Through The Lens (22 page)

That wasn’t exactly
what I was thinking.  Personally, I never guessed this would be something they
would discuss. Quantum Physics maybe, but sex? Okay, I know we all thought
about it some, I just thought they were more like me and thought of their
future, not rolling in the hay with someone.  Did that make me a prude or
worse?

The brown-haired girl
pointed to another girl with brown hair except this girl’s hair was shoulder
length.  “You are up next.”

The girl stood and took
her place behind the podium.  “We should have sex because it feels good,” the
girl said.  I was stupefied again, but the girl said. “Just kidding.  I wanted
to see the look on your face.”

There were snickers;
then she said, “Start time.”

The leader said,
“Remember that this is a short debate; we all want to go home.”  The girl at
the podium nodded. The leader hit a button on something small and square.  It
must be the timer. “Begin.”

The girl said with a
serious face, “If you have the opportunity, having sex while a high schooler
can open your mind to new experiences early.  Then, when you are in college,
you will be able to focus better and not be so guy or girl crazy.”  She went on
to expound on how exploring your sexuality in high school would free that from
your mind to do some actual studying in college.

She smiled and sat. I
wasn’t convinced and didn’t think she was either. The leader pointed to a
red-haired boy with braces. “You’re up next.”

Standing, he walked to
the podium and nodded.  The leader pressed the same box and added the word
begin
. 
He said, “Waiting to have sex is more beneficial.  Although instant
gratification can come from the act, waiting until you’re sure and find someone
who truly cares about you outweighs the carnal pleasures. Waiting until you are
more sure about who you are as a person and will not have any regrets is a
better option.  And who really finds true love in high school.  Therefore its
best to wait.”

Twenty minutes later,
we left the class with all the girls scowling at me.  We’d given the win to the
boys.  As for my vote, I wasn’t sure if it was because the boys did a better
job or if it was because it was the side of the argument I would have been on. 
In the end, it was a mock debate, and Ethan and I weren’t real judges.

“I can’t believe you
voted with the guys,” I said.

Shrugging, he said,
“The girl’s arguments were weak.  I mean, I couldn’t’ have argued against.
Still they didn’t seem to put much thought into it.”  He laughed.

The next day brought
chilly rain and a warm Starbucks coffee.  It was a Venti White Chocolate Mocha
with whipped cream.  It was cold that day, so I drank the proffered coffee as I
strode away from Josh.  I hadn’t said a word to him.

At lunch he brought me
another flower.  This time it was a white lily in full bloom.  After he walked
away, I looked long and hard at the beautiful bloom before handing it to
Madison who did the same as she did with the rose from yesterday and put it in
her hair.

Bradley looked around
the lunchroom before leaning in. “Rumor had it that Ethan and Josh had words. 
It was said that people had to stop them from coming to blows.”

I sighed. Ethan said he
wouldn’t fight Josh.  But he’d clarified his statement.  I wouldn’t put it past
him to provoke Josh just to find some justice.

“And where were you
while all this was happening?” I said, scowling at him.

Turning pink, he leaned
back. “Helping to free Ethan, of course.”

Shaking my head, I
endured Madison’s wrath over Bradley.  I didn’t have to say a word as my best
friend gave my other best friend hell for his part in the almost fight.

Every day brought
something new.  A different coffee, a new flower, even a balloon. By Friday I
was weakening.  After hearing a really cheesy poem recited at lunch, I was
vulnerable to his request after school.

“Jessa, please let me
make it up to you.  I promise to keep my hands to myself.”

“Come on, give the guy
a second chance,” someone in the hall said.  It wasn’t the first time I’d heard
that sentiment. Some girls in the bathroom and in the halls had stopped me to
ask if I would give the guy a second chance.

“Okay,” I heard myself
saying.  Josh moved as if to hug me, but stopped himself.  Taking a step
towards him, I leaned in, giving him the okay to wrap me in his warm embrace.
That’s when Ethan walked by.  He didn’t look mad or even disappointed.  He
barely looked at me at all.

