Books : Alice on Her Way : Excerpts

Chapter 2: "Getting to Know You..."

My first thought was that Patrick had come to the mall to check on Sam and me. Maybe I'd wanted him to.

My second thought--the right one--was that he was in a hurry. He was carrying a bag from Hecht's.

"Hey!" he said when he saw us.

"Hey!" I said back.

He paused for a minute, taking us both in--Sam's camera, the notepad in my hand. "How's it going?"

"Haven't started yet. Want to be the first?" said Sam.

"Can't. Dad's waiting for me in the parking lot. I had to buy a dress shirt for tonight." He waved the hand with the bag in it and headed for the down escalator. So much for tender concern.

Sam, though, was studying my face. Both of us had exes, and I knew what was going through his head. Then he turned and looked around. "What do you think?" he said. "Those guys over there?"

Three boys, probably juniors, were leaning their arms on the railing overlooking the floor below.

"Why not?" I said, and we walked over.

"Hi," Sam said. "I'm doing a photo piece for our school paper and just wanted to ask you a couple questions."

"Yeah?" said the middle guy, turning his head but otherwise not moving an inch.

"What's the question?" another asked.

"Is this where you hang out most when you're not in school?" I said, reading the first of Sam's questions at the top of the page he'd given me.

"This and the Silver Diner," the third one said.

"Okay. Do you come mostly to shop, to meet someone, or just to chill out?" I continued.

The guys looked at each other and grinned. "Chill out and meet someone," the first guy said. "Hopefully," he added, grinning.

I got their names and Sam took their picture. We thanked them and moved on.

"It's not very profound," said Sam.

"No, but it has possibilities," I told him.

We found two girls next, coming out of The Limited, each carrying a shopping bag. They giggled when they saw us approaching.

"Care if we take your picture and ask a question?" Sam said. "It's for our school newspaper."

"Depends," said one of the girls. "What do you want to know?" More giggles.

I asked the question. They looked at each other. A group answer seemed to be the norm.

"We always come here," the taller girl said. "I'm returning a Christmas present."

"We shop," said the other. "But we wouldn't mind if we met somebody."

I wondered later if we should tell them about the three guys hanging out by the escalator, but Sam said no.

We did about six or seven interviews, then Sam said we had enough. They were only giving him space for five in the newspaper.

"That wasn't too hard," I said.

"Well, no reason we can't string the evening out a little. Want a latte?" Sam asked.

"That would be good. Make mine mocha," I said, and we went to Starbucks and got a table by the window.

"So when I do my essay on jobs, can I get a picture of you in your dad's store?" Sam asked, putting a mug with a tower of whipped cream in front of me.

"What's to tell?" I asked.

"I'll probably ask (a) how you got the job; (b) how much you make; and (c) how many hours a week you work."

"Easy," I said. "(a) nepotism--my dad's the manager; (b) minimum wage; (c) Saturdays and sometimes holidays."

"I work for my mom," Sam said. "I bill clients, help her organize her photos, stuff like that. She's freelance but does a lot of work for the weeklies."

"She's a photographer too, right?" I asked.

"Yeah." Sam smiled, and I could tell he was pleased that I'd said "too." He glanced at his watch. "Listen, The Silent Dark starts in fifteen minutes. Have you seen it?"

"No. I've heard it's good, though."

"Want to go?"

"If you'll let me buy my own ticket. You paid for the mocha."

"If it'll make you happy," he said.

We walked to the other end of the plaza, and I wondered if we'd get in because of the line. But we managed to get two seats next to the wall in the very last row. I was glad Sam didn't bother with popcorn and drinks, because I like to concentrate on the movie.

The theater was chilly. I was still carrying my jacket and spread it over the front of me like a blanket, pulling it up under my chin. The spooky music didn't help.

"Cold?" Sam whispered.

"A little. It's the music; I'm scared already," I whispered back.

He laughed and put his arm around me, pulling me closer.

The only guy I'd ever been close to like that--besides my dad and Lester, I mean--was Patrick, and it felt strange to be leaning against someone else's shoulder. A broader, better-padded shoulder than Patrick's. Sam's scent, the feel of his jacket, the warmth of his hand on my upper arm...

I straightened up when the dialogue began, moving away from him slightly, but he still kept his arm around me.

It was one of those psychological thrillers, where the fear doesn't come from a guy with a chain saw, but from the twists and turns of a woman's mind--that, and her way with rope. First you think that she's sane, and then you think she's not. The horror creeps up on you and you can't escape.

I leaned closer to Sam and heard him chuckle. He took my scarf from my lap and held it against my cheek. "Want your blankie?" he whispered, and made me laugh.

It was a relief when the lights came on at last, even though the madwoman lay dead at the bottom of a ravine.

"Did she jump or did she slip?" I asked Sam as people around us began to gather up their things and leave. It was one of those movies where you weren't sure.

"Slipped," said Sam.

"How do you know? I'd hate for her to have slipped if she really wanted to live."

"Okay, she jumped."

"No." I laughed. "What do you think really happened?"

"I don't know. What do you want to have happened?"

I thrust my arms in my jacket sleeves. "You can't just change reality to suit me!" I said. "I want to know what really happened!"

"Slipped," said Sam.

"Jumped!" I told him, and felt him lean forward and kiss the back of my head as we moved out into the aisle.

When we got out to the lobby, I went to the restroom. I was surprised when I looked in the mirror at how red my cheeks were. Flushed. Excited. I rinsed out my mouth and popped a LifeSaver, realizing that I felt a lot different now than I had at the beginning of the evening. We'd started out as school buddies and ended up...what? I wasn't sure, but I'd liked leaning against his shoulder in the theater. I liked the way his hand squeezed my upper arm, and I especially liked his kissing the back of my head when we were leaving.

