ANOTHER SCHOOL YEAR
Jed Curry had just turned nine years old two weeks before school started for the winter session. This put him in the fourth grade. His cousin and best friend Han was in the seventh grade and would be graduating out of school in a little over a year.
School made Jed feel confined, stuck inside the one room schoolhouse for seven hours a day was torture for him. He struggled with every one of the three Rs, reading, 'riting, 'rithmetic. He much preferred working on the family farm with the two of his four older brothers and his three older sisters that were all still living at home. Even more, he much preferred practicing his sharp-shooting accuracy with the Colt .45 his father had given him for his eighth birthday.
The only thing good about school as far as Jed was concerned was the presence of his cousin Han. Despite the three years age difference, the two boys were as close as brothers. That is, until this school year, when two new girls, Jessica and Clementine Hale became students.
Clementine was Han's age and Han was immediately smitten with her which seriously cut in to the time he spent with Jed. Jessica was eleven, but had missed an entire year of school due to illness, so the teacher placed her in the fourth grade and sat her in the double desk seat next to Jed. Jessica was immediately taken with Jed's curly blonde hair and took every opportunity available to smile sweetly at the aloof Jed Curry.
At first recess Jed darted out the door and down the steps, and waited impatiently for Han to emerge. When he did, Jed raced back up the stairs and grabbed Han's wrist and tugged him down the stairs and around the side of the building to the stark, bare oak tree.
"Miss Walters stuck that new girl right beside me, Did you see that Han? Right beside me!" Jed complained.
"Aw, Jed. That's not such a bad thing. You'll see. You're getting older now. I bet by the end of the year you'll be smitten with that girl."
"I ain't gonna be smitten with no girl!" Jed exclaimed. "She smells like...lilacs!"
"What's wrong with that?"
"I don't want to be smelling flowers all day, Han. I'd just as soon smell horse manure."
Han sniffed the air. "You're not far from smelling like that yourself, Jed," Han teased.
Jed snorted. "Sometimes Han, you're no help at all."
"I'm sorry, Jed. It's just that... girl's ain't really all that bad. You're going to be realizing that someday soon. Just wait and see."
Jed sighed heavily. "I gotta think of a way to get my seat changed," he grumbled.
By the end of the week Jed was every bit as miserable as he had been at the start of the week. To make matters worse, Miss Walters gave the fourth grade class a math test. Jed sighed heavily and visible shrunk down in his seat. He studied the first of five math problems and began making chicken scratches on the paper. After a couple of minutes he was satisfied with his answer and moved on to the next problem. By the time there was only five minutes left, Jed began reading the final problem when he felt a nudge in his side. Jed first glanced up at the teacher to be sure she was not looking. Then he moved his eyes sideways toward Jessica. She was quietly pointing her finger at her answer to the fifth math problem. Jed again glanced up at the teacher. Then he looked at Jessica's paper and quickly scratched the answer on his own test paper. He moved his eyes toward her again and gave her a quick smile of thanks. The fourth grade test bell rang and all the fourth graders dutifully put their pencils down on their desks while Miss Walters picked up their papers. Once the test papers were collected, Miss Walters dismissed the fourth graders to early recess.
"You have trouble with multiplication?" Jessica asked Jed once they were outside.
Jed suddenly felt nervous talking to a girl. He shook his head and shrugged.
"I'm good at multiplication. I could help you learn it," she offered.
Jed bit his lower lip. "Okay," he said shyly.
"It's really just a matter of memorizing the tables. We can make flash cards at recess. That way you can study them anytime you want to."
"Thanks," Jed said.
The other students started walking out of the school for recess. Jed spied Han. "I gotta go," he said and ran up the stairs and grabbed Han by the wrist and led him around to the side yard near the oak tree.
"Han, guess what! She's not like other girls!" Jed exclaimed.
Han smiled. "What do you mean?"
"She gave me one of her answers on the math quiz! The multiplication one! And she said she'll help me learn the tables."
"Aw, she likes you, Jed."
Jed took a step back. "No she don't," he exclaimed.
"Jed, that's a good thing. Don't get so proddy. When a girl likes you, she does stuff like that. I bet by the end of next week she'll be offering to share her lunch with you."
"But Han, she's eleven. She's an older woman!" Jed exclaimed.
Han smiled."Slow down, Jed. You ain't marrying her. At your age, two years don't matter."
"I still don't like girls, Han. But, she just ain't like the other girls. She don't tease me, or call me blondie."
"Then don't think of her as a girl, Jed. Just think of her as a friend."
