Her hair was a British-cut kind of short with a flip at the bottom, right above her shoulders. She dressed in the monotonous gray and black of Dwayne's own vision and Frank thought maybe that was why he liked her.
"You're a beauty queen, Olive?'
"I was, but now I'm a dancer." Olive sat at the dinner table nursing a glass of milk and a peanut butter sandwich. The girl- Andi- sat across from her, trailing her finger around the top of her water glass and making small talk.
Frank was standing in the kitchen, pretending to pour himself a glass, but really examining the girl with a scholarly interest. Dwayne had never shown much curiosity in the female gender- or any gender for that matter- so it was all the more surprising when he brought home his 'girlfriend.'
"Do you and Dwayne have classes together?" he asked, coming around to the table.
She looked up and shook her head, "No. I sit with him during lunch."
Frank raised an eyebrow but didn't say anything and she went back to circling her water glass.
He scooted into the seat next to Olive and asked again, "Where are you two going?"
"To drive around aimlessly until we find a place where we can throw rocks at old machines."
Now Frank knew why Dwayne liked her. She appeared completely serious, but behind her voice was a note of, mockery? But it sounded more like hopefulness. It made him smile.
Dwayne appeared from the hallway and stood for a second, looking between Frank and Andi. It was a Saturday and Richard and mom had gone to look at cars while Frank had agreed to watch Olive. He would never have brought Andi over if Richard were there.
"Andi, why don't you have any shoes on?" The trio looked over to Olive who had slipped out of her chair and was staring at Andi's feet under the table.
"Because in Japan it's rude to keep your shoes on in someone's house. You leave them by the door."
Olive looked at her with a furrowed brow, ""But we're not in Japan."
Andi smiled kindly, "So?"
Olive's eyes opened wide, as if this unaffected answer had never occurred to her. Then she sprang towards the door, kicking off her red cowgirl boots along the way.
Frank called after her, "Take your dishes into the kitchen!"
"I will!" came the answer.
"Ready?" Dwayne asked.
"Certainly." Andi stood and carried her water into the kitchen.
As she was pouring the remains of her water into the sink Dwayne looked over at Frank. "Don't say anything to Richard, please?" he cast a nervous look, something full of new fear and confusion and excitement, as if Dwayne wasn't quite sure what he had gotten himself into, and whether that was ok.
"I won't," Frank assured him. They stood awkwardly as Andi could be heard in the kitchen washing her glass.
"She painted the Nietzsche on my wall," he said.
"She seems like your type."
Dwayne ran his fingers through his hair in a nervous manner. He sighed, sighed again, fidgeted with his wallet. "Thanks," was all he said.
The noise of scuffling by the door made then turn their heads. Andi stood ready to go.
"It was nice to meet you Frank, and you too Olive." She smiled at the girl who had hopped back into the room to grab her plate and glass.
Dwayne grabbed the keys to the repaired bus and showed her to the door. He turned to give one last excited, frightened glace to Frank, and then was gone.
"Have a good time, Dwayne."