That night, I arrived
with Josh at his friend’s house.  When Brandon opened the door, I saw three
other couples milling about in the living room.

“You made it,” Brandon
said, punching Josh lightly on the arm.  Looking at me, he said, “I see you
gave the guy a second chance.”  I just smiled.  Turning his attention back to
Josh, he said, “So what the hell did you do anyway.”  Josh’s scowl had the guys
saying, “Okay, okay, I couldn’t help but ask.”

Josh, holding my hand,
walked me further into the living room.  The room was just as plain as the
outside of the house had been.  I didn’t know a lot about Brandon, even though
we’d been going to school together for what felt like forever.  In fact, most
of the faces in the room were familiar.  But these were Josh and my sister
Jenna’s friends, not mine.

The big leather sofa
was full with two of the three couples.  A loveseat was occupied with the
other.  Brandon nodded to Josh, giving him permission to use the oversize chair
that was opposite the loveseat.  Walking over to it with me in tow, he sat and
pulled me onto his lap.  Brandon, apparently dateless, parked it lounge-style
on the plush beige carpet.  The brown color of the furniture was almost the
only color in the room, except for two large red pillows, someone tossed to
Brandon, hitting him in the head.

“Ouch, you guys are
lame,” Brandon said. “I’m getting a beer.”

Josh with his hand
around my waist, but not crossing the line said, “Coach said no boozing tonight. 
He doesn’t want us hung over tomorrow.”

Brandon, on his feet,
said, “Nothing that sleep can’t overcome.” And he was off, headed to the
kitchen I assumed.

“So, Jessa, are you
coming to the game tomorrow,” a voice said.  I’d been staring off into the
space where Brandon had gone.  I wasn’t sure who had spoken.

Then, a girl, I was
pretty sure her name was Joy or Joyce spoke.  She had rich brown hair that
complimented her brown skin.  “She may not like football,” she said to her
boyfriend. Brett was cute with a boyish grin, which he flashed at her.  Hitting
him with another pillow, she proffered from her back, he laughed and raked a
hand through his crew cut blond hair.

Feeling like a bad
girlfriend because I hadn’t gone to any of Josh’s games, I announced, “I’ll be
there.” Tilting my head, I saw Josh’s smile.  His dimples made that rare
appearance when he smiled.

Brett said, “So you’re
coming to our victory party, right?”

“Absolutely,” I said,
with no hesitation.

“That’s my girl.  Josh,
I really like her.”

Josh said, “I like her,
too.”

Brandon was back, and
there were a few whispers and nods.  The next thing I knew the couples were
leaving.  “Man, do I smell,” Brandon said, sniffing under his arms.  Then he
took a long drink from his beer bottle.

Looking at Josh, I
wondered what was going on.  Slyly, he shook his head at me. Speaking up, he
said to Brandon, “Where’s Dana?”  Dana was Brandon’s on-and-off-again
girlfriend.  I may not know them well or personally, but rumors always told
stories.

“She broke up with me,
man.  I don’t get the woman,” Brandon proclaimed. “Maybe I should do that shit
you did.”  And then, Brandon’s eyes found mine. 

Shrugging, I said,
“Couldn’t hurt.”

Nodding back, he said,
“You guys can take my parents’ room.  I trust you Josh.”

Then I got it.  That’s
where everyone hung out.  After all we’d been through, had Josh brought me here
to try and hook up?  I could feel the anger building.

“Nah, man, we’re headed
out,” Josh said.

“You just got here,”
Brandon said.  His puppy dog look now made me get the sense that this wasn’t
Brandon’s first drink.

Josh’s hands unwound
from my waist.  I took the hint and stood.  Josh got up, “I was just stopping
by, but we have plans.”

With Josh’s hand at the
small of my back, leading me to the front door, I didn’t see him.  I only heard
Brandon say, “Oh, okay.”

I couldn’t help but
wonder if they’d traded looks.  Sighing, I told my pessimistic side to back
off.  If this was going to work, I would need to trust Josh.  Otherwise, I
would be paranoid about everything.

