The Circle

by Kat Mayor

  “Absolutely,” Charlie said. McDonald’s restaurants were just starting up in the fifties, when he had been in New Mexico. He had never been to one, but he knew it was a popular place for Earthan teenagers. Lilly pulled out of the school parking lot and headed down the road.

  “So, are you liking Clear Lake?” Lilly asked.

  “I like it,” Charlie lied. Again, he did not want to hurt Lilly’s feelings. “And marching band is different. I think I’ll like it more once we march in a few games. I’m still trying to get the hang of it.” Charlie hoped he was using Earthan idioms appropriately.

  “You seem to be doing great so far,” Lilly said. She caught sight of Ian in the rearview mirror. He was mocking her, mouthing everything she said. Then he put his index finger in his mouth like he was going to puke. Lilly shot him a dirty look. “I hear you’re a great trumpet player.”

  “Thanks,” Charlie said. He didn’t know if he should return the compliment, since he didn’t actually know anything about her French horn playing. He decided to change the subject. “I noticed you read a lot. What was that book you were reading after the quiz in English today?”

  “It was Pride and Prejudice.” Lilly was surprised. “So you like to read?” Most of her friends read for school, not for pleasure.

  “Oh yes,” Charlie said. “How do you like Brave New World?”

  “It’s not really my style,” Lilly confessed. “You like it?”

  “I think it’s fascinating. Huxley paints a very bizarre and dark future. The people just go along with it. They think they have it so great, but nothing could be further from the truth.”

  “That subject matter can be interesting, but if I’m going to read dystopian stuff, I prefer Atlas Shrugged or 1984 to Brave New World,” Lilly said.

  So Lilly had read 1984. He was liking this girl more and more. “Yeah, I really enjoyed 1984, but I’ve never heard of Atlas Shrugged. What’s it about?”

  “The individual over the collective. That creativity must not be stifled by an oppressive government. I have a copy of it at home. I’ll bring it to school on Monday and let you borrow it.”

  “Thanks,” Charlie said. They sat in silence for a moment.

  “I like your car,” Lilly said, trying to keep the conversation going.

  “Thanks. It was my father’s,” Charlie said.

  “Classic Mustangs are really cool,” Beth added. “Say something,” she hissed at Ian.

  “Does it give you any trouble? I know those older cars break down a lot.” Beth elbowed him in the ribs.

  “No, it runs fine,” Charlie said. Lilly wondered if Charlie noticed how rude Ian was acting. If he did, he didn’t show it.

  “Mom, can we go inside? I don’t want to eat at the band hall,” Ian whined.

  “Yes, of course. Then you can go to the playground and hang out with kids that are more on your level,” Lilly said. She was only half-joking.

  “Good one, Mom,” Beth said.

  Charlie was confused. “Why do they call you Mom?”

  “Because I’m a senior, and I kind of look out for the younger horn players. Like a French horn mom. I know it’s kind of lame,” Lilly explained.

  “No, I think it’s cool,” Charlie said, incorporating some eighties’ slang.

  Ian and Beth jumped out of the car as soon as Lilly parked, beating Charlie and Lilly inside. Charlie held the door open for Lilly, and she had to admit she liked it. They walked up to the counter, where Beth and Ian were already paying.

  “What do you like to get here, Liliana?” Charlie asked. Only Abuela had called her Liliana, but she didn’t mind. Lilly liked the way he pronounced her name. The L sound rolling off his tongue was almost lyrical.

  “I usually get a Quarter Pounder with Cheese, plain and dry. And a supersize Diet Coke,” she told him.

  “Can I help you?” the cashier asked in an utterly bored tone.

  Charlie nodded. “We’ll have two Quarter Pounders with Cheese,” Charlie said. He looked at Lilly to make sure he was getting it right.

  “One of them plain and dry.” Lilly spoke up.

  “Yes,” Charlie continued, “and a supersize Diet Coke and a supersize coffee.”

  The cashier gave Charlie a strange look. “Did you say a supersize coffee?” Charlie nodded.

  “Hey, Jason,” the cashier called over her shoulder. “Do we do supersize coffees?”

  “I guess so.” The guy named Jason shrugged.

