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I let out a deep breath, a
sigh of relief. He pushed back a little and said in surprise “What,
I'm not a good kisser? I thought that went well.”

“I thought that went very
well..... I'm just nervous around you until, you, touch me, then
I'm....not, and that makes me nervous.” I said slowly as I snapped
out of my trance. “Are you sure you don't want more soda? Did I
mention I'm a little nervous? Why don’t we have a soda and you can
tell me about yourself – I know you wrestle, play football and have
a great smile but that’s about it.” I was impressed with myself, I
think I recuperated quickly and sounded very adult-like with no
sarcasm.

Jett replied “Do you know
what time it is?” I looked at the clock behind him and wanted to
lie because I didn’t know his curfew. But I told him the
truth, “It’s 12:15 what time do you have to be home?”

“Well...” he
said.

“Please stay, I'm just a
little nervous. I'm quite normal, trust me.” There was a moment of
silence I couldn’t take so I added “We can sit and chat for one
soda….”

He took his jacket off and I
saw all the muscles in his arms flex, I could daydream about him
for days now. I caught a glimpse of his arm and noticed blood
seeping through his bandage; I went to touch it; he didn’t flinch
and reassured me “I’m fine, don’t worry about it.” And sat back on
the bar stool and rested his arms on the bar. “What'll ya have?” I
replied “Soda only, my parent’s mark their liquor bottles so we
can’t drink from them.”

He replied “Of course, I
would never touch your parents stock. I wouldn’t disrespect them or
want to make them mad at me for any reason, and I wouldn't let you
drink it either.”

I hopped off my bar stool
and went behind the bar, I took a couple of Pepsi’s out of the
fridge, opened the bottles, sat on the counter behind the bar and
handed him his soda. “So you’re saying that I'm not allowed to
drink my parent’s alcohol the next time you’re here?”

“That’s right. I don’t want
you getting me in trouble with your parents”.

So I of course replied out
loud instead of to myself “So there’ll be a next time -
-”

Jett said “Well I was
hoping, of course, if I'm not a good kisser.....” he laughed, I
smiled too.

“Jett” I said “I think we're
going to get along just fine and if you ask me out again I may just
say yes. And don't worry about me drinking, I don't.” He laughed
and showed me his great smile, which I absolutely
adored.

“You did tonight. You had a
beer that Rae smuggled in to the theater, actually a
couple.”

“I was just settling my
nerves and I only had one, okay two, one to settle my nerves the
second one was a social drink.” I said sarcastically, using my hand
to talk. “Ok maybe you’re right.

“I love your sense of humor,
if you’re lucky I'll call you.”

We talked and talked. It was
easy to talk to him and he had a good sense of humor. I hoped we
would have a second date. My dad called down, “Addie you better
wrap it up.” I quickly looked at the clock and I couldn't believe
it was after one already!

“Oh my gosh, are you late?
Do you need to call your parents and let them know you are on your
way home?” I asked.

He laughed at me again and
said “No, that’s alright, I don’t have a curfew. I'm a junior so my
parents don’t give me a time to be home. I just didn’t want to stay
out too late because I have to work out tomorrow before our
wrestling match – coach likes us in early.”

“I have a curfew, my parents
wanted me home by 11:00, I tried talking them
up to midnight, but...”

Jett quickly replied, “Of
course you do, you’re a freshman and a girl.”

I replied back like
whiplash... “What does being a girl have to do with
anything?”

He laughed. “Addie,
it‘s nothing against you, it’s just how it is. My cousin has to be
in by 10:30 so you should be happy with 11:00 it’s a reasonable
time and it's long enough for dinner and a movie. Your parents are
just trying to keep you safe. I have to get going Addie.” And with
no hands he leaned over for a short kiss, but I put my hand on the
back of his neck and gave him, hopefully, a kiss to remember. As he
pulled away, he said “Your eyes are closed again.” I opened
them.

“If you keep on commenting
on how I kiss, I just might get a complex.” Geez laweez I told
myself, please shut up!

Jett replied, “Well, we
wouldn’t want that to happen.”

Monday on the bus, to avoid
giving Declan further date info on Jett, I told him about Topher
and his locker because it had been bothering me all weekend. Declan
thought it was curious too, “Normally they don't move your locker,
they just fix them,” he told me. In return, I told Declan I would
ask Topher why he moved his locker again and see what he said. I
knew how to set the trap for Declan to go digging for more
information, and he took the bait. Declan said “I have a class with
him third period, I could see if I could get the
'dish'
on
him.

“Sure” I agreed, “let me
know what happens at wrestling.”

“Okay, I'll give you a ride
home.”

“But how? You rode the bus
like me, duh….”

 “Long story short, my
car will be at school later.”

“Ok, then I say awesome.” I
replied and with that we didn't have time to discuss my date. I
betcha he forgot to ask.

After school Declan was the
first one in the wrestling room, he looked like he had a big story
to tell me and couldn't wait until after practice. He was even
pacing a bit. “Declan, what's up? Did you talk to Topher?” There
was silence, it wasn't like Declan not to say anything and he was
pacing right in front of me, concentrating on the floor.

I caught his arm, and he
stopped.

”I talked to him.” He said
solemnly still looking at the floor and started chewing on a finger
nail. He put the heel of his hand to his forehead. “It can't be all
that bad Declan, just give me the heads up, it is what it is, it
won't change by you telling me.”

Nic was mopping the mats,
making comments, making fun of Declan, “Not now, I have a
headache,” she giggled. “Can't we just be friends...?”

Declan turned to me he
looked so serious and said “I am going to tell you but I don't want
you asking any questions or interrupting me when I tell you. Then
when I'm all done you can ask me as many questions as you want and
all the way home. Okay?” I expected him to start but he was waiting
for me to agree.

