CHAPTER 2
In the parking lot 15 minutes later, Larry limped to his father's Jeep while Ren watched. When he bumped his knee painfully on the running board, she winced, but she had enough experience with the male ego not to rush to his assistance. After Larry had hoisted himself into the driver's seat, she said in her most diplomatic voice, "It really isn't practical to take two cars. Why don't we drop one off and travel together?" She paused theatrically. "You need to rest your knee; why don't I drive?"
Larry smiled at Ren's clumsy attempt to be tactful. To be honest, he had been glad that his dark colouring had hidden his humiliation at his clumsiness, and his knee did hurt quite a bit. He was sure that she drove as well as she did everything else, but he couldn't resist pushing one of her buttons. "Are you a better driver than you are a carpenter?"
Ren bristled visibly at his words. His reference to one of her few failures stung her pride, and she was on the verge of flinging a scathing remark of her own when she realized that Larry was smiling! She couldn't believe how easily he had managed to wind her up! Was she really that predictable? She took a deep breath, and said in a brittle tone "I guess you'll have to judge for yourself, won't you?"
She set a blistering pace out of the parking lot, knowing that she was overreacting but unable to control her anger. She prided herself on her ability to keep her cool, but sometimes she had to leave the scene before she could trust herself. Why did she allow Beales to get to her like this? The only other person who could make her this angry was her younger brother, Louis, but at least she understood their relationship. She didn't have a clue what was going on between her and Larry.
Trying to keep Ren's blue Bug in sight, Larry shook his head. He hadn't meant to make her angry, but considering his track record, it was understandable that she wouldn't realize he was joking. He sighed as she pulled to a stop in front of his house. He turned into the driveway and wrestled himself and his gym bag out of the car. As he made his painful journey to the front door, he looked at Ren, still bristling in the front seat of her car. He must be insane! He quickly put the car keys on the rack where his father expected to find them and emptied his bag into the laundry basket. Carefully locking the door behind him and pocketing the house keys, he approached the curb, feeling like a man going to the gallows. As he limped slowly across the lawn, Ren's bent head caught his attention. Her soft brown hair gleamed in the late afternoon sunlight. She wore it longer than was currently fashionable, but for the first time he realized that he was glad she had never cut it. Long hair suited her personality; she was what people called an old-fashioned girl. There was something about long hair; when a girl pushed her hair behind her ears, or her hair brushed your face when she kissed you…startled by the direction his thoughts were taking, he made a determined effort to think about something else. Like apologizing to Ren.
As Larry opened the passenger side door, Ren tried to collect herself. She owed him an apology for behaving the way she had; he had made a teasing remark and she had been too self-important to see the humour in it. Before he was properly seated, she blurted out "I'm sorry I snapped at you. I don't know why I reacted like that; I usually have more of a sense of humour."
Larry smiled bleakly and stared out the windscreen. "I know why. You don't trust me. You have no reason to trust me." He paused and took a deep breath. "I have no idea why we're sitting here, together. You're clearly still mad at me, and I can't blame you. Thanks for the offer, but this isn't working out. I'll see you in school tomorrow, and we can ignore each other as usual."
Ren jumped when he slammed the door. She watched him walk around the car and hobble back to his front door. As he fumbled for his keys, she stepped out of the car and walked over to him. Hand outstretched, she composed her face, putting on a polite expression; "Hello there. My name is Ren Stevens; I live just around the block."
Larry looked at her as though she had lost her mind; she wasn't so sure that she hadn't. This was the only thing she could think of to keep their new friendship from dissolving before it even got started. As he looked at her extended hand and made no attempt to take it, Ren was shocked at how desperate she was. Why was it suddenly so important that they were friends?
Larry looked at Ren as she stood there reaching out to him. He knew what she was doing; he just wasn't sure there was any point to it. They had barely managed to be civil to each other for longer than five minutes in seventeen years; only a fool would think that they could ever change such a tumultuous relationship. As he took her hand, he flashed his cockiest grin; there was no way that he could refuse this opportunity to start over. "Larry Beales. I've seen you around, at school. I live here with my father."
