Rounding Third (33 page)

    
Josh smiled and then jerked his wrist to warn Rob that a curve ball was coming.

                       
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Rob headed towards his locker and was
surprised to see someone leaning against it. She turned and he saw it was
Brittany Burnside. Head cheerleader. Homecoming Queen. Volleyball star.

    
“Hey, Bobby,” she said. “How are things?”

    
“Okay, and you?”

    
“Good, but I want to make them better. And I need your help. You got a minute?”

    
Rob looked at the giant hall clock. “I have six until the bell rings. Shoot.”

    
“Jenny and I were talking. We want to go the prom, I mean, we’re only seniors
once, so we really want to go. But when we look around at the prospects--well,
she wants to go with Josh. That is, if he wants to. And if you’re cool with it.
I mean, it’s not a date obviously--he’d just be her escort. And you have to
admit, he’d look great in the pictures that she’ll have for the rest of her
life.”

    
Rob smiled. “True. Maybe I should rent him out for proms.”

    
“Yeah, start pimping your boyfriend,” Brittany laughed.

    
“So, you want to borrow Josh?”

    
“Well more than that...” she began.

    
“You want me to ask Josh for Jenny...”

    
“Yes, but I also want you to be my date.”

    
“Huh?”

    
“I want the four of us to go. You as my escort, Josh with Jenny, but if the
four of us all end up dancing together, hey, shit happens.”

    
“You want to go to the prom with me?”

    
“Yes, if you would.”

    
Rob laughed; she didn’t. “The homecoming queen and the king of the dweebs--you
don’t think that’s a bit funny?”

    
“Not at all. I can’t think of any other guy at school I would care to date. If
you were me--do you see any other candidates? Anyone who isn’t a total jerk or
likely to try to get me drunk and rape me? Danny Taylor asked me, if you can
believe that. And I told him he didn’t know how to date a girl, only rape one.”

    
“So I’m like your last resort?”

    
“Oh, no, Bobby, I didn’t mean it like that,” she said touching his arm. “I just
know I’m not exactly your type.” She smiled. “I would consider it an honor to
go with you. You aren’t a dweeb. I’d want to date you if there was anything in
it for me.”

    
“You don’t care that you are like what, two inches taller than your date?”

    
“Probably four. And, no. I look up to you. And I promise not to wear heels.”

    
“You don’t care what anyone will say when they see who you brought?”

    
The bell rang, but neither of them moved. She waited until there was silence to
answer. “Yes, I very much care. I want to be seen with the cutest, bravest,
most thoughtful guy in this school. I want my prom to be special and I can’t
think of anyone more special. These memories have to last the rest of my life
and for once I want to make the right choice.”

    
“I never even thought about going to the prom.”

    
“Please do. I can’t imagine anyone bothering us. It’s been so long and there’ll
be so many people there.”

    
She tore a page out of her notebook and scribbled. “Here is my number and
Jenny’s so Josh can call her if he wants. Please think about it. It can be
yours and Josh’s prom with us just along for the ride.” Rob took the paper.
“I’ll even make my dad spring for the limo,” she added, flashing the famous
Brittany Burnside homecoming queen smile.

    
“I’ll talk to Josh.”

    
“Thanks. You know the other nice thing about only having a few weeks of school
left--we don’t care if we’re late for class.” She kissed him and hurried down
the hall.

44

They heard the limo crunching on the gravel
drive and a moment later Meg scream up the stairs, “Rob! Josh! Your ride is
here!”

    
“Just a sec!” Rob yelled back. “How do you put this on?” Rob asked Josh,
holding up his cummerbund. “And what’s it for?”

    
“To make you look even more handsome than you already do,” Josh answered as he
slipped the strange item around Rob’s waist and buckled it for him. While Josh
still had his hands there, he kissed Rob.

    
“You know what I keep thinking?” he asked with his lips still almost touching
Rob’s. “What it would be like to be marrying you.” Rob swallowed. “Us both in
tuxes like this, you looking so wonderful. Us walking down the aisle
together...” He kissed Rob again.

    
“We should go,” Rob said. “Can’t keep our dates waiting.”

    
“I love you, Rob.”

    
“And I love you.”

    
Rob turned away from Josh and pulled a tuxedo jacket off a hanger on the
bedroom door. “Turn around.”

    
Josh did and Rob helped him on with his coat. “Your turn,” Josh said as he
slipped Rob’s jacket off its hanger and onto his boyfriend. Rob started for the
door, but Josh said, “Wait.” Josh held up a boutonnière.

    
“Shouldn’t we let the girls do that?” Rob asked.

    
“I’d like to.”

    
Rob smiled and walked back to Josh who pinned on his flower. Rob returned the
favor and Josh kissed him again.

    
“I could just stand here and look at you all night,” Josh whispered.

    
“I’m not sure that was the plan for the evening.” Rob took Josh’s hand and led
him into the hall.

    
Rob’s parents, Meg, Jenny and Brittany all turned and their faces lit up as Rob
and Josh came down the stairs hand in hand.

    
“Wow!” Mrs. Wardell said.

    
Meg said, “You both look so beautiful.” She kissed them both. “Where’s your
camera?”

    
“Oh shoot, I left it upstairs.”

Rob turned back toward the stairs, but Meg
said, “I’ll get it” and darted out of the room.

“We have to swing by my house and Jenny’s,”
Brittany said, “Our parents want pictures, too.”

