Spring Perfection (3 page)

I remember getting Coach to help me rent a tuxedo. That was
something Sam would never agree to so I knew not to even ask. The most formal
piece of clothing she owned was a pair of running shoes that my little brother
Stu spilled glitter on.

The night of the dance, I put on the suit and held Reyna's corsage
in my hand as I stared in the mirror. I looked like a complete dork. What other
seventh grade boy would wear a tuxedo? Most of the other boys didn't even have
real dates. They were just planning on showing up and hanging against the wall
for most of the night. I was making too big of a deal about this. Reyna would
think I was crazy.

I quickly stripped, threw on a pair of khakis, a Carolina Panthers
jersey, and the tuxedo jacket. I stared at myself in the mirror again. I looked
pretty good if I do say so myself.

Next it was time to get Sam to take me to school. Unfortunately, I
was only in the seventh grade. I was only thirteen which meant no wheels. Sam
still held a lot of power over my life. If I was sixteen and had my own car, I would
have just driven myself. I would have snuck out the window if I had to. But at
this age, I needed Sam's permission.

"Can you give me a ride to school?" I asked Sam as she
sat on the couch watching a game on ESPN.

"School?
Why
do you want to go to school? It's Thursday night?" she asked without
taking her eyes off the television. She was watching Duke play and wanted to
make sure they lost. She hated Duke. They rejected her college application
because the fact that she could run four minute mile didn't outshine her
lackluster grades. Sixteen years later she was still holding a grudge.

"There's a dance tonight. I want to go," I said. I was
way too innocent back then. I should have concocted some story about a
mandatory basketball practice or something, but I never expected the evening to
proceed as it did.

Sam tore her eyes away from the television and looked me up and
down. "You look ridiculous," she said before turning her attention
back to the TV.

I sighed. "Mom, are you gonna take me or not?"

"Six minutes on the clock. Just wait till the end of the
game." She waved me off.

In a basketball game, I knew six minutes on the clock could very
well mean fifteen or twenty actual minutes. I went back upstairs to obsess over
my look for another twenty minutes.

When the game was over, I went back down stairs. "Can we go
now?" I asked her. She was in the kitchen making one of her God awful
protein smoothies. The way she angrily slammed cabinets shut, I knew Duke must
have won. She was in a really bad mood.

"You're not going anywhere, Scott."

"Why not?"

"I did some research. Made some calls. You're going with
Reyna Lewis?"

"Yeah, so?"

"Unacceptable."

"Why?" I asked completely in shock. How had she found
out about Reyna? I bet she called Coach. Sam was a pro at spying on me.
 
I should have told him not to tell her
anything in case she asked.

"Don't be stupid, Scott. She's a typical gold-digging whore.
All she wants is your money."

This was classic Sam-speak. She had this idea in her head that I
was worth millions in future sports contracts.

"I don't have any money, Sam. I'm only thirteen. She's my
friend. She's my best friend. I promised her."

Sam turned on the blender. She probably didn't hear a word I said.
When she finally turned off the blender, I repeated myself but she didn't care.
She poured two glasses and sat down at the table.

"Sit," she said, placing a glass of the disgusting
protein drink down in front of me. "Drink that. Then we're going for a
run."

"No, we're not. I'm going to the dance."

"The hell you are. Dating a girl like Reyna could ruin your
persona and irreparably damage your future earning potential. It's out of the
question.
Drink."

Tears stung in my eyes. I absolutely refused to let her see me
cry. To avoid an onslaught of tears I chugged the protein drink just to
distract my emotions. When I finished, she proceeded to lecture me about my
responsibilities as a future professional athlete and how I had to lay the
groundwork now in order to have a successful future. An hour later, we went for
a run and I never made it to that dance.

The next morning at school, I waited for Reyna by her locker. She
took one look at me and then took a different route to her first class. She
could avoid me for first period; we were in different math classes. But she'd
have to talk to me in English class.

All through first period, I rehearsed what I would say to her. I
had to figure out something to tell her that would make her forgive me. That
something didn't include what my insane mother had said. I thought she would be
even more hurt if she knew how my mother felt about her.

So instead, as soon as she entered English class I said, "I'm
so sorry Rey. I got caught up playing video games and I totally lost track of
time."

She stared at me incredulously. "Video games?" she asked.

I nodded.

"Which one?"
She
crossed her arms and stared at me.

She knew I was lying. She had to. I was such a bad liar and she
knew me so well I wouldn't be able to lie to her if I'd planned it for weeks.
She was sure to see through this last minute fib.

"Grand Theft Auto," I said naming the first game I could
think of.

She raised an eyebrow.
"Grand Theft Auto?
You hate Grand Theft Auto. You say it's depressing."

She was right about that. We'd had a conversation about it almost
a year ago. How did she remember things like that?

She had caught me lying and I had no idea what to say. Instead, I
just stood there with my mouth hanging open.

Reyna rolled her eyes and stormed off to the other side of the
room away from the seat next to mine where she always sat.

Before sitting down, I went and placed her corsage on her desk.
"I really am sorry, Rey," I said before taking my seat.

I spent the entire class period staring at Reyna as she stared at
that red hibiscus. The flower was actually called La Flor Maga and was the
national flower of Puerto Rico. I had to have it specially ordered.