In the parking lot 15 minutes later, Larry limped to his father's Jeep while Ren watched. When he bumped his knee painfully on the running board, she winced, but she had enough experience with the male ego not to rush to his assistance. After Larry had hoisted himself into the driver's seat, she said in her most diplomatic voice, "It really isn't practical to take two cars. Why don't we drop one off and travel together?" She paused theatrically. "You need to rest your knee; why don't I drive?"
Larry smiled at Ren's clumsy attempt to be tactful. To be honest, he had been glad that his dark colouring had hidden his humiliation at his clumsiness, and his knee did hurt quite a bit. He was sure that she drove as well as she did everything else, but he couldn't resist pushing one of her buttons. "Are you a better driver than you are a carpenter?"
Ren bristled visibly at his words. His reference to one of her few failures stung her pride, and she was on the verge of flinging a scathing remark of her own when she realized that Larry was smiling! She couldn't believe how easily he had managed to wind her up! Was she really that predictable? She took a deep breath, and said in a brittle tone "I guess you'll have to judge for yourself, won't you?"
She set a blistering pace out of the parking lot, knowing that she was overreacting but unable to control her anger. She prided herself on her ability to keep her cool, but sometimes she had to leave the scene before she could trust herself. Why did she allow Beales to get to her like this? The only other person who could make her this angry was her younger brother, Louis, but at least she understood their relationship. She didn't have a clue what was going on between her and Larry.
Trying to keep Ren's blue Bug in sight, Larry shook his head. He hadn't meant to make her angry, but considering his track record, it was understandable that she wouldn't realize he was joking. He sighed as she pulled to a stop in front of his house. He turned into the driveway and wrestled himself and his gym bag out of the car. As he made his painful journey to the front door, he looked at Ren, still bristling in the front seat of her car. He must be insane! He quickly put the car keys on the rack where his father expected to find them and emptied his bag into the laundry basket. Carefully locking the door behind him and pocketing the house keys, he approached the curb, feeling like a man going to the gallows. As he limped slowly across the lawn, Ren's bent head caught his attention. Her soft brown hair gleamed in the late afternoon sunlight. She wore it longer than was currently fashionable, but for the first time he realized that he was glad she had never cut it. Long hair suited her personality; she was what people called an old-fashioned girl. There was something about long hair; when a girl pushed her hair behind her ears, or her hair brushed your face when she kissed you…startled by the direction his thoughts were taking, he made a determined effort to think about something else. Like apologizing to Ren.
As Larry opened the passenger side door, Ren tried to collect herself. She owed him an apology for behaving the way she had; he had made a teasing remark and she had been too self-important to see the humour in it. Before he was properly seated, she blurted out "I'm sorry I snapped at you. I don't know why I reacted like that; I usually have more of a sense of humour."
Larry smiled bleakly and stared out the windscreen. "I know why. You don't trust me. You have no reason to trust me." He paused and took a deep breath. "I have no idea why we're sitting here, together. You're clearly still mad at me, and I can't blame you. Thanks for the offer, but this isn't working out. I'll see you in school tomorrow, and we can ignore each other as usual."
Ren jumped when he slammed the door. She watched him walk around the car and hobble back to his front door. As he fumbled for his keys, she stepped out of the car and walked over to him. Hand outstretched, she composed her face, putting on a polite expression; "Hello there. My name is Ren Stevens; I live just around the block."
Larry looked at her as though she had lost her mind; she wasn't so sure that she hadn't. This was the only thing she could think of to keep their new friendship from dissolving before it even got started. As he looked at her extended hand and made no attempt to take it, Ren was shocked at how desperate she was. Why was it suddenly so important that they were friends?
Larry looked at Ren as she stood there reaching out to him. He knew what she was doing; he just wasn't sure there was any point to it. They had barely managed to be civil to each other for longer than five minutes in seventeen years; only a fool would think that they could ever change such a tumultuous relationship. As he took her hand, he flashed his cockiest grin; there was no way that he could refuse this opportunity to start over. "Larry Beales. I've seen you around, at school. I live here with my father."