He’s just been over at the house a lot. And my parents really like him. He gets along with my dad. Mom even lets us stay in the basement together. He’ll come over and we’ll watch movies. Or talk. Or do school work together. And a few days ago? He took my hand for the first time. His hand is so warm, Rae! I really hope he asks me to prom.
The great thing about writing notes back and forth was that it looked as if I were taking notes. All I had to do was look up every once in a while, nod at our teacher, then I was good to go to keep writing. I used my chicken scratch to write out what I wanted to say as quickly as possible. I erased a few words and tried writing them clearer, just to make sure Allison could actually read it. Because apparently, doodling and having a mind for graphic design didn’t translate to good handwriting.
Allison, that’s so awesome! I mean, I know Michael likes you. I see it in how he looks at you and wants to be around you and stuff. Trust me, if you drop those hints and make comments from time to time about how you don’t have a date to prom? He’ll pick up on the hints and ask. I mean, this is Michael we’re talking about. Once he knows there’s a good thing coming his way, he charges head-on to get it. Remember the deal he had with his parents about his car?
That had been a doozy of a school year. As I passed the note to Allison, the memory pulled me back. The three of us had taken driver’s ed at the same time. Same after-school class. Same teacher. We even tripled up to take the same driving test together with our teacher in order to get some experience. And Michael wouldn't stop talking about the deal he’d made with his parents. If he passed his test the first time in the DMV with no questions missed on the written test and no points docked on the driving portion, they’d buy him his first car. But if he missed anything, he’d have to do what most kids did—ask permission to use their parents’ car.
I mean, I’m sure they were banking on Michael getting at least one thing wrong. I mean, even the slightest thing! But when he aced that written test while we were all in the DMV, I grinned. And when he came back from that driving portion without a scratch on his record, I threw my head back in laughter.
A week later, his parents had anted up. They’d bought him the SUV he drives now, and he was damn proud of that car. That’s Michael, though. That’s always been his personality. When Michael wanted something he knew could be his, he went full-steam ahead in order to get it.
All Allison had to do was make it known that she wanted to be his.
“Pop quiz, everyone!”
Just as Allison passed her note back to me, the class groaned. I looked at her and quickly tucked the note away in my back pocket as our teacher passed out the worksheets. I saw the soft panic on Allison’s face. But she didn’t have to worry. During times like this, I let her cheat off my test. We had a code and everything down for it. And not once had we ever gotten caught.
But she didn’t look over at me once during the quiz.
The bell to switch classes rang and we all rushed the teacher’s desk. I tossed my pop quiz at him and waited for Allison, who was the last to get out of her chair. She had a confident smile on her face and a skip in her step as she handed our teacher her quiz. Then she came over and linked her arm with mine.
“That wasn’t nearly as hard as I figured it would be. It was a recap quiz.”
I smiled. “Ready to get going?”
“Let’s see if we can catch Clint and Michael down the hallway where we saw them. I can help Clint into English, if he needs it.”
“Thank you so much, Allison.”
“What? We have the next class together.”
“Can you just let me thank you without brushing it off and making me feel weird about it?”
She sighed. “I’m sorry. I just… every time you thank us, it reminds me that—at one time—you thought we might not help. And it makes me sad.”
I shrugged. “Because at one time, I knew you guys wouldn't have. I’m really glad you’ve come around to him.”
“He’s changed a lot, you know. I already see it in him.”
I nodded. “I see it, too.”
“You think it’ll stay that way once he’s healed?”
“I don’t know, Allison. I guess only time will tell with that one.”
As Allison pulled away from my side to go help Clint out of his class, I pondered on that question. I thought about it as I made my way for my own class. I watched Allison walk off with Clint, but it didn’t warm my heart like usual.
Would he stay this way after he was all healed?
Or would he go back to Roy and his gaggle of goons once he could hold his own again?
24
Clinton
I groaned. “Thanks again, Aly. I really appreciate it.”
She helped me into my seat. “Really, it’s not a pro