When you announced to the GSA that you thought I was cute and that I gave you butterflies, my heart soared! You were so brave and I couldn’t help but be brave too! I couldn’t help myself; I had to walk right over to you. When you took my hand and everyone cheered when our fingers intertwined, it was total bliss! Well, almost everyone cheered. Now, I don’t want you to worry about Suz. She will come around, I promise. She has been a loner and an outcast for much of her life. She’s been brutally picked on and made fun of since she was a little kid. But she has had my full attention and friendship, and I don’t think she wants to go back to being the loner girl anymore. Truthfully, I think she is just afraid of losing me. I know she will come to adore you as I have.
Speaking of adoring you. Here are a few things I want you to know that I especially like about you.
1. Your brown curls and brown eyes
2. The way you bite your nails when you get nervous
3. The way you talk about your friends and family
This last one is so important. It shows you are a true and loyal friend to Mags and Neel, and I can’t wait to meet them tomorrow. As for your family, I don’t want you to skip your Friday Movie Night with your moms. I know it’s important to you and I also know you said it would be okay, but how do you feel about making movie night our second date? Here’s what I propose: a hybrid date. We can go out to dinner, just the two of us, and then we go back to your house for movie night with your family. Win, win! Let me know what you think in drama class. If it’s too soon to meet your moms, I totally get that, and that’s fine with me. I just thought this was a way you could do both. Either way, I’m looking forward to our second date tonight. Counting down the hours…
Sincerely,
Your Pajamas
Your Pajamas? Your Pajamas! Are you freaking kidding me? I could die right now! Come on, alien. Come on, 11:22. Take me; it’s fine. I don’t care. PJ just called himself my pajamas! Everything is right with the world. Oh, wait… Crap, there is one little problem with this perfect scenario. I still haven’t come out to Mom and Carole yet.
I bite my nails and remember PJ likes the way I bite my nails…
When I get back to my desk, I take out a piece of paper and write back.
Dear Pajamas,
Yes! To dinner and movie night! It’s a date!
Your Simon xxx ooo
21
The Long Hot Shower
Iwait outside the drama room hoping to catch PJ before class starts. It’s not long before he strolls up, arm in arm with Suzi.
“Hey, you two,” I say.
PJ throws a big smile my way, but Suzi scowls. She lets go of PJ and dramatically crosses her arms across her chest. I ignore her antics and hand PJ the note with a shy smile. He carefully unfolds the paper and scans the simple response I wrote. He grins and gives me a thumbs-up.
“Gross! I’m going to barf,” Suzi says as she mimics sticking her finger down her throat and retching.
PJ gives a nervous cough and looks between me and Suzi. I continue to ignore her.
“PJ, can I give you a ride home after class?”
He bites his lip and takes a deep breath. “Sorry, Simon. Suzi and I are walking home together. But I’m looking forward to seeing you tonight for our second date.”
“Oh, of course,” I say. “I understand. Sorry, Suzi.”
“You already took away our Friday night together, and now you want to prevent him from walking home with me too?” Suzi says. She crosses her arms across her chest again and glares at me.
“I’m not trying to monopolize all of PJ’s time,” I plead.
PJ and I stand there speechless. The air is thick and heavy between us. Fortunately, the bell rings, and Tillie calls us into class. We head inside, nothing resolved.
I have a hard time concentrating during class. I need a minute alone with PJ to understand how he is feeling about the ever-growing tension between me and Suzi. But the moment never presents itself. It seems to me Tillie is doing her best to keep us separated during class, and I swear at one point she gives me a little wink as if to say, Happy you two are dating, but not during my class.
When the bell signals the end of class—and the day—I stay in my seat and watch PJ and Suzi get up to leave. Suzi quickly walks out the door, and PJ follows, but he turns around at the last minute and mouths sorry with a wave goodbye. I smile and wave back. I gather my things and head out as well.
Driving home after school, I can hardly contain my excitement for tonight. Maybe I’m seeing everything through rose-colored glasses since PJ held his hand out to me, but it all seems less bad now. I refuse to let the fear of dying at 11:22 and the alien in my stomach—not even Suzi—get me down these days. I make a pit stop at the grocery store to pick up our stash for movie night. So much has changed in such a short period of time. I started this school year with two friends, two moms, and one dad. Juggling my free time was super easy. Nobody was ever left out except for Dad, occasionally. Now, in addition to all of them, I have a real-life boyfriend and three new friends: Hector, Paul, and Latica. Maybe even the whole GSA. Shit…things are about to get complicated. Someone’s feelings are bound to get hurt, but PJ will have to come first. Ugh, I don’t want to think about this now. I want one thing on my mind—my date with PJ tonight.
