We didn’t speak the whole ride back. But just before I got out of the car, something inside me, something crazy and foolish, decided to carry this whole charade one step further.
“You asked me once if I have an outlet or something.”
He cocked his head. “I did?”
I nodded. “You said I was way too put together to be normal.”
“I’m still under that impression, but try me.”
“When I’m mad, I write letters.”
“Letters?” He made a face. “By hand?”
“Yep.” I stared out at the stars. “I even have a special pen reserved just for the occasion.”
“But like…do you write them all the time?”
I tossed my hair out of my face. “Whenever I’m mad. It keeps me focused and out of trouble until I calm down.”
He scoffed. “Like you would ever get into trouble.”
I raised an eyebrow. “You’ve known me for how long now, and you doubt the poor choices made by my temper?”
His eyes twinkled. “Did you ever write me one?”
“If I did, I wouldn’t tell. I don’t actually send them. No, wait. That’s not true. I sent one in sixth grade to the boy who had made fun of my hair. My mom nearly died of embarrassment.”
“You are something else, Jessie Nickleby.” He laughed and shook his head as I got out of the car.
“Hey, Derrick?”
“Yeah?”
I paused and laid my hands on the edge of the window, which was rolled all the way down. “Thanks. For everything tonight.”
He gave me a funny smile. “I told you I wasn’t all a beast.”
“I’m glad.”
He paused before putting the car into drive. “Me, too.” And then he was gone.
32
Decisions
Jessie
Just as Derrick had promised when we made the deal, a car full of women showed up on my front drive the next afternoon. I waved goodbye to my dad, grabbed my purse, and went out to join them. Before I could get in, a woman with thick, brown hair and a bright red shirt stepped out of the driver’s seat and grinned.
“Jessie, right? I don’t know if you remember, but I’m Kim. We met briefly at the picnic.”
“That’s right.” I smiled shyly and gestured to the car. “Where do you want me to sit?”
“We saved the passenger seat for you. Hop on in.”
“Thanks.” I slid in and put my purse in my lap, where I could clutch it and hopefully, release all the tension that was squeezing my body to death. I was fairly comfortable with meeting strangers, but going shopping to spend lots of someone else’s money on an expensive dress and probably equally expensive shoes was a new one for me. I turned tentatively to wave at the three women in the backseat.
“Thanks so much for taking me,” I said to Kim as she buckled up again. “I’ve been to my fair share of staff meetings and dinners at my school, but never anything as fancy as a ball.”
