7th grade
She came back.
Only she didn't. Nearly everyone from PS118 moved on to the same middle school around the corner from the Circle Theater. I hadn't even realized that she was back, though it made sense now that the trial was over. Her parents won their case, and they got a huge settlement out of it. I found out during the first week of school that she was back. I saw Phoebe and asked about her summer and she told me how she took dance lessons and attended Madame Parvenu's together. I could hear the blood rushing to my ears; it didn't last long.
But she wasn't back. She was going to the all girls school downtown.
Gerald and I both made the baseball and basketball teams. Who else do you think has been stalking you night and day? A part of me hopes she will be at one of my games, but she never is.
I finally saw her; Rhonda had a New Year's Eve party at her house. She went to the girl's school with Helga. There were so many girls there that night, I couldn't find her until Rhonda set up a game of spin the bottle. Gerald got his turn and it landed on me; he tried to protest but Rhonda told him that, "If the girls are kissing the girls, then the boys are kissing the boys. It's simply fair." The guys shielded their eyes; except Eugene, he leaned in so close I thought he was going to join us. When we made contact Phoebe and a few other girls shrieked and started fanning their faces; Phoebe fell back onto the floor, getting up with a goofy grin.
It was my chance. I tried to spin it to land on Helga. I had to kiss her again, I had to know. It landed on Lila Sawyer. I lifted my eyes from the bottle to Helga and her eyes were glazed over. She stood up and excused herself. I looked from Rhonda to Lila to Phoebe. I was losing time. I whispered to Rhonda that I wasn't comfortable kissing Lila after our history and left the room. I tried to find her, and a girl from her school tells me she has gone out front. But I am too late. I see her getting into her dad's Hummer and he is yelling about coming to get her.
I try to take her off my mind by throwing myself into practice. I do great; our baseball team comes in second in our district. But it doesn't work. It doesn't take my mind off of her.
I didn't see her again the rest of the year.
I came back.
Only I didn't. Bob and Miriam sent me to Miss Higgins Academy for Young Ladies. I will now be here until the end of high school; at least I am in my old house. The trial ended and Bob made a big payout, so I got to come home. Bob sent me to dance classes and finishing school pretty much every day during the summer. Luckily, Phoebe was able to sign up for most of the classes with me. She applied to Higgins Academy with me, but she didn't get in on the lottery system. Rhonda Wellington-Lloyd did. Joy.
But I wasn't back. I was at that stupid school downtown.
I joined the middle school level lacrosse team. On practice days Bob drove me home, otherwise I had to come straight home and start dinner. Miriam was drinking again now that the trial was over. My practices and games usually overlap Arnold's, but when they don't, I watch his games from under the bleachers. Who else do you think has been stalking you night and day? I went by the boarding house a couple times when Bob and Miriam got into it real bad; I got all the way up to his skylight. I would stay and watch him for a short while, but I would leave and call Phoebe.
I finally saw him. Rhonda had a New Year's Eve party at her place. She invited so many brainless dolls from our school. When I got there he was by the snack buffet talking to Sid, but I was unsure how to approach him. That is, not until Rhonda set up a game of spin the bottle. As dumb as this game is, I could see the benefit. Gerald got his turn and it landed on Arnold; he tried to protest but Rhonda told him that, "If the girls are kissing the girls, then the boys are kissing the boys. It's simply fair." The guys were all more scared than grossed out; except Eugene that is. I knew it. I knew Phoebe was loving this. Tall Hair Boy may not know, but she loves her boys love books about as much as I love Arnold. And to see Gerald kissing another guy, even just an embarrassing baby kiss, she nearly passed out from happiness. I wonder if that is anything like my Arnold face.
It was my chance. There was a chance; the stars could align. The heavens could open up and the world could stop spinning while that bottle went round and round and it could be me. But it wasn't. My eyes followed the bottle to the one person I feared. Lila Sawyer. I was hot. I couldn't breathe. My eyes… I could hear the fire raging in them as a little part of my soul bled into them and died. I stood up and excused myself. I manage to get Bob on the phone; I wait outside and get in his big obnoxious Hummer while he lays into me about picking me up.
I try to take him off my mind by throwing myself into practice. We do well, but there aren't enough official teams for a ranking. It doesn't take my mind off him. I keep sneaking in to watch his games.
He didn't see me the rest of the year.