The bell rang announcing the end of recess and everyone scurried back into the building.
At the end of the day, Jed was, as usual, one of the first ones out the door. He stood at the foot of the steps and waited impatiently for Han.
"Race you home, Han,"
"I can't Jed. I promised Clementine I would walk her home. You can walk Jessica home if you want to join us."
Jed looked aghast at Han.
"If you do, Jed, we could practice the time tables," Jessica said.
"Yea, Jed," Han added. "And then you and I can walk home from there."
Jed sighed. "Alright," he mumbled.
Han and Clementine walked several paces ahead of Jed and Jessica who worked on two times such and such for the two mile walk to the Hale's farmstead. Han carried Clementines books, but Jed did not offer to carry Jessica's.
Once the girls were safely home, Han and Jed took a shortcut to Han's house.
"You taken a shine to Clementine?" Jed asked.
Han smiled. "She is cute with that little pug nose," Han said.
"She your girlfriend?" Jed asked.
Han put a hand on Jed's shoulder. "Don't worry, Jed. You and I will always be partners."
Jed smiled. "You promise, Han?"
Han patted Jed's shoulder. "I promise,"
And so the winter session of school progressed. School was closed April and May for planting season. Jed relished the time away from school and spent every spare moment practicing his shooting skills. He had become very accurate and was now working on speed, as well as accuracy. His days were spent at home or at Han's and he didn't see the Hale girls at all.
School resumed in May and would last through mid August when there would be another lengthy break for harvesting. Jed and Jessica continued to share a double desk. Jed was already seated when Jessica sat down and handed Jed a stack of cards. "I made flash cards for you," she said sweetly.
Jed looked at the cards. The front had a multiplication problem on it and the back had the answer. "We can use them at recess," Jessica said.
Jed stuffed the cards into his back pocket. "Thanks," he mumbled
"Han's been seeing a lot of my sister," she whispered.
Jed's eyes grew wide. "He has?" he whispered back.
She nodded. "He's been coming over for supper at least once or twice a week."
Jed felt anger building up inside him. Han had not mentioned that to him. Jed glanced over to Han to shoot him a angry glare, but Han was talking to Clem and didn't notice him.
At recess Jed darted out the door and ran quickly into the woods where he couldn't be seen. Jed saw Jessica looking for him. Then he saw Han and Clem standing together talking and ...laughing. He felt betrayed and angry. When the bell rang, he waited till everyone and returned to the classroom before leaving the woods and walking into the school alone.
At the end of the day, he waited until everyone had left before dragging himself out of his seat. When he got to the door he was surprised to see Han, Clem, and Jessica waiting for him.
"You ready, Jed?" Han asked.
"I... I can't today. I gotta get home," Jed said and darted down the road toward his house.
"What's with him?" Clem asked.
Han shrugged. "Must be behind on his chores," he replied, not giving it a second thought.
When Jed got to his house he dashed into the barn and climbed the ladder to the loft. He wedged his way in between bales of hay and sulked.
Jed was surprised and not particularly pleased when an hour later, Han poked his head into the loft. Han spied Jed wedged between the bales of hay and he walked over and sat down in front of them, effectively trapping Jed in his spot so he would be forced to talk this through.
"I'm sorry, Kid, I should have told you I was seeing Clementine outside of school."
"I ain't a kid," Jed replied. "Are you courting her?"
"Courting her! No! I ain't gonna marry her, Jed. I just enjoy her company."
"What's the point of enjoying her company if you ain't courting her and you ain't going to marry her?"
"Do you enjoy Jessica's company?"
"Not enough to take meals at her house!"
Han smiled but changed the subject.
"Have you noticed that Jessica is starting to fill out a bit?"
"You think she's getting fat?"
Han laughed. "No, Kid, filling out in a female way."
"I didn't notice. Ma says it ain't right for a boy to notice such things."
"Well, in spite of what your ma says, take a good look at her tomorrow. You'll see the changes. And, by the way, Kid. Your ma is wrong about that, just ask you pa... in private where your ma won't hear you."
"How do you know these things, Han?"
Han smiled. "You'll know your share by the time you're my age," he assured Jed. "I gotta go now, Kid. I'll be late for my own supper."
Han?"
"Yea, Kid?"
"Thanks for telling me."
"That's what partners are for... Kind of guide each other along the way."
Jed was actually eager to get to school the next morning. He was the first one into the school and when he sat down at his desk, he twisted around in his seat so he could watch Jessica walk in. Han was right. She was starting to fill out the dress a bit. When she sat down, Jed blushed and looked over at Han who was watching him and grinning ear to ear.
