The Boys are Back in Town

The Boys are Back in Town: Twenty-One

Alek and I spent the weekend in perfect idleness. I was at their house the whole day on Saturday, sprawled on his bed reading his books while he finished an essay for one of his classes. That same evening we watched Alias Grace on Netflix from start to finish and we finished just after dinner.

I stayed over until almost two because Alek and I had been up in his room talking. He told me more about England, about his friends. There was a lot I didn't know, and though he answered my questions it almost felt like there were other things he was keeping from me. When he asked me in turn, I was embarrassed to tell him that nothing had changed in two years and that I hadn't been doing anything except study, read books, and hang out with Julia.

"To be honest, I really don't know what I'm doing," I said. "I have one year left, and I still don't know where to go or what to do after high school."

In true Alek fashion, he didn't comfort me or tell me everything was going to be okay. He could see how worried I was about my lack of direction in life. There were people in school who knew exactly what they were doing, and whenever I was presented with a catalog, a list of choices, I completely blanked. Did I have to know now? When was I supposed to have figured this all out?

"Not everyone has a plan," he said simply. "That's okay. Whether you figure it out before you graduate, or if you figure it out as you go along, I promise you won't be alone."

My head was on his shoulder at this point, and he was playing absently with my hair. "Do you have a plan?"

"Yes. I didn't figure it out until recently. Last year, maybe."

"How?"

"I had to make a choice," he said. "I wasn't doing too well in England. When I was forced to make a decision, I chose the one that would allow me to keep what was important to me."

"Are you happy with it?" I asked. "That's what I'm afraid of. That I'll think I know what I want, and when I'm there I'll realize that it's not where I'm supposed to be."

He thought about it for a moment, then shrugged and smiled at me. "C'est la vie. Don't be afraid of the future, is what my mom always said. One bad decision doesn't make a bad life."

***

On Sunday morning, Alek helped me study for a French quiz and then we headed down to the coffeehouse where Adrian was working a shift. As expected, the pick-up counter was full of girls. Some had already gotten their drinks but appeared to be admiring Adrian as he worked.

"Hey," he called out to us. "I'll be on break in a minute."

Alek and I grabbed a table just as two college students vacated, and we watched Adrian serve a latte, handing back a girl's receipt with a smile.

"And he told me Henry was the one they flocked," I said. "I'm sure he had his pick of womea girls too."

"What?" Alek asked, his lip twitching. I explained the term to him, and he laughed. Adrian grabbed an empty seat from the table next to us and sat down.

"Busy day," he said. "What's up? Can I get you guys anything?"

"I want one of those lattes, but I feel like they'll swarm as soon you return to the counter," I teased.

"Not a problem," he said, standing up. Adrian approached another girl in a pink apron and pressed his palms together in a plea. She shook her head and blushed, shooing him away from the service area. A few minutes later, he returned bearing three tall mugs of coffee.

"So, what are you guys doing today?" he asked, shaking a cinnamon packet over his cup. "Hot date?"

"Yes," I said. "We have it all planned out: Alek and I are going to make out on his couch to a Ne-Yo soundtrack, and then later we'll crash into someone's party, hook-up with other people, have a row in front of all our friends and then wake up on Monday feeling sorry and hungover."

Alek and Adrian both stared at me. I shrugged, "Nobody says 'hot date' anymore."

"Oh, to be young," said Adrian.

"I object to the fight and to hooking up with other people," Alek said. "But the rest of the plan sounds good to me."

***

We didn't crash into anyone's party, drink, or listen to Ne-Yo, but when I woke up on Monday morning I felt incredibly well-rested and prepared to face the day.

The rumors that bothered me on Friday seemed far away, and when I got to school twenty minutes before my first class it seemed that I wasn't the only one who'd forgotten about it. I thought it was all over and then, for a moment, it wasn't.

I was in the restroom just before lunch period ended, giving myself a little pep talk before my French quiz when another girl came out of the stall directly behind me.

"Hi, Clair," Anna said. She went to the sink next to me and started washing her hands, looking at me from the mirror.

"Anna," I said, surprised. There were people who you went to school with all your life and never said more than ten words to. "Hey."

"Listen, I'm sorry about what happened last Friday. Krista and Jade were out of line."

I shook my head and started to put my bag on. "Don't worry about."

Anna turned the water off and faced me. "Wait," she said. "Jenna's my best friend. I just...I don't want you to think that she put them up to it. They did that stupid stuff all on their own."

I paused. "Why would I think Jenna put them up to it? Just because they're friends?"

"They're not," Anna said flatly. "Not really."

"I don't understand."

"Jenna likes Alek," Anna said. "She's had a crush on him for three years."

My heart was beating fast, though I didn't know why. I wasn't exactly surprised. I just never expected anyone would ever say it out loud.

"Yeah," I said quietly. "I...knew that."

"Jenna's knows it's pointless to go after you. I just wanted to make sure you knew because they're your friends. She cares about what they think of her, Alek especially," Anna rolled her eyes. "Though I can't see why."

I looked at her, surprised. She cleared her throat. "Sorry," she said, flushing. "If that offended you."

"No," I said. I didn't really know what to say, though I understood why she approached me. She was protecting Jenna.

"Krista and Jade won't try anything like that again," she said, shouldering her backpack. "We were all really embarrassed by them."

Before I could say anything, the bell rang. We looked at each other and headed off to French class without another word.

I didn't know about Anna but, after that talk, I'd completely forgotten about the quiz.