The chips were already set out. The plates were starting to be piled. The hamburgers and hot dogs were being served at a fast rate.
A perfect Sunday afternoon.
“How are you?” The greetings of families had never changed from the day they decided to meet every now and then for barbeques.
But, today, Chase didn’t bring his mother. Actually, she didn’t want to come—she was expecting the Punyawong family sometime later. And, he knew that Lee might be coming—and, he also knew that she wouldn’t accept him at all.
Immediately, his arm was grabbed by Marianne and they entered the barbeque announced as a couple by the looks and whispers of their fellow peers and their parents. Strangely enough, Chase didn’t deny it.
To Chase, it seemed like anyone and everyone from their high school was there; he even saw some teachers, and perhaps the principal. And, because everyone was there, the other person he didn’t want to see right now was there, too.
“Hey, Ashley!” Mary screamed as she dragged Chase to where Ashley and her friends were sitting at. “Have you been waiting long?”
It took all of Ashley’s force to not look at Chase. “Not long. I just got here.”
“We just got here too, right, Chase?”
Chase nodded, his face pale like the moon.
“Well, sit down, sit down. We’ve got some pizza, too.” Angela was helping out dishing some plates to their table. “Is Lee coming, too?”
Chase and Ashley stared at the ground. Their silence was well synchronized.
“I tried calling her,” Omar admitted. “She said she was unsure. Actually, she said that she and her family are going to Chase’s house.”
“Oh, then did I interrupt something?” Mary asked.
“No, it’s fine. My mom said that it was okay.”
Omar, Angela, Kyle, and Greg grew quiet. Something was wrong—they knew very well. Chase wouldn’t have done something like that—wouldn’t have denied meeting up with Lee.
“Well…I guess its better that you’re here.” Mary smiled.
Chase nodded. “Yeah, okay.”
For what seemed like an eternity, Chase was dragged to the punch bowl, to the water fountain, to the grill, and back to the table. After an hour of his presence, he noticed an even more familiar face near the grill: Susie Punyawong. The look of surprise on his face made Marianne worry.
“What’s wrong, Chase?”
He didn’t give her a response. Instead, he brushed her off and made way to Susie.
Susie’s nonchalant smile reminded Chase so much of Lee. “Hi, Chase.”
“Hey. Why-why are you here?”
“Well, we went to your place, but your mom decided to bring us all here for dinner.”
“Wh-where…?”
“Where’s Lee?” Susie’s smile dimmed. “Um…well, she’s not here.”
“So, she’s at home…” Chase’s face dimmed.
“Chase…” Susie set down her plate of food and placed a hand on his shoulder. “I don’t know what’s going on, but I don’t like anything about it. Lee’s been sad for a long time. Right after she gets home from school, she eats and then stays in her room. I really want you two to make up. She isn’t the same without you…”
“…I-I’m sorry. She doesn’t want to make up with me…”
“Oh, so she’s being stubborn. You know…my family’s always been like that…” She sighed. “Always stubborn.”
“But, in my opinion, I think she’s the most stubborn.”
“Well, Lee’s…well, she’s Lee. She’s very stubborn; you’re right about that. And, add it to her boyish personality…It’s just a disaster.” Susie shook her head. “But…please, at least try. I really…I really don’t like seeing my sisters in trouble.”
Chase nodded. “I-I’ll try my best.”
“You know, I heard that she was going to go practice at school…”
“You sure can cook…” Lee stuffed her face with some more chicken.
“Thanks.” The third freshman in drum-line—Gabriella Newson—was also a cook. She had cooked a feast for the picnic that drum line was holding on this Sunday night. Director Masterson was even happy to cancel half of the practice for a picnic.
Other than Gabriella bringing food, others brought food as well—Jeff Sanders bought some pizza, Vince Chung brought some home made Chinese, and Lee pitched in by bringing some pies.
The ten members in drum-line dug in the moment Director Masterson said it was the end of practice. This would also be the first time that drum line saw Director Masterson in a good mood. He was actually a pretty funny guy when he wasn’t screaming out orders.
“You know, I don’t get to say this a lot, but you guys are one of the best bands that I’ve worked with in the past twenty years. You’re also one of the first bands that I’ve ever taught that got three national awards.”
The group snickered. “Thanks for the compliment,” most of them said in unison.
As the rest of drum line zoned into their own conversations, Jeff and Lee started their own conversation.
