Can True Love Survive High School?

by Natalie Standiford

  Britta bustled around lighting candles and lanterns. “Isn't it beautiful?” she said.

  “It's so sweet,” Holly said. “Like a playhouse for grown-ups.” The house was unfurnished, but Britta and Ed had made a low table out of bricks and a board and set out a thick blanket on the floor with cushions to sit on. They had a boom box for music. There were ashes in the fireplace; it had obviously been used very recently. And spread out near the fireplace was another blanket and some pillows, set up like a bed. They had made the house their own. It was bare but so cozy. Holly felt as if she were in a fairy tale cottage in an enchanted forest.

  Britta kept a stack of plastic plates and cups and knives and forks under the makeshift table. Ed opened a bottle of wine. Holly admired the way they each knew what to do without having to speak. They were one unit, a real couple. It must feel so nice, she thought.

  Ed set the bottle on the low table. He leaned across it and kissed Britta, long and slow and deeply. Their faces were illuminated by the candles. Holly stared for a second; she felt as if she were watching a romantic movie. But then she remembered this was real and maybe she shouldn't stare. She glanced at Rob. He was looking at his hands in his lap, where he was trying to wage a thumb war with himself. His left thumb was severely handicapped, however, since he was a righty.

  “Who wants pizza?” Britta finally disengaged herself and asked.

  “I do,” Rob said. “I'm starving.”

  They gathered on cushions around the table. Britta put some soft music on the box. They couldn't make too much noise or they might get caught.

  Britta gleamed in the candlelight. Her hair was tied back with a scarf, and she wore mascara, lipstick, and a low-cut blouse. Holly couldn't get over it. Every time she saw Britta she seemed more womanly and more beautiful. She caught Ed staring at Britta with admiration in his eyes. Britta looked back at him and flushed. Holly reached for Rob's hand. Thumb war over. It was time for love.

  With his free hand Rob lifted the top of the pizza box. “So, what kind did we get? Looks like half-mushroom, half-pepperoni. Excellent. Half-mush, half-pep, we call it at my house.” He took a pepperoni slice and plopped it onto his plate. “What kind do you want, Holly?”

  Holly was watching Ed and Britta gaze into each other's eyes. Ed obviously didn't care about food—all he cared about was Britta. Holly wondered what it felt like to have a boy look at you that way, as if you were the most beautiful person in the world.

  “Holly? You're a mushroom girl, usually,” Rob said. He gave Holly a slice of mushroom. “Ed? Britta? You eating?”

  Ed dragged his eyes away from Britta's face to look at Rob, then the pizza. “What would you like, love?” He had a faint English accent.

  “Wait—” Britta picked up a slice of mushroom. “Here.” She held the dripping pizza for him and fed him a bite. A string of mozzarella stretched between his teeth and the slice, then snapped and landed on his chin. Britta gently plucked it off and popped it into his mouth. They were so intimate with each other. Holly longed to have that same feeling with Rob. At least he knew what kind of pizza she liked. Ed served a slice to Britta and they started eating.

  “Don't you love this house?” Holly said to Rob. “It's so cozy, even without electricity.” He nodded.

  “I hope no one ever buys it,” Britta said. “I feel like it's ours. I hate to think of some family moving in here and bickering over what TV show to watch or yelling at their kids to do their homework. You know? It would drive out the love vibe.”

  “The love vibe?” Rob said. “What are you talking about? You don't want the people who live here to watch TV? If you lived here long enough, you'd get around to watching TV at some point, I bet.”

  “I know what you mean, Britta,” Holly said. “This house shouldn't have to see petty, everyday problems. It's a love house.”

  “That reminds me.” Ed rummaged through his backpack until he found a package wrapped in tissue paper. “Britta, I made this for you. I didn't mean to give it to you in front of anyone else, but … well, I think your friends will understand. I can't wait to see how you like it.”

  Britta tore off the paper. Inside was a framed drawing of the house they were all sitting in at that moment, styled so it looked even more like a sweet, cozy cottage than it really was. Smoke curled out of the chimney, a dog slept peacefully on the front step, and the welcome mat read “Bless Our House and Its Heart So Savage.”

