

"What?"

She laughed.

Then she said something else.

Tommy caught perhaps three words.

None of them seemed related.

"You okay?"

She nodded enthusiastically.

Then she nearly walked into him.

Tommy caught her arm.

"Whoa."

She laughed again.

Tommy smelled alcohol.

A lot of alcohol.

"Oh."

That explained it.

She tried talking again.

Tommy understood absolutely none of it.

"Okay."

She smiled.

"I have no idea what you just said."

She laughed as though he'd made an excellent joke.

Tommy decided there wasn't much point continuing.

"I'm gonna..."

He pointed vaguely away from her.

She nodded.

Tommy left.

A few seconds later he looked back.

The girl was attempting to walk across the room in high heels.

She took three steps.

Wobbled.

Corrected herself.

Took another.

Wobbled the other way.

Tommy watched.

"Good luck."

She couldn't hear him.

His beer was empty.

Tommy found a small refrigerator tucked beneath a counter.

He opened it.

More beer.

He took one.

Then remembered his earlier problem.

He looked around for Terry.

No Terry.

Tommy looked at the bottle.

"Great."

Then he noticed a bottle opener wedged against the side of the refrigerator.

Tommy smiled.

He opened the beer.

He was learning.

He took a drink.

It still wasn't good.

He was beginning to care less.

"Tommy?"

He turned.

Another girl stood there.

This one Tommy recognized.

Not well.

He'd seen her around school.

"Hi."

She smiled.

Unlike the first girl, she didn't immediately touch him.

Unlike the second, Tommy could understand her.

Already an improvement.

They started talking.

She asked him about football.

Then she actually listened to the answer.

Tommy asked about her.

She told him.

They talked about school.

Music.

Teachers.

She made him laugh.

Not because she was trying particularly hard.

She was just funny.

Tommy looked at her.

She was beautiful.

Not just pretty.

Beautiful.

She seemed nice too.

Tommy liked talking to her.

This should work.

He waited.

Nothing.

Maybe he needed more time.

They kept talking.

Still nothing.

Tommy didn't understand.

There wasn't anything wrong with her.

There wasn't anything wrong with the conversation.

He just...

Wasn't interested.

Eventually she wandered back toward her friends.

Tommy watched her go.

He looked at his beer.

"What is wrong with me?"

The beer didn't know.

Tommy took another drink.

Then he headed outside.

The air was cold.

Tommy hadn't realized how warm Terry's house had become until he stepped outside.

He stood on the porch and breathed.

The music was still audible through the walls.

Much quieter now.

Tommy liked that.

He took another drink.

The door opened behind him.

A boy stepped outside.

Tommy recognized him from inside.

He didn't know his name.

The boy stared at him.

Tommy looked behind himself.

Nobody there.

He looked back.

"What?"

The boy walked closer.

"How are you doing that?"

"Doing what?"

"That."

Tommy waited.

The boy pointed toward the house.

"Girls."

"What about them?"

"They keep talking to you."

Tommy shrugged.

"Okay."

"Three."

Tommy frowned.

"You were counting?"

"I can't get one!"

"Oh."

"That first girl sat in your lap!"

"Yeah."

"...and you LEFT."

"Yeah."

"Then another one came over!"

"She was drunk."

"I DON'T CARE!"

Tommy stared at him.

The boy lowered his voice.

"Sorry."

"Okay."

"Then another one came over."

"Yeah."

"She was gorgeous."

"Yeah."

"...and you walked away from her too."

"She walked away."

"That's not the point!"

Tommy took another drink.

The boy studied him.

"What's your secret?"

"What secret?"

"You've got something."

"I don't."

"Yes, you do."

"No, I don't."

"Are you saying something to them?"

"No."

"Looking at them a certain way?"

"No."

"Is it because you're the quarterback?"

Tommy thought about it.

"Maybe?"

The boy groaned.

"I can't become the quarterback tonight."

"Probably not."

"What am I supposed to do?"

Tommy genuinely didn't know.

He thought about the girls.

He hadn't done anything special.

He'd talked to them.

He'd listened.

He'd asked questions.

When he wanted to leave, he left.

That was it.

Tommy shrugged.

"Just be yourself."

The boy stared at him.

Tommy immediately regretted saying it.

That sounded like something an adult would say.

"Be myself."

"Yeah."

The boy considered this.

Then his eyes widened.

"I get it."

Tommy wasn't sure he did.

The boy opened the door.

"Thanks, Rydell."

"Sure."

He disappeared inside.

Tommy remained outside.

Through the window, he saw the boy scan the room.

Then the boy spotted a girl.

He straightened his clothes.

Ran a hand through his hair.

Changed the way he was standing.

Put on what Tommy could only describe as a completely different face.

Then he swaggered toward her.

Tommy stared.

"...that's not yourself."

