Denny and I sat side by side at the bar. We didn't say much at first. Just drank our beer and spun our bottle caps around.

"So how's your girl?" I asked, finally breaking the silence.

Everyone in town knew that Denny was dating Jane Fletcher. They were the power couple. Jane was head cheerleader, a beautiful blonde girl with the prettiest smile I've ever seen. She had a good head on her shoulders too. Every guy in Castle Rock wanted to be with her, but obviously she was taken. Just another reason for me and the gang to resent him.

"We broke up," Denny said. "I've been riding solo for a little over two weeks now."

I raised my eyebrows. "No kiddin'?" It was strange I hadn't heard about it. News around this town travels fast. "Who broke up with who?"

Denny hesitated. "Well, it was sort of mutual," he said. "We both knew we had to end it because neither one of us wanted to do the long-distance thing in college." He let out a heavy sigh. "I wasn't going to break it off until I left. But Jane wanted to end it now and finish the summer off as 'just friends.'"

"Yeah, and how's that workin' out for you?" I asked, trying to keep a straight face. "Just friends" never worked.

Denny chuckled. "Haven't talked to her since."

"So she dumped you," I concluded.

Denny took a swig of his beer and nodded. "Yeah, I guess she did."

"Dennis Lachance. Dumped. That's somethin' I never thought I'd hear." I grinned devilishly at him. It was kind of fun pressing his buttons.

"Okay, okay, you can stop rubbing it in now," he said.

"Sorry, I just like sayin' it out loud."

He rolled his eyes and took another drink of his beer. "So what about you? You have a girl?"

"Nah," I answered. I'd had my fair share of girls, but they were usually just one-night stands. I'd never had a relationship that lasted more than a week or two. "I ain't lookin' for anything serious."

Denny nodded. "Yeah, you don't seem like a commitment sort of guy." He glanced at me. "Sometimes I wish I could be more like that. I wish I didn't have to take everything so seriously."

"That's just the way you're wired, Lachance."

"No it's not," he insisted. "It's the way my pop's wired." He said it bitterly and I could sense some hostility in his voice.

I took a big sip of beer wondering if he would elaborate.

"I have to tell you, Rich, I can't wait to get out of this town. I might actually be able to live my life the way I want it, instead of the way my pop wants it."

"He's pretty intense?"

Denny hesitated, looking almost apologetic. "Maybe not as intense as your old man," he said, stumbling over his words a bit. "I mean… he doesn't hit me or nothin'…" He trailed off, biting his lip. I could tell he regretted bringing that up.

I shook my head to let him know I wasn't offended and to go on.

"He just wants what's best for me," Denny continued. "I get that. I know that. But he's invested so much time in making sure I succeed in football, in school… and I am constantly afraid that I'll let him down."

I took in what he was saying. I'd always been a little jealous of Denny for everything he'd accomplished, but I never realized how much pressure he was under. He had to constantly live up to expectations. And the way he was talking right now, it sounding like his dad never gave him a break.

My dad was different. He didn't want what was best for us. He just wanted to use us as punching bags. I was never scared of letting him down. I was just scared of him. Plain and simple. Denny loved his father. I detested mine.

"Is he as hard on your brother as he is on you?" I asked.

Denny tilted his head at me. I think he was confused that I was actually listening to him – engaged in what he was saying. But the truth is, he was really starting to grow on me. He wasn't the uppity asshole that I thought he was.

Denny let out a big sigh. "Sometimes I think he forgets Gordie even exists."

Gordie. That was the kid Chris always hung around with. Sometimes Chris would talk about his day while we were getting ready for bed, and I'd nod along like I was listening. Gordie's name came up a lot, but I never put it together that he was Lachance's kid brother.

"They just don't share any interests," Denny went on. "All Pop cares about is football, and I don't think Gordie's touched a football in his entire life." Denny chuckled slightly. "He's not all that athletic. But he's a really a neat kid. He loves to write and tell stories – and they're really good. But Pop doesn't know any of that because he's too busy hounding me about football or school. I'm grateful for everything he's done for me, I am. I wouldn't be where I am without him. But Gordie deserves the same attention, you know?"

I nodded vaguely. Denny talked so passionately about his brother. It made me wonder why I didn't feel the same way about Christopher.

"Maybe when I leave for college, things will get better for Gordie," Denny said hopefully. "And maybe they'll get better for me too."

"When do you leave?" I asked.

"End of June," Denny answered. "We start training the first weekend of July."

"You excited?"

"I think I'm more nervous than excited," Denny said. "But I think that's how you're supposed to feel before going off to college."

"Yeah," I agreed. "You want another beer?" I nodded toward the one he'd just finished.

"No, I'm good," Denny said. "I do want a soda though." He called the bartender over and we ordered our respective drinks.

Like I said, we stayed in that bar for nearly three hours. We got to know each other. I found it strange how easy it was to talk to Lachance. It wasn't anything like talking to Ace. I mean, it was a two-way conversation. I talked, Lachance listened. Lachance talked, I listened. It was refreshing.

And by the end, I knew for certain that my opinion of Denny had changed. He deserved everything he got. Hell, he probably even deserved more. Being with him made me want to be better. And to do better. I promised myself right then and there that I would graduate high school. It was something I wanted to do for myself.

It was the first goal I ever set in my life.