  “It’ll be a few minutes,” the cashier said. “We have to make a fresh pot.”

  Lilly tried to hand the cashier her money, but Charlie insisted on paying. As they walked to the table to sit with Ian and Beth, Lilly told him, “Thanks for getting my dinner, but you didn’t have to. What I mean is, I didn’t expect you to…”

  “You’re welcome, Liliana,” Charlie interrupted.

  “Her name’s Lilly,” Ian said.

  “You’re right. I’m sorry,” Charlie said. “I just really like the name Liliana.”

  “It’s OK. You can call me Liliana if you want.”

  Beth’s and Ian’s jaws dropped. For as long as they had known her, she had gone by Lilly and corrected anyone who called her anything different. The cashier brought over Charlie’s supersize coffee. “Do you want cream or sugar?”

  “No thanks.” Charlie took a sip.

  “So you don’t drink Coke?” Lilly asked. Ian and Beth were wondering the same thing.

  “I have sensitive teeth,” he said, trying to make a plausible excuse. “The cold bothers them.”

  “Dude, that’s weird,” Ian said as he dipped a French fry in catsup.

  Look who’s talking, Charlie thought. French fries and hamburgers did not go together. And who would dip French fries in catsup when grape jelly was the obvious choice? Charlie looked over at Lilly’s plain burger. “That’s really how you like to eat your hamburger?” he asked.

  Lilly nodded between bites. “I’m kind of a meat, cheese, and bun girl.”

  ***

  After they ate, they returned to the band hall to get ready. Many of the girls styled their hair in French braids or ponytails so that they could more easily tuck their hair under their hats. The drum line was already lined up and practicing their cadences. Lilly could feel the excitement building for the first half-time show of the year. Michael had the band line up to file out to the bleachers. The drum line started a cadence, and the band marched out.

  Although he knew of football from his first trip to Earth, this would be Charlie’s first opportunity to actually see it played. During the first quarter of the game, he tried to figure out the point of the game. A group of large Earthan males wearing the same uniform tried to keep a brown, oval-shaped ball away from another group of males dressed in a different uniform. They would run into each other violently until an official blew his whistle. Meanwhile, a group of scantily clad females climbed on top of each other, yelling and chanting rhymes about how great their team was. To Charlie it seemed more like some kind of bizarre mating ritual than a sport.

  ***

  The band exited the stands in preparation for the half-time show. Charlie spotted Louis and Helen in the crowd. They put on a good show of being proud parents supporting their son in his musical endeavors, though Charlie knew this would be the last game they attended.

  Michelle was also in attendance for the first game of the year. Even with her hectic schedule, she tried to make it to the home games. She saw Lilly and waved enthusiastically. Lilly gave her a small wave before Michael called the band to attention.

  The drill team performed first. The band played as the Lake Flairs entered the field. Charlie tried to keep his eyes on the drum major and not on the females in short skirts kicking their legs up and wiggling their body parts right in front of him. It’s not as if he didn’t know they’d be here. In fact, he’d seen them dance before in practice, but at practice they had more clothes on.

  Finally it was time for the marching show. When they started to pl
ay the music, Charlie finally got it. So many things that just did not make sense to him during practice made sense to him now. He could see the big picture. He realized how magnificent it was when the music and the design on the field meshed.

  The band marched off the field to enthusiastic applause. When they got back to their seats, they removed their hats. With the exception of Charlie, everyone’s hair was plastered to their heads from sweat. Charlie was thankful no one seemed to notice. The band boosters began handing out cold drinks. One of the women handed Charlie a Coke, and he wrinkled his nose. “What?” she asked him. “You want diet instead?”

  Charlie shook his head no, took the Coke, and went to his seat. Matt was talking to one of the trombone players. “You want this?” Charlie showed him the Coke can.

  “You don’t want it?” he asked.

  Charlie shook his head.

  Matt took the can. “Thanks, man.”

  Dan saw the exchange between Matt and Charlie. “So you don’t want a Coke, Charlie Brown?”

  “It’s Charlie Gray,” Charlie said evenly.

  “Whatever. Perhaps you’d prefer Sprite.” He shook up the can he was holding and opened it, spraying it all over Charlie. “Whoops! Sorry, Charlie,” Dan said, imitating the tuna commercials. Charlie just sat there, saying nothing.