The boy leaned against the wall beside the girl.

Whatever he said made her immediately look confused.

Tommy started laughing.

He couldn't hear the conversation.

He didn't need to.

Apparently Tommy's advice hadn't worked.

Then again...

Tommy looked down at his beer.

He wasn't entirely sure his advice had worked for himself either.

Tommy eventually went back inside.

The boy he'd advised was still talking to the girl.

It didn't seem to be going well.

Tommy decided not to interfere.

He wandered through the house.

His beer was about half-empty now.

He wasn't sure where Terry had gone.

Probably somewhere being mysterious.

Tommy found himself near the television.

It was still on.

Nobody was watching it.

Tommy couldn't hear it.

The music was far too loud.

He looked at the screen anyway.

The Brady Bunch.

Tommy smiled.

He stayed.

He didn't need to hear it.

He'd seen enough episodes that he could probably figure out what was happening.

Then Marcia appeared.

Tommy's attention sharpened.

There.

That was different.

If Marcia Brady were at this party, Tommy would definitely be interested.

Probably.

He watched her cross the screen.

Yes.

Definitely.

Tommy took another drink.

Someone came up beside him.

He noticed movement but didn't pay much attention.

Marcia was still on television.

The person stayed.

Tommy eventually glanced over.

A girl.

Red hair.

Freckles.

A long ponytail.

She wore a shimmering dress that left most of her back uncovered.

Tommy noticed that too.

The dress was bold.

The girl wearing it wasn't.

She stood almost awkwardly in it, as though she'd chosen something daring and was now discovering she still had to actually wear it in front of people.

She shifted her weight.

Then shifted it again.

Tommy looked down.

High heels.

She didn't appear happy with them.

Tommy turned back to the television.

So did she.

A few seconds passed.

The girl glanced at Tommy.

Tommy didn't notice.

She looked back at the television.

A few more seconds.

She looked at him again.

Nothing.

Back to the television.

Again.

Still nothing.

The girl took a breath.

Greg appeared on the screen.

She watched him.

Then, just loudly enough to compete with the music, she said,

"Greg is so hot."

Tommy's head turned immediately.

The girl froze.

She hadn't expected that to work.

Tommy looked at her.

She looked at the television.

Her face was turning red.

She stared intensely at Greg Brady.

Apparently Greg Brady had suddenly become the most fascinating human being in existence.

Tommy smiled.

"Greg's a good-looking guy."

The girl looked at him.

"...but I like Marcia better."

Her embarrassment disappeared.

"You like The Brady Bunch?"

"Yeah."

She stared at him.

"What?"

"I didn't think you would."

"Why?"

"I don't know."

Tommy looked down at himself.

"What do I look like I watch?"

The girl smiled.

"Football."

"I do."

"I know."

"Everybody knows."

She laughed.

Tommy smiled.

This felt different.

She looked back at the television.

"I love The Brady Bunch."

"So do I."

"Greg's my favourite."

"Marcia's mine."

"I gathered that."

Tommy looked at Marcia again.

The girl smiled.

Then she said, almost casually,

"I met her once."

Tommy turned.

"What?"

"Marcia."

"Maureen McCormick?"

"Yeah."

Tommy stared at her.

She laughed.

"You met Maureen McCormick?"

"Yeah."

"Where?"

"Los Angeles."

Tommy was already jealous.

Then she made it worse.

"On the beach."

Tommy's mouth fell open.

"No."

"Yes."

"You met Maureen McCormick on a beach?"

"Yes!"

"That's not fair."

The girl laughed.

"Why isn't it fair?"

"Because I've always wanted to do that."

"Meet Maureen McCormick?"

"On a beach."

The girl stared at him.

Tommy realized how specific that sounded.

"The Hawaii episodes."

"Oh!"

"Ever since I saw those."

He looked at the television.

"I always thought it'd be amazing to meet her on a beach."

The girl smiled.

Tommy continued before considering whether he should.

"Maybe she'd be wearing that purple bikini."

The girl laughed.

Tommy's face reddened slightly.

"What?"

"Nothing."

"It's a nice bikini."

"I'm sure it is."

"It is."

"Okay."

"...and maybe she'd give me a hug."

The girl looked at him.

Tommy took another drink.

He was beginning to suspect he'd said too much.

She looked down at herself.

Then at Tommy.

"Well..."

She hesitated.

"I'm not Maureen McCormick."

Tommy smiled.

"No."

"...and I'm not wearing a purple bikini."

Tommy looked at the dress.

"No."

The girl immediately became aware that he'd looked.

Her face reddened again.

Tommy looked back at her face.

She swallowed.

"...but I can give you a hug."

Silence.

Not actual silence.

The party was deafening.

...but it felt like silence.

The girl's eyes widened slightly.

She had apparently not planned that sentence before saying it.