At recess, Han excused himself from Clem and went over and grabbed Jed's arm and led him over to the oak tree.
"Kid, there's a dance Saturday night. I'm going to ask Clementine to go with me. I think you should ask Jessica."
"To a dance? Ask a girl to a dance? Why?""
"If they are both planning to go, their ma might say yes."
"But Han, I'm nine. My ma won't say yes."
"Tell your ma you are going with me. I'll come by your house first and then we'll both go over to the Hales."
"What if Jessica says no?"
"She won't. But don't ask her till tomorrow. Let Clem work on her first. You know, talk her into it."
"Han, how do you know so much about women?"
"I've gone through puberty."
"What's that, Han?"
"You'll be going through it soon. Once you do, you'll know all there is to know about women."
"I'm not sure I want to know anything more."
"Will you do it, Kid?"
Jed sighed. "For you, Han."
The next day at recess Jed looked nervously across the school yard to where Han and Clem were standing. Han kept giving his head a single jerk in the direction of Jessica, trying to bolster Jed's confidence. Finally, Jed kick a clod of dirt and walked over to Jessica.
"Han says he's taking Clem to the dance Saturday."
"I heard."
"He thinks I should go."
"Are you?"
Jed looked up at her. A new wave of nervousness spreading over him. "Are you?" he asked.
"With you?" Jessica asked.
Jed fumbled for words. Finding none, he simply nodded.
"Okay," she said.
"Do you know how to dance?" Jed asked shyly
'Not really. Do you?"
Jed shook his head
"Maybe my sister could teach us," Jessica suggested.
Jed's eyes grew wide and he shook his head rapidly.
"Well, maybe Han, or one of your brothers could teach you. I'll ask Clem to teach me."
The bell ending recess rang. Jed glanced again at Han who smiled at him proudly and gave him a nod of approval. Jed just looked away.
After supper that evening, Jed walked out to the barn where his pa was fixing the spoke of a wagon wheel. Jed climbed up on a bale of hay near his pa and watched him work. Jed's pa glanced at the boy and could see is face appeared troubled about something.
"Got homework to do, Jed?" his pa asked.
Jed shook his head. "I done it already."
Mr. Curry nodded and turned his attention back to his work.
"Something on your mind, Jed," he asked without looking up.
"Pa, what's puberty?"
Mr. Curry kept his smile hidden from his son. "That's just the time in a boy's life when he goes from being a child to an adult. There's other names for it too. A person starts going through some... changes. Girls do it in different ways"
"What kind of changes?"
"Well for a boy, one thing is your voice starts changing. It gets deeper, more man-like. You start getting hair on your face and have to start shaving. Your muscles start getting bigger. You start growing taller. You think you're moving into adolescence, Jed?"
Jed shook his head. None of those things had started happening to him. "No, just wondering. Han says I'll becoming into puberty soon."
"He's probably right. But if you have any questions about it son, best come to me rather than Hannibal. He's barely though adolescence himself. At his age, he likely thinks he knows pretty much everything about life, but trust me, he don't."
"Yes, pa," Jed said and grew quiet again.
"Something else on your mind?"
"Pa, do you know how to dance?"
"Dance?" Mr. Curry asked, hiding a smile.
Jed nodded.
"What kind of dancing?" Mr. Curry asked
Jed looked surprised. "There's different kinds?"
"Well there's a waltz, there's square dancing, there's the box step, there's... Are you thinking of going to the dance this Saturday.
Jed slowly nodded his head.
Mr. Curry finished his work on the wheel spoke and stood up. He wiped his hands on his pants and looked at his frowning youngest son.
"Come here, Jed."
Jed jumped off the bale of hay and stood in front of his father. Mr. Curry held his hands out. "Here, take my hands, boy. I'll teach you a couple of kinds of dancing so you won't stand out like a sore thumb Saturday night."
Jed smiled and reached up to slip his hands into his father's palms. "Now watch my feet. Dancing is all about the way the feet move across the dance floor. You and your partner's hands go just like this when you're dancing."
Jed nodded and concentrated on his father's feet. The two spent the next hour in the barn dancing across the hay strewn floor.
Saturday evening Han stopped at the Curry farm to pick up Jed. He was driving the two-seater buggy. Jed emerged from the house dressed in his hand-me-down brown suit. Mr. Curry walked Jed to the buggy and Jed climbed in next to Han.
