Chapter 70: Complexities

Saturday, March 20, 1982

I spent the day rewiring the phones to create the new connection for the answering machine, drilling a hole through the closet wall, remounting the jack in Angie’s room, and cleaning up the old wiring. Mom, who hadn’t been a big fan of the hall wiring, approved of this. Though, given the pivotal role of our phone service in Candice’s continued health, she hadn’t been too eager to complain. There was still a very short run around the door into my room. To eliminate that, I would need to drop a wire to someplace hidden in the kitchen and drill through that wall into my room. Doable, but a lot more work. Either through a cabinet or behind the fridge were the best bets. Not a job for today, in any case.

I took a shower and got cleaned up, then dressed in date clothes, gave Mom a hug, and headed off to meet Jasmine and Lexi at the mall. Continuing a pattern that I should expect by now, there was a third girl present when I spotted Jasmine and Lexi. I didn’t know her, but I could guess, given that she looked like a younger version of Lexi. I searched my memories and came up with Sam as the name of Lexi’s younger sister.

I went over. Sam blushed when she spotted me, increasing my suspicion that this wasn’t an innocuous encounter. Lexi grinned, and so did Jasmine.

“Hi, boyfriend!” Jasmine said, giving me a hug and a very warm kiss.

“Hi, not so much boyfriend!” Lexi said, grinning, matching Jasmine’s hug and kiss. “This is my little sister, Samantha. Or, Sam. Sam, meet Steve; Steve, meet Sam.”

Sam, apparently not to be outdone, grinned as well, still with a blush. “Hello, even less of a boyfriend!” She giggled, hugging and kissing me. A much softer kiss, but also on the lips. Yes, it surprised me.

“So...?” I said, helpfully.

“Burgers!” Lexi, Jasmine, and Sam chorused.

We went over to the burger place and ordered. I paid, this time. That inspired three more kisses.

“How was your trip, Steve?” Lexi said, smiling, as we waited for the food.

“I’m surprised you haven’t already heard,” I replied with a grin.

“Oh, I did. I just wanted to hear it from you.” Lexi replied, to a giggle from Sam.

“It was good. We went to Fredericksburg, Enchanted Rock, Austin, Johnson City, and San Antonio. The zoo, a bunch of museums, random sightseeing.”

“That sounds like fun! I haven’t been up that way in a while. Well, we all went to San Antonio...”

“Not me!” Sam interjected.

“Right, not you, but the rest of us.”

“Ready for Northbrook?” I said, looking at Lexi.

“Mostly. Of course, I feel like I have the poise thing down, but memorizing a speech in that much time is scary.”

“You’re not memorizing it, you’re memorizing an outline and some salient points. If you try to memorize the whole thing, and you’re not Ted Seiler or maybe Amit, you’ll fail.”

“That makes sense. I can’t even write it that fast. Of course, that kinda means I’m writing it while I speak.”

“That’s the goal. Getting to where you can write a good speech in one draft with no revisions is the goal, since that’s really what you’re doing.”

“That’s a neat way to think of it. Thanks!”

Sam was watching all this with a bit of a grin. “She’s been practicing with me as the judge. I try to be tough but fair.”

Both Jasmine and Lexi giggled at that.

“At least you aren’t being the East German judge,” I joked.

Our burgers turned up and we picked a table off to the side.

Lexi stopped me as we walked over to the table. “Sam’s curious. Be nice to her.”

“I ... will?”

She giggled. “You’ll be surprised. Be nice.”

“Okay. Thanks for the cryptic warning.”

“You’re welcome!” She giggled a bit more.

With that, I started to wonder — and worry — if this was something a bit sexual. Or, more than a bit sexual. Maybe a lot sexual?

We sat at the table, where Jasmine did nothing to dispel that guess. “So, we’re still on for tonight, Steve? Lexi and I?”

I smiled, giving Sam a bit of a look. “Yes, we’re still on.”

Lexi smiled. “Sam knows. Well, the generalities.”

“I don’t know the specifics,” I said, smiling.

“All in due time,” Jasmine said with a giggle.

“I’m sure it’s weird having me here,” Sam said. “But then I hear you share everything with your sister, so, it shouldn’t be that weird.”

“You have a point there.”

She leaned forward. “I’m fourteen ... well, almost ... I’m not totally clueless, and I’m curious. I asked Lexi to help me indulge some of my curiosity.”

“And I don’t want to be a mean big sister, so...”

“So here I am! You and Jasmine are really non-exclusive?”

I nodded. “We are.”

