Chapter 83: Calm Before the Show

Sunday, April 11, 1982

We were up early for sunrise service. Ang and I hadn’t done the egg thing this year; no point repeating ourselves. We happily went to the service, though, to the continuing delight of Mom and Dad. They knew we weren’t true believers, that we had doubts and things we didn’t believe. But they very much liked that we gave it a chance and participated.

We were certain that there was a hope of life after death. Whether we — or anyone — would eventually wind up in the more traditional conception of the afterlife — paradise, hell, reincarnation, something else — we had no more idea than anyone else. But that death was not necessarily the end? Clearly it didn’t have to be.

Repeating last year, we had breakfast after the sunrise service at the church, then a second service. As before, we both enjoyed helping with the Easter egg hunts. Mom and Dad were just as delighted, I think. For us, it was genuinely fun to help the little kids enjoy the day.

We sat with the other teenagers at lunch. There was some good-natured encouragement for us to participate more in the church’s youth group. We begged off, as before, because we simply didn’t have the time. That was met with disbelief until Angie and I both went over exactly how busy we were: Debate half the weekends, rehearsals going to three nights a week starting tomorrow, dance and movement class, karate (on hold starting this week until after the show), libraries, research (admittedly, we were both slacking off a bit there and going with the material we had), homework, study group. We mentioned time taken with girlfriends and boyfriends, but we might have perhaps played that down just a bit.

They were dumbfounded at how much we had on our plate, and that was before we mentioned the time Student Council would consume next year. That triggered questions about our sanity. Good-natured ones, but questions.

The real truth was, neither of us wanted to become more involved with church, and neither of us needed more friends that we’d see just once a week, if that. But you can’t really say either of those things all that politely.

Unlike last year, this year we split the difference. Study group would start at 3pm. That gave us some time to play a game with Mom and Dad. They recognized that we wanted the time, particularly since State was looming.

We didn’t really study all that much. We’d just passed exams; this would be a light week. We spent most of the day playing pool, playing in the pool, or napping.

Jasmine and I whispered about Sam. Last night was — I think very obviously — a first for me. The surprising thing was it was just as new for Jasmine. She’d never shown off for someone like Sam. To say it was a turn-on for both of us would minimize it. To say we should use caution in doing something like that with new people? That would also minimize it; we needed to use a lot of caution. It would be easy to get hooked on ‘teaching’ girls that way, and down that path lay considerable trouble, I thought. So did Jasmine.

Monday, April 12, 1982

We had just about a month to go, and rehearsals were going into a higher gear. We were starting to consistently run through longer sections of ‘Brigadoon’. One group would be on stage. Others would use some of the practice rooms normally used by Orchestra students. They grumbled, but we only took one or two for a few hours. They could manage.

That meant more demands on the understudies, but also more practice. If someone needed to run through a scene and the person they’d play against was busy on something else (which happened all the time) an understudy stepped in.

Three nights a week of this; four, if we needed it, starting anytime Steffie decided we did. So far, she said we were doing great and didn’t need the extra night.

Her technical theater students had produced many props and the sets were coming together. It was interesting moving through half-constructed sets and imagining what the rest would look like. Similarly, we’d seen some of the costumes, but they weren’t all ready yet.

It was a lot of work, but it really was a lot of fun. I’d gotten to know most of the kids at least a bit, and could casually talk with them. Or flirt with the girls. Not the guys, though, but I was polite and they respected that. I was hardly the only straight guy.

I’m not sure if any of the girls were completely straight. If so, the ones that were flirted with the other girls anyway. And even Caitlyn, who I was pretty sure was completely lesbian, flirted with the guys. Of course, so did Janet, and I was pretty sure she had no eyes for anyone but Lizzie.

As of now, I was planning on auditioning next year. That would make what promised to be a crazy year even crazier. The only thing saving me from flaming disaster in my regular classes was the fact that I’d learned all this material once before. In a way, the more advanced the class, the better I’d do; I’d done a lot of the harder material in college.