  “Oh, Ed, it's beautiful,” Britta said. “You made this? I didn't even know you could draw.” She studied it again, and tears sprang to her eyes. “It looks as if we live here. Or at least someone very happy lives here.” She put the picture on the table and they kissed again, a good three minutes this time.

  Rob picked up the picture and stared at it. “‘Heart So Savage’? What's that supposed to mean?” he whispered to Holly.

  “Like, true love,” Holly said. “Fierce and passionate. Like a wild animal.”

  Rob made a face. “This guy is too much,” he whispered.

  Holly felt sad. Why couldn't Rob see the beauty of all this? He'd never be passionate with her the way Ed was with Britta, not if he thought it was all silly.

  They finished the pizza. It was a warm night so they didn't light a fire. They all sat on the deck watching the moon set over the water and slapping mosquitoes away.

  “It feels like we're in another world,” Holly sighed. “Far away from our real lives. In a story, or a movie.”

  No one said anything. Holly heard a faint lapping sound. Britta and Ed were furiously making out.

  Rob reached for Holly in the dark and kissed her lightly. “Can we get out of here now?”

  “Oh, already?” Holly said. She loved the little house. She didn't want to leave. And she was hoping it would work its magic on Rob somehow, if they just stayed long enough.

  “I'm getting restless,” Rob said. “Let's go for a drive.”

  “Okay.” A drive wasn't so bad. On a warm, moonlit night, it was kind of romantic. They got to their feet. Ed and Britta were so busy making out they didn't notice.

  Rob cleared his throat. “We're out of here,” he said. “Thanks for pizza and everything.”

  “Thanks for letting us see the house,” Holly said. “I really love it.”

  Ed and Britta disengaged again and got up. “You're welcome,” Britta said. “Maybe next time we can all go for a midnight swim.”

  “Be careful in the dark out there,” Ed said. They walked Rob and Holly to the door, and stood framed in the candlelight, arm-in-arm, watching them go.

  Holly and Rob picked their way along the path until they got to Rob's SUV. Holly glanced back at the house. From the street you could see only the slightest trace of light in the windows. If you weren't looking for it you'd never notice someone was inside. It was like a secret world that disappeared as soon as you stepped away.

  “Can we not double with them again?” Rob asked.

  “What?” Holly said. “But they're so sweet together. And it's Britta's first love; I feel as if I need to make sure it goes okay.”

  “It's going fine without you, trust me,” Rob said.

  “Ed won't be here much longer,” Holly said. “I think that's why they're so obsessed with each other. They're trying to squeeze everything they can into a few weeks.” But it wasn't just that that Holly envied; it was the seriousness between them. They weren't boyfriend and girlfriend; they were lovers.

  “Well, I can't wait until that dude leaves,” Rob said. “You're too involved in this whole thing. You spend too much time with Britta.”

  “Why do you say that? I spend a lot of time with Mads and Lina too, and that never bothered you.”

  “They're different,” Rob said. “They don't shut me out when I'm around. Britta shuts out everyone but Ed. And he does the same thing. I feel like they don't really want us around.”

  “They do, I know they do,” Holly said. “Britta always says so. And look how much good it's done her. Do you remember
what she used to be like?”

  “Yeah. Geek city.”

  “And now?”

  “Like a big drip. If you ask me,” Rob said.

  “She looks gorgeous! The love is just shining out from her skin.”

  Rob shrugged. “Give me a good old-fashioned geek any day.”

  She knew he didn't mean that. “I feel like I have to help her,” Holly said. “She's never had a boyfriend before.

  She's never been through any of this stuff before. And her parents are always worrying about every little thing…. She needs someone on her side.”

  “They creep me out,” Rob said. “They're too intense. Always licking each other and staring into each other's eyes.”

  “I don't think it's creepy,” Holly said. “I think it's beautiful. It's true love.”

  “No,” Rob said. “This is true love.” He stopped the car at a red light and brushed Holly's hair from her face. Then he kissed her forehead, her nose, each cheek, and her mouth, in a kind of cross. “See? I can be Mr. Casanova, too,” he said. “When I want to be.”