In the car, Josh said,
“I’m sorry about that.  I should have guessed that with the absence of a real
party, people would “hook up.”  I hope you don’t think that’s why I brought
you.”

It was what I’d
thought.  But I didn’t voice that.  He hadn’t done anything wrong, and I’d
agreed to give him a second chance. “No, of course not.”

“Good,” he said, taking
a breath like he had held it. “Movies?”

“Sure,” I said.  There
wasn’t a whole lot to do that I could think of without planning.

We ended up at the latest
Marvel superhero movie.  Action-packed, it was funny, too, and very
entertaining.  We talked about it on the car ride home.  Cutting the engine,
Josh walked me to my front door. 

“I had a good time
tonight,” he said.

Smiling, I said, “Me,
too.”

Then he leaned down to
brush a kiss on my cheek.  “I’ll call you tomorrow,” he said, before retreating
to his car.

I wanted to cry foul. 
He’d taken his vow seriously.  I kept my lips pursed.  I was the one that had
thrown the penalty flag for him crossing the line.  So, I would endure this
slow-moving relationship, and I grinned thinking that maybe he liked me just
that much to try and behave himself.  There were certainly easier targets than
me.

After my morning run, I pulled out my camera. 
Walking all over the house, I took candid pictures of my family getting ready
for the day.  I’d even caught Kyle with drool coming from his mouth while he
slept.  No doubt, he’d crept into the house after curfew.

Even my Mom was home,
which was rare.

“Hey,” I said brightly,
while she kneaded dough.  “You’re still home.”

“Yes,” she said,
working it like she had something on her mind. “I’m going in late this
morning.”

“Do you need help
today?” I offered.  Mom’s café had pretty brisk traffic on most days.  She was
able to hire and staff the shop so we weren’t forced to work there.  She knew
we didn’t share her passion.  But I’d worked my fair share.  She just didn’t
burden us with the task.

“No, I think we are
okay.  Sandy hasn’t called me to say we are short staffed.”

“Okay, so what are you
baking?” I asked.

Lowering her head and
her voice, she said, “Today’s your father’s and my anniversary.” Shock filled
my face.  How could I forget? “It’s okay, honey.  I’m making cinnamon rolls for
breakfast for your Dad, and then I’m headed to work.  He has to go in, too. 
Tonight we are off to a bed-and-breakfast.  Don’t tell Jenna and Kyle.  They
will break curfew for sure.  But I trust you Jessa.  I’ll text you the
information where we will be tonight.  And be home on time,” she warned.

It felt monumental that
my Mom trusted me enough to tell me.  It also felt good that I shared a secret
with her that my sister didn’t.  “You crazy kids have fun,” I said, winking at
her.  A blush spread across her face.  And with my camera stashed in my lap, I
pulled it out in time to capture that and a few more shots.

Thinking that my
pictures could make presents for my parents’ anniversary, I stalked my sister,
catching her putting on makeup.  Then I had her take a picture of me.  Coaxing
her into it, we stormed my brother’s room to wake him up while I got off a few
more shots.  Jessa didn’t know why I wanted the pictures, not the real reason
anyway.  I told her I wanted to finish the roll.  Plus the idea of pulling a
prank on our brother was appealing to her. 

After Kyle finally woke
up, he snatched the camera from me and took pictures of me and Jenna.  All in
all, it was a fun morning. My parents had breakfast in their room.  But my Mom
had left us yummy cinnamon rolls on the counter.  They tasted divine.  I’d have
to ask her how she made the healthy stuff taste so good. 

The house slowly
emptied.  My Mom first, followed by my father.  Then Jenna, and finally Kyle
stumbled out of the house after a loud car horn and a jingle of his phone. 
Curious, I looked out the front to see Kyle getting in the car with a girl. 
And she looked like a girl I knew to be a junior. 

Shaking my head, I had
to wonder why my siblings were so popular, and I wasn’t interested in being
so.  I spent alone time in my room reading for a while.  When noon neared, I grabbed
the keys to the car, which Jenna graciously left me because she was riding with
her friends, I hopped in the car.  And with my camera in a bag, I headed out.