It would be highly amusing if Spanish was the hardest class I had all four years. That could still happen.

Lexi caught up to me as I was getting ready to go, hugging me. “Hi!” Her kiss was on the line between warm and ‘get a room’.

“Hi, yourself!”

She giggled. “My little sister is, well ... blown away.”

“I think that’s a good thing.”

“Oh, it is, considering who and why. She thinks Dani needs to follow the family tradition.”

“That would be up to Dani, I would think. Well, and me, but Dani first.”

She smirked. “Imagine Dani and me and Sam all in a bed, pulling you in to join us.”

I blinked. “I can imagine, but I don’t see it happening.”

“Yeah, no, it wouldn’t. We’re close. Not that close. But it’s okay to fantasize. I have!”

“Interesting information there.”

“I know!” She grinned. “I’m going to steer clear a little longer. One date didn’t work out. I have no moral objection to a roll in bed, but I think I’ll keep looking some more first.”

“I hope you find someone great.”

“Me, too!” She kissed me again, closer to warm. “Thanks again. And thanks for Sam. Not the later stuff, but talking to Jessica. That was the nicest thing you could have done for her. That’s her dream.”

“She’ll make it happen. I’m sure of it.”

“Yay!”

Tuesday, April 13, 1982

We tried to study a bit more. Really, we did. We still wound up naked in the hot tub, anyway. We’d gotten a cool front, so the weather was beautiful, and we just didn’t have much urgency this week.

Sue blushed more than I thought she had before. I wondered if that was the hormones asserting themselves. In a way, I hoped it was. Better that it was a medical condition that could be managed with supplements than a psychological issue that she might have to face for life.

I’d made a sneaky plan for Jessica’s birthday. She didn’t share the date with many people, but I’m sure the cheerleaders knew. It’d be silly but look romantic, and I wanted Jasmine to know about it in advance.

As I expected, she loved it.

9:30pm

Angie snuggled up, adorable as always in her footie PJs.

“I noticed Sue. Do you think that’s the hormones?”

“That’s what I’m hoping. That naked people mean more than just ... naked people.”

She grinned. “Where those of us with raging hormones try to pretend they don’t mean more!”

“It’s funny. I look; you know that.” She nodded, smirking. “Connie is cute. Emily is really quite attractive, and I have nothing bad to say about Sarah. Mel and Cammie are adorable and hot, both. But I can look at them all and not let them mean more than just appreciating how lovely they are.”

“You missed a name.”

“You? Angel.” She giggled, blushed, and smacked me, not very hard. “You’ll always mean something more than just another lovely girl.”

“Aw! Just when I forget how sappy and romantic you are, you come up with something like that!”

“It’s true.”

“I know! That’s why it’s sappy and romantic in the best way! Okay, for me, it’s different. Most girls can look at naked guys and have it not mean anything, unless there’s more there. That includes strip clubs for girls. That’s a setting where there’s a more — that the guy wants to be looked at and the situation encourages being interested — without that interest meaning winding up having sex with the guy.”

“But a girl who’s totally unsure of herself that way...”

“Yeah. I didn’t realize Sue was starting to react that way.”

“She probably didn’t either.”

“Makes sense. I’ll hope it’s the hormones, too.”

“Speaking of sappy and romantic, I’ve got a plan that you cannot let get out on the girl-talk network.”

“Uh oh. Am I going to like it?”

I chuckled. “Would I be telling you if the answer was no?”

“Yes, you would, because you’d want me to talk you out of anything I wouldn’t like you doing.”

“Point taken. It turns out that Jessica’s birthday is Thursday?”

“How do you know that? That is classified top secret! No one should know that!”

“Sheila knows. And I won’t blow the secret, except that Jessica will know.”

She rolled her eyes, but was grinning. “What do you have in mind?”

“I’m giving her a pink rose after classes. With a note. ‘For a special girl on a special day.’”

“Oh, lord! And you’re not chasing her! She’ll go crazy!”

