As the bells rang to signal the end of the day, the students of Arcadia
High filed out the front doors and headed home. Luke met Joan near the
bottom of the steps. As she turned to him, he noticed something. "You've
been crying," he said. It was a statement, not a question.
"Yes," was Joan's reply. "Is there anything I can do? You know I'm here for you." Luke asked her. "I don't think so," she said. "Well, at least tell me what's going on. I want to decide if I can help." Joan took a breath, then said, "Okay. I said something to Adam I shouldn't have, and we didn't part on good terms. I haven't seen him again all day, so I don't know if I wrecked things."
Luke told her, "You're right. I don't think there is much I can do there. Although, maybe I can talk to him-," "No," Joan said. "I'd like to just work this out myself, if I can." By now, Luke could see the tears welling up in her eyes again. He said, "If that's what you want, then okay, I won't do anything. If you change your mind, I'll always be here."
Joan noticed Adam coming down the stairs, and called to him. He glanced over, then turned back and kept going. "I'll fix this. Just wait and see," she told Luke before leaving and heading back home.
Luke shook his head at how badly his sister could screw things up for herself. Then he looked back at the door and saw Grace coming out. He quickly made his way over to her. "So where do you want to do this?" "Just wait for all these people to leave," she said.
After a couple minutes the coast was clear, and Grace started things out. "As you've probably gathered, I'm not very fond of PDAs." "What's PDAs?" Luke responded. "Boy, you really are a nerd, aren't you? Public display of affection." "Oh. Yeah, I did notice that." "So you'll understand if I'm hesitant about taking this thing any further."
"We've been here. We should try to come to some kind of final decision right now." "All right. You want more, I don't." "Yeah, I know you have a reputation to keep," Here Grace made her move. "Stop talking. Okay, I didn't want to say this, but I will. The reputation thing's not all that's keeping me from a real relationship."
Luke was caught off guard. "All right, so what else is there?" "I don't think I'm ready for one." Both of them just looked at each other for a few seconds. Finally Luke said, "That was unexpected. Not at all like, well, Grace." "There's more to me than the anti thing. I'm a complicated person."
Luke couldn't believe what he was hearing. "So there's no chance? It's over?" Grace shook her head. "Who knows? When I am ready, I'll probably go for you." This didn't do much to placate Luke, so she went on. "Hey. My bat mitzvah party's in a few months. You and Joan are invited. Maybe I'll feel differently when I'm a woman." Luke was a little more pleased with that, so Grace gave him a quick peck on the cheek and walked away.
"Yes," was Joan's reply. "Is there anything I can do? You know I'm here for you." Luke asked her. "I don't think so," she said. "Well, at least tell me what's going on. I want to decide if I can help." Joan took a breath, then said, "Okay. I said something to Adam I shouldn't have, and we didn't part on good terms. I haven't seen him again all day, so I don't know if I wrecked things."
Luke told her, "You're right. I don't think there is much I can do there. Although, maybe I can talk to him-," "No," Joan said. "I'd like to just work this out myself, if I can." By now, Luke could see the tears welling up in her eyes again. He said, "If that's what you want, then okay, I won't do anything. If you change your mind, I'll always be here."
Joan noticed Adam coming down the stairs, and called to him. He glanced over, then turned back and kept going. "I'll fix this. Just wait and see," she told Luke before leaving and heading back home.
Luke shook his head at how badly his sister could screw things up for herself. Then he looked back at the door and saw Grace coming out. He quickly made his way over to her. "So where do you want to do this?" "Just wait for all these people to leave," she said.
After a couple minutes the coast was clear, and Grace started things out. "As you've probably gathered, I'm not very fond of PDAs." "What's PDAs?" Luke responded. "Boy, you really are a nerd, aren't you? Public display of affection." "Oh. Yeah, I did notice that." "So you'll understand if I'm hesitant about taking this thing any further."
"We've been here. We should try to come to some kind of final decision right now." "All right. You want more, I don't." "Yeah, I know you have a reputation to keep," Here Grace made her move. "Stop talking. Okay, I didn't want to say this, but I will. The reputation thing's not all that's keeping me from a real relationship."
Luke was caught off guard. "All right, so what else is there?" "I don't think I'm ready for one." Both of them just looked at each other for a few seconds. Finally Luke said, "That was unexpected. Not at all like, well, Grace." "There's more to me than the anti thing. I'm a complicated person."
Luke couldn't believe what he was hearing. "So there's no chance? It's over?" Grace shook her head. "Who knows? When I am ready, I'll probably go for you." This didn't do much to placate Luke, so she went on. "Hey. My bat mitzvah party's in a few months. You and Joan are invited. Maybe I'll feel differently when I'm a woman." Luke was a little more pleased with that, so Grace gave him a quick peck on the cheek and walked away.