Strange how fast time flies. It just hits you when you least expect it. I mean, this is the summer ending my sophomore year of college and the summer beginning my junior one. Can you believe it? I certainly can't. My high school years seem like blurs, looking back on them from now. I was a lost freshman, trying to find my way and get by on things--classes, mostly. And, I honestly doubt that I would have skated by without the aid and companionship of one person in my life. Imagine me, Brendan, an awkward fifteen-year-old having to do a research project… with a girl. It was a nightmare, something I dreaded. But it wasn't like I didn't know her… no, I knew her all right. She was in my eighth grade class, and her name was Tate Summers. Now, you're probably thinking that I hated this girl, to want and prefer a different partner. That's what my English teacher Mrs. Applebee thought. "How about I partner up with Kevin Carlson instead?" I suggested after class the day the pairs were assigned. I actually knew Kevin, and by the look on his face, he didn't fully enjoy the news of being paired up with Donnie Farrello, who wasn't exactly 'The King of Cool.' "How about I just give you a zero on the assignment since you're being so uncooperative?" she replied icily, flipping through her grade book almost threateningly. "I don't see why you wouldn't want to be Tate's partner… I'm sure a number of your classmates wouldn't have minded!" She was right, in the sense that almost every guy in class had a crush in her. Even Donnie Farrello was an admirer-from-afar. Which was why I didn't want to be Tate's "research buddy"… I liked her, too. What if I screwed up and got us both an 'F'? I doubt she'd ever speak to me again, not that she'd ever get the chance. This paper was a big test grade, and if I managed to fail it, I'd be as good as dead anyway. Megan and Kerry wouldn't mind--they'd most likely fight over my bedroom. They're always at it these days. Perhaps Matt would be a guaranteed funeral-attendee. I'll have him read my eulogy. Well, needless to say, I decided to just go along with it and suck it up. I've faced bigger problems than this. Tate was more than enthusiastic. By the same night, she called me up and arranged for herself to come over after lunch on Saturday. I asked Dad if she was being a little pushy. He said she was just being a good student. I think he was making fun of me. He must have been--he had his video camera with him at the time. Saturday came quicker than I had imagined. There wasn't much I could do… Tate had called me about it on Friday, which only gave me a night to dread it. "Hello, Tate," I greeted her from behind Mom, who had answered the door before I could even say 'Don't answer it!' "Hi, Brendan!" she replied with a wave of her hand before smiling up at my mom. Silently, I noticed she had two large volumes of books tucked under her arm. Mom let her in, and I hesitantly led her up to my room. It was like the Walk of Shame. Dad had the camera again and was telling Tate to say 'hello' and Megan and Kerry were giving me the thumbs-up. Thank god Matt wasn't home. "Well, here's my room," I declared, throwing my arms out as if it were a royal chamber. She laughed. She actually laughed. "It's nice," was all she said. I took that as a big compliment, coming from a girl. Especially from one like Tate. "Er, thanks." What else was I supposed to say? I wasn't exactly the Smooth Operator. She sat at my computer table and began flipping through a book. "Mrs. Applebee assigned us Edgar Allen Poe. He's… interesting." I blinked. So she wasn't so ecstatic about doing the report. Why on earth did she want to 'get a head start' on it then? That I couldn't figure out. Maybe she just wanted to get it over with. Well, heck, so did I. "He wrote about a crow, didn't he?" I said with a shrug as I wheeled around in my chair. She snorted and looked at me. "You mean a raven." This time it was my turn to laugh. Partly because I felt stupid, and partly out of nerves. |
Love, Brendan |