Tommy stared at her.

She immediately wanted to take it back.

"I mean, you don't have to. I was just-"

Tommy put his beer down.

"Okay."

She stopped.

"Okay?"

"Yeah."

"Oh."

Neither moved.

Then Tommy smiled.

The girl smiled back.

They stepped toward each other.

Tommy put his arms around her.

She put hers around him.

That should've been it.

A hug.

A few seconds.

Then let go.

Neither did.

Tommy didn't know why.

Her arms tightened slightly around him.

His did the same.

The music disappeared.

Not literally.

Tommy could still feel it pounding through the floor.

People were still talking.

Somebody yelled.

Somebody laughed.

The television continued silently showing the Bradys.

None of it seemed important.

Tommy held her.

She held him.

He could feel her breathing.

He could feel her hair against his face.

He could feel one of her hands resting against his back.

Neither said anything.

Neither seemed to know they were supposed to stop.

Eventually Tommy realized this had become a very long hug.

He didn't care.

Apparently she didn't either.

He closed his eyes.

Something inside him changed.

Not much.

Just enough.

This wasn't like the first girl.

This wasn't somebody performing for him.

It wasn't like the drunk girl.

It wasn't even like the beautiful girl he'd enjoyed talking to.

Tommy didn't have to convince himself he was interested.

He was.

He didn't know her name.

He barely knew anything about her.

...but holding her felt strangely easy.

Eventually they pulled apart.

Not far.

The girl looked at him.

Tommy looked at her.

Both seemed slightly surprised by what had just happened.

"Hi," she said.

Tommy smiled.

"Hi."

They had already said that.

Neither cared.

For days, Tommy had been trying to prove to himself that he could move on from Chloe.

He'd talked to girls.

He'd flirted.

He'd watched them.

He'd tried to find somebody who made him stop thinking about her.

Nothing had worked.

Until now.

Tommy looked at the red-haired girl.

For the first time, he wondered if maybe he actually could.

Maybe he could give up Chloe after all.

Eventually they went outside.

Tommy wasn't sure who suggested it.

Maybe the girl did.

Maybe him.

Maybe neither of them.

They just ended up walking toward the door together.

Outside, the cold hit them immediately.

The girl stopped.

"Oh."

Tommy looked at her.

"What?"

"It's cold."

"It's November."

"I know it's November."

She rubbed her arms.

Tommy looked at her dress.

"You're not wearing very much."

The girl looked down at herself.

"I noticed."

"Why'd you wear that?"

"It looked pretty."

Tommy looked at her.

"It does."

The girl smiled.

"Thank you."

She shivered.

Tommy didn't think about what he did next.

He stepped closer, pulled her against him and wrapped his arms around her.

The girl stiffened for half a second.

Then she relaxed against him.

"Better?"

"Much."

Tommy held her tightly.

She put her arms around him.

This was becoming familiar remarkably quickly.

They stood together near the side of Terry's house.

The music thumped through the walls behind them.

Tommy looked at her.

"I don't know your name."

She laughed.

"We've been hugging for ten minutes and you don't know my name."

"That's why I'm asking."

"Cheryl."

"Cheryl Henderson."

Tommy froze.

"Henderson?"

Cheryl looked up.

"Yeah."

"Jarvis Henderson?"

Her eyes widened.

"You know Jarvis?"

"He runs track."

"He's my brother."

Tommy stared at her.

"You're Jarvis's sister?"

"Unfortunately."

Tommy laughed.

"I met him."

"I apologize."

"He seemed nice."

"You didn't grow up with him."

"Fair."

Cheryl smiled.

Then Tommy realized something else.

"I don't know you from Crestview."

"Because I don't go to Crestview."

"Where do you go?"

"Christ the Savior."

Tommy groaned.

Cheryl laughed.

"What?"

"Of course."

"What does that mean?"

"I can't escape that school."

"You almost beat us."

"Almost."

"I thought you were going to."

Tommy looked at her.

"You were there?"

"Yeah."

"You like football?"

"No."

Tommy frowned.

"Then why were you there?"

"My brother plays."

"Jarvis?"

"No. Another brother- Roddy. He plays."

"For Christ?"

"Yes."

Tommy shook his head.

"Everybody I meet is connected to that game."

Cheryl hesitated.

"Actually..."

"What?"

"I remember you."

"You just said you were there."

"No. I mean I remember something that happened before the game."

Tommy waited.

"There was this girl."

Tommy's stomach tightened slightly.

"What girl?"

"I don't know her name."

Cheryl thought.

"She said she'd go on a date with somebody from Christ if you lost."

Tommy stared at her.

"Oh."

"You know her?"

"Chloe."

Cheryl nodded.

"She was your girlfriend, wasn't she?"

Tommy looked away.

"Yeah."

Cheryl immediately understood that something had changed.

