New Kid In Town (I Don't Wanna Hear It)
First Tuesday in October
Lunch
Drake didn't know where Josh went on his lunch hour now and nor did
he care. He did leave the building with his ugly avocado green binder
and a box of legal sized envelopes. One of his guy friends said he locks
himself in a car and writes a bunch of letters while he munches on a brown-
bagged lunch with fruit juice.
More pining for the Creature Crenshaw Drake assumed and that was
the extent of his caring about Josh and his lunchtime activities.
"You and Josh are still not talking?" Torey asked
It was a shame because underneath it all Drake Parker and Josh
Nichols were more alike then they were different.
"There's nothing to say to him."
"I love you." she whispered
Drake kissed her hand. Torey had a wonderful heart just like his mother.
She wanted them to make up and he loved her more for it. Unlike
Audrey, Torey was not nagging him on the subject. Even Walter wasn't
pushing it, because they've been down this road before and it was time
to treat their sons as young adults and not children.
The family crisis was briefly forgotten when a guy tall, a little on the lanky
side, early '60s dirty blonde Beatle-ish hair 'do, and carrying a
tangerine colored Fender strat walked in the cafeteria. Followed by the
girls that used to chase after Drake.
"Holy Snot! Who in the Hell is that?"
"I don't know his name but he transferred over from Clairemont."
Torey saw the young guy in the office this morning when she was getting
a box of red pencils for her homeroom teacher.
Drake bit his lip. He wasn't jealous of the female admirers. He had one
female admirer and that's all he needed. But he didn't understand why
he felt pangs of jealously regarding this mysterious transfer student from
Clairemont High.
"I'm sure you are a much better musician. And you're obviously way
cuter than he is."
Drake smiled.
"Thank you."
He hoped that when the time came that Torey would say 'yes' to his
most important question.
After SchoolIt was three fifty-seven in the afternoon when Josh walked into the
house. He didn't have to work today. No one else was home. Drake he
knew was taking Torey to work and then going to Guitar World for his
job. Megan was at soccer practice and Mom and Dad were at their
jobs. Josh got a calling card so when he used the family phone none of
the charges or anything else concerning this call would show up on the
billing statement.
Darn. All that trouble for a stupid voice mail message.
"This is Josh. I thought about it and I'll talk to Mom and Dad on Sunday.
Until then let's not contact each other except for emails. I want to save
my minutes on this calling card. And I can't use my cell phone because
I'm in the family plan. Talk later. Bye."
He figured he better get started on his homework. Josh could get 'A''s
easy. It just came to knowing what your teachers expected out of you
and then all you had to do was say the words that they wanted to hear.
Joshakaazam! An easy 'A' was had.
After Work"Hmm," Torey slid her hands down Drake's shoulders after an extended
goodnight kiss on her porch, "Are you sure you have to leave?"
"Yep. I have a big a surprise tomorrow." He kissed her on her lips.
She remembered the strawberry lip-gloss. He was going to have to
relive this moment later in a locked bathroom.
"I'll look forward to it. Goodnight, Drake."
"Goodnight, Torey. Go ahead dream naughty I won't tell anyone."
She blushed. "Same to you, Drake. And don't worry about that idiot in
school today. You're much more cooler."
Another kiss. And he had to meet Walter and Audrey. He was surprised
that they weren't waiting here beeping their car horn in an embarrassing
parental way.
That had to be Dad's doing. Because he could really picture his Mom
actually doing that.So score another point for Walter.
"I really should be going."
"You said that five minutes ago, Drake."
Drake pulled Torey closer to him, "I know. I don't want to leave."
This was real romance and there was no way that Josh could ever have
this with Mindy!
"I don't want you to either."
Which could have been code for: Tonight, Let's go all the way
"One last kiss until tomorrow," Drake actually wouldn't mind if he got
caught in a rainstorm right now, it would relieve some of the tension,
"Love you, Torey."
"I love you too, Drake."
Torey didn't enter her house until Drake faded from sight.
Drake walked back to Guitar World so that Walter could pick him up.
Hmm, that was odd. He thought his mother wanted to be here?
"Sorry, I'm late." Drake buckled his seat belt.
"No, you're not," Walter smiled, "Torey's a beautiful girl."
Drake forced himself to not blush at the mere mention of her name.
"I thought Mom wanted to be here."
"She thought this was something that we should do together. She
means well."
"She shouldn't worry so much."
"Did you bring your checkbook?"
"Yep. I hope Mom's not mad that I want to buy a used car. I know you
guys wanted to look at some new models."
"We can do that anytime."
Drake was impressed. His Dad was not bugging him about the state of
things between him and Josh. While Walter was not Spidey, he still was
a good guy.
He couldn't wait to pick up Torey tomorrow in his brand new (well to
him) used cherry red (it would match his Fender) 1988 Pontiac Fiero
GT convertible.
Rockers weren't meant to walk and besides he had to show up that
unnamed moron at school tomorrow and silently tell him that his minivan
(Minivan? What rock and roll minded person would drive a minivan,
unless they had a bunch of kids?) was the most uncool car a senior in
high school could have. It didn't dawn on Drake until he was in bed at
twelve o'clock midnight that he didn't even think of Josh this evening
until he saw him sleeping in his bed.
And he didn't feel bad about that one bit.