followed me home from lacrosse practice one day. I was tired and no one was home. It was stupid Addie and I’m sorry. It was one time and I regret it! I never wanted you to find out. She means nothing to me baby. I’m sorry.”
I heard sounds of movement and what sounded like another slap.
“Don’t touch me Chad Reynolds. Get away from me!”
“Addie come on, I’m sorry!”
“Leave me alone, you asshole!”
“Fine, whatever. When you calm the fuck down come and find me.”
The door swung open and Chad came out in a huff. I looked inside the room and Addie was sitting on the edge of the bed crying. I felt my stomach drop. I wanted to go to her, to hold her and make her feel better. I would never make you cry that way, I thought.
The liquid courage kicked in and I walked into the room.
“Um… excuse me Addie, are you ok?”
She looked up, eyes puffy and swollen.
“Yeah, I’m fine, thanks.”
“Can I get you anything?”
“No, really I’m fine.”
“Um… I’m not trying to pry, but I think you deserve better than that.” Liquid courage had obviously taken over the conversation. She looked at me like she tasted something bitter.
“Do I know you?”
“Me...Oh… um… well. My name’s Nick. We’ve had a few classes together. You’re in my English Class.”
“Oh, right, I remember you sit up front. You always know the answers. You’re really smart.”
I felt myself turn red.
“Thanks.”
“Yeah, I’ve seen you around some. You’re usually with some other nerdy kid.”
“Um… yeah, that other nerdy kid is my best friend Petey.”
She realized her mistake and put her head down briefly.
“Sorry I didn’t mean anything by that.”
I shrugged. Hey, at least she noticed me , I thought.
“Can I get you a tissue? Maybe something to drink?”
“What are you drinking?”
“I just got some of the punch, do you want some?”
“I don’t want to be any trouble. Can I just have some of yours?”
“Absolutely,” I practically shoved the cup in her face.
She took a giant gulp. It slowly dawned on me that I was standing here, face-to-face with Addie McDaniels. The girl I had been in love with my entire high school career. She took a drink and looked up at me through her eyelashes. Oh my god she’s gorgeous. She’s even prettier up close, I thought.
“Nick, can I ask you a question?”
“Of course.”
“Do you think I’m pretty?”
The question caught me off guard. Was Addie McDaniels asking me if I thought she was pretty? What the hell was going on? If it wasn’t for the knot in my stomach I would have thought I was dreaming. I looked down into the face I’d been dreaming about for years, liquid courage answered for me.
“Addie I think you are the most beautiful woman I’ve ever seen. I think Chad is a very lucky guy, and he’s stupid if he does anything to mess that up.”
She batted her eyelashes at me and then turned away seemingly embarrassed.
“Thank you,” she smiled.
She patted the spot on the bed next to her. I looked at the spot, then at the open door. This was my last chance to flee to safety, but did I want to leave? My obsession was sitting right in front of me, asking for me to sit with her. I did what anyone would do, I sat.
“So you think I’m that beautiful.”
“Yes, I do. I would gladly trade places with Chad in a heartbeat.”
“Well Chad is a non-issue at the moment.”
She stood up, set the cup on a night stand and walked across the room to close and lock the door. The vision of her burned into my memory. She had on a denim mini skirt, yellow tank top and white summer sweater. Her hair was loose and fell to her shoulders. She had on a pink gloss that looked so good on her full lips. Her honey-brown skin had
Terry Ravenscroft, Ravenscroft