“Fine. Okay” I
said.

He grabbed my arms and said
“I'll help you with whatever you need.”

“Help me? Okay….” I replied
again. Now he's scaring me.

He took a deep breath and
started with “I saw Topher third period. I was going to ask him the
scoop about the locker change and I noticed he looked bad,
depressed, not his usual self. He looked sickly almost. So I went
up and talked to him. We had a sub so we got to talk the entire
class, and let me tell you, I barely had to grill him to get info.
He was primed and ready to tell someone about it and he just
started spilling everything he knew.” He took a deep breath and let
a long pause linger.

So I said “Okay...” with a
tone like what does this have to do with me? I smiled at him
thinking he was being overly serious.

He started again, “He said
Cale and he started hanging out this year, because their lockers
were together. Cale only started going to school here his junior
year....last year. I'm trying to tell you everything in order.”
Declan said a little panicked, looking at me incredulously. He
paused again, but then continued. “So at this point I was thinking
Cale and Topher did something bad and one of them doesn't want to
fess up to it. And he verified my fears when he begged me not to
tell anyone, but that this was too big and he needed to tell
someone.”

He took both my arms again
and said “Listen to me, listen to every word I tell you!” He shook
me out of my thoughts and I looked at his face and burrowed my eyes
in complete concentration on him.

“Cale has been...has been
...stalking... you, since... this summer....” He said very slowly
with a pause in between every word. He was still talking but I
heard nothing, it was like being in a tunnel and everything and
everyone was getting further and further away. “Addie, Addie can
you hear me.” Nic was right in my face.

“Of course I can hear you.”
I looked around, I had a crowd around me and everyone was looking
down at me. I felt the floor, I was on it. “I knew I shouldn't have
told her.” I heard Declan whisper to Nic, “This is way too crazy,
we need to tell the police.”

“What did you do to her
Declan?” Nic snarled and her hands were balled into fists. I
propped myself up on my elbow, I meant it to be funny but instead
it came out weak and more serious. “Boys, girls relax. I fell, I'm
very clumsy when I get my period.” All the guys in the group went
“ugh” in disgust and walked away.

“The things that come out of
your mouth girl.” Nic replied. I scooted up against the wall.
Declan plopped himself on one side of me and Nic on the other. “At
least now I know how to clear a room.”

Coach came over “Declan get
to work.”

Declan whispered “We have
more issues over here other than her just having her period.” Coach
“ugh-ed” turned on his heal, blew the whistle, and walked away to
start practice with everyone else. Jett came in right when he was
blowing the whistle, just what I needed.

“Well, I guess it was good
that I was on the mat when I passed out. The floor would have hurt
more.”

“Addie, can you take
anything seriously? I mean really, if you could see your face right
now, you are whiter than a ghost.” Nic had real concern in her
voice. Jett was just looking at the three of us, I gave him a
little wave. I'm sure the other wrestlers would fill him in any
minute. Just what I need, him thinking I am a weenie who passes out
when she gets cramps.

“Declan can you tell me
everything again? I have a feeling I may have missed some of
it.”

Nic gritted between her
teeth and said “Yeah, what did you tell her to make her pass out?”
She hushed her voice at the end. If she thought we were going to
talk about my period (that I didn't even have) I'm sure she'd want
to keep it quiet. Not much embarrassed her, but that
would.

Declan started off “This is
bad, really bad. We need to tell your parents Addie and probably
report it to the police.” I put my hand over my face and rubbed it,
then pinched my cheeks tryin’ to get some color into
them.

“Please just start again.
The only reason I fell down was because I forgot to breath, you
know such a silly thing. I am breathing now and sitting down so
let's hear it all and then we'll figure out what to do
next.”

“Yes! Let's hear it!” Nic
agreed.

“Cale never wanted to be
your boyfriend, he's been setting you up since this summer!” Nic
and I were silent so he repeated himself, explaining it in a
different way like we didn’t understand. “He's been following you
around and stalking you since this summer!” Declan
exclaimed.

Nic had doubts “Come on! Why
would he do that? That guy could have anyone, he doesn't need to be
a stalker.” Declan looked across me and over to Nic in disgust for
her interruption.

I replied “It's kinda
startin' to make a lot of sense to me, the truck, the baseball cap,
the dreams...” I tapered off.

“I tell you what, Topher was
shaking in his boots and I believe everything he told me.... Plus,
after he told me what he did, I know he regretted it but I told him
I wouldn’t tell anyone but this secret can’t be kept. Topher said
he was at Cale's house one night testing new sound equipment. They
had a few drinks and Topher passed out. But when he woke up, Cale
and his girlfriend were fighting, and that he knew it was his
girlfriend because of what they did after the fight....” He stopped
because he was waiting for me to verify that I was with him or that
I knew what he was talking about. I think he was being cautious
with me. So I let my eyes go wide and said “Yeah. Like I said, I
only passed out because I forgot to breathe... nothing Cale does
scares me that bad he’s just a high school boy, please go
on.”

“It all makes sense Addie!”
Declan continued. “You told me he only kissed you on the forehead
and weird stuff like that and that you thought he acted more a like
a dad. It's because everything he did with you was planned and set
up! The only thing Topher didn't know is why, except for that he's
a sick bastard.”

“So maybe I was a stupid bet
or something” I replied and Nic agreed.

“Unfortunately, I don't
think so not by the other details Topher mentioned.”

Nic jumped in while I was
rubbing my face “There's more?”

“Oh a lot more and I still
don't even think he gave me all the details or that he remembers
them himself. He started getting sketchy in some parts and it gets
really weird.”

“Just what I need, to be
involved in someone's sick and twisted stalking routine. I guess
this is my year for atrocious and weird incidents.”