Chapter Ten:
"KRISTY!" Mary Anne screamed at me as she lunged for the fuzzy yellow tennis
ball that whizzed by me--and missed. She fell onto her stomach with a supressed
groan, her lips pursed and drawn up into her left cheek. I snapped out of my
daze and started laughing at her expression. "Kristy!" she repeated as she stood
up, trying to hide her smile as she dusted herself off. "What is up with you
today? You don't usually slack off on any sports."
"I know." I replied, bending to pick up the ball and then throwing it back to
Dawn and Mallory who were our doubles opponents. "I just haven't been myself
lately."
Mary Anne laughed. "That's for sure. Time out!" she added to the other two and
the four of us headed to the benches beside the tennis courts. Mallory headed
for the water fountain to get herself a drink while Dawn bent to re-tie her
shoelaces. I felt a little foolish. Here I was, Kristy Thomas, Queen of All
Sports... and I was losing to Dawn Schafer and Mallory Pike.
"So, spill." Mary Anne said as she set her racket down. "What's up?"
"I don't know." I lied, of course I was thinking about Cary and what we had done
a few nights ago. I still get chills and shivers when I think about it. "I
guess...No, I don't know."
Mary Anne looked skeptical but knew enough not to push it. "Well, I guess you're
just having a slump--I've been in one ever since summer began."
"Yeah, I could kind of see that. How are you doing these days?" I asked, just to
change the subject.
"Fine." Mary Anne told me. "It helps to have Dawn back. Especially now that
she's calmed down about Jason. She rarely talks about him at all."
"That's a first." I said. Dawn had been infatuated with him since she stepped
off the plane and found people who didn't know about Jason, The Great.
But...just as Dawn was starting to calm down, I was starting to realize how she
felt about her boyfriend. Because that was how I felt about Cary. I couldn't
stop thinking about him, only I didn't have anyone to blab about him to. And, in
a way, I didn't want to talk about him to anyone. It wasn't that I wasn't proud
to be with Cary, it's just that...our relationship is... special. I wanted to
keep it special and not wear it out by talking about it constantly. I suddenly
understood the saying that silence was golden. It kept love sacred.
"So," Mallory said after she returned. "How about one more match before calling
it quits--remember, Kristy, we need to baby-sit for the Barrett-Dewitt kids in
two hours."
"Right." I replied. It's always an adventure baby-sitting for the Barrett-Dewitt
bunch, maybe they'd help to keep my mind off of Cary for awhile.
"Give me my diary, Buddy!" Lindsey screamed, chasing Buddy around the living
room.
"I'm not going to read it! I just want to rip out the pages!" Buddy called,
laughing over his shoulder.
"Auggghhh!"
"WahhAH!"
"EWW!"
"MINE! MINE! MINE!"
I glanced at Mallory, who looked a little dazed. The Dewitts had only been gone
for half an hour, but the house was in an uproar. Buddy had stolen Lindsey's
diary and was now running a break-neck speed, trying to open the lock at the
same time. Lindsey was chasing, hopping and tripping over all the stuff in the
house as she charged after Buddy. On the floor, Suzi, Marnie and Taylor were
playing a game of Candy Land. The latters in tears. And Madeleine and Ryan were
making soggy Play Doh pies on the floor. It wasn't just uproar. It was a
nightmare.
I gave Mal a nod and she took care of the stationary children while I took off
after Buddy and Lindsey. I followed their screams up the stairs, down the hall,
then up the hall an nter and dashed out of the kitchen. Buddy zoomed out of the
house, Lindsey at his heels and me at Lindsey's. If I hadn't been so set, I
would have burst out laughing because of how ridiculous we must have looked. All
this for a book? It all ended when Buddy started running in a huge circle and I
cut threw it and grabbed him up in my arms.
Quickly, Lindsey snatched her diary from Buddy's hands and darted for the house.
"Hey! Wait!" I called after her, dropping Buddy to the ground.
"Ouch." he said.
"Sorry--stay there." I said. "Lindsey! Come back here! We need to communicate
about this!"
The chase was on again, I chased Lindsey back into the house, into the living
room, up the stairs, down the hall and then came to a dead end at her door just
as I heard the click of the lock.
"Lindsey!" I shouted through the door, knocking. "Lindsey, open the door,
please? Can we talk about this?"
"N-n-n-no!" Lindsey said shakily. I could tell she was crying.
"Lindsey, please? Tell me what's wrong. I might be able to help."
I expected more 'no's' but after a few moments of silence, the door unlocked and
Lindsey's little face appeared through a narrow opening.
"Lindsey, what's wrong?"