"Hannibal, I want you to have Jed home by eleven, you understand?"
"Oh yes sir," Han replied. "I'll keep a close eye on Jed," Han promised.
Mr. Curry hid a smile. "You boys mind your manners at that dance." Mr. Curry instructed.
"We will, pa," Jed promised.
"Then go and have a good time."
Han gave the reins a shake and the buggy moved on toward the Hale house.
"You didn't tell me I had to wear my suit," Jed grumbled.
Han smiled. "You look good, Jed," Han assured him. "When we pick up Clem and Jessica, you and Jessica sit in the back seat.
Jed nodded. "I'll be glad when this is over," he said.
They could hear the music a mile away. Han parked the buggy and climbed out to tether the horses. Then he walked to Clem's side of the buggy. Han glanced at Jed and motioned for him to get out of the buggy and do what he was doing. Han then reached up to help Clem out. Jed watched and then did the same for Jessica. Then they all walked into the barn. Jed noticed Han was holding Clem's hand. He silently put his hand out for Jessica and she slid her hand into his palm. He had never held a girl's hand before and it made him nervous.
Once they were inside, Han turned to Clem and smiled. Together they moved out onto the dance floor. Jed froze. He couldn't possibly go dancing around in public for all the town to see. He looked at Jessica who was standing patiently beside him, watching the people dancing.
"Want something to drink?" Jed asked and Jessica smiled and nodded. Jed led her around the perimeters of the barn to the refreshment table. He picked up a glass of punch and handed it to Jessica. Then he reached for a second glass and swallowed the contents in one gulp. He reached for a second. It was going to be a very long evening.
"Did you learn to dance, Jed?" Jessica asked
"A little. Did you?"
Jessica nodded. "But not well enough to go out there in front of everyone."
Jed sighed with relief. "Me either."
"Want to go outside and try, where no one can see us?" she asked.
Jed saw no harm in trying his hand at dancing where Han and everyone else couldn't see him. "Sure," he said.
Jed and Jessica walked outside and around to the back of the barn. He turned to Jessica and nervously held his hands out the way his father had shown him." Jessica placed her hands in Jed's palms and they both looked down to focus on their feet. They took a few awkward steps and after several missteps by both of them, they slowly started to feel a bit more confident.
"We ain't half bad," Jed proclaimed after about half an hour. He looked up at Jessica and smiled and noticed that Jessica's green eyes sparkled in the moonlight. It surprised him how comfortable he felt... with a girl.
"I can square dance, too. But those are the only two dances I know," he told her.
Jessica smiled. "Lets go get some more punch and then we can come out and do this again," she suggested.
They stood at the refreshment table drinking a glass of punch. Han spied them and he and Clem walked over to them.
"You two having fun?" Clem asked
Jessica smiled. "Oh, yes," she said
"I haven't seen you two out there dancing," Han said.
"We've been dancing, Han. You just ain't seen us," Jed replied.
"Try this punch, Kid," Han said, handing Jed his glass of punch.
"I got a glass right here," Jed replied holding his cup up for inspection.
"Not like this one," Han replied.
Jed took Han's cup and took a drink. He immediately began choking and coughing. Han smiled.
"Where did you get this?"
"From a fellow that brought something to spike the punch," Han said proudly. "Go ahead, finish it."
Feeling challenged, Jed took another gulp of the punch. It burned going down but he didn't choke. He looked at Han who nodded to him to finish the cup. Jed took the last gulp and handed the cup back to Han.
The music started up again and Han reached for Clem's hand and led her back out to the dance floor.
"Want to go back outside?" Jessica asked.
Kid nodded, feeling much less nervous and just a bit light-headed. They spent the rest of the evening dancing behind the barn.
When they finally stopped they stood and looked at each other, smiling.
"That was fun," Jessica said
Jed nodded. "I had a good time."
Suddenly Jessica leaned forward and gave Jed a quick kiss on the lips. He was surprised, but didn't jerk away.
"That was nice," Jed said.
"Want to do it again?" Jessica asked.
Jed nodded.
Jessica leaned in a little slower this time and kissed him again. When she pulled away he was smiling.
"Once more?" Jed asked.
This time Jessica took a couple of steps closer to Jed. "Close your eyes and open your mouth," she told him.
Feeling nervous again, Jed did as she instructed. In the middle of the kiss, Jed's eyes flew open.
"That was really nice," he said when she pulled away.
"Clem told me how to do that. Did I do it right?" Jessica asked.
Jed had no idea if she had done it right, but he liked what she had done.
