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"I guess she wanted to keep it a big secret. I just thought she would have told you, if she told anyone."
"Well, she didn't. Maybe you're imagining it, fantasizing."
He laughed and continued to eat. I saw the way he was looking across the cafeteria at his usual gang of friends. I suspected he had bet on what he would or would not find out from me. He probably claimed he could get any girl in school to do anything he wanted her to do.
"So, where is she?"
"If I knew, I wouldn't tell you, would I?"
He laughed again. "I had no idea she was capable of such a thing, did you?"
"Capable of what thing?"
"C'mon," he said. "Don't play dumb."
"What do you want me to say? I'm just as upset and surprised about it as everyone else. If you're here to tease me or anything, to show off for your friends, you're wasting your time. Go back to your fan club," I snapped at him It was precisely how Karen would say it, I thought.
"Relax. I'm not here to do anything of the sort. She told me how close you two were. She said you were as close as sisters and were interested in the same things. She said you were a lot more mature than people knew, just like she was. In fact, she wanted me to arrange a double date for this coming weekend, so that's how I know whatever happened was unplanned. I might even be a witness or something if the police find out what I know."
"So, why don't you just go and tell them?"
He shrugged. "I'm not crazy about getting myself involved. Of course, we now have another witness." Sally looked up at him and then at me.
"Sally's not a gossip," I said. "She's a lot more intelligent than the rats who follow you like the Pied Piper."
"So, Sally here is going to be your new buddy?"
"She's not only more intelligent, but she happens to be nicer than most of the girls in this school."
"Probably true," he said, smiling at Sally. She immediately blushed from ear to ear. "You and I should get together and talk," he said, folding up his wax paper and bag. "Compare notes, so to speak. I'll give you a call."
"Why?" I asked as he stood up.
He shrugged. "I'm sure it's as hard for you to live with it as it is for me. Maybe together, we can help each other understand it. I know you need someone to talk to," he added. "We can comfort each other. There are ways."
He winked at me and started toward his friends. Sally looked at me, her face the picture of envy.
How did Karen know this would happen? I wondered. What had she told him about me, about us? Was this what she meant by planting seeds? Could it be true about the double date idea? What would I do if he did call me?
I was so anxious to hear the bell ending the school day, I couldn't stop squirming and turning in my seat. When it finally did ring, I rushed out of the classroom and down the hallway, keeping my eyes fixed on the exit and not looking either right or left at any other students. The moment I charged out of the building, I was shocked to see my father waiting in the parking lot.
I hurried over to him.
"What are you doing here, Daddy?"
"How'd it go?" he asked instead of answering. "Okay," I said.
"I had an hour before I need to be somewhere, so I thought I'd stop by and give you a ride home."
"You don't have to do this, Daddy. I'm fine," I said. I looked at the other students making their way to their buses and cars. To me, it seemed they were all looking my way and smirking. "They'll all think I need to be babied or something. It just makes it worse," I said. I knew Karen would surely be wondering why I needed to be taken to and from school like this, and it would cut down on the time we could spend together.
I saw from the way his lips tightened that I had hurt him with my sharp tone.
"I only mean to help you, honey."
"I know. I'm sorry, but I can't expect you to be here to pick me up every day, and I've got to be able to do it, don't I?"
"You're right again, of course. Parents just can't help being overprotective, especially in light of something like this. Go on. Take the bus, just as you normally would. I'll head back to my office."
