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After my birthday, Reese began waiting for me to get off the bus in the mornings so he could walk me to my locker. On Thursday, he said, “Why don’t I carry your books?”
Did he think I was an invalid? My books weren’t that heavy. “Uh, no, thanks. I’m fine.”
He backed off, looking a little hurt.
I had no idea why he would ask such a strange thing, so I checked Seventeen magazine, which told me that boys liked to carry their girlfriends’ books. Oh.
When he asked again the next day, I said, “Sure,” and handed over the books. He stood a little straighter as he added my books to his own. After that, he started eating lunch with Francie and me every day, and he talked more to me than to Francie. I waited to see what would happen next.
On Monday afternoon, just before I ran out onto the track, he stammered a question. “Will you go to a movie with me on Saturday night?” Well, well. He might be the shyest boy this side of the Mississippi, but he’d finally built up enough courage to ask me out on a date.
Of course I said yes. Unfortunately, I didn’t get all pitter-pattery around Reese the way I did with Kyle, but I was willing to give him a chance. After all, it was my first official date. Reese was the nicest guy I knew, and I hadn’t heard from Kyle in a couple of months. Maybe I could convince my heart to change who it got pitter-pattery over.
Also, I’d never actually been to a movie theater, and I was dying to go. My dad sometimes took us to drive-ins, but my parents thought sit-down theaters were too expensive. There weren’t any movie theaters in Valencia, anyway, so we’d have to drive to Orlando, an hour away.
My parents said I could go as long as Reese came to the door to pick me up and they could talk to him. He was fine with that. I had a smile on my face all week as I anticipated the evening. On Saturday night, after I was dressed, I examined myself in the mirror. My auburn hair was parted in the middle and hung in ringlets down my back. I often ironed my hair to straighten it, but the humidity made it curl within a couple of hours, so that night, I just let it be. Pancake makeup covered most of my freckles. Bright-blue eye shadow reflected the color of my eyes. Orange lipstick matched the minidress I had bought that afternoon at Goodwill. And finally, black fishnet stockings contrasted with my white go-go boots. I felt like a color wheel. I added Reese’s necklace and a wide-brimmed black hat, and I was done.
When I went into the living room, Mom gave me the stink-eye about my short dress, but Dad whistled. Mom was halfway through a speech about how trashy I looked when Reese knocked on the door, right on time.
He was dressed in a white button-down shirt and dress slacks. His hair curled nicely below his collar, probably pushing the school limit for hair length. I wasn’t sure how he’d grown it so long without my noticing, but he looked a little like George Harrison—not particularly handsome, but not bad, either. His acne had mostly cleared up, too.
Dad was sitting on the couch, fingering his guitar, a beer on the table in front of him—maybe his sixth that afternoon. He stood up and shook Reese’s hand then invited him to sit down. Then he picked up his guitar and started playing some stupid song, as if he’d forgotten we were even in the room.
But Mom grilled Reese. What kind of car was he driving? Had he ever had a ticket or a wreck? Was he aware that I had to be home by eleven?
Reese didn’t get ruffled by Mom’s questions and answered as though he faced a similar inquisition every day. At school, he was quiet and shy, so this was a side of him I hadn’t seen, except when he’d stood up to my mom at Laney’s party.
I was starting to get anxious that we’d miss the beginning of the movie or that things with Mom would go downhill, so I walked to the door and gestured to Reese. Come on. Let’s go. He stood up and turned to go.
Dad set down his guitar and stood. He was taller and heavier than slender Reese. He turned his attention to me. “Punkin, I’m sorry, but you can’t...”
I grabbed Reese’s arm and pulled him out the door before Dad finished his sentence. “Bye,” I called behind me in as cheerful a tone as I could manage. “See you at eleven.” Not that Dad would be around. He’d be out somewhere, so he wouldn’t have the slightest idea what time I got home. But Mom would notice, and I’d get grounded if I was late.
* * *
I HAD NEVER SEEN ANYTHING as beautiful as that movie theater, with its carved walls and ceilings, heavy plush draperies, cushy seats, and giant screen.
Reese asked, “Do you want something? Popcorn and Coke?”
“Sure.” I opened my purse to pull out some money, but Reese wouldn’t let me.
“I’ll get it.”
Mom had told me it was the boy’s responsibility to pay for the date, and apparently, Reese’s mom had told him the same thing. It didn’t make any sense, since he probably had no more money than I did.
The movie was about a young guy who graduated from college and returned home for the summer, only to have an affair with an older woman who was a friend of his parents. Eww. Even though I was grossed out by the plot, I loved watching a movie on the big screen like a regular person. During the movie, Reese eased his arm behind me on the back of my seat, but he didn’t touch me.
Back in Valencia, he pulled the car into an orange grove and stopped the engine. Between the rows of trees, it was quiet and private. I could see stars above and smell the sweet scent of orange blossoms. Reese leaned over and put his arm around my shoulders, pulling me toward him. My heartbeat was so loud I was sure he could hear it, but he didn’t say anything. Our lips met. His were kind of dry, and I tried to lick mine to make our mouths fit together better. But he must have misunderstood my intention, because the next thing I knew, his tongue was halfway down my throat, and I nearly gagged.
I pulled away. “Reese.” I wasn’t sure what message I wanted to give, but I knew I needed to slow this thing down.
He said in a strangled voice, “Sure. Let’s go.” I breathed a sigh of relief when he started the car. He walked me to my door and gave me a quick hug.
“I had a great time tonight. Thank you.” Mom had taught me to say that at the end of a date, and he seemed to appreciate it, because he gave me another, longer hug without trying to kiss me.
“Me, too. See you at school.”
I went inside, and that was that. My first date. Not as great as I’d anticipated, but not too bad, either. I didn’t want him to feel rejected because I’d broken off our kiss, but I didn’t know how to bring up the subject. If he asked me out again, I’d try to do better.