That Boy

“You know what, Phillip? I do think I wa

“Uh, yeah. Da

I arch an eyebrow at him.

“Fine.” He rolls his eyes at me. “He invited Jake to the meeting and told him, under no uncertain terms, to leave you alone. That's the other thing the guys are supposed to make sure of.”

I sigh. I need to get out of here.

“I'm go

I almost get out of school without being seen by the faculty, but when I round the corner, I run smack dab into Principal Mazer.

Crap. I suppose I'm going to get in trouble for my insubordination to a substitute teacher.

But Mazer surprises me by giving me a hug. “JJ, I'm surprised to see you here. We didn't expect you until Monday. Everything going alright so far?”

“Um, uh, there was a little incident in AP English. I want to apologize in advance and when you hear about it, um, just know he pushed me.”

Principal Mazer looks confused by my statement, but I don't elaborate. I just say, “If it's alright, I think I am going to leave now.”

“Sure honey, feel free to come and go as you please for a while, and if there is anything you need, let us know. All of us around here care about you.”

“Thanks, that means a lot to me.” My standard funeral response, but I can't seem to come up with anything better.

Phillip tells Mazer that he's leaving with me.

“Follow me,” Phillip bosses me, as I get in my car.

I follow Phillip's car in a daze. Pretty soon we are at the Westown Park. We park and get out of our cars. Phillip grabs my hand and leads me to the swings.

I sit down on a swing and am pleasantly surprised when Phillip starts pushing me.

I close my eyes and enjoy swinging. I love how swinging makes my stomach feel all fluttery. Then I remember once when I was little, telling my mom that I'd been swinging so high I thought my feet had touched heaven.

I swing higher and point my toes upward.

I hope they still can.

Phillip is swinging beside me now, and I realize this is exactly what I needed. I don't know how he does it, but Phillip always seems to know exactly what I need.

Come to think of it, enjoying a ride on a swing is very much like stopping to smell the roses.

I hope my parents are proud.

Because I grew up around Da

Although I have never confirmed it, I am convinced that boys are taken aside in school, probably in fifth grade when the girls watch the film about getting their periods, and are taught the following three responses:

You look like shit. (Translation: You look bad. Just go back to bed and start over tomorrow. I really shouldn't be seen with you like this.)

You look fine. (Translation: You look good enough to be seen with.)

You look hot. (Translation: I want you.)

They also must teach them there is only one acceptable variation to these responses and to use it sparingly. The variation is simple. They just throw a REALLY into the sentence. The following are examples I have witnessed:

JJ, you REALLY look like shit. (Translation: You must be very hung over, or sick, or having an extremely bad hair day. I really don't want to be seen with you.)

REALLY, JJ, your hair looks fine. (Translation: Your hair looks the same to me as it always does, even though you spent an hour fixing it, so stop messing with it and lets go because you look good enough to be seen with.) And…

(Insert cheerleader's name here) looks REALLY Hot. (Translation: I REALLY want her.)

So when Da

“Jay, you look REALLY hot!” he exclaims, looking me over from perfectly done hair to perfectly painted toe.

Now normally, I would be excited by this compliment because it's not something I typically hear.

But what I'm thinking is, MY GOD, I have spent, like, the following:

$400 dollars and months of shopping, which is still not a pastime I find enjoyable, on a fabulous halter dress in a beautiful, stretchy coral fabric with coral and silver beading. This dress actually makes me look like I have hips.

$60 on a special bra, so I'd show no straps.

$120 on a pair of high-heeled, strappy silver sandals with rhinestones. (And yay, even in 5 inch heels, Da