Perchance (21 page)

             
“You did not just talk about making out in my car.  Now I’m never leaving.”

             
“So what’d you have in mind for Friday?”

             
“Something fun. It’s getting a little cool out.  Camping?”

             
“In the woods? With bears?”

             
“Oh boy, no, with me.  And we can invite Troy and Josie. I think they’re back together.  I can’t ever tell.”

             
“Um, ok? Sounds good. I think.”

             
He laughed at my fear of camping and
the
n the
front porch light came on.

             
We both started laughing
and Aunt Brenda appeared in the front door. 

             
“Alright you two.  School is in the morning for both of you and you…” she pointed at Cooper, “have a test on that book that you hate so much.  Two more minutes, ok?”

             
“Ok” we agreed in unison.

             
“Are you gonna kiss me or leave these lips hanging?” He asked.

             
We met in the middle and our lips met for just a moment.  He turned and opened the door and made a gesture for me to go in. 

             
“Text me when you get home.” I said.

             
“Yup.” He bounced down the stairs and into his car and drove off.

             
I went in and thanked Aunt Brenda for keeping me in lin
e and she giggled and shook her
head at me.

             
I got showered and went to bed. I rolled over and plugged in my phone and noticed a missed text message.

             
Cooper:
I forgot something.

             
Me:
What?

             
Cooper:
I forgot to tell you that I love you.

             
Me:
I forgot too.

             
Cooper:
Hmmmm….

             
Me:
???

             
I got no answer and it scared the crud out of me.  There was just no telling what he was conjuring up.

             
The next day, I had made my way across the cafeteria and had my hand on the handle of the door leading the way out to our tree.

             
“Remi!” Someone was screaming my name and I just rolled my eyes because I almost knew what was coming next…The Grand Gesture.

             
I turned around already completely beet red from the tip of my head all the way down.

             
He was on the other side of the cafeteria with a big bunch of flowers in his hand.

             
“With these fine cafeteria people as my witnesses I want you to know that I love you with all of my heart.” 

             
The guys laughed and the girls said ‘awww’. 

             
There was only one thing to do. 

             
“And I love you right back Cooper Neal.” I yelled back at him.

             
There was round of applause as he approached me still shaking my head at him.

             
He lifted me up and kissed me in front of everyone. 

             
He beamed as he said “Grand Gesture”. 

             
I laughed back at him, “Yeah, I remember.”

             
I waited impatiently for Friday.  Troy and I decided to handle all of the tents and big stuff while the girls handled the food.  It ended up being freezing and Troy challenged me to a fire build off.
No matches or lighters were allowed.
The first person who built a fire with no help
got the best tent.  Remi and Josie showed up right before the challenge and we built fires about ten feet from one another. 

             
I gathered my wood fast, picking dry wood and some leaves and pine straw for a starter. I got out my knife and flint and after piling my wood just so, began hitting my knife against the flint creating sparks and within minutes had a flame and then a fire.  Poor Troy was still gathering wood when he came back to my full fire roaring. 

             
“Dude, what are you a boy scout or something?” Troy gaped at me.

             
“Actually, I’m an Eagle Scout.” I nodded my head in a ‘take that’ motion.

             
“I should’ve known.  You act like an Eagle Scout.” He joked.

             
“Here, let’s go build yours
,
amateur.” I laughed back at him.

             
I taught him how to build a good fire while the girls whispered and giggled about something.  There were several things I intended to find out tonight about my Pistol and finding out what they were giggling about became one of them.

             
I didn’t miss the look on Remi’s face when she found out that we would be sharing a tent. We cooked hot dogs and S’mores over my fire, because Troy had almost let his go out.  I built it back up for him.  Troy and Josie went back and forth telling ghost stories that weren’t scary at all.  And they way Troy told them, they were more funny than anything.

             
Josie let out an exaggerated yawn and stretched her arms out wide.  Troy apparently got the hint and they went into their tent.  I was glad they made their campsite a ways away.

