Tami was something that did affect me. I missed my friend. It was as if she was there, but not. I got many knowing looks and subtle help, but we didn’t have our normal marathon talks or hang out. I needed to find out what to do to fix that. There were things that I could tell only her, things like my date with Tina. I really needed her input on the strange way the date ended. Tina had revealed she’d snuck out and couldn’t date until she was sixteen. Should I wait for Tina, or move on? I also wanted to talk to Tami about what happened over the summer, and not just the big stuff. I missed when we shared all the little things.
This was the longest we’d gone without a serious talk since I was seven and her mom had sent her to summer camp. We were both so upset when she got back, our parents had arranged for us to go together the next year. This time it had been nearly five months. That seemed like a lifetime. Was I being selfish in wanting our friendship fixed? I still remembered being half stoned as I acted like a jerk. She had stormed up to me, with tears streaming down her face, and told me off. Then the words that had almost killed me: “I never want to see you again.” I still regretted not chasing after her to fix it right then.
I felt the hot water start to run out. I jumped out and toweled off. I wrapped the towel around my waist, grabbed my cell phone and texted Tracy to jump on to video chat. I fired up my tablet and waited for her to log on. I put the tablet into a stand so I could video chat hands free. Almost instantly she popped up and I could see her grin at me from what must be her bedroom. It looked like a bedroom out of one of those home decorating shows. Tracy had her hair pulled back into a ponytail and wore a Notre Dame t-shirt.
I glanced back and wanted to kick myself. My room was now almost back to its typical mess, with the bed unmade and my stuff everywhere. I also should have gotten dressed; too late now. She started the conversation.
“Took you long enough to call!”
I really did like her sarcastic sense of humor. I decided to play the straight man.
“Trace, what are you talking about?”
“Well, I am the Head JV Cheerleader and you are the Bemoc. Isn’t that what everyone expects?”
I was sure I didn’t want to know what this was, but I asked anyways.
“What’s a Bemoc?”
“B. M. O. C., Big Man on Campus. At least for the freshman class, you are.”
I cringed. She was setting me up to be something I wasn’t. I had always been the nerdy nice guy.
“How do you figure?”
“All right, since you’re a dumb jock...” she began, but I interrupted.
“Hey, I resemble that remark!”
“Yes, you do. So, since you’re a dumb jock, I’ll spell it out for you. First, who set the freshman rushing record after only six practices?”
“That would be me,” I said stoically.
“Second, who’s the only freshman who’s currently on the Varsity Football Team?”
“That would be me again.”
“Third, who went away for the summer and came back a stud?”
“I have no idea on that one.”
“That would be you again. Fourth, who got a complete makeover this week and has all the girls talking?”
“Hmm, me?”
“We especially like your curly locks,” she revealed. “Finally, who showed up to the JV game in the company of a very happy varsity cheerleader? Who, by the way, usually scares the shit out me with her Ice Princess persona, but somehow shows up all bubbly. If I didn’t know any better, I would say she got laid.”
“She was just helping me with some things today,” I said.
Heck that sounded weak, even to me.
“I’m not going to get into that, because she really does scare me. With all that, you’re now officially the freshman Bemoc!”
Let’s try to bait-and-switch her.
“What about Mike Herndon? Isn’t he our Bemoc?”
“Good point. Normally an all-around good guy who’s as good looking as Mike is and who just happens to be the starting freshman quarterback would be a shoo-in for Bemoc. But unfortunately for poor Mike, he doesn’t stand a chance with you around.”
“Tracy, friend of mine, goddess of the cheer world, sexiest woman I know, if you start calling me Bemoc that’s the kind of nickname that’ll follow me around for a very long time. What can I do to avoid that?”
“Laying it on a little thick, are we?”
“Maybe. But seriously, please don’t do that to me.”
That got a big grin out of her. Uh oh, I might be in trouble.
“I’ll make you a deaclass="underline" you accompany me to my birthday party as my date, and I’ll make sure that the Bemoc thing goes away.”
“So we’re talking a little blackmail, are we?” I asked as she gave me a look. “Not that I’m against that kind of thing, mind you. But Tracy, you do know that all you had to do was ask?”
“David, I was just having fun with you, but I’d like for you to be at my side at my party.”
It was time to poke the bear and push my luck.
“I guess we should add, who got asked out by the hottest sophomore who also happens to be the Head JV Cheerleader.”
“I wouldn’t go there, Buster!”
Holy cow, I was a normal, ordinary, everyday fifteen-year-old boy, who had just been asked out by Tracy Dole! There wasn’t a guy in our school who wouldn’t give his left arm to date her, but the cloud of Bill Rogers loomed. There was something off about that guy. When I was around him, the hairs on the back of my neck would rise. As I looked back, he preyed on my gullibility and need for acceptance to pull me into drug use. Hindsight was a wonderful thing, but I wished I’d had it before I jumped in with his crowd. The good news was I would never go back to that life again.
I made a decision.
“I will if you can assure me that someone won’t be there.”
Okay, I could tell that she was a little miffed. You have to appreciate that Tracy Dole is the Queen of the Sophomore Class and wasn’t used to being questioned.
“Give me their names and I’ll make sure they’re not welcome.”
“Bill Rogers.”
I could see her stiffen and get a panicked look on her face. This asshole had done a number on her. She stared at me and tried to figure something out. The tone of the conversation got serious.
“How do you know about that?” she asked.
“Did you forget I know him? I’ve seen him in action. I just really never want to be around the guy again.”
“No, I’m well aware you know him,” she said, and took a deep breath. “David, I got in over my head. At first, it was just fun and games when I hung out with his crowd. For some reason I’m attracted to bad boys. Bill is the worst of them all, but once I went out with him I knew it was a mistake. I’m not comfortable talking about what happened, but he scares me. I told him we were done, but he isn’t taking ‘no’ for an answer. Why do you think I’m home on Friday and Saturday nights?”
“Do you expect him to be at your party?”
She looked down and I saw her bottom lip quiver.
“I don’t think he’d try anything with witnesses around, but he’s just crazy enough. He gets sooo mad and loses control.”
Her eyes were almost haunted. This just confirmed my worry about hanging out with Tracy if Bill was stalking her.
“Tracy, you need to tell someone. This is more than you should be taking on yourself.”
“David, I just told you.”
Now it was my turn to go quiet. If Tami were around, she would know what to do. I would see her tomorrow and ask her.
“I’ll stand by you at your party. I’m also honored you asked me out.”