Straight From The Onion Vine Book 1 Between. Jody Scottsmith
choose his words, like he was afraid of saying too much. “It was pretty cool what you said about your mother…how hard she works. Most girls can’t stand their mothers.”
Kara took another sip and continued. “What scares me is…I don’t know where to start, with getting to know someone.”
“This is a start, right?” He put a hand on hers, giving it a squeeze. They both heard Mom pull in the driveway. He took his hand away when she walked in.
“Hi, you must be Scott,” she said. “You’re the spitting image of your father.”
“I thought you’d know him,” he said, noticing her ID badge from the hospital.
“Sure,” Mom replied. “He does a great job of running the emergency department.” Mom excused herself to change and said she’d start supper soon.
“There is one thing,” Kara insisted. “I don’t like being pressured.”
“I won’t; promise,” Scott simply answered. She believed him.
“How about staying for dinner?” Kara comfortably asked. “Nothing fancy on Sunday’s. Tonight it’s cheeseburgers.”
“Yeah; great!” He eagerly answered.
Mom stuck her head in the dining room, saying “I could use some help,” and asked them to make a salad. Kara handed Scott the lettuce and a cucumber. She showed him how to tear up the lettuce. They preheated the oven for fries and Mom put the hamburgers on. As soon as Kara set the kitchen table they were ready to eat. Scott took care of the ‘extra’ cheeseburger. He stayed to help load the dishwasher while Mom went into the living room to relax. Scott said good-bye and left. Kara hurried upstairs, anxious to blog.
pb: ‘No one would believe this, not even Annie. I didn’t think he’d show up, but he did. He wasted no time in telling me why. I said I couldn’t date until I’m fifteen. Now what? I could ask him over next Sunday, or maybe I should wait. Everything about him is different from what I expected. I showed THE Scott Davis how to make a salad. Annie would just die! It’s way too soon for a kiss, right?’
CONFLICT
Scott came over the next few Sundays. Mom made herself scarce unless they asked her to watch a movie with them. One Sunday It was obvious something was on his mind. She could always tell when he crossed his legs at the ankles and moved the top foot back and forth.
He closed his class notes inside the Anatomy book. “When will you be fifteen?”
Kara looked up from her algebra homework. “May tenth; why?”
“There’s a school dance this Saturday. Maybe you’d like to go.”
“Are you kidding? Of course I would! Mom’s always said ‘around’ fifteen. Besides, she knows you pretty well.”
“I’ll pick you up at eight.”
After they cleaned up the kitchen, Scott got his books from the dining room. When Kara followed him to the door he turned and faced her, kissing her cheek. It was over before she knew it. That spot on her face burned for an hour, afterwards.
pb: ‘Scott asked me to the school dance. Like I would say no! And that’s not all. He kissed me for the first time! I’ll tell Annie about the dance, but that’s it. She would say it wasn’t a real kiss. Sometimes I think he’s too good to be true. Like the way he wanted to be sure it was ok with Mom. I really like him.’
They walked into the gym and Kara looked around. The DJ was still setting up. The dance was put on by the sophomore class to raise prom money. Kara saw Annie standing with Neil and waved. A few guys in the bleachers called out to Scott, and they went over to say ‘hi’, or so Kara thought. He sat down with them and she did the same. She did her best to sound interested in football plays. That only worked for so long…she told Scott she’d ‘be right back’. On the way to the restroom she thought about what to do next. She looked in the mirror and adjusted her ponytail. Annie followed her in.
“So what’s it like to be here with Scott Davis?” She asked, sounding envious.
Kara couldn’t hold back a tear, and quickly wiped it away. “I’m having a terrible time. All he wants to do is ‘talk football’ with the team!”
“So what? That’s what guys do.”
Kara turned and looked at her. “I don’t know what to do.”
“Simple!” Annie interrupted. “Get back out there and ask him to dance, before someone else does.”
She swallowed against the lump in her throat. Annie was right. Kara gave her a quick hug and left the restroom. She headed for the bleachers. Kara took a few steps up and leaned close so he could hear.
“Why don’t we dance?”
He turned in her direction without looking up. “Not right now, ok?”
Kara slowly walked to the dance floor. She glanced over her shoulder, just in case. Scott had no intention of joining her. She felt a moment of panic and had to do something. On the other side of the gym were her friends. Kara headed straight for them. They quickly made room for her in their circle. She nodded when Neil looked in the direction of the dance floor. Kara had forgotten what a good dancer he was. One song ran into another. The DJ ended the set with a slow one. She put her hands on Neil’s shoulders and looked over at the bleachers, but didn’t see Scott. Kara doubted he knew where she was, or even cared.
After the last set he caught up to her. On the way to the car, Scott avoided eye contact. He saved it for when they left the parking lot.
“Do you have any idea how you made me look?”
“It was a dance, remember?” Kara defended. “I got tired of listening to football talk.”
“You know Kara, you can be so stupid, sometimes!”
Scott turned up the music to avoid conversation. Her cheeks glowed with anger. Why was this all about HIM? Kara hated the helpless feeling that overwhelmed her. It was always like this, especially when she thought about her father.
When the car pulled in her driveway, Kara got out and said ‘bye’. If he answered, she didn’t hear.
She closed the back door behind her, standing in the kitchen. Everything was so neat and orderly there. She poured herself a glass of milk and tiptoed upstairs, careful not to awaken Mom.
Her room was a mess, just like she felt. She put her flannels on and sat down at the computer.
pb: ‘I thought I knew Scott! Was I wrong, or what? He’s completely different around his friends. I don’t know WHY he even asked me to the dance. I wish I had the nerve to call him a jerk to his face! He won’t be over tomorrow for sure and I don’t feel like explaining it to Annie. I know what she’ll say…it’s all my fault. I am SO not ready for that conversation!’ 12 am.
TURMOIL
The slam of the garage door woke Kara up the next morning. She wished Mom wasn’t working today. It would be nice to have someone around and it was too early for Annie to call. Kara sat up before her feelings from last night returned. She quickly threw on her running sweats, leaving her hair in its overnight braid. The cool air was like a slap on the face as she went outside. Kara stretched her legs on the back steps before taking off down the street.
The more her anger from last night returned, the faster she ran. All those Sundays Scott helped with dinner, and that kiss. Kara put a hand on her cheek, remembering. She slowed after the 2K, when her house came in sight. His words echoed in her thoughts. Especially the way he called her ‘stupid’…she wasn’t getting over that anytime soon!
Kara bounded up the stairs to her room. She decided to take a bubble bath and put on her favorite tunes. She soaked until her fingertips were wrinkled.
When the phone rang Kara was