“That seemed weird, but I talked to Jasmine and now it doesn’t. But I wanted to make sure you felt the same way.”

“I do. I love Jasmine, and that’s much more important than being non-exclusive. But, for both of us, that’s the choice we’ve made — that we can be with other people, as long as they’re not people the other one wouldn’t approve of, and as long as we’re not helping someone cheat.”

She giggled. “That’s about how Jasmine put it. I had to think about what it means to cheat if you put things that way. Just girls, right? Both of you?”

I shook my head. “Jasmine’s free to be with guys. I am, too, but I don’t have any attraction that way.”

Jasmine nodded. “It’s my choice to say no other guys. I could be with them, but I won’t, for my own reasons, not because it’s not okay.”

Sam bit her lip. “I guess that’s what I mean. So far, I like girls better, anyway. I don’t trust any guys my age.”

I chuckled. “Having been a guy your age, you’re probably right to think that way.”

She giggled. “Both Lexi and Jasmine promised that you’re trustworthy. Maybe other boys will be okay when I get to high school.”

“Even then, be really careful. Too many guys are just jerks.”

Lexi smiled. “You can say that again.” Before I could open my mouth, she whapped me, drawing a giggle from Sam. “No, not literally!”

Sam looked at me, clearly impatient. She started to say something, but Lexi touched her leg and she closed her mouth and blushed.

“Tell him about your date with Andy Sloane.”

Sam made a face. “Well, since it wasn’t a date date — I can’t, you know. But we went to a movie with friends and then biked home. That’s all. Except he claimed we went to a park and did stuff. I got him back; I told everyone that he chickened out. They believed me and not him. Mostly, anyway.”

“A lot of guys are idiots.”

All three of them giggled and nodded. “Yeah, but fortunately Jasmine’s willing to share when she finds one that’s not,” Lexi said with a grin.

“Any prospects for Sadie Hawkins?” I wondered if any of the requests had percolated through the system yet.

“Mayyyybe. I’m really not sure. Two names at least, but I’m still checking with the grapevine. Can I tell them you’ll deck them if they’re lousy?”

“I think that violates the rules of karate. I’m supposed to avoid fights whenever possible.”

“Damn. Maybe if I’m nice to Cal?”

“If I even thought Cal might be after me if I screwed up, I’d behave myself!”

“He is going to be scary as a senior.”

“He’s scary now! Except that he’s a nice guy, but physically? Yeesh.”

Sam grinned. “Okay, enough about scary guys and losers. Let’s talk about nice guys.”

“Anyone in mind, little sister?” Lexi said with a smirk.

“Uh huh.” She looked at me. “Jasmine said I could ask.”

“Um ... okay.”

She hooked her finger at me. I got up and followed her over to another table out of earshot. We sat, and she leaned forward a bit. Nothing uncomfortable and nothing ... overt. I’d had visions of her trying some seductress move, which would have been silly. Nope. She either was naturally self-aware enough or had good coaching.

“I would like to ask you out on a date. Technically, like I said, I can’t. I still want to ... well, okay, I am. The sort Lexi had, potentially leading to the sort Lexi had, also.”

I blinked. I’m glad I’d gotten the feeling that this might be that; the last thing I wanted to do was hurt her. “Explain, please?”

That was enough to get another blush. “I’m um ... I’ve ... just ... with girls. Okay? Not Lexi.” She giggled at that, still a bit red. “My age. I want to, with a boy. I really do. But not any of the boys I know. I want someone who’s good and knows what they’re doing and is totally trustworthy and is strong and handsome and nice and ... well, I have a list.” She giggled a bit more. “Anyway, I’m not saying that we have to or anything, but I would like to ask for a date and some time to get to know each other a bit and then maybe ... more.”

Honestly? She made a damn good case. As Angie pointed out, repeatedly, girls mature faster than boys; if I wasn’t who I was, well ... she’d have an edge on a lot of the fifteen-year-olds. Speaking of which...

“I’m not sure if we can. Um ... you said you’re almost fourteen?”

She blushed and giggled. “We can, but not yet. I turn fourteen just after Sadie Hawkins. Before you turn sixteen. We’re within two years, and I mean, not even technically. Really within two years. That makes it legal. I checked.”

I nodded. “Points for doing your homework.” She giggled and dimpled, adorably. “I need to ask, though. You don’t care that we won’t be really dating, or boyfriend and girlfriend, or anything like that?”