"B-b-b-buddy t-t-t-tried t-t-t-o r-r-r-read my d-d-d-d-diary!" She said
tearfully. "H-h-h-h-he knows about my c-c-c-cru...cru..."
"Cru...crush?" I asked.
Lindsey nodded, just dipping her head slightly. "He's going t-to t-tell
e-e-everyoooonnneee!"
"Buddy won't tell ANYone." I told her. "Big brothers do that just to scare or
tease you. Believe me, I know. Can I come in?"
Lindsey hesitated before stepping back, I guess that was a good sign.
"Big brothers can be real pains." I said after a moment of sizing up Lindsey's
side of the room that she shared with Madeleine. It was girlie to the extreme.
Pink. Fairies. Unicorns. Stars. Glitter. The whole bit. Did I mention pink? I
thought it would be best to start with the big guns: Boys are pains.
"Yes, they can." she said softly, picking up a fluffy white teddy bear and
hugging it close.
"But, just because they're pains, doesn't mean that they don't care about you.
They tease you a lot, and there may be nothing you can do about it, but..." I
trailed off. I didn't really know what to say, I was just throwing out words,
hoping some of it will make sense.
"Boys are so stupid." Lindsey said fiercely.
I thought for a moment. "That isn't all true." I said, then sat next to her.
"There must be at least one special boy if you like him."
Lindsey looked angry but her features broke into an embarrassed blush. "Only
some..."
"So," I said, sitting back and picking at a puppy dog's ears. "Who is this boy?"
I thought it would be a good idea to get her mind off Buddy.
Lindsey smiled but shook her head, her tears drying up.
"No, huh?" I said. "Okay, he can remain anonymous." I paused and tried to think
like Mary Anne. "Is...he...cute?"
Lindsey giggled and nodded. "Really cute."
I got Lindsey talking some more and a realization hit me. The boy she liked was
Nicky Pike. Mallory's little brother.
"I've never felt this way before." Lindsey said dreamily.
"I know how you feel." I mumbled without thinking.
"You do?" she asked.
Before I could think of something to get me out of the conversation, Buddy's
voice rang in from the yard.
"Kris-tee! It's getting dark! Can I come in now?"
"Oops." I said, laughing.
Lindsey giggled.
"Well, should we let him in?" I asked.
Lindsey thought for a moment. "Okay."
It was nearly eight o' clock when I arrived home. I was exhausted and just
climbing the five steps to our door took it out of me. Once I got through the
door, I saw Nannie sitting on the couch, watching a re-run of Unsolved
Mysteries.
"Isn't Robert Stack the greatest?" she asked me with a wry smile as I came in.
"The one and only." I said. "How was your day, Nannie?"
"Okay." she replied, looking star-struck at Mr. Stack. "Yours?"
"Same." I said.
Nannie looked thoughtful for a moment before speaking up. "Oh! Cary Retlin
called about an hour ago. He asked if you could call him back when you got home.
Didn't matter what time, he said. If I didn't know better, Ms. K.," she said
with a sly, playful grin. "I'd say that boy is dog GONE over you!"
"NANnie!" I exclaimed, blushing furiously.
"Kristy, I would give anything to be young and in love again." she said. "And
Cary seems like the pick of the litter."
I thanked Nannie and hurried up to my room to call up Cary.
The phone rang only two times before Cary picked up.
"Hi." I said, feeling my exhaustion lift.
"Hi, Kristy." he said, sounding how I felt. "I called earlier but--"
"I was at a baby-sitting job." I said, then quickly added, "Don't ask."
"Bad?" he asked.
"I told you not to ask." I scolded.
"Sorry." he said sheepishly. "But, really, how are you doing?"
"I'm okay. What about you? What did you need?"
Cary didn't say anything. "I don't know."
"You don't know?" I repeated.
"I guess I just wanted to talk to you...and tell you something."
"Really? What?" I asked, snuggling next to a pillow. I could barely force back
the elated smile on my face.
"Well, if you wanted...my parents are going to visit my Aunt's house up Maine in
a few days."
"Do Ben and Stieg need a baby-sitter again?"
"No." He said. "They're taking my brothers with them. They said I could stay
here if I wanted. I don't have a pleasant life with my cousins. They're morons."
"So you'll be by yourself?" I asked, my heart pounding, not sure how to feel.
"Oh...poor baby."
"Yeah. I may need a sitter." Cary said, sounding depressed.
It was corny. This conversation was corny, but I loved it.
"I was thinking, if you wanted, you could spend the night." Cary said, his voice
sounding hesitant, unsure.
My heart leapt and I swallowed hard.
