We head for the kitchen. I turn on the sink water. We stand here doing dishes together, but it doesn’t even feel like a chore. Normally I hate doing dishes.
There’s something about doing them with Oliver that feels all intimate. His hip grazes mine and our elbows bump like we’re an old married couple…oh, my gosh. Katie, you are getting way ahead of yourself! I laugh to myself, thinking about the day we met.
“What’s so funny, Katie?” he asks.
“You were so Mr. Cool, leaning on the kitchen drawers, staring me down at your party.”
He leans toward me and whispers, “Maybe because I’d never seen anything so beautiful and fierce in all my life, and I couldn’t look away.”
I laugh. “You’re so full of it but keep talking.”
He stops smiling. “I mean it, Katie. I’ve never met anyone like you. Maybe it’s because you’re from Florida.”
I punch him. “Don’t you go getting any ideas, Oliver. There aren’t any other girls like me in Florida or anywhere else. I’m one of a kind, and don’t you forget it.”
He gives me a dreamy kiss. “I won’t forget.”
I kiss him back. “Good.” I clear my throat. “Um. Now, I gotta ask you something. Something I don’t want to ask, but I have to. Um…who all at our school have you dated?”
He looks at me sideways. “Why you asking that? Didn’t JuneBug tell you?”
I answer. “First of all, JuneBug is different from other girls in many ways, including the fact that she’s no gossip. She told me if I wanted to know that answer, I’d have to ask you.” I blush. “I already asked her, and she wouldn’t say.” A lightbulb clicks on. “Oh, no. Please tell me it’s not JuneBug. You didn’t date JuneBug, did you? Cause I would like die of mortification if that were the case. I mean, surely she would have told me…I think… You two didn’t date, right?” A panic starts in my chest, and spreads to my arms, my legs, nooo.
Oliver laughs. “Boy, it doesn’t take much to get you going. No, I didn’t date JuneBug. She’s not exactly my type.”
I give a sigh of relief. “Okay. Well, then. Get on with it. Who all did you date?”
He runs his foot across my foot in slow deliberation, flirting. He knocks his fists together. “Is there a reason you are asking me this? I mean, do you really want to know?”
I’m a little worried. “Is it that bad? Did you like date the entire cheerleading squad or something?”
He looks at me again. “And what if I did? I mean, what if I dated both squads and half the volleyball team?”
I’m running numbers in my head. That’s like at least twenty to twenty-four girls.
“You’re kidding, right? Because that’s a lot of girls to have known in like the Biblical sense.”
He’s choking on air now. “What? You think I’ve slept with every girl I’ve dated? You think I’m that kind of guy? I mean, think about what you’re asking. Have I even once tried anything remotely near that with you?” He’s got a good point.
“Um, no?”
“That’s right. No. No, I haven’t! So what makes you think I’m some kind of man whore, as you so like to put it?”
I feel stupid. “I don’t know. It’s what people were saying.”
“And you believed them? I mean, why are you with me if you think so low of me?”
I get quiet. “I’m with you because I really like you. I’m with you because I want to be. I want to know, but I don’t want to know, but I have to know.”
He sighs. “Alright. I’ve been with like three girls. But one shouldn’t count really, because it only happened once, and we were both kind of drunk and as soon as it happened, well, I knew it was a mistake, and I told her so.”
I look at him. “Let me guess, the hyena, Livvy?”
He looks down. “Actually, no, I was with Livvy the longest, but not like that. I mean we went out for like six months before that started happening, and then we went out for like a month or so after. She initiated it. She, um, had more experience than I did. And, um, after that happened once, she was kind of, well, she wanted to, like a lot. And, um, I didn’t know how I felt about it. So eventually we broke up. But, like, I used protection every time, and I was always careful about that. I know I’m a guy, and I know how it sounds, but I felt like Livvy was using me, and I didn’t like it. So I ended it.” He coughs. “Sooo…that’s me. What about you?”
I look him in the eye. I tell myself that I shouldn’t feel silly and inexperienced. “Um, what about me?”
“Well, besides your nonexistent lesbian girlfriend, who have you, um, known, or whatever. Well, never mind. Don’t tell me who, just tell me how many boys, I guess. I don’t know. I mean, I don’t know if I want to hear any of this.”
I answer quietly. “Um, no one.” He looks at me like he doesn’t believe me.
“No one? Not ever?”
“No. Not ever, okay? And, I’ve never had a boyfriend before either. So now it’s out, and now you know. That doesn’t mean I don’t know anything about guys and how they work and what they think about cause I do. I know plenty. I mean, I’ve been told.”
He laughs. Now I’m mad. “Oh? And what exactly have you been told? That all men are dogs? That we’re all only after one thing?” he teases me.
I’m not going to lie. “Maybe,” I answer, feeling all insecure.
He frowns. “And I suppose your cheating dad told you this?”
I shrug my shoulders. “Maybe he did. Maybe it was Israel.” Oliver looks all disgusted now.
“So you took advice about what guys want from the two biggest hound dogs you know?”
I’m not ready to admit he’s right. “Well, what am I supposed to think? Yes, I took advice from my father! After all, he is my father. And Israel, well, Israel is a hound dog, but he doesn’t hide it. He doesn’t pretend to be what he’s not.”
“Just what are you saying? Are you saying that I pretend to be someone I’m not?” Oliver’s voice is low and dangerous sounding. It would be sexy if he didn’t look so mad. I exhale slowly.
“No. I’m saying I agree with you when you say why am I taking advice from my cheating father, who yes, has cancelled his right to give me any advice, which I told him last time he was here. But I trust Israel’s character judgment of guys anyway, not of women. He has terrible taste in women.”
Finally, Oliver smiles, even though I’m talking about Israel. “Well, then I know he won’t ever be interested in you. Cause you’re what my grandma would call “a keeper”. My heart does a little backflip. I decide it’s a great time to stop this conversation.
“Well, that’s settled. I think I’ve heard all I want to about your torrid past. How about you?”
“Well, given that you don’t have a past…” he needles me. “A fact of which I am glad, because now I know I have no competition of like a past boyfriend for you to compare me to.”
“Don’t forget, I did get a kiss from Israel,” I say and instantly regret it.
“Yeah, but you kissed me first. I was first. I want to be your last kiss..for a very, very long time.” Oh boy. The conversation just got kind of serious. I’m not sure what to say to that so I don’t say anything. The awkward pause is saved by my mom returning to the kitchen. I’m still nervous from what was just said. I need space.. soon.
“Oh Oliver. Look at the time. You’d probably better be getting home. Let me walk you out.” I’m so obvious.
We walk outside. He’s quiet and so am I. He hugs me before he gets in his Scout. His kiss is sweet and lingering. I lean in and get as close to him as I can. I sigh into his neck. He holds me tight. “I mean what I said, Katie. I want to be with you for a long time. I don’t plan on going anywhere any time soon.” His words have such permanence to them, it makes me nervous. I want to trust him, but I don’t know if I can.
“I’ve got to go before my mom’s curtains start rustling,” I whisper.
He chuckles. “Nah. Your mom loves me. She trusts me. I can tell.”
I pinch his bicep. “Yeah, well. She trusts Israel too.” We both laugh. I give him one last kiss goodnight. I turn and go inside.