Terrified of Love

Chapter 6

After a bit, I walk into the kitchen and grab a chip, "What are you wearing?" Mom asks

"A jacket, weirdo" I say as I eat

"Take it off" She tells me

"Why? I'm cold" I say

"There are a lot of people here now. The room's gonna heat up. I know Zahid runs hot" She says

I look at my dad, "What?" I ask before I walk away

We all sit down and start eating a little while later while Paige is in the bathroom, "Something weird happened at school today" I say

"Why do you smell like smoke?" Dad asks

"I don't know" I say

"No, your, uh...your jacket reeks" He starts sniffing Jeremy, "You been—You been smoking around my daughter?" He asks
"Cigarettes? No" Jeremy says

"What do you mean, cigarettes? No? You been smoking something else?" He asks
"Dad" I say
"I'm sure it was someone else. I mean, everyone at that school smokes. It's like an episode of Mad Men" Mom says

"Maybe it's a little—a little doobage? Huh? Blunt? Kush?" He asks

"Since it's clearly, like, bothering you, why don't we just—honey?" Mom says as she starts taking it off

"Sorry, what?" I ask

"We're just gonna take it off" She says

"What? What the hell are you doing?" I ask
"Okay. Get this..." She says as I laugh

"Are you serious?" I ask

"Right. Yeah, much better" Mom says

"I kind of like the smell of smoke. Reminds me of my Uncle Rashid when he used to give me sips of his beer. He's got a Corvette" Zahid says

Paige walks back in, "Sorry to interrupt, everybody" She sits down, "Apparently, I kind of do that a lot. Some would eve say it's one of my worst qualities, so..." Paige says

"So, anyway, Coach called me into his office today—" Paige interrupts me, "Mrs. Gardner, I was just gonna ask you to pass the iced tea, but, you know, I didn't want to sound bossy" Paige says

Zahid and Sam whisper to each other, "Is everything okay?" Mom asks

"Well, to be honest with you, no, it's not, umm...I found the pros and cons list that you made about me" Paige says

"No, he wouldn't do that, would you?" Dad asks

"I would, and I did" Sam says

"You wrote a burn book about the only girl that's ever liked you? That's hilarious" I say

Jeremy and I chuckle, "What are you laughing at, Cheech?" Dad asks him

"He did say you have ever clean shoes" Zahid tells Paige

"You've read it too, I see. How many people have you showed this to, Sam?" She asks

"Oops, made it worse" Zahid says

"Why would you make a list about Paige?" Mom asks

"To help me decide if I want her to be my girlfriend or not" He says

"Girlfriend?" Mom asks

"Okay, I—I should probably go" She stands up, "This was a lovely dinner, though, Mr. And Mrs. Gardner. So, um...thank you" Paige says and walks out

"She's mad?" Sam asks

"Yes" Dad says

"Yeah" Zahid says

"Yeah" I say

Sam stands up and walks out after her, "We've never met this girl. I've enver even heard her name before—Paige?" Mom says

"I have a little news" I say

"Big news" Jeremy corrects

"I mean, I knew he was interested in girls, but this is, you know, awfully fast" Mom says

"I'm being recruited. By Clayton Prep. Yeah, I guess they saw my last race and I don't know, they want me" I say

"Wow! Clayton? That's huge" Dad says

"Yeah, right?" Jeremy says

"Wow. How far away is Clayton? I mean, would you have to leave Newton?" Mom asks

"No, Mom, I love high school so much, I'd go to both" I joke, "NO, they want me to start right away. What do you guys think?" I ask

"Wow. That's exciting" Dad says

"Yeah" I say
"There's a lot to discuss" Mom says

"Yeah, for sure. We have to figure it out" Dad says

"I mean, you know, Im sorry honey, but I don't think there's any way that this could work. I mean, we need you at the same school as Sam, right? But we'll talk about it when your friends aren't here. Cause he doesn't have a one to one aide anymore. And he relies on you heavily. So, I'm...I just—I don't know how it could happen" Mom says

My face falls, "Yeah. Okay" I say

"We'll talk about it later" She says

"Okay" I say and we go back to eating

I'm trying to hide my disappointment, "Zahid. That's an interesting name. Where is your family from?" Mom asks changing the subject

"Vermont. We moved here when I was in the sixth grade. But we still head back every fall to peep them leaves" Zahid says

"I'm sorry, but, um..." Jeremy says as he stands up

"Whoa, why is he standing up? Where are you going?" Dad asks

"You have two kids" He says

"Jeremy, don't" I say

"No, but you act like you have one. I get it. Sam's got a disability or whatever. But Cam broke a record. She did something cool, and you guys didn't even see it. I mean, where were you? And now she's got a chance to go to a fancy-ass school! Sorry for my language. But, I mean, I don't want her to go three towns away, either, but at least I get that she's...she's too good for this place. So, uh, that's all. Um...the roast was really good" Jeremy says before he sits back down

"Mom, it's okay" I say before Sam walks back in

"I have a girlfriend" He says

"Nice. She's wound a little tight, but I like her style" Zahid says

"I'm back" Paige says as she sits down

"Dessert" Mom clears her throat, "Dessert. I, um...I need to buy ice cream. Um...I forgot. I'm just gonna go to the store" She gets up, "I made apple pie a la mode, and I forgot the ice cream, which is the mode. Don't anybody leave. I'll be back in seven minutes" Mom says and leaves

"I'm lactose intolerant" Paige says

"Yeah. You got a lot of things going on don't you, sweetie?" Dad says

My dad and I are cleaning the dishes while the everyone else is sitting at the table in the kitchen since my mo still hasn't come back, "Listen, Mom and I will talk about Clayton Prep thing, okay, so don't worry about it" He says

"Really?" I ask
"Yes, I promise" I hug him, "And your stoner boyfriend, he's starting to grow on me. But just remember if the situation ever calls for it, I'll body slam that little shit. You know that, right?" He says

"Yeah, yeah" I say

Mom comes back, "Okay, who wants dessert?" She asks with a ginormous tub of ice cream