  Holly loved the kisses—but Rob ruined the mood with his comment. Did he mean what he said about true love? Maybe, but even so, Holly was afraid he didn't quite get it.

  QUIZ: IS YOUR RELATIONSHIP TOO INTENSE?

  There's good intense and bad intense.

  Do you know the difference?

  1. On the first date he takes you to:

  a► a movie

  b► an expensive dinner

  c► Paris

  d► couples counseling

  2. You meet his parents. They say:

  a► “Nice to meet you.”

  b► “What a sweet girl.”

  c► “Do you want a church wedding or justice of the peace?”

  d► “She'll be a nice addition to the bloodline.”

  3. He says he doesn't want to see you too often, only:

  a► once a month

  b► once a week

  c► once a day

  d► once an hour

  4. His nickname for you is:

  a► honey

  b► sweetie

  c► soul-baby

  d► mother-of-my-children

  5. When your parents met him their reaction was:

  a► polite

  b► pleased

  c► overjoyed

  d► they took out a restraining order

  6. He runs out to the store to get ice cream. You feel:

  a► impatient—you're hungry

  b► nothing—he'll be back before you know it

  c► edgy—what's taking him so long?

  d► panic—by the time he returns twenty minutes later, you've already composed a suicide note because you can't live without him

  7. You love him because:

  a► he's sexy

  b► he's good to you

  c► he needs you so much

  d► without him you're nothing

  Scoring: If you picked any d's, your relationship is intense to the point of sickness! You need help. More than two c's signal trouble, too. Otherwise, you're probably okay.

  “I talked to Peggy Fowler last night while you all were out,” Jen said at breakfast the next morning. Curt had already left for work. Jen sat with a cup of black coffee, tapping her fingers on the table, jonesing for a cigarette. She'd quit smoking five years before, but she was born a smoker and would always be a smoker, even if she never took another puff. “Yeah?” Holly spooned a slice of grapefruit into her mouth. She had a feeling that whatever was coming next wasn't good.

  “Well, she's worried,” Jen said. “You know how they are. I try to tell her to calm down, be more like me and your father. You and Piper are turning out okay, and we don't get all worked up about what you're up to.” She paused for a sip of coffee. “But you're not up to anything bad, are you?”

  “No, Jen,” Holly said. “Nothing you wouldn't do.”

  “That's not the best answer I could hear, but I'll take it,” Jen said. “This thing with Britta does sound a little funny, though. It's like in an old movie when the heroine takes off her glasses and lets down her hair, and suddenly she's a whole different person. I can't blame Peggy for worrying. She says Britta is obsessed. She doesn't care about anything anymore unless it has to do with that boy. What's his name?”

  “Ed.”

  “Ed. Who falls in love with an Ed? She hardly eats, she hardly studies, Peg practically has to kick her out of bed in the mornings and force her to go to school…. And she was always such a nerd!”

  “She's changing,” Holly said. “Life is opening up to her. She's like Jane Eyre after she falls in love with Rochester. I think it's a good thing. It's normal! I've had crushes like this before. I just never let you in on it.” “Really? I don't remember ever seeing you not eat.” “Very funny. Britta's just getting more normal. Peggy's not used to that after all these years raising a nerd. There's nothing to worry about. I'm sure.”

  “What makes you so smart?” Jen asked. “You talk to me as if I were one of your friends, not your mother.” “Jen, think about it,” Holly said. Jen didn't bother. “I guess you're right,” Jen said. “I've never been very maternal, have I?”

  “No,” Holly said. She got up, put her bowl in the sink, and gave her mother a kiss. “And that's the way I like it.”

  13

  Kiss Me, Stinky

  To: mad4u

  From: your daily horoscope

  HERE IS TODAY'S HOROSCOPE: VIRGO: If knowledge is power, you are about to be handed a neutron bomb.

