CHAPTER 31 32
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“ The correct term is modest. How do you know the difference between bisexual and transsexual and not shy and modest?” Nicole asked. Justin shrugged.
The computer revealed the answer when Nicole clicked the history icon.“ You need to clear this before Mom knows why you know the difference, if she doesn’ t already,” Nicole warned.“ She doesn’ t come in here,” he said, quickly turning off the screen.“ That is what I thought. Then I thought she might. Now I know she does.”“ Why are you telling me all this stuff?” he asked.“ Because you didn’ t tell Mom, Matt spent the night. She figured it out, but it was my fault. I cleaned my room too well. You started me thinking when we went out to the car for our swimsuits. Sam mentioned an arrangement when I talked to her alone. I pushed until she said I needed to talk to Mom. I watched as Sam pulled Mom aside and had a conversation with her. Parents have secrets just like us and when you know those secrets, don’ t share because they are valuable,” Nicole explained.“ You make it sound like a game,” Justin smiled.“ It is a game. We are supposed to to see what we can get away with and they are supposed to try to catch us.”“ Can I be on your team?”“ What did you have in mind?”“ I want you to help me figure out how to scare Dad,” Justin added.“ You can’ t do that. Just because you are not allowed to scare me anymore doesn’ t mean you have to find someone else to terrify. Grow up!” Justin shrugged and changed subjects.
Justin explained he didn’ t think Mom and Dad would let him date yet, but there was a girl. He wondered if Nicole would mind a double date since he could not drive. Going to the movies without having to be dropped off and picked up would help him sell the idea to Shelby. She tended to date older guys but had shown an interest and he wanted to ask her out. Nicole thought Matt would go along with the idea. Justin hadn’ t acted like a nosy brother when the young lovers slipped silently upstairs.“ There aren’ t many girls named Shelby. Are you talking about the girl a few streets over?” Nicole inquired. Justin nodded.
Approaching Justin before class, Shelby inquired as to whether he had read the assigned book. Until now, she hadn’ t said more than a couple of words to him even though their desks were side by side. When she walked away from class his eyes followed. Her blond hair hung to the tiny butterfly tattoo at the base of her neck. The shiny bellybutton ring was always visible on the way to class because of the short shirts she wore. She noticed the way he looked at her and knew he was a jock. Maintaining his grades to stay eligible seemed important to the tall, cute guy. He seemed a little younger than the guys she dated but she didn’ t want to start the year failing the first test.
When she mentioned she just couldn’ t get into the story, he took Kate’ s advice and kept the ball moving. One of Justin’ s friends took the test earlier in the day and informed him to be prepared to see six answers to each multiple choice question. All of the above and none of the above were the“ E” and“ F” choices. He passed on the information and watched horror spread across her face. His simple inquiry as to whether she would go out with him if he helped her pass the test was met with guarded enthusiasm. She was between boyfriends and asked where he was going to take her. He took that as a yes and quickly explained a simple set of hand signals. The way Shelby was to hold the pencil allowed them to stay on the same question. Justin fed her a few wrong answers because he knew he was going to ace this test. The book was interesting and not particularly difficult. The teacher designed the test to make sure you had read the assignment. After class Shelby walked with him down the hallway and asked what kind of grade she could expect.“ Does a“ B” get me that date?” he asked.“ I couldn’ t tell if you were following. You never looked my way through the whole test.”“ Basketball improves peripheral vision. You can’ t let the defense know which way you are going to pass the ball. You followed along just fine. We finished at the same time.” he said.“ I turned mine in before you.”“ Probably the reason you got a“ B” and I aced the test. The book was pretty good. You might want to read it before finals,” he said with a smile and caught her glance.“ Pretty smart guy and a“ B” will get you that date but you are going to have to wait until I get the test results. Do you have a car?” she asked, but didn’ t wait for an answer. She stopped and gave him a quick kiss.