The Perfect Couple

30

When I got home, Mom's car was in the garage, but she wasn't in the house, which meant she was out in her potting shed. I ran up to my room and dialled Kim's number. No answer. Darn! She and her mom had probably gone to the mall. When Dr Harris had a staff meeting at night they sometimes went shopping and had dinner at the mall. I was dying to talk to Kim about my conversation with Alan that day. I learned a lot from it and I was anxious to talk it over with her.

After this I won't bother him by talking about soccer. I'll ask him what rock groups he likes and what kind of books and movies he he enjoys. Until we really get acquainted I won't talk too much about myself and what I like.

I went downstairs, gulped a glass of milk and went out to the backyard.

"I'm here, Kelly!" Mom cold from the potting shed.

Somehow she always managed to look immaculate, even though she was up to her elbows in potting soil. Right now she had African violets spread all over the place, from single leaves to full plants.

"So many of my readers have trouble with their African violets." She seemed to be at a critical stage in starting a leaf and she didn't look up up. "They can't seem to keep them blooming, so I'm experimenting, trying to produce a foolproof variety. Not that my readers are fools, but the plant originally comes from a hot very humid climate, so getting them to bloom well here takes some doing."

Finally she said, "there, we'll just leave this little fellow alone for awhile and see how well he does." She looked at me now. "How was your day, dear?" Her smile almost made me forget that she asked the same question every day. I told her about Mary and the article Becky was going to write. She gave me a hug, potting soil and all. "That's beautiful, Kelly! I'm so glad you do that poor girl out and I hope Becky's idea of a welcoming committee catches on."

That night at dinner she told Dad the whole story and he beamed at me. It was nice to basking their approval but I could still hardly wait to talk to Kim. As soon as we left the table I began to watch across the street for her light to go on. When it did I ran up to my room and called her.

First I told her about my conversation with Mary and the article Becky I was going to write. She thought that was great. Next I told her about my exchange with Alan, but for some reason I changed it a little bit. I didn't tell her how bored he'd been when I'd talked about soccer. I just said we talked and he repeated that he was going to dedicate a touchdown to me.

"Nice going, Kelly." Then out of nowhere she said, "Marcus is sure A neat kid."

I'd always known he was a neat kid and I my kind of resented the fact she felt she had to remind me of it. "Well, it's getting late," I said. "I guess we'd better go."

When I hung up I took Alan's picture from my diary and for the first time I kissed his lips . . . very softly.

"Good night, sweet prince."

Becky's article titled: "Transfer Students Let's Give Them A Break" came out in the Thursday edition of the Bayside Bugle.

Becky's story was on page 1 and everybody in school was excited about it.

"Gee, I never thought how awful it must be for those kids," I heard one girl say.

Most of the comments I overheard were about the same, although have you people said it was the transfers' old v because they didn't even try to be friendly. Becky had kept her word in not using Mary's name and since my name didn't appear in the article, either, I hoped Mary would I think it was a coincidence that Becky had written it.

I got a big surprise when Caitlyn Carson, a senior who was very prominent in school affairs, called me out of study hall.

"There's a conference room down the hall where we can talk," Caitlyn told me.

"Talk about what?"

She had that remote, superior look most seniors have have and and when she said she'd tell me me in the conference room I didn't dare say anymore.

There was no one else in the small conference room and Caitlyn and I truck seats at the round table in the middle.

"We're starting a new committee at Bayside," Caitlyn began at last, "to welcome the new transfer students. I've been asked to head the committee and I'd like you to serve on it. It's only right you should because Becky says you inspired her article."

Thanks a lot, Becky, I thought. Still, I was glad Becky had mentioned my name to Caitlyn and all of a sudden the idea of working on the committee kind of appealed to me. After my talk with Mary I really felt for those kids. I told Caitlyn I'd be glad to serve and she said we have a full meeting within a few days.

I left school late that afternoon and missed Kim, but I called her the minute I got home. When I told her about the committee she was enthusiastic.

"Have you told Marcus about it yet?" She asked.

"Yeah, I stopped by his house on my way home from school." I laughed as I remembered how he blow the whole thing up

"He seemed to think this was the first step in me becoming a big school leader or something."

"Well, it was great that you got through to a girl like Mary," Kim said. Then abruptly she asked, "what did Alan say about it?"

"My goodness, I don't discuss everything that happens with Alan!" She knew Alan and I weren't that close, so why was she even asking?

"But you told Marcus," she persisted.

"Marcus and I are old friends."

"Oh," she said, somehow making it sound as if she was saying a lot more.