“I don’t know.”
“Maybe you need to figure it out before you start picking out colleges. Another option is to get a general degree, and then go for your masters in a specialty.”
“I’ll think about it,” I said as the music stopped.
Tracy went to change the playlist since this one had ended. I went to talk to my friends. I found Alan, Gina, Jeff and Elissa, Jeff’s off again/on again girlfriend.
“Where’s your posse?” Gina asked.
“I’m sure they’re trying to figure out what I should be doing,” I said as I acted like I was hiding from them.
The four of them found it amusing, especially when Emma showed up at my side.
“Emma, these are two of my best friends, Jeff and Alan, and these are their dates, Gina and Elissa.”
“Hi, nice to meet you ... David, what did you think of Maggie?” Emma asked.
I guess talking to my friends could wait.
“Who’s Maggie?” Gina asked.
I shrugged. I had no idea. Emma rolled her eyes at me.
“The girl you slow-danced with,” Emma clued everyone in.
“I thought that was Tracy,” Alan teased her.
“I do remember dancing with Tracy,” I confirmed.
Emma wasn’t used to our stupid humor.
“The girl you danced with before Tracy,” she told me helpfully.
“Was she the one who grabbed my butt?” I asked.
“No, that was Tracy,” Gina supplied.
“Were you checking out David’s butt?” Alan accused her.
“Pfft! Of course, I was.”
“Oh, what were we talking about?” Alan asked.
“I think it was my butt,” I said, and turned around so the girls could see it. “Do these pants make me look fat?”
“Dude, I’d have no idea,” Jeff offered.
Emma grabbed my face and made me look her in the eyes.
“Focus. The cute auburn-haired girl. Did you like her?”
“Oh, her,” I said, and then let my face fall. “She didn’t grab my butt.”
Jeff and Alan were nodding in agreement with grim expressions on their faces. Emma had had enough and took off.
“You are sooo dead,” Gina said.
The other three got a concerned look on their faces.
“Do I dare turn around?” I asked them.
“Nope. Incoming!” Alan warned.
I felt someone grope my butt. I turned to find Maggie in mid-grope with a sheepish grin on her face. I gave her a mock stern look and her nerve broke. She scurried off to the protection of the freshman cheerleaders.
“I think you’re losing your touch. I haven’t seen one run from you in a quite a while,” Jeff said.
I caught up with my friends. Several of the football players stopped by, and we talked. The varsity cheerleaders were still avoiding me, but they didn’t seem mad. I thought about Tracy’s offer and decided against it. Just because I could, didn’t mean I should. I felt good that that was my decision. I was still horny, but I really wanted to keep Tracy as a friend and nothing more.
Sunday September 14
MOM WAS WAITING FOR me to go to church. I was surprised when Dad came into the room wearing church clothes. I guess without Greg’s support he had caved to Mom’s request to join us. I was happy to see him.
I could tell it was football season when we got to church. The congregation was eager to share their take on the two games this week ... until Mom made her presence known. Then they all decided to allow us to enjoy church instead.
I enjoyed the sermon.
“Today I’m going to talk about forgiveness. There comes a time in everyone’s life when they come to a crossroads regarding whether they should forgive someone or not. I’ve found it’s impossible to predict which road a person will take. That’s a personal decision each man, woman, or child must make. We don’t know what they will do until they act. I know we all think we know how someone will choose, but until they show us, we cannot know with any certainty.
“Our religion believes in redemption. We believe a sinner can come to God and ask forgiveness, and it will be granted. God’s forgiveness is never questioned. He will forgive our sins many times over. I find that man has the capacity to forgive, but he does not forget. Just ask my wife,” the pastor said, to some laughs.
“The Lord’s Prayer says, ‘to forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us.’ I want you to know God will forgive your sins. Your fellow man may do the same, but they may not forget.”
I liked that. Forgive, but not forget. That made more sense than blanket forgiveness.
INSTEAD OF COOKING brunch, we went out to eat. Granny’s was having a buffet with both breakfast and lunch items. It was interesting how our routines had changed now that Greg, Kyle and Angie were no longer living with us. I could only count a handful of times where we didn’t have Sunday brunch at home. It was one of the family-time events we had each week.
Trust Mom to want some dirt.
“So, do you have a new girlfriend yet?” she asked.
She knew I didn’t. I think it was her way to ask why not.
“Are you talking to me or Dad?” I asked.
“Leave me out of this,” Dad responded.
“When are you planning on dating again?” Mom asked.
“I don’t know. I’ve found I’m being more guarded.”
“What do you mean?” Mom asked.
“A good example would be we have a new girl interning as a trainer. She rubbed me the wrong way, and I didn’t respond very well. I just seem to be seeing things that may or may not be there. I guess Tami leaving has made me act a little off-kilter. I need to find my balance and not take everything so personally.”
“What did she do that was so bad?” Dad asked.
I looked embarrassed.
“She tattled on me,” I said.
“Well, no one likes a tattletale,” Dad teased me.
“Really, what did you do?” Mom asked.
“Crud, it sounds so stupid now. Can we talk about something else?” I begged.
Mom gave me a look and then shrugged. I needed to get this Tami fixation out of my head. I couldn’t keep expecting everyone to be out to get me in some way. I also needed to give Paige a chance.
Monday September 15
I WOKE UP AND WENT outside to run as usual. I was surprised when I found Peggy Pratt stretching in my driveway. She was a senior, and I had a huge crush on her. She was my dream girl, a cute redhead with alabaster skin and freckles; she even had the prerequisite green eyes. We had flirted with dating at the end of the first semester last year, but I’d gotten back together with Tracy instead. Peggy had avoided me after that.
“Hey, are we running today?” I asked.
“You’re going to push me so I win State in cross country this year.”
“Okay, let’s go,” I said.
I didn’t warn her I’d changed my running to be geared for speed training. Chris Case, my speed coach, had me running at my normal pace for a period of time, and then I would push myself. The varying of the speed helped me with my speed more than running at a steady pace did. Peggy was doing pretty well until I sped up the first time. I’ll give her credit, she didn’t quit on me. I think she was ready to kill me, though, when I ran the last half-mile switching between running backward and forwards. I was practicing flipping my hips for pass coverage. I would run backward ten yards and then flip my hips and run ten yards full out. I would wait for Peggy to catch up and then I would do it again, flipping my hips the other direction.
We got back to my place, and she collapsed in the driveway. I made her get up and walk it off. She didn’t have any water with her.
“Peggy, what are you thinking? Where’s your water?” I asked.
She had her hands on her hips and just glared at me. I motioned for her to follow me up to my apartment. She hadn’t seen it since Angie and Mom had redecorated. She looked around as I got her a Gatorade.
“This is different,” she commented as she bobbed her head.