"Oh."

She waited.

"Where is she?"

"Not here."

"I figured."

Tommy smiled slightly.

"She's grounded."

"What happened?"

Tommy took a breath.

"It's complicated."

Cheryl nodded.

She didn't press.

Tommy appreciated that.

Then he added,

"Chloe isn't my girlfriend anymore."

Cheryl felt something jump inside her.

She tried very hard not to look happy about that.

"I'm sorry."

"Thanks."

Tommy looked toward the street.

"She did it to herself."

Cheryl studied him.

"What happened?"

Tommy shook his head.

"Really complicated."

"Okay."

Again, she left it there.

Tommy liked that too.

Cheryl leaned against him.

After a moment she smiled.

"You know what's funny?"

"What?"

"When that Chloe girl said she'd date somebody from Christ..."

"Yeah?"

"I remember looking at you."

Tommy looked down at her.

"Me?"

"Yeah."

"Why?"

Cheryl's face reddened.

"I thought you were cute."

Tommy smiled.

"You did?"

"I remember thinking I'd go on a date with you."

Tommy's smile grew.

"Really?"

"Then after the game I found out she was your girlfriend."

"Oh."

"So..."

Cheryl shrugged.

"That was that."

Tommy considered this.

Apparently it wasn't that anymore.

They kept talking.

Tommy learned that Cheryl knew almost nothing about football.

Cheryl learned that Tommy could talk about football for considerably longer than she'd expected.

Cheryl liked dancing.

Tommy knew almost nothing about dancing.

Somehow none of this caused a problem.

"What kind of dancing?"

"Ballet mostly."

"Oh."

"...and other stuff."

"What's other stuff?"

"Musical theatre."

"You sing?"

"A little."

"Are you good?"

Cheryl smiled.

"I'm not going to say no."

"That means yes."

"It means I don't want to say I'm amazing."

"So you're amazing."

"I didn't say that!"

Tommy laughed.

Cheryl nudged him.

"I might want to do musical theatre someday."

"Really?"

"Maybe. Or ballet."

"Can you do that for a job?"

Cheryl stared at him.

"Yes, Tommy."

"I don't know!"

She laughed.

"I'm in Swan Lake."

Tommy nodded.

Cheryl waited.

Tommy continued nodding.

"You don't know what Swan Lake is."

"No."

Cheryl laughed.

"It's a ballet."

"I got that part."

"It's about a princess named Odette who's been turned into a swan by a sorcerer."

Tommy frowned.

"Why?"

"Because he's evil."

"Oh."

"She can only be human at night."

"Okay."

"...and there's a prince."

"Of course."

"Of course?"

"There's always a prince."

Cheryl smiled.

"The prince falls in love with Odette...but then the sorcerer brings his daughter, Odile, and disguises her to look like Odette."

"Why?"

"To trick him."

"Does it work?"

"Yes."

"That's unfortunate."

Cheryl laughed.

"I'm playing Odile."

Tommy looked at her.

"You're the evil one?"

"Sort of."

"The one who tricks the prince."

"Yes."

Tommy smiled.

"I can see it."

Cheryl hit him lightly.

"Hey!"

"I'm kidding!"

She smiled.

Tommy had learned something about ballet.

He didn't particularly care about ballet.

He did care about Cheryl.

That seemed sufficient.

"Where is it?"

Cheryl told him.

Tommy's expression changed.

"That's near Davie's."

Cheryl stared at him.

"The burger place?"

"Yeah!"

"That's what you got out of everything I just told you?"

"They have the giant burger."

Cheryl laughed.

"...and the Monster Shake."

"I know."

"You've been there?"

"Yes."

Tommy became considerably more interested.

"Can we go after?"

Cheryl paused.

"After the ballet?"

"Yeah."

"You want to come see me?"

Tommy realized what he'd just proposed.

"I guess."

Cheryl smiled.

"Okay."

"...and then Davie's?"

"Yes, Tommy. We can go to Davie's."

Tommy smiled.

"Good."

Cheryl watched him.

Tommy thought about this.

Then another thought occurred to him.

"Wait."

"What?"

"Is that a date?"

Cheryl blinked.

"I think so."

"Oh."

They looked at each other.

Tommy thought some more.

"So..."

Cheryl waited.

"Does that mean you're my girlfriend?"

Cheryl's eyes widened.

Neither of them seemed entirely certain how these things were supposed to work.

"I think so."

Tommy smiled.

Cheryl smiled.

"Okay."

Apparently that was settled.

Tommy leaned toward her.

Cheryl met him halfway.

They kissed.

Tommy felt her arms tighten around him.

He held her closer.

They kissed again.

Then again.

There was no anger behind this one.

No Chloe yelling at him.

No desperate attempt to prove anything.

No Kayla looking at him afterward and asking what was wrong.