  * * *

  I loved the part when she comes home to meet her new roommate and the apartment looks like a tornado ripped through it,” Mads said. She and Lina walked out of the movie theater after a showing of Kiss Me, Stinky. The movie was even better than Mads had hoped. “I liked the part at the end when she kisses him even though he's covered in garbage,” Lina said. She tossed her popcorn bag in the trash. “Ew. But I would have kissed him, too.”

  The Carlton Bay Twin had two theaters, and both movies had let out at the same time. The crowd milled about on the sidewalk in front of the theater, clogging the lobby. Mads caught a glimpse of short, spiky brown hair in the crowd. It belonged to Walker Moore. He spotted her and smiled. Then he saw Lina and his smile disappeared.

  “Hi, Walker,” Mads said, elbowing Lina to give her as much time as possible to prepare a decent lie.

  “Hi, Mads. Hi, Lina,” he said in a pointed way.

  “Hey, Walker.” Lina didn't seem disturbed by this sighting in the least. Mads thought that was strange. Hadn't Walker asked her to the movies that night? And hadn't Lina told him that she had too much homework to go? So hadn't she just been caught in a lie? Wasn't she afraid Walker would be hurt, or angry?

  “We just saw Kiss Me, Stinky,” Lina said. “It rocked!”

  “Really?” Walker looked confused. “I saw Rocket to Russia.”

  “How was it?” Lina asked.

  “Good,” Walker said.

  “Who did you see it with?” Lina asked.

  “Nobody,” Walker said.

  “Oh,” Lina said.

  “I thought you had too much homework to go to the movies,” Walker said.

  “I was going to do some homework, but then—”

  “—I called her up and begged her to come to the movies with me,” Mads said. “I wouldn't take no for an answer. Right, Lina?”

  “Actually, I was the one—”

  “That's okay,” Walker said, but it didn't look okay to Mads. “You don't need to give me an excuse.”

  He walked away, long loping strides, his hands shoved in his jacket pockets.

  “Mads, why did you lie like that?” Lina asked.

  “Well, he seemed kind of upset,” Mads said. “I mean, you told him you had too much homework—”

  “Why should he be upset?” Lina said. “If you went to the movies without me, I wouldn't care. Unless we planned to go together, like tonight. But I never had a
plan with Walker.”

  “I guess,” Mads said, but something didn't feel right about it.

  “Don't worry, Mads,” Lina said. “He doesn't care. We're friends.”

  “All right, Madison, that was good,” Charles said. Mads had just finished rehearsing a scene with “Mama,” or Kendall. She had actually managed to remember all her lines this time, which was a first. She was starting to like this acting thing. “I just want you to think about ESP and how it feels. You don't happen to have ESP, do you?”

  Mads shook her head. “M.C. has it, but I don't think I got that gene.”

  “Too bad. Well, talk to her about what it feels like and think about how you might show that with your body. Without going overboard or being hokey. Okey-dokey?”

  “Okay,” Mads said, but it sounded impossible.

  “Take a break,” Charles said. “I need everyone from Act One, scene three, on stage now!”

  Audrey flounced past Mads; this was her cue. “I can really see that zit on your forehead under the stage lights,” she said to Mads. “I've got makeup in my backpack if you want to borrow some.”

  Mads' hand flew to her forehead. Whatever that was up there felt huge, the size of a lima bean. “What are you doing with makeup?” she demanded. “You're too young.”

  “I need it. I'm an actress now.”

  “Oh, please.” But she wandered through the wings, looking for Audrey's backpack. She couldn't walk around with a neon-red zit blaring on her forehead. She finally found the backpack tossed behind a large box. She unzipped it and started rifling through all Audrey's junk. You'd think she'd have a few school books in there, Mads thought—they had just come from school—but no. The bag was full of hair clips and scrunchies, an extra pair of shoes and an extra top, a small stuffed kitty, several mysterious pink plastic zippered cases, crumpled-up notes from friends, and makeup. Mads was just pulling the concealer out when she heard someone nearby giggle and say “Shh!”

  Mads instinctively froze. Why, she couldn't say. She wasn't doing anything wrong. But if somebody else was, she wanted to find out about it. And they might stop doing it if they knew she was there.