The Man Behind the Mask

The Heat of the Night

*Gwen*

Peter caught up with me after the final bell. 

"Hey, Peter! Ready to go?" I ask, unable to hide my grin.

"Can we actually go out later? There's some errands I gotta run first," He says.

"Oh, sure, how about I meet you at Grounds for Thought? The little coffee place downtown?" I ask.

"Great.  Does seven work?" He asks, looking all too distracted.

I smile. "Okay, that's good by me."

He runs off, and I wonder how I never noticed him before this year. Well, that isn't true. Last year he stirred up some trouble at school with Flash and others after his Uncle died. Some fights here and there.  Not to mention he had skipped school a few times and gotten in trouble for truancy.  But he also looked different.  He filled out more towards the end of last year, and he didn't wear his glasses anymore.  Did he get contacts?  Why do I care?

"What do you see in Parker?" Flash asks, standing next to me all of a sudden.

"He's a nice guy, Flash.  Leave me alone," I say.

"C'mon, Gwen, go to the dance with me." He asks.

"No thanks, Flash."

He gives me a pouty look.

"Seriously, Flash. I'm sorry, but no."

Then I walk home to do some homework to distract me until I meet up with Peter.  As I work on my Calculus problems, I wonder what Peter is doing.  Why had he seemed so distant after classes?  Was he interested at all?  Was I interested?

Since my dad had passed, I haven't even thought about friends or guys, at all.  Was I ready to date? 

This was all assuming that Peter was even into me.  I had no idea.  He's so mysterious; he's so different from anyone else I had known.

I can see myself really enjoying spending time with him.

At six-thirty, I change my shirt three times, finally settling on the same blue top I had started out with.  Then I walked three blocks to Grounds for Thought.  I ordered a Mocha coffee and found a table in the corner, fiddling with the camera I had brought.  Time passed, and I checked my watch nearly every minute.

Once my watch changed to 7:15, a sense of dread filled me. 

Where was he?

I waited fifteen more minutes.  After three coffees, I knew he wasn't coming.

I felt silly for feeling so disappointed. 

I got up and put on my coat, leaving a tip.  Then I grabbed my camera and walked out the door, onto the sidewalk, my face filled with heat and embarassment under the dim light of the moon.