Tommy wanted to kiss Cheryl.

Cheryl wanted to kiss Tommy.

So they did.

For quite some time.

Eventually Cheryl pulled back.

She was smiling.

Tommy was too.

"Still cold?"

"A little."

Tommy hugged her tighter.

Cheryl laughed.

"Better?"

"Much."

They stayed there another moment.

Then Cheryl looked toward the house.

"We should probably go back inside."

"Probably."

Neither moved.

Cheryl laughed.

"Tommy."

"Okay."

He let her go.

Mostly.

Their hands found each other instead.

Tommy looked down at them.

Then at Cheryl.

Cheryl smiled.

Tommy smiled back.

They walked into the house hand in hand.

Tommy had arrived at Terry's party wondering whether he could move on from Chloe.

Now he had a date.

Apparently he had a girlfriend.

He wasn't entirely sure how that had happened.

...but for the first time, he thought maybe he really could.

Tommy lay on his back staring at the ceiling.

Cheryl lay beside him.

Neither of them said anything for a while.

Mostly because neither of them had enough breath left to say anything.

Tommy turned his head.

Cheryl turned hers at almost exactly the same time.

They smiled.

Then Cheryl laughed.

"What?"

"Nothing."

"You're laughing at me."

"I'm not laughing at you."

"You looked at me and started laughing."

"I'm happy."

"Oh."

Tommy considered that.

"I'm happy too."

That apparently made Cheryl happier, because she rolled closer to him.

Tommy put his arm around her.

That was another thing.

Everything seemed to fit.

Holding Chloe had always felt good. Kissing Chloe had felt good. Tommy had loved Chloe. He still wasn't entirely sure what he was supposed to do with that fact.

...but this was different.

Cheryl didn't feel like somebody Tommy had to figure out.

She just fit next to him.

He didn't know how else to describe it.

Physically, they had chemistry.

Emotionally, they had chemistry.

Mentally, they had chemistry.

They just seemed to ooze chemistry whenever they were together.

It wasn't perfect. Tommy didn't think anything involving two people could possibly be perfect.

...but Cheryl made him feel things Chloe simply didn't.

Things he couldn't name.

Things he wasn't sure he wanted to name.

He just knew they were there.

…and suddenly Tommy understood something.

"You'll know."

Adults kept saying that.

How much was too much?

You'll know.

When did you really like somebody?

You'll know.

How did you know when something felt right?

You'll know.

Tommy had always thought that was an incredibly stupid answer.

Now he understood.

He knew.

Cheryl rested her head against him.

She knew too.

She couldn't have explained what was happening between them any better than Tommy could. She'd had boyfriends before. She'd liked boys before.

Nobody had ever felt quite like Tommy.

That thought brought another one with it.

A less pleasant one.

"Can I tell you something?"

"Sure."

Cheryl hesitated.

"I've had other boyfriends."

Tommy waited.

"...before you."

"Okay."

Cheryl lifted her head.

"That's it?"

Tommy looked confused.

"What else am I supposed to say?"

"I don't know."

"Okay."

"Tommy."

"What?"

Cheryl sat up a little.

"I mean I've dated boys before."

"I know what boyfriend means."

She gave him a look.

Tommy smiled.

Cheryl didn't.

"I didn't know if you'd think that was bad."

"Why?"

"I don't know."

That wasn't entirely true.

There were plenty of people at Christ the Savior who could have supplied Cheryl with reasons.

"I just thought maybe you'd want..."

She struggled with it.

"Somebody who hadn't had other boyfriends."

Tommy stared at her.

Then, to Cheryl's surprise, he looked relieved.

"No."

"No?"

"No. That's good."

Cheryl blinked.

"It's good?"

"Yeah."

"Why?"

Tommy had already solved this.

"Because I've had a girlfriend before too."

Cheryl stared at him.

"Chloe."

"Right."

"I know."

“So we both have experience.”

Cheryl looked at him.

“That's probably why we're so good at this.”

“You really don't care?”

“Why would I?”

Cheryl didn't answer.

Tommy pulled her closer.

“I like that you know what you're doing.”

That wasn't what Cheryl had expected him to say.

She smiled and settled against him again.

“I like that you know what you're doing too.”

Tommy smiled.

Apparently experience was good.

The music downstairs changed.

Neither of them could tell what the new song was.

They could certainly hear it.

The bass thumped through the wall.

Cheryl sighed.

“I wish it was quieter.”

Tommy thought for a moment.

“There's a park near here.”

“A park?”

“Yeah. There's a pond. Nobody'll be there this late.”

Cheryl looked toward the wall as another thump came through it.

“Quiet?”

“A lot quieter than this.”

“Okay.”

“You want to go?”

Cheryl smiled.

“Yeah.”

A few minutes later they were downstairs again, pushing through the party in search of their coats.

