Clark didn't have to wait to Wednesday to see her. He saw her on Monday morning, standing near the commissary in the shadows.
A soldier came out carrying a package of cigarettes and very subtly, money and cigarettes exchanged hands though to the casual observer it looked as if they were just exchanging greetings. So that was how someone who was still seventeen got a package of cigarettes.
He came up to them, feeling very irritated with the private. "What are you doing giving tobacco to someone underage? Don't you know that's illegal? Do you buy her beers too?"
"Uh..." he looked around, clearly wanting to escape, while Lois, who had already lit up a cigarette, smirked.
He had said the last part with sarcasm, but given their reactions, he did. "Unbelievable. I should go straight to her father."
The man, now beaded with sweat, took off in a panicked run.
"Great, farm boy, you scared him off. He'll probably never buy me anything again."
"Good," he said, folding his arms. He wasn't sorry in the least.
"Never mind. There are others who will buy them for me," she said as if she were absolving him of guilt.
"Why would you smoke or drink for that matter?"
"It's very relaxing. You should try it sometime."
"No, thank you. And even if it were true that it relaxes you, don't you know what it does to your body? Especially at your age."
"Oh, it's true, believe me. If it weren't for the nicotine in my system, I'd be biting your head off right now for reducing my suppliers. It's not like I'm into hardcore drugs. I'm sure every teenager in America has experimented."
"Not this teenager."
"Of course not," she said nonchalant about the whole thing. "You're like an old man trapped in a teen's body."
"This isn't spring break for you, is it?"
"School is open or so I hear."
He shook his head with exasperation. "Lois, are you determined to break every rule there is?"
"As determined as you probably are to follow them. You need to live a little. Don't tell me you've never played hooky," she said, taking in a long drag.
"By ensuring I don't get a good education? That is the very opposite of living the good life. And would you put that cigarette out?"
"Sheesh, you don't have to get your panties in a knot. Do you have ambitions on becoming the Surgeon General or something?" she said, dropping her cigarette and grinding it out.
"Or something. I just don't like to see people ruining their life. You're too smart for that."
She laughed. "You know nothing about me. I am not an A plus student. Trust me."
"Well, you're not going to be an A student if you're not even there. That's for sure. And you are smart. I can already tell you have a way with words, and you make good arguments even if I still don't agree."
She cocked her head as if she couldn't figure out his angle. She must have never heard anyone tell her that before.
"And you say you want out of here. How do you plan to get into college if you don't even finish your senior year?"
"I've already gotten in. I start college in the fall." She tilted her head in a defiant way.
"Come on.," he said, seeing that he wasn't going to win a disagreement with her. " I'll walk you to school."
"What are you my truant officer?" she asked, hands on her hip.
"Just a friend. And your date to the prom."
She gave a bark of laughter. "You are not my date to the prom. You're my pretend date. There's a difference."
"But I am your friend. I didn't hear you denying that part."
Her eyes narrowed. "You are weird. Maybe even insane," she said, walking in the direction of her school's location presumably.
It was his turn to smile as he followed after her. "I'll take that as a complement."
He couldn't say why he cared so much, especially when it seemed her mission to annoy him, but he'd meant what he said. He was starting to consider her a friend in spite of her best efforts.