Chapter 5

School started Monday and I made it out the door on time. That was partly because Annette offered to drive. It was okay for me to be late—I didn’t care—but, like with Fay, I wouldn’t make Annette late. People noticed us. We held hands as we walked from the parking lot to the school and she gave me a soft kiss before we went inside. Inside the school, of course, there was no kissing and no hand-holding. People still looked at us as we found our lockers. My face was hot.

“It’s too bad we don’t have any classes together,” Annette sighed as she leaned against the locker next to mine. “At least we have the same lunch period.”

“Lunch. Oh. I forgot to bring lunch.”

“No, you didn’t. Your mother handed it to me when I knocked on the door to pick you up. Don’t worry. It’s in my locker. It’s a nice day out, so maybe we can take lunch out to the bleachers, okay?”

“We can do that?”

“Of course, we can. People do it all the time. Meet me here after fourth period. We’ll grab sodas from the machine.”

I just stood and stared at her as she walked away. She’s so pretty. This weekend had been so much fun.

“Hey, dude. You look whipped,” a guy said as he closed the locker beside mine. “What class you got this period?”

“Um ... Physics.”

“Me, too. Carlson’s an okay guy. I had him for Chemistry last year. The class is this way.” I didn’t know who the guy was, but we had the same class, so I followed him as he continued to talk. We found the classroom and settled in for the first day of school. The class was predictable. Mr. Carlson handed out the syllabus and textbooks. That was going to be a bitch to carry around. I saw a lot of the girls were pulling little suitcase-like things. Fay had one. I wondered if she took it to college with her. I’d have a sore back in no time if all my classes had this size book and I carried them in a backpack.

The guy I’d walked to class with snapped his fingers in front of my face.

“Huh?”

“We’re supposed to be lab partners,” he said. “Are you always so out of it?”

“Uh, no. I’m just having a little difficulty adjusting to being back in school. I’m usually pretty attentive. Who are you?”

“See, that’s what I mean. I just introduced myself and you didn’t hear anything I said. Rob Reichert. And you’re like Art Something, right?”

“Yeah.” He waited like I was supposed to say more. “Nobody ever remembers my last name anyway. Just Art will do.”

“Okay, Just Art. Let’s look at the first experiment so we know what materials we’ll need for lab tomorrow.” He sounded a little disgusted at having been saddled with a dweeb, but I buckled down and focused on the assignment so I wouldn’t seem like a jerk. Like my ride in the morning, I didn’t care about my own grade, but it was wrong to make someone else suffer for it. We had two more classes together but he wasn’t in my art class. We met again at our lockers before lunch.

“You going to the lunchroom, Art?” he asked.

“No. My, um ... girlfriend and I are eating on the bleachers outside. I think.”

“You’re lucky. She’s a nice girl. Hope I find someone this year,” he said. Annette handed me my sack lunch.

“Oh. Annette, this is Rob. Rob, my girlfriend Annette,” I said. Their eyes met and I could almost see the spark. There went my girlfriend. I just knew they’d get together and I’d be without.

“Are you keeping track of my guy today, Rob?” Annette said.

“Didn’t intend to, but we’ve got a few classes together.”

“Well, if you’re his friend, you’re mine. We’re going to the bleachers outside while the weather’s still decent. You can join us if you want,” Annette said.

“Thanks. I’m buying my lunch today. Maybe next time.”

“Sure.”

We walked outside. I tried to remember if I’d ever been outside during a school day. At least ever since we had recess in grade school. There were a lot of kids out there, including some who were playing flag football out on the field. We found a spot and opened our lunches.

“It’s nice that you met a new friend,” Annette said. A green flare of jealousy streaked across the canvas of my mind.

“I knew you’d like him. He’s just your type,” I growled. I don’t remember ever feeling like this before.

“What’s that supposed to mean?”

“I saw the way you looked at each other. He’ll probably call you tonight. Don’t worry. I can get up early enough to make the bus in the morning.”

“You’re dumping me?”

“I’m not dumping you.”

“It sure sounds like it.”

“I just know that I don’t have anything to offer. Rob is smart—maybe not genius like you, but smart—and he’s good looking. He can talk. Why would you stay with me? I can’t even ... I want ... The words...” Fuck! The more I thought about it, the more it seemed like it was already a done deal. I couldn’t even tell her how I felt. It made me mad to think of him touching Annette’s breasts and kissing her. I was struggling, but I could feel a tear escape from my eye.