Kevin's mouth gaped on empty air as Tiffany broke their kiss by dropping down from tip-toes.
"What is it, babe?" Kevin asked as Tiffany turned her face from his. "Is my Honest Abe costume beard tickling you, dollface?"
Tiffany giggled at another American piece of slang Kevin was teaching her. Then she assumed a serious expression once more and smoothed down her kimono. She put her cheek against his black suit.
"My father thinks," Tiffany drawled out. "He found out about costumes for this day. He thinks it is a shame and disgrace to wear my formal kimono as a Halloween costume."
"But babe, Tiff." Kevin protested as he pulled her closer. "You're such a looker in or out of that kimono."
"And I bet I can get you out of it tonight." Kevin thought.
"And you can tell the old man that you're giving us Iowa Ruebens a lesson in Japanese culture and stuff."
His relationship with Tiffany was expanding Kevin's horizons.
Tiffany pursed her lips and pulled away from Kevin as he leaned in to try for another smooch. She took a few steps down the deserted Lawndale Lane High School hall, a semi-secret place which Kevin's football player buddies had clued him in on for the practice of discrete necking.
"Kitten?" Kevin took a couple cautious steps toward her.
"He found our letters, QB." Tiffany said more haltingly than usual.
"We don't say nothing in them letters," Kevin protested. His suddenly developing sense of dread made him revert to the poor grammar habits which Daria, Jane, Mike and even Tiffany were slowly breaking him from.
"He doesn't want me communicating with any boy gaijin, eh, foreigner."
She turned back to him as Kevin gently took her hand. He did not want to grab and muss up at her elaborate kimono.
"I am sent back to Kyoto," Tiffany blurted out. "Day after tomorrow. I must learn proper behaviour and manners and customs for a proper Japanese girl to serve the Emperor and her nation. It is only fitting; Japan needs me."
"Aw, man."
Kevin reached for her as she slipped her hand from his and ran down the hall.
"Babe!" He called a little louder than he should have in the echoing hallway.
He ran after her as she swiftly climbed the stairs to the main floor. Tiffany was moving fast enough for him to consider that she would be a good addition to the Lawndale Lions passing game. At the top of the stairs they were met by Coach Gibson whose head whipped back and forth from one to the other as Tiffany zipped past him. Gibson stepped out in front of Kevin.
"Bank's closed, big guy," Coach Gibson commanded. "Hey, save your strength for the big Briarwood game, eh, Mr. President? After that you can squeeze your tomato as much as you want."
Kevin nodded and dropped his head dejectedly as he saw Tiffany joining her friends. He was confused as she was suddenly giggling and talking with the trio of girls. She turned just as they were starting for their next class and gave him a quick, inscrutable look. He wandered to history then for lack of anything else to do and barely listened to Mr. DeMartino lecture about the unification of Italy.
When the school day ended, Kevin managed to slip unnoticed through the halls even in his black suit and high stovepipe hat. Halloween revellers were everywhere, the boys discussing the best pranks to pull on the houses of the most hated teachers. The girls were complimenting each other on their ingenious uses of cast-off and clothing remnants in their home-made costumes.
The object of Kevin's pursuit slipped quickly out of school on her own. He followed Tiffany down the front steps of Lawndale Lane High and brushed aside football buddies who were inviting him to a party. Kevin got one last glimpse of Tiffany was her slipping into the chauffeured Packard.