This was it...
"KRISTY!" Mary Anne screamed at me as she lunged for the fuzzy yellow tennis
ball that whizzed by me--and missed. She fell onto her stomach with a supressed
groan, her lips pursed and drawn up into her left cheek. I snapped out of my
daze and started laughing at her expression. "Kristy!" she repeated as she stood
up, trying to hide her smile as she dusted herself off. "What is up with you
today? You don't usually slack off on any sports."
"I know." I replied, bending to pick up the ball and then throwing it back to
Dawn and Mallory who were our doubles opponents. "I just haven't been myself
lately."
Mary Anne laughed. "That's for sure. Time out!" she added to the other two and
the four of us headed to the benches beside the tennis courts. Mallory headed
for the water fountain to get herself a drink while Dawn bent to re-tie her
shoelaces. I felt a little foolish. Here I was, Kristy Thomas, Queen of All
Sports... and I was losing to Dawn Schafer and Mallory Pike.
"So, spill." Mary Anne said as she set her racket down. "What's up?"
"I don't know." I lied, of course I was thinking about Cary and what we had done
a few nights ago. I still get chills and shivers when I think about it. "I
guess...No, I don't know."
Mary Anne looked skeptical but knew enough not to push it. "Well, I guess you're
just having a slump--I've been in one ever since summer began."
"Yeah, I could kind of see that. How are you doing these days?" I asked, just to
change the subject.
"Fine." Mary Anne told me. "It helps to have Dawn back. Especially now that
she's calmed down about Jason. She rarely talks about him at all."
"That's a first." I said. Dawn had been infatuated with him since she stepped
off the plane and found people who didn't know about Jason, The Great.
But...just as Dawn was starting to calm down, I was starting to realize how she
felt about her boyfriend. Because that was how I felt about Cary. I couldn't
stop thinking about him, only I didn't have anyone to blab about him to. And, in
a way, I didn't want to talk about him to anyone. It wasn't that I wasn't proud
to be with Cary, it's just that...our relationship is... special. I wanted to
keep it special and not wear it out by talking about it constantly. I suddenly
understood the saying that silence was golden. It kept love sacred.
"So," Mallory said after she returned. "How about one more match before calling
it quits--remember, Kristy, we need to baby-sit for the Barrett-Dewitt kids in
two hours."
"Right." I replied. It's always an adventure baby-sitting for the Barrett-Dewitt
bunch, maybe they'd help to keep my mind off of Cary for awhile.
"Give me my diary, Buddy!" Lindsey screamed, chasing Buddy around the living
room.
"I'm not going to read it! I just want to rip out the pages!" Buddy called,
laughing over his shoulder.
"Auggghhh!"
"WahhAH!"
"EWW!"
"MINE! MINE! MINE!"
I glanced at Mallory, who looked a little dazed. The Dewitts had only been gone
for half an hour, but the house was in an uproar. Buddy had stolen Lindsey's
diary and was now running a break-neck speed, trying to open the lock at the
same time. Lindsey was chasing, hopping and tripping over all the stuff in the
house as she charged after Buddy. On the floor, Suzi, Marnie and Taylor were
playing a game of Candy Land. The latters in tears. And Madeleine and Ryan were
making soggy Play Doh pies on the floor. It wasn't just uproar. It was a
nightmare.
I gave Mal a nod and she took care of the stationary children while I took off
after Buddy and Lindsey. I followed their screams up the stairs, down the hall,
then up the hall an nter and dashed out of the kitchen. Buddy zoomed out of the
house, Lindsey at his heels and me at Lindsey's. If I hadn't been so set, I
would have burst out laughing because of how ridiculous we must have looked. All
this for a book? It all ended when Buddy started running in a huge circle and I
cut threw it and grabbed him up in my arms.
Quickly, Lindsey snatched her diary from Buddy's hands and darted for the house.
"Hey! Wait!" I called after her, dropping Buddy to the ground.
"Ouch." he said.
"Sorry--stay there." I said. "Lindsey! Come back here! We need to communicate
about this!"
The chase was on again, I chased Lindsey back into the house, into the living
room, up the stairs, down the hall and then came to a dead end at her door just
as I heard the click of the lock.
"Lindsey!" I shouted through the door, knocking. "Lindsey, open the door,
please? Can we talk about this?"
"N-n-n-no!" Lindsey said shakily. I could tell she was crying.
"Lindsey, please? Tell me what's wrong. I might be able to help."
I expected more 'no's' but after a few moments of silence, the door unlocked and
Lindsey's little face appeared through a narrow opening.
"Lindsey, what's wrong?"
