Chapter 12

School was school. Not much different from every other day.

The main reason I didn't talk about it at Jill's house is because it's nothing special to me. I'm one of those kids that everybody hates. I hear it or read it once and I remember it forever. Pretty much anything from the rules of grammar to dates to scientific principles. I don't have logarithms memorized but I can place the elements in order and come pretty close to their atomic numbers. Not quite a photographic memory. If anybody gives me any crap about not having to study I tell them I have a pornographic memory. It usually shuts them up. Of course, if it was a girl giving me crap, I used to mumble and turn away. I wonder what would happen if I used that memory line on one of them now. I realized I could probably talk to a girl in school without much of a problem.

I got pulled out of my daydreams twice by Mr. Hanson, my History teacher. He made some smart ass comment that I must be in love that got a few laughs and I decided to pay attention. He had me stay after class.

"Jack, I apologize for that comment earlier. It's none of my business whether you're in love or not, nor is it the class's. It's just so unusual for you to be somewhere else when your body's in class. See if you can join us from now on."

"I will, Mr. Hanson. Sorry about that."

A lot of the same kids were in the rest of the honors classes with me and I got a few smiles from some of them in English, my next class. For the first time I was able to smile back at the girls, totally relaxed.

Last period was my PE period. Since I was on the swim team, it was spent at the pool. It wasn't required but most days I stuck around till 5:00 or so. I went up to Coach Arthur before I suited up.

"Coach? I need to get going right after class today. I've got to do something."

"All right, Hill. Don't make a habit of it. I know you blow everyone away but you need to keep up your workouts."

"I know, Coach. Just today."

He didn't ask why I needed to take off and I didn't volunteer anything.

I rushed through my shower and was in front of the school five minutes after the bell. Mom was waiting for me. I got in next to her.

"Thanks a lot Mom. I really appreciate this."

"Jack, I've decided to go home. You can drop me off and then pick up Jill. You should have plenty of time to get there by 4:00."

"I know she wants to meet you, Mom."

"And I want to meet her. She's coming over for dinner, I'll meet her then. Besides, you have an assignment. And it doesn't count if she and I tell each other anything."

My assignment. Find out 10 things I didn't know about Jill and tell her 10 about me. Mom talked to her for 15 minutes on the phone and got her life story. I guess I needed to get going or mom would pull everything there was to know about her out during dinner.

Mom pulled up in front of our house and I kissed her on the cheek.

"Thanks, Mom."

"You're welcome, Jack." I heard a sniffle as she got out of the car.

I got to Jill's with five minutes to spare.

"Oh, good. I'm glad you made it."

"I told you I'd be here."

"I know. It's just that Daddy gets called away so often to deliver babies that I'm surprised when somebody actually shows up when they're supposed to."

"I won't let you down."

I just realized all we'd done was talk.

"Hey. Can I get a kiss here?"

She smiled and leaned into me. By now I'd seen her lips parting as her eyes closed and she melded into me countless times but it still made me catch my breath. That combination of actions told me she was mine more than anything either of us did.

"God, I love kissing you, Jill."

"I love kissing you, too. When you put yourself into it."

"Yeah, I heard."

"You're not mad I talked to your mom about something personal, are you?"

"No, I'm just beginning to realize what a great mom I've got. I'm glad you two get along. Now if you talked to my sister too much I'd never hear the end of it. But I don't think she'd spread it around."

"I told your mom where we're going today. I hope that's OK."

"Yeah, it is. I think she knew when I asked her to drive us. You probably just confirmed it."

"She didn't say anything about it. She told me it was a smart thing to do and not to do anything stupid just because I was protected. She's a very smart woman, Jack."

"Yes, she is."

I held the door open and she slid over next to me, putting on the center seat belt. When I got going, she leaned against my arm and sighed.

We got to the doctor's office by 4:15. Miriam was actually Miriam Bartlett, OB, GYN. I was the only male in the waiting room. I felt six pairs of eyes boring into me as Jill and I waited. We talked low, almost as if we were in the library. I needed to get started on my assignment.