“In a good way?”

“A very good way. It’s respectful of her, recognizes her, it’s not too romantic, but it’s damn romantic anyway. If you did chase her, she might well let you catch her.”

“Ah, but, as Jessica and Jasmine both agree, if I chased her for real, I’d lose the respect of everyone that knows me, starting with myself.”

“So true.” She sighed. “And also damn romantic. You and Jasmine are ... well, I’d love to pat myself on the back even more than I do, but I had no fucking clue how perfectly you’d fit together.”

“Tab A, slot B?”

Whap! “Not that way. I was sure of that.”

She hopped up, hit the lights, and snuggled back up. “I love you, Steve.”

“I love you, Ang.”

“I’m glad Mom lets us do this.”

“Me, too.”

“Let’s never stop.”

“Wasn’t planning to. Though, if we marry other people, it’ll have to be not that often.”

“True enough. But not never.”

“Not never. Sleep well, little sister.”

“Sleep well, big brother.”

We rubbed noses, kissed lightly, then snuggled up just a bit more.

Thursday, April 15, 1982

After Debate, I implemented my plan. I knew Jessica’s schedule and Meg let me leave a few minutes early. I spotted her in the hall where I expected her.

Her eyes lit up when she saw me. “Steve! What brings you this way?”

“Got a minute or three?”

“Sure!”

I offered her my arm; she giggled and walked out to a bench with me. “So, what’s up?”

I took out a small box. She eyed it. I opened it and gave her the rose. Her eyes widened a touch. Then I handed her the note.

She blinked. “What... how?”

“I have my sources, too, spider-girl. I won’t compromise them. And, I’m sure your close friends acknowledge this special day. I’m hoping to be one.”

“That ... is one of the sweetest things ever. Are you sure you’re not chasing me?”

“Loss of all respect for me? Sister knows where the knives are kept? I’m sure.”

She giggled. “I am having much too much fun with this. That’s a good thing!” She looked around. “The rumor mill will be having fun, too. That’s also a good thing!” She gave me a quick kiss. No one would mistake it for passion, but it was on the lips. “Thank you very much. I love it!”

“And that makes it more than worthwhile.”

“I should run. See you soon!”

“Yes!”

9:30pm

“You broke the rumor mill. Again. They’re all trying to figure out why you would give Jessica a flower, if Jasmine knows, if you’re chasing Jessica, if you’re about to be dead, if Jessica’s about to be your girlfriend, and on and on and on. That my brother is now the height of Memorial gossip is ... just ... you just cannot imagine what this feels like to me, after Iceberg Steve.”

“I have an idea.”

“You think you have an idea!” She kissed me. “You are still using your powers for good, and that is a very good thing, because I underestimated just how much of a swath you could cut through the girls at Memorial if you used your powers for evil. Especially now that you’re with Jasmine.”

“No interest, really.” She giggled. “No, I didn’t mean I have no interest in Jessica. Of course I do, if she’s interested and wants to. But I have no interest in just adding meaningless sex to the equation.”

“And why should you? Nubile virgins throwing themselves at you, plus nubile non-virgins, plus the occasional lesbian? Plenty of meaningful sex available.”

“Cindy would say it’s all meaningless.”

“Cindy is meaningless!” She made a face and growled. “Holier-than-thou puritanical little witch!”

“Can’t say I miss her much in class.”

“I don’t think anyone can, unless it’s Ryan.”

“Yeah.”

“What were we...? Oh, right, meaningful sex. Gene is on board with girls being okay. You know that, but it’s more general now. When I want to. He’s convinced that I’m not dropping him for a girl, which I wouldn’t. Now that he’s convinced of that, he’s happy for me. And wants to watch, which, maybe? Probably?”

“I’m glad. He’s a good guy and great for you.”

“He really is! I’m very content. I’m not sure he’s ‘the one.’ I’m not sure he’s not. We’ll just let things play out.”

“Sounds like a plan.”