Page 73 of Hot Four Teacher
Chapter twenty-six
Cherry Poppin'
Michelle
Another day. Another soccer game.
I guess I shouldn’t complain. We had a week and a half reprieve. Usually, I don’t mind the games, but tonight, I’m ready to just be home.
Maybe it has to do with the fact that I’m exhausted from work because I dealt with nothing but screaming children all day.
Maybe it’s that I’m ready for a bubble bath and then bed.
But it’s probably that I want to talk to Dane. Even just texting him has been the highlight of my day.
Ronnie and our mother sit next to me, chatting amongst themselves.
Or at least I think they’re chatting amongst themselves until I hear, “Earth to Michelle.”
I turn to see both of them staring at me.
“What?” I ask.
Ronnie says, “I was just asking how things were going with Dane.”
“Oh, uh, things are good. Not much has changed since last time I saw him, but we’ve been talking when we can.”
Mom asks, “When are we going to get to meet him?”
“Well, Mom, I’m not even letting him meet Eve yet, so it may be weird for me to bring him to family dinner.”
Ronnie jumps back in. “I can’t believe I still haven’t gotten full details on your little weekend fieldtrip. Just a few non-descriptive text messages.”
“Ronnie, you were out of town. Since you’ve been back, I’ve been busy.”
“Come on, sis. Give me something here. The game hasn’t even started yet. Time to dish.”
“Well, we went to dinner Friday night. I spilled pasta sauce all over my shirt, and he gave me one of his to wear. I took him to the falls. Saturday, he asked if I wanted to go hiking with him, and I said yes.”
Ronnie cuts me off, “Whoa, wait a damn minute. You went hiking?”
I nod.
“Why would you do that? You hate hiking. You hate anything and everything having to do with the outdoors.”
“Noteverything,”I argue. “But I did it because you told me to try to find things in common with him. He said he liked hiking, so I said I did too.”
Ronnie buries her face in her hands. “Good grief, you are so literal. So, how did yourhikego?”
“I slipped and twisted my ankle. To make a long story short, he ended up having to carry me back to the car.”
Mom says, “Wow, I like him already.”
Ronnie snaps, “Okay, let’s skip to the good stuff. Did you get your cherry popped?”
Mom smiles. “She has a teenage daughter. I think her cherry was popped a long time ago.”
Ronnie says, “If anyone’s were to grow back, it would be Michelle’s.”