"It was real nice," he said again and she smiled proudly.
"We'd better go inside," Jed said. "It's getting late."
They walked back inside the barn and looked around for Han and Clem.
"Where have you two been?" Han asked.
"Here," Jed replied.
"Well, we have to be getting home," Han said. "Come on."
They walked to the buggy and everyone climbed in. Han urged the horses on and the headed for the Hale home.
Once the girls had been dropped off, Han and Jed headed for the Curry farm.
"Well, did you have a good time," Han asked
"Uh-uh," Jed replied.
"Did that punch help?"
Jed didn't know what Han meant, but he took a risk,. "Uh-uh," he replied.
"Did you kiss her?"
"No,"
Han sighed. "That's why I gave you that punch," he explained.
"She kissed me," Jed replied.
Han smiled. "Did you like it?"
"Uh-uh."
"See Kid, you're growing up."
Jed sat at his desk Monday morning eagerly awaiting Jessica's arrival. He had never had a girl as a friend before and it felt far different than his friendship with Han. When she slid into her seat beside him, he smiled brightly at her.
"Got the time tables down pat," he said triumphantly.
Jessica smiled. "I'm proud of you, Jed," she replied.
Jed had planned to pair up with Jessica at recess just the way Han and Clem always paired up, but when the recess bell rang, Jessica joined up with several other girls who all huddled together talking and laughing. Jed kicked a clod of dirt around and then walked to the back of the school house to the water pump for a drink.
When school resumed, Jed was the last one to come inside. He slid into his seat and immediately opened his reader and pretended to be studying.
At lunch, Jessica again joined a group of girls. Jed took his lunch into the woods and sat and ate alone. When school was done for the day, he was the first one out the door and had vanished before Han and Clem came outside, so Jessica joined Han and Clem for the walk home.
Han stopped by the Curry farm on his way home and found Jed in the barn cleaning stalls.
"Something wrong?" he asked
Jed looked up. When he saw Han, he turned back to his work. "Just had chores to get done," he replied.
"You know what she's doing, don't you, Kid?"
Jed looked up at Han. "What are you talking about?"
"She wants to get you all worked up so when she does give you a little attention, you will just be all ga-ga over her. That's what girls do. It means she likes you?"
"Funny way of showing it."
"Just give her a taste of her own medicine."
"What do you mean, Han?"
"Well don't go running off like you're all hurt and bothered... Just don't give her the time of day. Hang out with some of the boys, and make sure it appears you are enjoying yourself... Maybe even give one of the other girl's little attention."
Jed's head drooped. "I couldn't do that, Han. I'm not going to be mean to a girl on purpose."
"Well, just treat Jessica likes she's any other girl. Don't pay her any more mind than you do any of the other girls."
Jed nodded. "I can do that," he said.
Jed started raking again, but stopped and rested his hand on the top of the rake, "Han?"
"Yea?"
"How come you all of a sudden started calling me Kid? Pa's the only one that does that, and sometimes Sam or Nate."
Han smiled. "Because I think of you as a Kid brother, Jed."
Kid smiled. "Thanks, Han."
Kid spent the rest of the week working hard to show no special interest in Jessica. He walked home with Han and Clem and Jessica, but never offered to carry Jessica's books, and tried to include himself in Han and Clem's conversation as much as he could. Han realized what he was doing and did his best to include Jed in the conversations.
On Friday, a note slid from Jessica's hand to Kid's desk. Although it pained him something fierce, Jed let the not sit on the desk for several minutes before finally picking it up and reading it.
Meet me at the water pump at recess
Kid took his time going outside for recess, but he went immediately to the water pump where Jessica was waiting for him.
"What did you want to see me about?" Kid asked
Jessica took several steps up to him until they were standing just a few inches apart. She took a deep breath. "This," she said and kissed him. Kid's eyes widened. He had not expected that. When she pulled back, Kid immediately looked around to be sure no one had seen them.
"What did you do that for?"
"Cause I've missed you."
"What?"
Jessica sighed again. "Jed Curry, do you want to go steady?"
Jed had heard of going steady but he had no idea what all it entailed.
"Does that mean someday I'll have to marry you?" he asked
"No."
"What do I have to do?"
"Not look at any other girls. Just me."
"That's all?"
"And you have to kiss me once in a while. It can't always be me kissing you."
Kid smiled. "And that's it?"
"Uh-uh."
Kid smiled. "I can do that. Okay, let's go steady."
Jessica clasped her hands behind her back. "Then you kiss me."