"Oh, wow!" I said when I went back out in the lobby. "It's eleven fifteen. I've got to call Dad." I reached for my cell phone, but Sam offered me his.

"Here," he said. "I just called Mom."

I punched in the number, and Dad answered after the first ring.

"I'm sorry I'm late calling," I said. "We went to a movie after we finished, and it just let out. We're leaving right now."

"Okay, Al. Sylvia and I are going on to bed, and I'll trust you to come straight home," he said.

Sam and I didn't say too much on the way back. He played the rest of the CD. In the headlight beams, I could see a light misty sort of snow coming at us, hitting the windshield and dissolving. The wipers swished occasionally on low speed, and once, where traffic was light, Sam reached over and covered my hand with his, then put it back on the steering wheel.

When we got to my house and parked in the driveway, he reached over and teasingly wrapped my long scarf around and around my neck, then my head, until it felt like a beehive.

"Ready?" he asked, one hand on his door handle.

"Ready," I answered.

We both jumped out at the same time, the wind almost knocking us down, and ran up onto the shelter of the porch. And then, when I tugged the scarf away from my face to tell him good night, he just pulled me to him, like he was keeping me warm, and we kissed. We didn't hurry, I wasn't embarrassed, and my braces didn't matter. The dark helped. The cold helped. The softness of his jacket helped.

"Thanks for coming, Alice," he said.

"It was fun," I told him.

I could see him smiling at me in the dark. And then we kissed again.

I went softly upstairs so as not to wake Dad or Sylvia. I heard Dad cough, though, and knew he probably hadn't let himself sleep till he knew I was safely home. I was smiling, and my cheeks felt even redder than they'd been before. I sat down on my bed in the dark. I just wanted to think about the evening, relive every minute.

Were we "Sam and Alice" now? Were we an "item"?

I looked out the window toward Elizabeth's. She lives in the big white house across the street. A light was on in her bedroom, but I was afraid I'd wake her folks if I called. I took a chance and IM'd her instead. She was online!

AliceBug322: hi

Lovliz13: alice? u just get home?

AliceBug322: yes

Another box popped up--an invitation to Elizabeth's chat room. I clicked ok. Pamela was there too.

Lovliz13: alice just got home

pjhotbabe: so?????

AliceBug322: i had a great time

pjhotbabe: and...????

AliceBug322: he kissed me

Lovliz13: WHAT??????

AliceBug322: 3 times

pjhotbabe: u go, girl!

AliceBug322: one on the back of the head

pjhotbabe: that 1 doesn't count

Lovliz13: if they were lying down it does

AliceBug322: what?

pjhotbabe: were u lying down?

AliceBug322: of course not. he's really nice. we saw The Silent Dark. scary as anything and he had his arm around me the whole time

pjhotbabe: that's how it all begins!!!!!!

AliceBug322: no i mean...he's...gentle, you know? and funny

pjhotbabe: uh-huh

Lovliz13: i wonder what happened between him and jennifer. i heard she dumped him

pjhotbabe: yeah, i heard it was sort of weird, but then jen's known to be weird sometimes too

AliceBug322: well i've known him since 8th grade and i think he's nice. of course, we never went out or anything. there was always patrick

pjhotbabe: well now's your chance, alice. live a little! patrick's not the only guy who can kiss, you know. so what was it like?

AliceBug322: sweet

pjhotbabe: ugh

AliceBug322: tender, exciting, spontaneous

pjhotbabe: keep going...

Lovliz13: did u say anything?

AliceBug322: not while we were kissing!

I told them all about interviewing kids at the mall and the mocha latte and how we saw Patrick....

AliceBug322: i'd better get 2 bed. i've got 2 work tomorrow

Lovliz13: happy dreams! i wish it had been ross and me

pjhotbabe: passionate dreams! red-hot sizzling wet drippy heart-palpitating dreams

Lovliz13: pamela, u r disgusting

AliceBug322: g'nite

I did dream of Sam, but it was all mixed up with the movie. I think Patrick was even in it somewhere.

"Al," I heard Dad saying at my bedroom door. "You want to ride in with me, or are you taking the bus?"

I couldn't believe it was morning already. I didn't want to wake up. I didn't want to stand out in the cold waiting for a bus, but if I rode in with Dad, I had to go early. I let out my breath, then slowly sat up, swung my legs over the side of the bed, and tried to keep my eyes open.

"I'll ride with you," I said. The floor was cold, but I teetered into the bathroom, feeling heavy and sticky, and realized I'd started my period. My abdomen always feels fat the first couple of days, and after I'd washed up and brushed my teeth, I put on a loose pair of jeans I keep for days like this, a big baggy sweater, and both a pad and a tampon, just in case.

Sylvia was still asleep, and Dad had the newspaper spread out on the kitchen table. He glanced up when I came in. "How did it go last night?"

"Okay," I said, and groggily reached for the cereal. "We did five or six shoots, and then we went to the movie. Really scary."

"Is Sam a careful driver?"

"Yes. A slow driver."

"Good," said Dad.

I put an English muffin in the toaster and poured some orange juice. Dad looked over at me again. "You're smiling," he said.

"I am?" I wondered if I'd been smiling all night.

"Sure looks like a smile to me. You had a good time, I take it?" His eyes were laughing.

"Yes. He's nice."

"Uh-huh." Dad waited.

I shrugged. "That's all. I just like him."

"Then I'll need to get used to seeing him around and hope I don't slip up and call him Patrick," said Dad.