  Matt got in Dan’s face. “That was really uncool, dude.”

  “Look,” Ian said to Beth and Lilly. “Dan just sprayed his drink all over Charlie.”

  Lilly turned to see. Charlie didn’t react. He just sat there, trying to find something to wipe his face with. “What a jerk!” Lilly exclaimed. She couldn’t believe how calm Charlie was. He wasn’t even angry. Lilly was furious for him. He didn’t deserve this; he never bothered anyone. She knew Dan was just pushing him around because Charlie was such a little guy.

  The football team scored a touchdown then. “Go back to your seat, Matt,” Dan said. Matt went back and picked up his trumpet, and everyone stood up to play the fight song.

  ***

  “C’mon, Mom. Let’s go,” urged Ian. It was customary for the band members to go to Bennigan’s after the game to celebrate.

  “Just a minute, Ian,” Lilly said. She quickly scanned the band hall for Charlie. She wanted to make sure he was OK.

  “If you’re looking for Charlie, he already left.” Beth told her. Lilly blushed. She would have to be more careful. Beth was far too observant.

  “Let’s go,” she said, trying to hide her disappointment. Ian whooped and ran out of the band-hall doors.

  ***

  Lilly, who usually loved the weekend, found herself looking forward to Monday. Well, maybe not Monday so much as seeing Charlie again. He was a strange little dude, but still, she had enjoyed talking with him. Best of all, he was a reader like herself. She put Atlas Shrugged in her backpack so she wouldn’t forget it.

  Charlie was no worse off after the Sprite incident. Despite his run-in with Dan, he still looked forward to school on Monday and band practice. He thought it was because now he was actually excited about marching band, but that was only part of it.

  ***

  When Lilly sat down at the lunch table, Matt and Claire were in a tiff. They refused to talk to one another. Here we go again, Lilly thought. “What’s going on?” Lilly asked, hoping that would break the ice a little.

  Claire crossed her arms, and Matt turned his back to her. Finally Claire spoke up. “Tell Matt I’m not talking to him until he apologizes.”

  “You can tell Claire that maybe when she’s asleep tonight, she’ll hear it in her dreams,” Matt answered.

  “Enough,” Lilly said. The whole situation was absurd. Lilly thought that if they really didn’t want to talk to each other, they should give up this “you tell him this” or “you tell her that” game. Besides they really didn’t need a go-between. They could each hear what the other said. There was no way she was going to spend her too-short lunch period with these two. If she reveled in immaturity, she could always go sit with Ian. There was an empty seat by Susan, an oboe player and a senior. She and Lilly had been in a few of the same classes last year and Lilly thought she was pretty nice. Then she saw Charlie sitting at his usual table all by himself. She grabbed her tray and walked over.

  Charlie heard footfalls heading in his direction and lifted his head up out of the book he was reading. “Liliana,” he said, getting up out of his seat.

  “Mind if I join you?” she asked.

  “No, of course not.” He pulled her chair out for her.

  Did boys even do that anymore? Lilly asked herself. “Thank you,” she said. Charlie just smiled at her. Lilly pointed at his food. “You’re smart to bring your lunch. It’s way safer than the cafeteria gruel.”

  “But you’re eating the cafeteria gruel,” Charlie observed.

  “Not exactly.” Lilly picked up a carrot stick. “The salad bar doesn’t count. Oh, before I forget,” Lilly said, rummaging through her backpack. “Here.” She laid the tome on the table.

  “Atlas Shrugged,” Charlie said. “You remembered.”

  “Anything for a fellow bibliophile.”

  “You know, you don’t speak like most Ear—I mean, teenagers,” Charlie said. “You seem…”

  “Older?” Lilly finished for him.

  He nodded. “Well, you don’t act like most teenagers either,” Lilly said.

  At that moment, Ian stood on his chair along with three other guys. They all had French fries hanging out of their nostrils and were pretending to fight with invisible light sabers.

  “I guess not,” Charlie said. The bell rang. Charlie waited for Lilly to rise, then he stood up, too. “Well, if you’re up for some mature companionship, meet me in government. Sixth period.”

  “Got it,” Lilly replied.