“The first picture here has to be of Bobby
and Josh,” Jenny said. “This was a bad idea, Brit, our dates are better looking
than we are.”

“The boys don’t look bad, but you are both
beautiful,” Mr. Wardell said.

“I don’t think I was this excited at my own
prom,” his wife said.

After many photos in all possible
combinations of couples and with and without family, they left. As they walked
to the limo, Brittany took Rob’s arm and said, “Thank you. I’m so happy right
now.”

“Thank you,” he answered. “I never would’ve
thought to do this. But it’s going to be a wonderful night.”

                       
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Maybe it was only Rob’s imagination that everyone
turned to stare when they entered the ballroom. As he felt the stares of Danny
Taylor, Corey Brickman and their cohorts and dates he tightened his grip on
Brittany’s arm and she squeezed back. A flash went off in their faces blinding
Rob for a moment. When his vision returned, he saw a friend of Brittany’s was
smiling behind the camera.

Ryan Tattorelli came toward them, his large
body looking very odd in a tuxedo. Rob braced, he wasn’t sure for what or why.
Ryan extended his hand. “Glad you could make it,” he said, welcoming Rob then
turned to Josh. “Good to see you again, Josh. You look great.” Ryan guided them
to a table on the far side of the room away from Taylor and company.

                       
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Rob tiptoed upstairs, but Meg’s light was on.
She came out into the hall. “How was it?” she asked in a whisper.

“Great. More than great,” he whispered back.

“Where’s Josh?”

“He had a few too many sips from Ryan’s
flask. I put him to bed downstairs.”

“Are you tired? Should I wait and ask you
about it in the morning?”

“I won’t sleep. It was too awesome. On one of
the last slow dances, Jenny came over and cut in--not to dance with me, but to
let me dance with Josh. My head against his chest, his head on my shoulder. It
was incredible. I don’t think I will ever be that happy again. Ever.”

“Wow.”

“And when the song ended,” Rob swallowed, choking
before going on. “People applauded. Not just Brittany and Jenny, but Ryan and
Summer and Ronnie Hicks and lots of people. This whole circle of people. People
I don’t even know. They were clapping for me and Josh. It was the best night of
my life. But then I realized something. It was the worst night of my life.”

“Why? What happened?”

“No, nothing like you’re thinking. Nothing
bad happened. The few assholes were so outnumbered they just left us alone and
after a while I forgot they were there. I just realized as incredible as Josh
looked tonight--he did look incredible didn’t he?”

“No. Incredible doesn’t begin to describe it.
I got goose bumps--look, I’m getting them again--you both looked so great.”

“As great as the evening was, I realized
something.”

“That you aren’t in love with Josh anymore?”

“How’d you know?”

“I could tell. The last month or so.
Something changed.”

“Was it that obvious?”

“I’m not sure anyone else knows. I don’t
think Josh does.”

“And I can’t tell him. He asked me to marry him
tonight. How can I say no? I’m all he has.”

“You can’t spend the rest of your life with
him out of pity.”

“It was such a strange night. How I could be
so happy and so sad at the same time. I mean I still love him. I always will.”

“How could you not? But you just aren’t in
love with him anymore.”

“I’m tired of having him leaning on me all
the time. I’m not that strong to carry both of us.”

“You’re a lot stronger than you think.”

“I know it makes me a terrible person, to
want out.”

“No, it makes you human.” Meg hugged him
again and said, “I think we’re both a little disappointed he isn’t the hero we
both once thought he was.”

“How did you get so smart?”

“I learned from my big brother.”

Rob smiled. “You ought to get to bed. I’m not going to be able
to sleep. I need to go for a run.”

“In your tux?”

Rob smiled. “It’s a thought.”

Meg turned back towards her room, and Rob
said, “Wait.”

She turned around. He unpinned his
boutonnière and presented the flower to her. “Here. Thank you.”

“For what?”

“Being a great friend. I also realized
tonight, my days at home are numbered. I’m going to miss you.”

“You’re not leaving yet,” she said, slugging
him in the cummerbund.

“Is it possible I’m going to miss that when I
go away to college?”

“Maybe you’ll get a cute roommate who can
keep you on your toes.”

Rob smiled then pulled his tie off and
unbuttoned the first button of his shirt. He reached behind his neck and undid
a clasp. He handed Meg her gold cross. “Thanks for that, too.”

“You wore it tonight?”

“Yeah, for good luck.”

She placed it back in his hand. “Keep it.
Good night, Rob.”

She kissed him and went into her room. Rob
went into his room, took off his jacket and cummerbund, traded his dress shoes
for his Nikes and went out for a run.

      
45

Josh’s fist was in Rob’s face before either
of them knew Josh had swung his arm. Rob staggered backwards, reeling from the
blow. The punch registered as much fear and pain on Josh’s face as it did on
Rob’s. Rob was too shocked to feel the physical damage. Josh stepped forward to
touch Rob, the look of horror still carving itself in Josh’s features. Rob
instinctively drew away and that motion caused Josh to recoil and say, “Oh,
God. I’m so sorry!” 

    
Rob couldn’t bring himself to speak. He stared in amazement at Josh, afraid to
even blink for fear of what might next happen. He was oblivious to the red
rising on his cheek, the cut on his lip oozing a tiny slice of crimson, or his
frozen eyes swelling up.