Chapter 4: Rising high school seniors

IN THE MIDDLE of the summer before we started our senior year Ellie turned on her side to face me as we lay under our favorite tree in my backyard.

“Dale tried to kiss me, Christopher.”

“What?”

“He tried to kiss me at Jane’s party last Friday. You weren’t there.”

“Did you let him?” For some reason I found it hard to breathe. “Kiss you, I mean?”

Ellie punched his arm.

“Not hardly, Christopher. Besides, he’s not as cute as you are.”

“So what did you do?”

“I pushed him away and told him, ‘No!’ like they taught us.”

Ellie’s laugh sounded forced.

“Like I’d let him kiss me.” She made a face. “He’s a jerk, everyone knows that.”

“Where were Jane’s parents, anyway, Ellie?”

“Out in their garden, I think, or maybe in the kitchen. There weren’t that many kids there. His mom and dad stayed pretty much out of sight.”

I leaned close. She closed her eyes but held her lips up and turned her head to me and I knew she wanted me to kiss her, so I did.

“Mm, I like that, Christopher.”

I kissed her again and got something that sounded like a purr or a growl. She moved closer and put her arms around my neck.

“Kiss my neck, Christopher.”

Her skin was hot and soft, softer than anything I’d touched, it seemed like. She smelled of soap.

“I love you, Ellie.”

She squeezed me in return. She didn’t need to speak.

“Did Dale try to kiss anyone else?” I spoke into her hair.

“Yeah, I think Sally let him kiss her.” Ellie drew back a little and stroked my cheek. “She lets a lot of kids kiss her.” She leaned closed for another kiss. “Even other girls.”

At Ellie’s words I felt myself rigid against her tummy. Without thinking I pressed myself against her and heard her giggle.

“You liked that, didn’t you?”

In response I thrust against her once more. She pinched my side.

“Don’t get any ideas, Christopher. You’re mine.”

I smiled.

Dale McConnell. He’d been after Ellie since sixth grade. Ellie never encouraged him. Everyone knew Ellie was part of a couple, anyway, but the McConnell family was the richest in town, and Dale often got what he wanted.

The evening after my release I sat in the silence in my new room and let myself flow out and absorb the night.

“Christopher, come down for supper.”

Mom’s call broke my train of thought. I shrugged to myself and went downstairs. It was an awkward meal.

“Will you see Mateo tomorrow, Christopher?”

I shrugged. I seemed to shrug a lot these days.

“I don’t know, Mom.”

I took a deep breath.

“Mom, Dad, it’s complicated. I mean, some parts aren’t. Ellie and I were stupid that night, I know that, but whatever was in the drinks wasn’t our fault.”

In the good old summer time, hm hm hm...

The line that had somehow entered my brain and stayed, an earworm, brainworm? that wouldn’t leave. I knew it came from that night, that night when I and Ellie had drunk too much, or maybe someone had spiked the drinks with something.

To myself, I said I’d recognize that line if I ever heard it again.