"Kid smiled again. "Close your eyes and open your mouth," he said.
Jessica smiled and did what he asked and Kid leaned in and kissed her.
The end of recess bell rang.
"We'd better go," Jessica said and they walked to the front of the school house and climbed the stairs.
On the way home, Han noticed that Jed was carrying Jessica's books once again. He also noticed the two of them holding hands.
As Kid and Han walked towards Kid's home, Han was eager to know what had happened.
"We're going steady."
"What?"
"Well, she said it don't mean I have to marry her ever."
"What do you have to do?"
"Kiss her."
"That's all?"
"And not look at any other girls."
"Well, why would you want to? You already got a girl to kiss."
"That's what I figured, Han."
"Does she kiss good?"
"How should I know. I ain't ever kissed any other girls."
"Well, what do the kisses feel like?"
"Kind of...wet."
Han smiled. "She's a good kisser, Kid.
As August neared and the school season was soon to be ending, another dance was scheduled in town. Since Kid and Jessica were going steady, it stood to reason that they would be attending together. Han and Clem would also be attending.
"I have something to tell you," Jessica whispered to Kid as they rode in the back seat of the buggy.
"What is it?" Kid whispered back to her.
Jessica shook her head. "Not here. Behind the barn at the dance."
Remembering the last time he was behind the barn at a dance with her, Kid smiled. "Okay."
"We're moving away," Jessica said.
"What? When? Where to?"
"We're moving to Denver. We're leaving after school lets out."
"What about going steady?"
Jessica frowned. "We'll have to stop. Denver is too far away."
"I'm going to miss you," Kid said, not knowing what else to say.
Jessica looked at him and smiled. "Is the livery open this time of night?"
"No, why?"
"Can we sneak in there?"
"Sure, why?"
Jessica grabbed his hand. "Come on," she said, turning on her heels and running toward the livery with Kid right on her tail.
They found the back door and sneaked inside. "Let's go up to the loft."
Jessica scaled the ladder first. Kid was right behind her and looking up, he could see her bloomers. He started to look away, but temptation got the better of him.
Once in the loft, Jessica walked over and sat down in a pile of straw. Kid sat down beside her.
"Are you going to kiss me," she asked and he leaned over and kissed her once, and then a second time.
"You're getting good at that," she told him. Kid smiled.
Jessica picked up Kid's hand. "This is probably the last time we can be together like this," she said. She moved her hand to his wrist and guided the palm of his had to her breast. Kid's eyes widened.
"Are you sure?" he asked her and she nodded.
Kid smiled and timidly rubbed her breast through her dress. Then without her telling him, he leaned in and kissed her.
"You feel nice," Kid said..
Jessica smiled. "Clem told me you would like that," she said.
"I do," he assured her.
"Kid?"
"Uh-uh?"
"You were my first."
Kid looked at her and smiled. "You too...me, I mean."
She smiled at him. "Help me get the straw out of my hair," she said.
Kid walked behind her and dropped to his knees and began pulling straw from her hair.
"I'll never forget you, Jed."
"I'll never forget you, Jessica."
"Clem says you never forget the first time."
"I bet she's right."
"We'd better get back."
"Okay."
They scrambled down the ladder, sneaked out the back door, and ran back to the barn dance.
"Let's get some punch. I'm thirsty," Jessica said.
They went inside and headed for the punch table. Han and Clem spied them and joined them.
"Where have you been?" Han asked.
Clem looked at Jessica and Jessica gave her a nod and a smile. Clem smiled knowingly back to her.
"Did Jessica tell you they are moving to Denver?" Han asked Kid on their way home.
"Uh-uh."
"You okay with that?"
"Don't have a choice, do I?""
"You gonna miss her, Kid?"
"Uh-uh."
"You're not going to tell me where you to snuck off to, are you?"
"Nope."
"Ever?"
"Ever."
Han smiled. "You are growing up. Kid."
"Growing up hurts, doesn't it Han?"
"Sometimes but, usually the hurt is worth it, Kid."
"How's that?"
"Well, take Jessica. When she first come here, you didn't want nothing to do with her. But then you two got to be good friends. Now, she's leaving, and you're gonna miss her. It hurts but that hurt is worth it cause you got to know someone you come to care about." I think the more you care about a person, the more it hurts if they up and leave."
Jed thought about this for a while.
"Han?"
"Yea, Jed?"
"Don't you ever leave."
Han laughed. "I won't every leave you, Jed. I keep telling you, we're partners."
Jed smiled. "Yea... Partners."
"