Chapter 14

The steroid scandal and the fall out from that had the school in turmoil. The "in" crowd was suddenly not so "In". Hawkins, Boardman and Bishop were suddenly pariahs, reviled by the same people that had lauded them as heroes just weeks earlier. The school was forced to forfeit any game they had been in, and the team finished the season with a 2-12 record, next to last in the region. Under suspicion by association, the school's basketball team had undergone intense scrutiny. Luckily, they'd all passed their wiz quiz.

I watched as Missy gradually became the center of the new "in" crowd. She and her friends, Gail and Jackie, ate lunch together most of the time, although Missy still sat with me occasionally. Our little world's axis tilted a tiny bit back toward what had been normal.

Missy and I continued to go out to dinner and the movies once a week. We had long, wonderful discussions about anything and everything, sharing our opinions, hopes and dreams and giving each other a bit more of our hearts every time. These talks were usually followed by intense make out sessions, but kissing was still as far as Missy wanted to go. All in all, though, I found myself more and more attracted to Missy, to the person living inside that gorgeous body.

December started out much the same, although the second week came with some good news: Monday's mail brought my acceptance letter from State and some of the details about what was and what wasn't covered by my scholarship. My future looked to be back on its proper path, the path I had always envisioned.

Not too surprisingly, then, I was in a good mood when I sat down at lunch on Tuesday.

"Did you swallow the canary or what, Robinson?" Bobby asked as he set his tray down.

"Well, kind of, Bobby," I grinned. "I got my acceptance letter from State last night."

"Oooh! Mr. College Boy! I suppose now you'll forget all about us lowly peons."

"Not a chance, Bobby" I said straight faced. "Even if I had a lobotomy I couldn't forget you. You, my friend, are unforgettable."

Bobby frowned, clearly unsure if he should take that as a compliment or an insult, but before he could say anything, Missy stepped up to the table. None of the other regulars had yet arrived. "Can I talk to John in private for a moment, Bobby?"

"Sure thing, Missy. I need to get some more ketchup anyway."

"What's on your mind, Missy?" I asked, suddenly nervous. She knew I had few secrets from Bobby, so the fact that she wanted to talk to me privately worried me. As dire thoughts raced through my brain, I realized with a start how important Missy had become to me. I was suddenly afraid that she was going to break —

"Are you doing anything on the 22nd?" She asked, interrupting my thoughts.

"A week from Saturday?" I blinked. While I'd had no idea what Missy wanted, that certainly wasn't what I feared, or expected. "Probably nothing much. I think I'm scheduled to work from 8 to 5 at Hardesy's but that should be it, why?"

"Momma wants me to go to the Country Club's Winter Dance. She said something about a couple of people she could get to escort us, but I was hoping you could escort me. Please, John?"

I inwardly breathed a sigh of relief. "I'd be honored, Missy," I said without any hesitation.

"It's a formal dance, so you will need a tux, John."

"No problem, Missy. I'll get Tracey to take me to Lawton's tonight."

"I'm sorry about the short notice. I didn't think we'd be going this year, but Momma insisted and I didn't want to go without an escort. I really don't want to deal with the octopi again this year."

"I'll try to keep my other four arms to myself," I joked.

"Oh, you," she smacked my shoulder lightly. "Thanks, John." She looked over at the condiment stand and nodded to Bobby who came back over and sat down. One by one, the rest of the gang joined us.

"Long time, no see, Missy," Betty Lou said a little testily as she put her tray down next to Missy.

I shot a questioning look at Betty Lou. What the heck had gotten a bee in her bonnet, I wondered. Mary Jo distracted me, though, as she smiled and sat down, asking Missy about their upcoming biology class.

The rest of lunch was pretty normal. Missy and Mary Jo got up to go to Biology. I waved them on as they stopped and waited for me, taking my time dumping my trash.

"Wasn't that nice, the queen deigned to join us for lunch," Betty Lou groused quietly to Bobby as they stepped behind me.

"Give it a rest, Betty Lou." Bobby answered softly.

"Why? We stood by her when no one else would, and now we're not good enough to have lunch with unless she needs John for something. I hope she's not planning to break his heart," she hissed.