Junior Year Box Set

My two friends had gone to bat for me. I really wanted to reject what they did, but I wanted to play football, too. Just a few weeks ago I would never have accepted it and wouldn’t lie to my mom, but that was precisely what I was going to do. I guess I was becoming a typical teen.

“Thank you. I was prepared to sit it out. I appreciate what you and Tami are doing for me. If she makes you happy, then go for it,” I said.

“Dude, really, nothing happened!”

“Alan, do you want me to punch you?” I asked, and Alan’s eyes got big. “I never want to hear about what happened that night. If I do, I will react badly.”

He got the message and left me alone.

◊◊◊

After practice, I drove home for dinner. I might not be grounded, but I had nothing to say to my parents. Finally, Dad had had enough.

“How was your day?” he asked.

I acted like I thought he was talking to Mom and continued to eat.

“Your father’s talking to you,” Mom said.

“Sorry, what?” I asked.

I had fifty comebacks that I wanted to say but decided this battle wasn’t worth it. I wanted to say, ‘So now you want to hear what I have to say,’ and, ‘Ask Mom, she’ll tell you what I should be thinking,’ and … well, you get the idea. Nothing that would be helpful popped into my head.

Dad repeated his question.

“Nothing really happened. It was fine,” I said.

“How did Alan and Tami take your apology?” he asked.

“They were surprised I did it.”

I couldn’t help myself, but no one seemed to want a repeat from last night, so it was dropped. Mom and Dad told each other about their day. I just wanted to escape, but dinner time was family time. I had to sit through the whole ordeal. Dad gave me back my keys, debit card, and phone. I assumed that meant I wasn’t grounded, but nothing official was said.

◊◊◊

When I finally escaped, I went up to my apartment and turned my phone on. I had 24 messages. They all seemed to be from Tami, so I deleted them all. My phone rang and startled me. I looked down and saw it was Halle.

“How’s your art project going?” she asked.

“Fine. My subject is stretched out, holding a good pose,” I said as I watched Duke sleep.

“Let me guess; Brook?”

“No. I’m not sure that would be a good idea. She’s more than I can handle right now.”

“Can you come over and help me with my drawing? I can’t seem to get it right.”

“I wish, but I just got off being grounded. I don’t think I should leave the house. You could come over here, though,” I suggested.

Fifteen minutes later, I helped Halle upstairs with her easel and drawing book. I showed her my drawings of Duke. Then she showed me what she’d been drawing. Halle didn’t need my help. She was much better than I was, and I would suspect she was better than anyone in our class. I looked at her, and she blushed.

“Would you pose for me?” Halle asked.

I hadn’t thought of this one yet. I would have to try it as a pickup line.

“How do you want me?” I asked.

I’d expected something sexy, but she surprised me.

“Could you put on a football jersey and sit on the couch and watch TV? Maybe your dog could rest his head on your lap.”

“I’ve been teaching him not to get on the couch, but I could get him to lie at my feet,” I suggested.

“Let’s try it and see.”

“Duke, come,” I said, and he came over to me, and I rubbed his ears. “Now park it.”

He did a circle and parked it, right on my foot. Halle walked around us and found the angle she wanted and moved the easel. I watched TV while she drew. Being a live model for someone drawing was harder than my usual modeling work. The photographer captures a moment, and then you’re onto the next shot. For Halle, I had to stay still. As I sat there, I started to remember how much I liked this girl. Back when she showed up in New York, I had decided (to myself) that if Halle or Kara were ever to be in one place near me for any length of time, I would date them.

I was contemplating why I hadn’t made more of an effort when thoughts of Tami came flooding back. It wouldn’t be fair to Halle to have to deal with my angst right now. If, or now it seemed more like when, we got together, I wanted it to be more than just a rebound relationship to get over the love of my life.

I was brought back from my reflections when the flash from Halle’s phone went off as she took my picture. She walked around us and snapped several more and then took close-ups of both Duke and me.

“All done. Want to see it?” Halle asked.

On the sheet of paper, she had three pencil drawings. One of Duke, another of my face, and the final one was of the complete scene.

“I’m going to do a watercolor for my final project,” she said.

I hadn’t even thought about what I wanted to do. I turned to look at Halle, and apparently, my concern about my project worried her.

“You don’t like it?” she asked.

“No, no. I was thinking about my own project and that I haven’t thought about what I’ll do. I’m actually jealous of your talent. This is very good.”