Terry spotted Tommy passing through.

"Where are you going?"

"Park."

Terry looked at Cheryl.

Then at Tommy.

Then grinned.

Tommy didn't know why.

"Okay."

They found their coats.

Cheryl pulled hers on over her dress and immediately looked happier.

Tommy opened the front door.

Cold air rushed inside.

Cheryl recoiled.

"Oh, by Jove."

"You still want to see the pond?"

She looked at Tommy.

Then took his hand.

"Yeah."

They stepped outside.

The door closed behind them.

The music became a muffled thump.

Then even that began to fade as Tommy and Cheryl walked away together.

The pond was considerably quieter.

It was also considerably colder.

Tommy and Cheryl discovered the second part when they reached the bench.

Cheryl touched it.

"Oh, by Jove."

"What?"

"It's freezing."

"It's a bench."

"It's a metal bench."

Tommy looked at it.

Then at Cheryl.

Then, inevitably, at Cheryl's dress.

"Oh."

"Yeah."

Sitting directly on freezing metal in that dress was apparently not going to happen.

Cheryl took off her coat and spread it across the bench.

"There."

"Won't you be cold?"

"I'm already cold."

Tommy sat beside her.

Cheryl immediately pressed against him.

Tommy put an arm around her.

That helped.

...a little.

Cheryl looked at Tommy's coat.

It was considerably bigger than hers.

"Give me your arm."

"What?"

"Your arm."

Tommy lifted it.

Cheryl slipped her arm into the empty sleeve of his coat.

Tommy stared.

Cheryl grinned.

"What?"

"Nothing."

She moved even closer.

Tommy looked down at the front of his coat.

Then at Cheryl.

"Wait."

He pulled the two sides together.

Cheryl disappeared farther inside.

Tommy tried the zipper.

It worked.

They stared down at themselves.

One coat.

Two people.

Cheryl started laughing and then adjusted herself on Tommy’s lap.

"We look ridiculous."

"We're warm."

"We look ridiculous and we're warm."

Tommy accepted that.

The coat had become a cocoon.

Cheryl's back was against Tommy's chest. His arm wrapped around her inside the coat. Her arm occupied his other sleeve.

There wasn't much room left between them.

Cheryl noticed that.

She turned her head.

Tommy kissed her.

Cheryl kissed him back.

The party had been different.

There had always been something happening around them. Music. People. Somebody opening a door. Somebody shouting downstairs. Somebody walking down a hallway.

Here there was almost nothing.

The quiet hum of the pond.

The occasional sound of a car somewhere beyond the park.

…and them.

Tommy liked that.

Apparently Cheryl did too.

Their kisses became longer.

Then slower.

Then longer again.

Nobody interrupted.

Nobody even knew they were there.

For the first time since they'd met, Tommy felt like he had Cheryl entirely to himself.

He liked that too. They made another memory together on that bench.

Eventually Cheryl rested her head against him again.

"How long have I known you?"

Tommy thought.

"An hour?"

"It's been longer than an hour."

"An hour and a half?"

"Maybe."

"That's a long time."

Cheryl smiled.

"It doesn't feel like an hour."

"No."

"It feels longer."

Tommy knew what she meant.

Not longer in a bad way.

It felt like Cheryl had somehow always been there.

That was ridiculous.

He hadn't known her name a couple of hours ago.

Now she was sitting inside his coat.

"I feel like I've known you forever," Cheryl said.

Tommy smiled.

"Me too."

Cheryl looked across the pond.

For some reason, the thought that came next didn't frighten her.

"I think I might want to know you forever."

Tommy looked at her.

"Well, we should probably get married then."

Cheryl laughed.

"Probably."

Tommy hadn't expected that answer.

"Okay."

Neither of them said anything for a moment.

Neither seemed especially bothered by what they'd just said either.

Cheryl leaned against him again.

Then something she'd wondered about earlier returned.

"Can I ask you something?"

"Sure."

"What actually happened with Chloe?"

Tommy's smile faded slightly.

Cheryl felt him shift behind her.

"You don't have to tell me."

"No. It's okay."

He thought about where to begin.

"I started doing track."

"Okay."

"Not really doing track. Just trying it. There's this girl there. Kayla."

Cheryl waited.

"She's my friend."

"Okay."

"…and people started saying stuff."

"What stuff?"

"That we were doing things we weren't doing."

"What things?"

Tommy frowned.

"Just...stuff."

Cheryl turned enough to look at him.

"Very informative."

"People said we kissed."

"Did you?"

"No."

That was true.

At the track.

"They said all kinds of things. Chloe heard it and believed everything."

"Everything?"

"Pretty much."

That wasn't quite true.

Chloe hadn't believed everything.

…but that wasn't the important part.

