Part 20 (1/2)
”You're not a dork. You're a dweeb. And there's a difference.”
”Oh, yeah, like what?” I laughed. ”Well, a dweeb can change.”
”Oh?”
”Yeah. If somebody wants to take the time and energy to show a dweeb how to be cool, a dweeb can make it, eventually. But a dorka””
”Hopeless?”
”Dork is a state of mind. At least the way I see it. No matter how hard a dork tries to change, he can't.”
”That's good to know.”
”This is serious s.h.i.+t, brother. I hope you're paying attention.”
”So what you've been doing, with the fas.h.i.+on tips and everything, isa””
”a”trying to undweeb you.”
”Well, I appreciate it.”
”But there's no hope for Garrett and Cindy's out of her mind to go out with him. He thinks he's king s.h.i.+t, the way he struts around all the time. The kids think he's dork number one.”
”I'll let him know your feelings.”
”I ain't afraid of him, brother. Not even with that big Magnum of his. In fact, all the kids on the team think somebody's going to take that gun of his away from him and put it up his a.s.s.”
”Now there's a pleasant image.”
He didn't say anything for a moment, then. ”I'm on the yearbook committee with Cindy. I'm going to have a little talk with her.”
”No,” I said, ”please don't.”
”I just want to find out what's going on. Why she dumped you.”
”It'll really p.i.s.s me off if you bring it up to her.”
He shrugged. ”Just trying to help.”
”I know. And I appreciate it. But just let things lie.”
”Then you let Mom and Dad know you're all right.”
”I'll do that. I promise.”
He nodded to the tape recorder and then did a little imitation disco dance. ”You going to start wearing platform shoes and stuff like that?”
”I figured I could borrow a couple pairs of yours.”
”The red ones, fine. The pink ones leave alone.”
”I'll remember that.”
He started to walk away and then stopped. ”You sure you don't want me to say anything to Cindy?”
”Positive.”
”I could tell her about the difference between dorks and dweebs.”
”Then she'd come running to me, huh?”
”She would if you weren't wearing platform shoes.”
”Thanks, Josh.”
”I just want you to be happy, man.”
”I know. And I will be. I'll get over this.” He nodded and left the room. I put the headphones on and started playing the tape again.
I'd left David Myles in mid-scream.
CHAPTER FIVE.
The next night, they went to the well together.
I'd been following her since just after dinner. She went to the library, she went to a friend's house, and then she started to drive home, but suddenly turned west on a street leading out of town.
Fifteen minutes later, she pulled up on the county road running past the woods.
Garrett was already there. He sat in his own car, a two-year old Pontiac Firebird. This must have been his night off.
She parked behind him, on the edge of the gravel, and walked up to his car.
He got out.
Their kiss was immediate, and long and deep.
I looked away.
The jealousy was the worst part of all this. It made me frantic. I sensed that someday I wouldn't be able to control myself.
They went up the hill to the woods holding hands.
That made me even more jealous than the kiss. In a strange way, holding hands is more intimate than kissing. It signifies that there's a real relations.h.i.+p there.