Rachel didn’t know what was happening. Was Rob going to kiss her? Tonight? At Jordan’s party? Rachel’s heart started beating faster as she sat there next to him.

“There’s something different about you, Rach. I don’t know what it is, but I really like you,” Rob said, still staring into her eyes.

“Thanks, I guess,” Rachel said, as she smiled.

Rob reached out and put his hand on her leg. Rachel’s heart leapt. He turned to her and started leaning in. She was leaning towards him and as her eyes began to close, she heard the sliding door open and a group of girls ran onto the porch.

“What are you doing here, new girl?” asked Arielle.

“Yeah, who invited you?” asked one of Arielle’s friends.

“I did,” Rob said, sticking up for her.

“What did I tell you the other day?” Arielle said, staring at Rachel. “I hope you didn’t forget.”

Rachel looked back at her but said nothing.

“You better watch it,” Arielle said, as she walked back into the house.

“I think I’d better go,” Rachel said to Rob.

Rachel looked at her watch and didn’t realize she’d been at the party for two hours already. It was a little after 10pm and she knew she wanted to be home by 11pm so she could settle in and get out of her party clothes before her parents arrived back home.

“Let’s grab another beer and then I’ll drive you back home,” Rob said to Rachel.

Rachel didn’t know what to do. Part of her wanted to stay at the party with Rob, but the other part wanted to run. She was terrified of running into Arielle and her friends again.

“I really don’t want to stay here,” Rachel said back.

“Fine, let’s leave, but I want to take you somewhere before I drive you home,” Rob said.

“Where?” she asked.

“You’ll see,” Rob answered, “It’s a surprise.”

Rachel liked surprises and thought it was sweet of him to leave the party with her. Rachel didn’t want to disappoint him by telling him she had to go home, so she decided she would go with him. Rachel also hoped that he would try and kiss her again; they’d been so close to kissing on the porch, she knew that if it were ever going to happen, it would be tonight.

Rachel snuck out of the party without bumping into Arielle or her friends. She was worried she might see them on her way out, and she didn’t want them to know t she was leaving with Rob or that he was driving her home. She was a little scared of them now, but it felt good that the guy they were fighting for wanted her.

As they got back in the car, Rob said, “Do you like water?”

“Water?” she asked R.

“Yeah, water, boats, docks?” Rob replied.

“I guess so,” she said, “never really thought about it.”

Rob drove for about ten minutes until they came upon a quiet pond. Rachel looked out of the windshield and saw a few people standing on a dock by a well-lit pond. It looked like a very romantic and beautiful spot.

“Here we are,” said Rob. “The duck pond.”

“It’s beautiful.”

Rob got out of the car and walked over to let Rachel out of her side. Rachel hopped out and the two started walking together towards the dock.

Rob put his hand out and touched Rachel’s hand. Rachel took his hand and they walked out to the end of the dock. Rachel worried Rob could feel her nerves jolting through her body; she was sure her hand was clammy and sweaty.

As they neared the end of the dock, they came upon a group of kids from a neighboring high school, hanging out chatting and having a cigarette. Rachel could tell that Rob had hoped it would be just the two of them; she could tell by the way Rob was looking around that he was trying to find a quiet place where they could be alone together. But there was nothing.

Rob looked into Rachel’s eyes again but did not lean in to kiss her. Rachel’s mind was running wild. She didn’t know if he was going to kiss her now, or if he was going to wait until the other kids left the dock.

“This is my favorite spot,” Rob said as he looked at Rachel.

“It’s nice…peaceful,” she replied.

Rachel suddenly remembered that she had to get home. It was 11:15 and she knew it was going to take fifteen minutes to drive all the way back. She wasn’t sure what time her parents’ movie was letting out, but she knew she had to get back right away.

“I have to go,” Rachel said abruptly, letting go of Rob’s hand.

“Why?” said Rob.

“My parents expect me home at 11:30 tonight,” Rachel said.

“Why so early?” Rob asked.

“Big day tomorrow,” Rachel said, “Some family things to do,”

“Ok, I’ll take you home now,” Rob said as they began to walk back to his car.

“Thanks, sorry,” Rachel said.

“No worries,” Rob said.