Reyna continued to avoid me for the next two periods. But at lunch
time, she sat down in front of me and said three little words that I had been
waiting for all day.

"I forgive you."

And that was that. We never spoke of it again.

It is now 5:15. I check on the watch Reyna gave me for my 14th
birthday almost three years ago. The sun is scheduled to set at 7:43 pm
tonight. I know because I checked about thirty-five times that morning. Her
surprise is located an hour away by boat. If the game ends in the next twenty
minutes, I'll still have time to shower, change, pick up Rey and get her to the
special spot before sunset. That is if there is no traffic. There is always
traffic. I am running out of time and options. I am beginning to panic.

This day is such an important day in Reyna's life. I have to be
there for her. I just have to. If this game doesn't end in twenty minutes, I'm
going to have a very difficult decision to make.

I take my stance and get ready to throw out the first pitch of the
eighth inning.

Ten years ago today, Reyna's mother died. Usually, she and her
father tried to make it back to Puerto Rico to visit her grave, but this year they
couldn't. Her father had to travel to Florida to take care of his sick mother,
and he didn't want Reyna leaving the States on her own.

I think it is sad how most people feel
Spring
is a time of rebirth and new beginnings, but for Reyna it will always be a time
of loss and mourning. That's why she wasn't at the game. She was probably
sitting alone in her room trying her best to feel La Cienega's smile.

When I looked in the sky and noted the hour, I dashed to the
locker room faster than a cheetah on roller skates. I know my teammates think I
am odd, but I have some place to be. I have a promise to keep.

After the quickest shower ever, I hop into my Jeep and speed over
to Reyna's house. Her front door is locked so I scale the wall and look into
her bedroom window. Just like I thought, she is lying in her bed when I arrive.

I knock on the window.

"What are you doing here?" she asks as she opens the
window and helps me in. "How was the game?"

"Don't worry about the game," I say as I climb into her
room.
 
I fold her into my arms. She knows
why I'm there and it makes her start to cry softly. I want to tell her that no
game could mean to me as much as she does, but I don't know if that will make
her cry even more. So I just hold her and let her cry. I know she isn't really
crying over a baseball game anyway.

When she calms down somewhat I say, "Let's go. It's time for
your surprise."

"What? You're still doing that?" she asked, wiping away
tears. "I thought because of the game you would cancel."

"Nope, we're still on. Get your stuff."

"What kind of surprise is it? Where are we going?"

"Well, if I told you that it wouldn't be much of a surprise
now would it?"

She smiles and mumbles something in Spanish. I am just about to
ask her what she said when my phone buzzes in my pocket. I take a deep breath
hoping it isn't my mother. Unfortunately, it is worse.

"Who is it?" Reyna asked.

"
Kimmie
."

"Yeah, Kimmie.
Your girlfriend.
Do you have plans with her tonight? Maybe
we can do this surprise thing later."

Technically,
Kimmie
is my girlfriend. At
least I think she is. I honestly think she broke up with me last week. But that
could have been Karly. I have trouble keeping girls names straight sometimes.

I always thought that term girlfriend was kind of odd in my
situation. None of those girls are really my friend. I mean, most of them
didn't know the difference between a strike and a touchdown. Reyna is my only
real friend who is a girl. Actually, she is probably my only real friend
besides my brother Stu. But for some reason we have never dated. None of my
relationships ever have happily ever
afters
.

I dismiss the call then send a quick text to my brother letting
him know I'm okay and not to expect me home. Then I toss the phone on Reyna's
desk. I plan on leaving it there. I don't want any distractions. "No.
Today.
It has to be today," I answer Rey's question.
"You got five minutes to get ready. We're losing daylight."

"Losing daylight?" she asks. "Where exactly are you
taking me?'

"Don't worry about that. Oh, and bring a sleeping bag,"
I add before leaving the room.

"Sleeping bag?
Sleeping bag?"
I heard her call out after me.

Reyna won't stop asking questions during the entire car ride to
the marina. I just smile and let her keep guessing. It is fun to hear all of
her conjectures. She guesses everything from Detroit to Disney World. Though I
have no idea what possess her to think I would take her to Detroit.

"The marina?" she asks as I park. "Scott, did you
buy me a boat?" she asks jokingly. Though many of our classmates do own
their own boats, she knows I can't afford one. Not until I get that big MLB
contract anyway.

"We're using Harrison's sailboat," I say referring to
our classmate Harrison McKinley III. He's a senior on the football team who
owes me a favor.

"Where are we going?" she asks.

"Stop asking questions and grab your stuff."

I practically run to the dock and toss in my gear. Reyna is a step
behind me with a smile on her face.

I'm not an expert at sailing by any means, but Harrison has taught
me enough so that we make good time to the little island I've picked out where
we will spend the night.
One that has the perfect balance of
marshland and view of the sky.

Charleston has lots of little privately owned islands along the
coast. It took me two weeks to find the perfect one for us and then another
three weeks to convince the owner to let me use it.

Reyna is quiet and reflective the entire boat ride over. It's like
the sea air awakens a familiar part of her. She is staring off into the sky. I
know she is thinking of Puerto Rico.

I dock the boat on the island, toss out our stuff then reach for
her hand. She pauses as she looks at the shore. She spies the blanket, the
radio and the cooler. Then she sees the picture of her mother that I have
placed in a frame of the Puerto Rican flag.