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Chapter Two

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PHONE CALL #1

"Hello?"

"Uh-yes, is... is Angela there?" He actually couldn't tell if the voice on the other end was Angela or someone else, but he didn't want to make a fool out of himself by acting like it was her.

"I'll get her for you."

He heard some talking in the background, some rustling about. His heart was pounding. And then she was on the line:

"Hello?"

"Hi! Hi, it's me, um, Neil? You gave me your phone number, so I-I thought I'd call."

She laughed. "I remember who you are, Neil. How are you?"

"Um, I-good. I'm good! And-and yourself?"

"Not so great. I have a ton of Algebra homework to do. I hate math."

"Yeah, I'm not so big on numbers either."

"Let me guess... you prefer English too?"

"Yeah. I mean, studying anything here is pretty dull but it's more interesting to me than Trigonometry."

"You have Trigonometry?! Just saying that makes me want to die."

"It's not so bad. I mean, I'm in the mathematics club here... but-that doesn't mean I like it."

"Well, Mr. Neil Perry," she giggled-she remembered his last name after one meeting!-"what else do you do besides go to Welton and see plays on the weekends?"

He exhaled. "Not much, honestly. I'd like to act but... my dad says no. No, instead, I'm destined to be a doctor."

"Wow-that's a lot different than acting."

"Yeah... I know. But what he says goes, so-hah. Um... what do you do?"

"Act, obviously. I love doing plays. I like to sing, too. I like to listen to music and write and look for dresses that I could never afford."

"That's a lot of things."

"Not really!" She laughed. "Do you have friends, Neil? Or is your life just one constant stream of studying and taking classes?"

He laughed at this. "I do have friends, as a matter of fact. But, uh, they're not taking summer session with me, so right now I'm focused on my studies."

"Fun."

"Yeah. Torture."

"..."

"..."

"Do you have time for... for dating, as an example?" she asked.

"Uh-uh-er... well-hah-I've never really thought about that. I-I'm... not sure."

"So is that a... no?"

"No! No, no, it's-yes. I'd... yes! I mean, I'd love to, but... but I don't have any money, or anything-I mean, I'm not allowed to... do much, I don't know where we'd go."

"You don't have to spend any money on me, Neil. We can just go somewhere and... have fun... talk. If you'd like to."

"... Sure-sure-what the hell-let's do it."

"G-great! Great... next... next Saturday, then? Is that all right?"

"Yeah! Yeah. That's just fine."

"Do you want me to pick you up at Welton?"

Neil felt incredibly silly that a girl was asking to pick him up for a date, but he realized he didn't really have any other choice. "Uh, yeah, I-I guess that's the only option, isn't it?"

Angela laughed. "I'll pick you up at six?"

"Uh, yeah! Yeah, sure."

"Do you guys have some kind of curfew over there?"

"Don't worry about it, it'll be a weekend anyway."

Angela grinned. "Okay, Neil. I guess I'll see you then."

"Great!" Neil couldn't stop the huge grin on his face.

"Great!" she echoed.

"Um... goodbye?" he tried, which made her laugh.

"Goodbye!"

Neil hung up the phone and exhaled deeply. He had a date! Neil Perry had a date! He could hardly believe any of this was actually happening to him. All that he did know was that Saturday couldn't possibly come any sooner.