As they drove back towards her house, she began to get really worried. She hoped desperately that her parents weren’t back yet, and she hoped that she could make it into the house before they arrived. She imagined herself pulling up at the same exact time and then having to face their wrath. They would be furious with her and she didn’t even want to let her mind think about what they would do.

The minutes felt like hours as they continued driving down the back roads of Bedford.

“So, when am I going to see you again?” asked Rob.

“I’ll see you in Mr. Allen’s class,” she laughed.

“No, I mean, really see you, I want to hang out more.”

“Oh, well, I guess I’m free after school on Monday,” she replied.

“It’s a date,” Rob said, in a cute voice.

“Great,” she said, trying not to sound too excited.

As the car pulled down Pine Road, Rachel was shocked at what she saw. Her parent’s car was in the driveway. How could she have gotten home later than them? They were supposed to be out at the movies until 11:45ish. Rachel wondered how long they’d been home, and she hoped they hadn’t gone up to her room to say goodnight. Rachel told Rob to let her out on the street and not to pull into her driveway.

Rachel quickly said goodbye to Rob giving him a hug and hopped out of the car. She quietly shut the car door and headed around to the back of her house. She knew she had a better shot of getting back in without getting caught if she went in the back door.

She crept up the steps of the back porch and saw the kitchen light on, but nobody was in the kitchen. She quickly walked across the porch and opened up the sliding glass door.

She was inside. She heard her parents’ voices coming from the basement and quickly ran up to her room. She took off her party clothes and changed quickly into her pajamas. She pulled her hair back into a ponytail and walked back out of her room to the staircase.

“How was the movie?” she yelled down to her parents.

“Rachel?” her parents shouted. “Where were you?”

“What do you mean?” Rachel said.

“We’ve been looking everywhere for you,” replied Rachel’s mom.

“I was in the bathroom,” said Rachel.

“No you weren’t, I checked your bathroom,” said Rachel’s dad.

She racked her brain trying to come up with a response.

“I was in Mark’s bathroom,” Rachel said. “Mine was all out of toilet paper.”

“Oh,” said Rachel’s mom. “I thought I checked there, but I must have been wrong.”

“Well, I was in there, sorry I didn’t hear you guys.”

“It’s OK, sweetie,” said Rachel’s mom. “We thought something happened to you, that’s all.”

“Nope, I’ve been here the whole time,” Rachel said.

“How was your show?” Replied her dad. “You didn’t mess up the Phillies recording, did you?”

“Nope, it’s fine, should still be recording,” Rachel said.

“Well, I’m heading to bed,” Rachel said, as she began to turn and walk towards her bedroom.

Rachel heard her parents’ footsteps behind hers. She didn’t want them to get close to her, because they would definitely smell the alcohol and smoke on her. Rachel didn’t know what to do. She started walking faster and then shut the door to her room as she said, “Goodnight!”

Rachel waited, as she stood with her back to the door. She heard the footsteps get closer, and closer and then stop. She hoped they weren’t going to come in. Then all of a sudden she heard her parents whisper something to each other and the footsteps started going down the hall.

Chapter Eight

When Rachel woke up the next morning she rubbed her eyes and sat up feeling confused. She thought about her night and wondered if it had all been a dream.

Did that all really just happen?

She got out of bed and saw her party clothes on the floor of her closet and knew it was not a dream. She picked up the denim skirt, brushed the wrinkles out, and brought it back into Sarah’s room.

As Rachel was hanging the Gap skirt back on the hot pink hanger, her mom walked through the door of Sarah’s room, holding a laundry basket.

“What are you doing in here?” Rachel’s mom asked, sounding surprised.

“Oh, I, was just returning a skirt I borrowed from Sarah,” said Rachel.

Rachel looked at her mom as she stared back at her with questioning eyes. Rachel worried her mom would ask why she borrowed the skirt, and where she wore it. She knew she was busted.

“I don’t remember you wearing that skirt,” her mom questioned her.

Thinking quickly, Rachel knew she had to come up with something fast.

“Oh, I wore it the other day to school, you must not have noticed,” Rachel answered.

“That’s nice, dear,” her mom answered, “It’s so nice you girls share clothes.”

“Yeah.”

“Come downstairs, I’ve made pancakes for breakfast.”