Page 85 of Hate You, Maybe
After Dex and I met with the faculty to update them on our plan for the SACSS visit, Mr. Wilford freed everyone up “to pursue individual staff development.”
I interpreted this as catch-up time with Loren. So I dragged her straight to the empty theater, where I knew we could talk alone. Now we’re sitting in the front row, directly across from the orchestra pit, with the stage lights illuminating us.
“So how was he?” Her question is a strangled laugh. “I mean, how wasthe kiss? On a scale of one to ten.”
My cheeks pink up, and I’m almost embarrassed to admit how amazing at kissing Dexter is. “I’d have to say a solid twenty.”
Her eyes go wide, and she shakes her head. “So what does this mean? Are you guys seeing each other now?”
I glance around the room, as if a lurking student might somehow overhear us. But fall break isn’t over. The kids won’t be back until Monday. Only teachers and staff are on campus. Developing.
“We’re still coworkers, and you know my policy. Plus, we’ve got to buckle down and focus on the accreditation for the next few weeks. And the FRIG hasn’t been announced either.”
I so badly want to share the news about the offer Dr. Dewey made. Dexter’s transfer would smooth out all our obstacles. But it’s not my story to tell. Yet.
The kissing definitely is.
“I hate to say I told you so, but”—Loren wags her eyebrows—“Dex is a babe. Right?”
“Oh, my friend.” I guffaw. “You have no idea.” Now I’m picturing him dripping wet, fresh from the shower. Wearing only a towel. And his tattoos.
“There’s more?”
“No.” I gulp.
I’d love to tell her about the tattoos. Especially the one he got with his sisters, in his mom's handwriting, but Dex made me promise to keep that to myself. And I won’t betray his confidence.
“Come on, Say.” Loren puts on a pout. “You can’t drop a line like,‘You have no idea,’ then leave me hanging. That’s cruel and unusual punishment. And probably against the best friend law. Anyway, you know you can trust me.”
I do know I can trust her, and that means everything to me. So I grasp at an alternative. Something sweet I didn’t promise to keep secret.
“It’s just that … he has a teddy bear,” I say. “From when he had a tonsillectomy as a kid.” Since Dex talked openly about the bear during the icebreaker activity, I don’t feel like I’m breaking any confidentiality laws now. “The bear’s name is Clarence. And he keeps it in his office.”
“Shut up! That might be the cutest thing I’ve ever heard.” She lays a hand on her chest. “No wonder you kissed his face off.”
“Well, it doesn't matter anyway,” I tell her. “Because we already decided the kissing thing can’t happen again.”
“But whyyyy?” Loren whines. “Things were just starting to get interesting.”
“They were. Until good old Colleen Kroft let all the air out of our make-out balloon.”
“Your mom?” Loren narrows her eyes. “What does she have to do with this?”
“She called right in the middle of all the kissing to tell me her wedding’s off.”
Loren’s face falls. “Oh, no.”
“Oh, yes. But are we really surprised?”
She sighs. “I suppose not.”
“Her timing was either the best or the worst, depending on how you look at it. Either way, after she interrupted us, Dex and I sort of went to our separate corners and cooled off.”
“But then you guys talked everything through today,” she says. “Like adults.” These are statements, not questions. And I cringe. Because no. We didn’t.
“Weeeeelll …”
“Sayla.” She frowns. “Youneedto have a conversation.”