"Kayla was wearing her track uniform and people made that into this whole thing. Chloe got jealous."

"Of Kayla?"

"Yeah. Even though she's just my friend."

Cheryl nodded.

"…and then Chloe started making rules."

"What kind of rules?"

"Like I couldn't let girls flirt with me. I couldn't let girls hug me. I couldn't look at girls."

Cheryl frowned.

"How are you supposed to stop somebody from flirting with you?"

"Exactly!"

Tommy felt vindicated all over again.

"That's what I said."

"…and you can't control who hugs you."

"Exactly."

Cheryl was apparently very smart.

"She wanted me to get permission before I hugged girls."

"What?"

"I know."

Cheryl shook her head.

"I wouldn't do that."

"Then she shoved Kayla into a wall."

Cheryl's eyes widened.

"She did?"

"Yeah."

"Why?"

"Because she was jealous."

That was true.

It just wasn't all of it.

Tommy didn't mention kissing Kayla.

He didn't mention that Kayla had walked into the stairwell and told Chloe that Tommy had kissed her.

He didn't mention that Chloe had immediately taken Kayla to the office after shoving her.

Those details seemed unnecessarily complicated.

"So that's why you broke up?"

"Pretty much."

Cheryl was quiet for a moment.

Tommy wondered what she was thinking.

Then she snuggled closer against him.

"I'd never do that."

"Shove Kayla?"

"Well, that too."

Tommy smiled.

"I mean the rules."

"Oh."

"I don't want to tell you who you can talk to."

"Good."

"Or who you can be friends with."

"Good."

Cheryl looked back at him.

"I trust you."

Tommy stared at her.

Something happened inside him.

Maybe it was the pond.

Maybe it was the coat.

Maybe it was everything that had happened since Cheryl whispered that Greg Brady was hot.

Maybe it was simply hearing somebody say exactly what Tommy wanted somebody to say.

He didn't think about it.

"I love you."

Cheryl went still.

Tommy suddenly realized what he'd said.

Then Cheryl smiled.

"I love you too."

Tommy smiled back.

They kissed again.

The pond quietly hummed beside them.

They'd known each other for a little over an hour.

Neither of them thought that mattered very much as they made another memory.

Eventually, the cold started winning.

The coat cocoon helped.

It helped a lot.

...but it was still November.

Cheryl yawned.

Tommy felt it against his chest.

"Tired?"

"No."

Cheryl yawned again.

Tommy smiled.

"Okay."

"A little."

Tommy was tired too.

He looked around the park.

It was getting late.

He suddenly remembered something.

"Oh."

"What?"

"I have to call home."

"What time?"

"I don't know."

Cheryl shifted enough that Tommy could check his watch.

"Oh."

"What?"

"I should definitely call home."

They reluctantly unzipped the coat.

Cold air immediately invaded.

Cheryl made a noise and tried to disappear back inside.

"No."

"Yes."

"We have to get up."

"I live here now."

"In my coat?"

"It's warm."

Tommy laughed.

He reluctantly removed his arm from around her.

"There's a phone here. I saw it when we came in."

Cheryl looked toward the park entrance.

Then she looked in the other direction.

"My house isn't that far."

Tommy stopped.

"Really?"

"I know how to get there from here."

"How far?"

"Not far."

Tommy considered the park phone.

Then Cheryl.

Cheryl won.

"You could call from my house."

"Okay."

Neither of them got up.

Instead Cheryl kissed him again.

Tommy kissed her back.

A minute later they remembered they were supposed to be leaving. They made a quick memory before leaving.

They separated.

Then kissed one more time.

Then Cheryl finally stood.

Tommy picked up her coat and handed it to her.

"Thank you."

"You're welcome."

Cheryl put it on.

Tommy zipped his own coat.

It suddenly felt enormous.

He preferred it when Cheryl was inside.

They started walking.

They held hands the entire way.

Cheryl quietly unlocked the front door.

"Shh."

Tommy nodded.

The Henderson house was dark.

Cheryl stepped inside.

Tommy followed.

They stood still for a moment.

Nothing.

"My parents are asleep," Cheryl whispered.

"Good."

"Why is that good?"

Tommy didn't have an answer.

Cheryl smiled.

Tommy smiled.

They kissed again.

Quietly.

Tommy wasn't entirely sure how someone kissed quietly, but apparently they were doing it.

Eventually Cheryl pulled away.

"You should call."

"Right."

Tommy kissed her again.

"Tommy."

"Right."

They had one more kiss before he went and looked for the phone.

He found the phone.

Jason answered.

"Hello?"

"Hi, Dad."

"Tommy."

"I'm ready."

"Where are you?"

Tommy looked at Cheryl.

She gave him her address.

Tommy repeated it.

There was a pause.

"That's not Terry's house."

"The party moved."

Cheryl looked at him.

Tommy looked away.