  Lilly began sitting with Charlie instead of at the band table. They started a book exchange. She lent him some of her favorite titles, and he lent her some of his. Then they would discuss them during lunch. In the afternoons, Charlie would join Lilly and her “French horn children” on their trek to McDonald’s for supersize drinks. By the end of the first week, the McDonald’s crew knew to have a pot of coffee ready at five o’clock.

  Ian also learned to go straight to the backseat in the afternoon. He wasn’t happy about it and grumbled when he could. Then Lilly started taking Beth and Ian straight home after getting drinks instead of dropping Charlie back off at the band hall first. That really rubbed Ian the wrong way. One afternoon as they were leaving the school, Charlie reached over to pick up Lilly’s horn case to put it in the back of her Jeep.

  Ian grabbed it first. “I’ve got it,” he said sternly.

  Lilly started the car, and Charlie said, “Oh, I forgot my wallet. I’ll be right back.” Like a lot of the guys, Charlie locked his wallet in his car during marching practice.

  “Great. How long is that going to take?” Ian griped.

  “Ian,” Beth and Lilly said at the same time.

  “Look, if you guys want to go without me…” Charlie began.

  “No, of course we’ll wait. It’s totally fine,” Lilly said, smiling at Charlie. When he left to go to his car, she turned to face Ian. “What is your problem? I’m sick of your rudeness. If you can’t be nice to Charlie, then you can just find another ride home.”

  “Chill. I’m just trying to look out for you. I don’t want just anyone dating my mom.”

  Lilly nearly choked. Did he say dating? Is that what he thinks?

  Charlie was back at his car, but he heard what Ian said, and it troubled him. Dating? Is this considered dating on Earth?

  “We aren’t dating,” Lilly objected, but she could feel her cheeks get hot. She turned her head forward so that Ian and Beth couldn’t see. “Charlie is a friend, and I expect you to be nice to him.”

  Charlie sighed in relief. Lilly didn’t think of him in the romantic sense at all.

  “Yeah, whatever,” Ian said and looked out the window. The three of them sat in silence unt
il Charlie returned.

  “Got it.” Charlie waved his wallet.

  Lilly smiled. “Great. Let’s go.”

  ***

  The next morning, Lilly picked up Beth as usual, but instead of getting in the backseat, she sat in the front seat. Lilly knew something was up then. Beth always left the front seat for Ian. “Ian called me,” Beth explained. “He’s getting a ride from his dad.”

  “Oh, OK,” Lilly said. Beth looked at her, wanting more of a response than Lilly gave.

  “You know,” Beth said, “Ian’s a dork who is incapable of thinking before he speaks, but he’s not a bad guy.”

  “I know. I know. I just wish he wouldn’t act like a little turd around my friend. It’s embarrassing,” Lilly said.

  “Don’t you mean boyfriend?” Beth asked pointedly.

  For the second time in less than twelve hours Lilly felt her face go bright red, and for the second time in twelve hours she felt the need to get defensive. “Not you, too, Beth.”

  “If you aren’t fooling Ian, how in the world do you think you’re fooling me?”

  “Look, I don’t know what our relationship is, or if we have a relationship, even. Charlie’s never asked me out. But I do know I like to talk to him, be around him. I don’t need Ian to make things harder than they have to be.”

  “OK. Fair enough,” Beth said. “I’ll talk to Ian and make him play nice. You know he’s just jealous in a ‘I don’t like the new guy in my mom’s life’ kind of way. For the last year he’s been your main man, and now you’re replacing him.”

  “Yeah, I know. I really don’t want to do anything drastic like boot him out of my car. Just let him know he will always be my firstborn band son. He’s not getting replaced.”

  “I will,” Beth said. “And Lilly, why don’t you just ask Charlie out? I mean it’s 1988, not 1958. Clear up all this confusion.”

  “No. No way,” Lilly said shaking her head. “If he can’t figure it out, I’m not going to figure it out for him.”

  They got to school early, since they didn’t have to stop for Ian. Lilly went in the band hall and waited for Charlie, and Beth went to go find Ian.

  ***

  At lunch Charlie thanked Lilly for letting him borrow One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest. “Wow, I just gave you that book two days ago, and you’ve already finished it?”