The two continued the conversation and everyone was having a good time. Until, a truck pulled up into the parking lot. The blue truck looked very familiar, but anyone could have a blue truck.
Lee didn’t pay attention to it—it might’ve been someone’s boyfriend or parent. So, it really didn’t matter to her when the person walked up behind her. Jeff was the one to stop talking, so Lee looked back. Her angered, fearful, sad, loving breath caught in her throat.
“…Hey…”
“Hey, Thompson. There isn’t any practice today for you guys, is there?”
“No. I-I just came to talk to Lee.”
Somehow, Jeff understood. A strange aura was engrossing the two—a tension that didn’t make any sense, but seemed to make perfect sense. “Uh, yeah. I’ll just go get some more pie.”
“No, wai-.”
Jeff had already gotten up to leave.
“…Can I sit down?”
No answer escaped from her lips. She even looked away.
He looked at her full plate. “…You’re not eating…”
“…I’m not so hungry.” She pushed the plate towards him. “I bet you’d want some.”
“Oh, I’m not hungry. I just came from a local barbeque. I think I might’ve had too much to eat…I can’t eat another bite…”
“…So, why are you here…?”
Wasn’t it obvious? “…I just want to talk.”
“If you want to talk, then you shouldn’t have come. I don’t want to talk—and, I’m going to keep on telling you that I don’t want to talk. There really isn’t anything to talk about-.”
“We have everything that we need to talk about.”
“…Then, talk.”
He bit his lip. Was she really going to listen? “…We all know that I like Ashley…very much…”
No witty comment. Actually, her silence was very scary.
“Um, and…we all know about that incident…” He glanced at her. She was still looking the other way. “But…but it wasn’t my fault. None-none of it was my fault…”
“…How wasn’t it your fault?” she squeaked.
“She led me on.”
“Rape is rape. Sex is sex. There’s a difference. If she were to lead you on, then it would’ve been sex—it would’ve been okay. But…but, how come it looked so much like rape?”
“…She led me on,” he answered.
“Ashley is a slut. We both know that. And, I’ve seen rated R movies; I’ve seen sex, Chase. You. Raped. Her.” Even though she was whispering, it sounded like she was screaming at him.
“But I didn’t. Why can’t you understand that? We’re deeper than that, so I thought you’d understand.”
She chuckled; and it was painful. “Yeah, okay, we’re deep. But, I wasn’t Ashley; I can’t understand what…whatever it is you’re trying to intend it to be. Mutual sex, while you were keeping Ashley’s mouth shut?” She crossed her arms and looked sadly down at her plate. “What you did—whether you think it was sex, while everyone knows that it was rape—you only did it with her. So, there shouldn’t be a third party there trying to understand and analyze everything you were doing…I shouldn’t be in the picture.”
He placed a hand on her arm and tried to look at her. “Then…then, what should I do?”
A sinking feeling occurred somewhere in her stomach. It was the same feeling she got when she went on a roller coaster. “…whatever is right…”
“Tell me, what’s right for me, Lee?”
Don’t do this to me, Chase. Oh, God, please, Chase…Don’t do this to me… “…You-you’re a big boy. Figure it out yourself…” She snatched her arm away from him.
But, his grip was too strong. “…Then, at least tell me one thing…”
The begging look in his eyes was too heart wrenching to ignore. But, Lee tried her best to.
Seeing that she wasn’t going to reply or to reject him, he went on. “Are we still friends?”
Her lips dried and her heart trembled. You’re more than that, Chase Thompson. You’re so totally more than that. But…but I’m still Lee; and, you know me as only one kind of Lee. “…God, Chase, friends?”
“I’m not going anywhere until you tell me if we’re friends or not…”
But, my other Lee just wants to forgive you and ask to start over. And, a smaller Lee wants me to be something else for you… “Are you really seriously asking me?”
Some small hope crossed Chase’s eyes. Did she mean--? “So, we’re friends?” –Did she mean that it was obvious that they we’re already friends? That they’ve been friends?
Lee looked across Chase’s shoulder to see Jeff looking over at her. He smiled and waved. Jeff was there…everyone was here…and, only she knew Chase’s secret. She bit her lip and looked into her lap. She then looked up at Jeff, again, and got up. “I-I’ve got to go.”
He just looked at her. He didn’t say one thing as she walked towards Jeff and her other friends.
So, that was a no.