"The party moved?"

"Yeah."

"To another house?"

"Yeah."

Another pause.

"All right. I'll come get you."

"Okay."

"Wait outside."

"I will."

"…and Tommy?"

"Yeah?"

"You okay?"

"Yeah."

"Good. See you soon."

Tommy hung up.

Cheryl was still looking at him.

"What?"

"The party moved?"

"I had to explain why I'm here."

"You could've said you walked me home."

Tommy thought about that.

"Oh."

Cheryl smiled.

"Experience."

"Exactly."

She kissed him again.

Tommy kissed her back.

Then finally, reluctantly, he opened the door.

"Goodnight."

"I love you."

Cheryl smiled.

"I love you too."

Tommy stepped outside.

Cheryl closed the door.

A few seconds later it opened again.

Cheryl kissed him one more time.

Then she closed it again.

Tommy stood on the front step smiling.

He decided this had been a very good party.

Jason's car pulled up several minutes later.

Tommy climbed inside.

"Hi."

Jason pulled away from the curb.

For a little while, he said nothing.

Tommy stared happily out the window.

Jason glanced at him.

Then at the house disappearing behind them.

Then at Tommy again.

"Quiet party."

Tommy looked over.

"What?"

"That house."

"What about it?"

"Pretty quiet."

"They lowered the music."

Jason nodded.

"Ah."

"Yeah."

"They lowered the music."

"Yeah."

"Completely."

Tommy hesitated.

"People were getting tired."

"Tommy."

"What?"

"You're a bad liar."

Tommy slumped slightly in his seat.

Jason kept his eyes on the road.

"Where were you?"

"I was at the party."

"I believe that part."

Tommy looked out the window again.

"I met a girl."

Jason glanced at him.

"A girl."

"Yeah."

"At Terry's party."

"Yeah."

"…and then?"

"We went somewhere quieter."

Jason waited.

"To talk."

"Okay."

"…and then I walked her home."

Jason nodded.

That, at least, made sense.

"What's her name?"

"Cheryl."

"Cheryl Henderson."

Tommy smiled just saying it.

Jason noticed.

"So you like Cheryl."

"I love her."

Jason looked over.

Tommy was completely serious.

"I see."

"She's so much better than Chloe."

Jason's eyebrows rose.

"That's quite a statement."

"It's true."

"You've known her how long?"

Tommy checked his watch.

"A couple hours."

Jason nodded slowly.

"…and you love her."

"Yeah."

"…and she's so much better than Chloe."

"Yeah."

"After a couple hours."

"You don't understand."

"I suspect that's true."

Tommy ignored that.

"We have chemistry."

"Chemistry."

"Everything just works."

Jason nodded.

"We both have experience."

That got Jason's attention.

He looked at Tommy.

"What?"

"We've both had relationships before."

Jason relaxed again.

"Oh."

"That's why this one's going to work so much better."

"Is it?"

"Yeah. Because we know what we're doing now."

Jason was quiet.

Tommy continued.

"Cheryl's had a few boyfriends. I've had Chloe. So we both have experience."

Jason bit the inside of his cheek.

He managed not to smile.

"Right."

"…and she trusts me."

"That's good."

"She doesn't make rules."

"Also potentially good."

"…and we understand each other."

"After two hours."

Tommy sighed.

"You keep saying that."

"Because it keeps being two hours."

"It doesn't feel like two hours."

Jason glanced at him again.

Tommy looked utterly certain.

Jason remembered being utterly certain.

It had usually lasted until something happened.

"How do you know all this?"

Tommy looked at him.

"I just know."

Jason waited.

Tommy smiled.

"You said that."

"I said what?"

"Earlier. When I asked how I'd know."

Jason remembered.

"Oh."

"Well, now I know."

Jason nodded.

That was not remotely what he'd meant.

More importantly, after listening to his son for the last several minutes, Jason was increasingly confident that Tommy did not know anything.

He thought about it.

Then decided to test something.

"What happens if Chloe wants you back?"

Tommy's smile faded.

"What?"

"Let's say Chloe comes to you tomorrow."

"She won't."

"Let's say she does."

Tommy shifted in his seat.

"She says she was wrong. She apologizes. Sincerely. She tells you she understands why you were angry and she wants to fix things."

Tommy stared through the windshield.

Jason waited.

Tommy opened his mouth.

Nothing came out.

He closed it.

A few seconds passed.

"I don't know."

Jason nodded.

Tommy frowned.

"…but if that happens..."

"Yeah?"

Tommy considered it.

"I'll definitely know then."

Jason looked at his son.

Then back at the road.

"Of course you will."

Tommy settled back into his seat.

Jason drove home.

He was absolutely certain Tommy wouldn't.

Tuesday, September 29, 2026

The Freshmen- No. 8

Chronicle 8

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