She shook her head. “No. Really, I don’t. Dani, Lexi, and I are all practical-minded girls. The flap of skin doesn’t matter. Heck, mine is mostly gone anyway. Years of gymnastics and cheer. That’s my thing. It’s only Lexi’s thing when she can’t do Drama.” She blew out a breath. “Anyway, we’re not going to wait for the one guy that we’ll love forever. Besides that, it’s ... I want to... try things. Experiment. Find myself. Part of that is knowing what good feels like. Some guy my age? I’m doubting it.”

“I need to ask. Did Lexi, or Jasmine for that matter, hint at this or anything like this?”

“Did they put me up to it, you mean?” She giggled, blush pretty much gone. “No. Lexi and I share a lot; I knew she had a guy she was seeing but wasn’t, like, really dating. Mom and dad don’t see it, but Lexi’s different if it’s a date, and different if it’s a guy or a girl. I asked and got the story and it intrigued me.”

“She should watch that. Parents often see things you don’t think they see.”

She pondered. “That’s a good point! I’ll mention it. Dani’s been that way and they haven’t said anything.”

“Which doesn’t help you if they decide you’re starting too young.”

She giggled. “True! So...?”

“I can promise you a date. Just a date, at first. Something fun, and not a movie, but somewhere we can talk. Miniature golf, walking the mall, museum, zoo, whatever.”

She bounced a bit in her seat. “That’s exactly what I want! Yes! Lexi will cover for me, obviously. And, if we get there, so will Jasmine.”

“I assumed. I would have balked, otherwise.”

“Really? I hear you have a huge ... back seat.”

I chuckled. “I do, but no matter whether you think it’s not a big deal, a back seat is ... well, say we’d been going out for months and were getting frustrated. Fine — then I’d think about it. But right now? If Jasmine had said no, that’s a big red flag anyway, and I’d need to know why. But I also wouldn’t just plan on going right to the back seat anytime soon.”

“All of which is part of what you checked off on my list.” She giggled and winked.

“So, we’re waiting until after Sadie Hawkins for everything, right?”

She nodded. “Gives us both a chance to think. I’d be disappointed if you backed out, and I hope the opposite is true,” she said with a grin and another wink, “but that’s preferable to doing something either of us isn’t okay with.”

“Anything else you want to talk about, or should we rejoin the others?”

“Nah. I’m happy! This is what I was hoping for!”

We got up, and I offered my hand, which got another big smile. And smiles from Jasmine and Lexi, who’d been watching, of course.

As we walked back, she grinned up to me. “You get bonus points for not saying something like ‘Wow, you’re so mature!’”

“I figured you already knew that.”

She giggled. “I do, but it’s an obvious thing to say.”

“Girls normally mature faster. I credit my sister for helping me progress faster than usual.”

“Lexi told me about that. That is quite the story. I can’t imagine any of my cousins coming and becoming brothers!”

“It’s probably not as good, yeah. She had the bigger challenge, no question!”

We sat back down, Sam giving Lexi a thumbs-up, then a hug.

Jasmine gave me a matching hug. “I was pretty sure you’d go for it, boyfriend. What’s the plan?”

“I will defer to Sam.”

Sam grinned. “Some sort of date where we can talk, after Sadie Hawkins and after my birthday.”

“Cool! That’ll get Steve off the hook with two girls and I won’t take up too much of his time before your date. Though he does have a pending date to make a date with the hottest girl in school.”

“You know I dispute that!”

“Yeah, well, you’re biased.” She winked at Sam. “He insists his sister is the hottest blonde in the world.”

“That’s sweet!”

“It’s also true!”

“You are still totally biased. Anyway, the girl most people think is the hottest blonde in the school asked Steve out. He said ‘no’...” Sam’s eyes went wide at that, “due to a prior commitment. It was really cool all around. Anyway, he and Jessica have a pending date somewhere before too long.”

Sam’s eyes went even bigger. “You have a pending date with Jessica Lively?! She’s a legend! Holy cow! I never would have gotten up the nerve to ask if I’d known that.”

Lexi giggled. “One reason I didn’t mention it. It was the gossip at school for a couple days.”

“Well ... thank you ... I think!”

I shrugged. “I’m sure she puts her pants on one leg at a time. When she wears pants; she prefers skirts, I think. She seems nice. We’ve had classes together, but I don’t know her very well, so far.”

Sam sighed. “‘I’ll never be that good, but I want to be on the cheerleading team, too. She’s just ... well, a legend!”

“Don’t ever sell yourself short,” I said. “It’s better to say, ‘I’m not that good, yet’, and be honest about your limitations, but at the same time, be honest about your strengths and commit to trying before giving up.”