             
“Are you cold?” I asked Remi.

             
“No, not at all. You’re warm and that fire is awesome.” She snuggled in closer under my arm.

             
“Question?” I prodded.

             
“Yeah?” She looked up at me.

             
“What were you two giggling about when I was helping Troy make his fire?”

             
She pressed her face against my chest and giggled some more.

             
“Well, I said that Eagle Scouts are hot.  And Josie agreed and said that she wishes Troy was an Eagle Scout because they are always prepared.”

             
“Well, I’m glad I brought my uniform then.”

             
She slapped my thigh, “You
did
not!”

             
“Well, I would’ve if I had known, jeez.”

             
She yawned and we decided to go into the tent.  We laid side by side as close as two sleeping bags can get and I thought she was content.

             
“Can’t we zip these two sleeping bags together? Tuesday and I used to do that to keep warm.”

             
“Yeah, we can if you want.” I couldn’t believe my ears.

             
“I do. I’m freezing again.”

             
“OK.”

             
I zipped our bags together while she shivered in the corner of the tent.  We got settled again, face to face in one big sleeping bag and I held her close to me to keep her warm and . I was looking at her face just studying her when she spoke up.

             
“You want to ask me something else.  I can see it on your face.”

             
“I do.”

             
“Well shoot.”

             
“You’ll think I’m a stalker.” I laughed.

             
“Um, no, I walked by your house fifty three times before we started school. I’m the stalker.”

             
“Dang, I wish I had seen you.  Ok, so, one time we were in church and it was the benediction prayer and you were saying your own words and when everyone else said ‘Amen’ you kept your eyes closed and then later opened them and said ‘Amen.’”

             
“And you want to know what I prayed for? She looked confused.

             
“Yeah, I know, it sounds awful when it’s said out loud.”

             
“No, it’s fine.  I prayed that I could do both.  Keep my goals and resolve and…”

             
“And what?”

             
“And be with you.” She whispered.

             
“Prayer answered. You’re doing great in school.”

             
“And you’re here and I love you.”

             
“And you’re here and I love you more every day.”

             
I pulled her even closer to me and we fell asleep on that cold night, in the cold tent but we weren’t cold for even one minute.

```````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````

             
She was under my skin like an IV. The needle was in and the bag was hooked up but what was pumping into me was addictive and when it entered my veins it washed over me like a warm blanket.  When I was with her
I could push the button on my own personal pump and get a fix.  And when she wasn’t my pump was stripped from me. The needle was still in and I could still feel the effects from my last dose, but I needed more.  And I couldn’t rest, couldn’t think of anything else until I was in her presence once more. 

             
School didn’t suck anymore.  It was a place where I saw Remi.  But it had evolved into something more for me and I didn’t realize it until one day surrounded by homework in my tiny above garage apartment that she wasn’t the only one who was working hard.  I was getting better at school and my grades were better than they ever had been.  Not only did I want her to do well in school so she could support herself, but I wanted to do well in school so that I could do well for her and for me. 

             
I wasn’t going to say the word out loud in fear that I would repeat it. But I knew what I wanted.  I knew what I wanted short term and as I sat here in the midst of books and college brochures I knew what I wanted long term.  And in eve
ry scenario I thought
up, it was us together, college together, house together…and I wasn’t going to admit to the rest. 

             
She made me want to be better and successful so that we could be those things together.  Because I didn’t doubt for one minute that she could do anything she w
anted to do by herself.  I was the one trying to keep up with her.

             
We went out together every chance we got. 
I kissed her every chance I got.  She teased me and taunted me and drove me wild. 

             
We were nearing Christmas.  I had already bought her two gifts.  One was going to be opened on Christmas Eve night which she had agreed to spend with Eric and I and my Mom was flying in three days before.
The other present I wanted to give her on Christmas day when we were alone.

             
I stopped my studying for the night and was wrapping her present when there was a knock on the door.