"B-b-b-buddy t-t-t-tried t-t-t-o r-r-r-read my d-d-d-d-diary!" She said
tearfully. "H-h-h-h-he knows about my c-c-c-cru...cru..."
"Cru...crush?" I asked.
Lindsey nodded, just dipping her head slightly. "He's going t-to t-tell
e-e-everyoooonnneee!"
"Buddy won't tell ANYone." I told her. "Big brothers do that just to scare or
tease you. Believe me, I know. Can I come in?"
Lindsey hesitated before stepping back, I guess that was a good sign.
"Big brothers can be real pains." I said after a moment of sizing up Lindsey's
side of the room that she shared with Madeleine. It was girlie to the extreme.
Pink. Fairies. Unicorns. Stars. Glitter. The whole bit. Did I mention pink? I
thought it would be best to start with the big guns: Boys are pains.
"Yes, they can." she said softly, picking up a fluffy white teddy bear and
hugging it close.
"But, just because they're pains, doesn't mean that they don't care about you.
They tease you a lot, and there may be nothing you can do about it, but..." I
trailed off. I didn't really know what to say, I was just throwing out words,
hoping some of it will make sense.
"Boys are so stupid." Lindsey said fiercely.
I thought for a moment. "That isn't all true." I said, then sat next to her.
"There must be at least one special boy if you like him."
Lindsey looked angry but her features broke into an embarrassed blush. "Only
some..."
"So," I said, sitting back and picking at a puppy dog's ears. "Who is this boy?"
I thought it would be a good idea to get her mind off Buddy.
Lindsey smiled but shook her head, her tears drying up.
"No, huh?" I said. "Okay, he can remain anonymous." I paused and tried to think
like Mary Anne. "Is...he...cute?"
Lindsey giggled and nodded. "Really cute."
I got Lindsey talking some more and a realization hit me. The boy she liked was
Nicky Pike. Mallory's little brother.
"I've never felt this way before." Lindsey said dreamily.
"I know how you feel." I mumbled without thinking.
"You do?" she asked.
Before I could think of something to get me out of the conversation, Buddy's
voice rang in from the yard.
"Kris-tee! It's getting dark! Can I come in now?"
"Oops." I said, laughing.
Lindsey giggled.
"Well, should we let him in?" I asked.
Lindsey thought for a moment. "Okay."
It was nearly eight o' clock when I arrived home. I was exhausted and just
climbing the five steps to our door took it out of me. Once I got through the
door, I saw Nannie sitting on the couch, watching a re-run of Unsolved
Mysteries.
"Isn't Robert Stack the greatest?" she asked me with a wry smile as I came in.
"The one and only." I said. "How was your day, Nannie?"
"Okay." she replied, looking star-struck at Mr. Stack. "Yours?"
"Same." I said.
Nannie looked thoughtful for a moment before speaking up. "Oh! Cary Retlin
called about an hour ago. He asked if you could call him back when you got home.
Didn't matter what time, he said. If I didn't know better, Ms. K.," she said
with a sly, playful grin. "I'd say that boy is dog GONE over you!"
"NANnie!" I exclaimed, blushing furiously.
"Kristy, I would give anything to be young and in love again." she said. "And
Cary seems like the pick of the litter."
I thanked Nannie and hurried up to my room to call up Cary.
The phone rang only two times before Cary picked up.
"Hi." I said, feeling my exhaustion lift.
"Hi, Kristy." he said, sounding how I felt. "I called earlier but--"
"I was at a baby-sitting job." I said, then quickly added, "Don't ask."
"Bad?" he asked.
"I told you not to ask." I scolded.
"Sorry." he said sheepishly. "But, really, how are you doing?"
"I'm okay. What about you? What did you need?"
Cary didn't say anything. "I don't know."
"You don't know?" I repeated.
"I guess I just wanted to talk to you...and tell you something."
"Really? What?" I asked, snuggling next to a pillow. I could barely force back
the elated smile on my face.
"Well, if you wanted...my parents are going to visit my Aunt's house up Maine in
a few days."
"Do Ben and Stieg need a baby-sitter again?"
"No." He said. "They're taking my brothers with them. They said I could stay
here if I wanted. I don't have a pleasant life with my cousins. They're morons."
"So you'll be by yourself?" I asked, my heart pounding, not sure how to feel.
"Oh...poor baby."
"Yeah. I may need a sitter." Cary said, sounding depressed.
It was corny. This conversation was corny, but I loved it.
"I was thinking, if you wanted, you could spend the night." Cary said, his voice
sounding hesitant, unsure.
My heart leapt and I swallowed hard.
This was it...