Chapter - 5

Friday evening has finally arrived, Adam enters my room and plops down on my bed, and starts telling me about an argument that he and Heather had just had on the phone. As I'm putting my makeup on and getting ready for my date with Kevin, Adam asks if I'm even listening and I tell him that I am. "Where are you going?" he asks. I smile and reply, "I have a date tonight." With who?" he asks. "Kevin," I reply. "Just how old is this guy?" he asks. "Old enough to fend for himself," I reply. "You mean like in college?" he asks. I smile and reply, "Something like that. If you tell Mom, I'll kill you!" He grins as I take a seat on the bed next to him and he asks if it's serious, and I tell him that I don't know but I think it is. "I mean I like him so much that it's kind of scary. In my mind it's like I'm fixated on him. Sometimes I think I'm in love, but I know that's not possible because we haven't been together that long." I continue to tell him. "Well who is he? Adam asks. "Give me a little time on this one okay? I promise I'll tell you soon." I tell him. "I hate secrets. Just promise me that you'll be careful," he tells me as he kisses me on the cheek. I tell him that I promise and he exits the room. 

Within a half hour later, Shannon picks me up and gives me a ride to the house where Kevin had dropped me off the night before. She then gives me a goodbye hug and tells me to be careful. "I will, and I seriously don't think I have anything to worry about as he's a very sweet guy." I tell her and get out of the car to wait for Kevin. She then gives me a smile a waves at me as she drives off . Ten minutes go by as Kevin finally arrives to pick me up. Tonight is a special night, as I get to meet his friends from the law firm he works at. He pulls into the parking lot and opens the door for me to get out, and takes my hand into his as we enter the Italian restaurant. As we enter through the revolving glass doors, one of the servers greets us and says, "Hello, is there anything I can get you?" "Yes, I have some friends we're supposed to meet with from the Johnson and Langly firm," Kevin tells him. "Ah. Yes, right this way, The server says. We then follow her passed the dessert station, and as we round the corner, she shows us to our seat in a corner booth where all of Kevin's friends have been waiting.

They greet us as we take our seats, and pass us a couple of menus. Kevin smiles as he introduces me to his friends, "Babe this is Gary and his very pregnant wife, Linda." I tell them that it's very nice to meet the two of them, and we place our orders, and the server tells us that our meals will be here in just a bit. "So Faith, what's your major?" Gary asks. Linda sighs and says, "You must get so sick of being asked that all of the time." Kevin smiles, "What it is anyway?" I take a sip of my champagne before replying, "Astronomy."  "Wow. You didn't tell us she's a brain Kevin," Linda says. "I flunked astronomy." Gary sighs. Kevin sits there, mouth agape as he is lost for words. He clears his throat and says, "I had no idea you were majoring in astronomy." "It's so much math." Linda adds. The server then returns with our meals and we all thank her as she turns to leave the table. Taking a bite from the delicious food on his plate, Kevin says, "How does everyone like this Santa Milion?" 

Of course the conversation doesn't stay focused on the meal for long. Gary just has to bring up a whole new discussion about astronomy. "You know I heard that they discovered another universe, after this one, like some billion light years away, or something like that." Gary says. "Who cares Gary!" Lind tells him. "Maybe Faith does, after all it is her major. What exactly is a black hole, really?" Kevin takes a sip from his glass and asks me to fill them in on what a black hole is. "Boy have I really gotten myself into a fine mess", I think to myself. I sit and think for a couple of seconds before replying, "I guess the easiest way to explain it, without a working knowledge of  forth dimensional geometry, is that it's just simply a hole." Gary looks at me in disbelief and says, "Just a hole?" "In space dummy," Linda tells Gary. "That's black," I add. Gary shakes his head and chuckles, "I still don't get it." "Kevin tells us your entire sorority house transferred here from New Jersey." Linda says. I smile slightly and reply, "Not exactly all of us, actually. Just five of us." "See Kevin, I told you it wasn't the entire house." Linda adds. Kevin smiles and we all discuss the wonderful meal we had just had, and start a new conversation about dessert. 

Two hours later, Kevin and I leave the restaurant, and he drives me back to the house he had picked me up from. "I really don't want this evening to end," he tells me as he opens my door. Our eyes lock as he gently strokes my cheek. He kisses me passionately, and I wrap my arms around him. As our passion grows, I have to move away from him. "I-I really have to go Kevin," I tell him. He takes a deep breath as I go around the car to meet him at the drivers window. "About Friday. Plan on spending the night, and tell your house mother, that you're visiting your parents for the week." he tells me as he gets into his car. "I'll try," I reply. Kevin then smiles a sweet smile before giving me one last kiss goodnight, "Well try hard." 

 The following day at school in science class, Mr. Linden is talking about how well the class did on the quiz we took on Friday, and then continues on to his lecture of the day. "Kevin wants to go out again Friday night. He wants me to spend the night with him," I tell Shannon. She smiles and says, "You've gotta tell him the truth Faith." "What if he freaks out?" I ask. She sighs and says, "If he really loves you, then it shouldn't matter. Do you think you love him?" I shake my head in confusion, and tell her that I'm not sure. Shannon then asks me if I love him enough to sleep with him. I sigh and tell her that I really don't know, but I think I do. With seriousness in her eyes she says, "Then you gotta tell him."

The next three days go by so quickly and I feel like my head is spinning. I have been deep in thought about what Shannon had said on Monday about telling Kevin the truth about me and about my age. She's right, if he really loves me, then my age won't matter to him. That night, I tell my mother that I will be staying the night at Shannon's house which she says is ok. Once again Shannon picks me up and I get ready at her house. Her mother never asks any questions about what we're doing or where we're going, so it's the perfect way to be able to see Kevin again. After I'm ready to go, Shannon drops me off at the house for Kevin to pick me up. 

Twenty minutes later, Kevin picks me up and he takes me to this very fancy/expensive restaurant. As our meals are set onto the table, the server refills our drinks, and laves the table. "Kevin this place is really nice," I tell him with a smile. He flashed that cute smile of his and says," For the money it's costing, it should be. It's worth it  to be here with you." I smile and thank him. He grins and says, "Can I tell you something?" "Sure," I reply. "The last women I went on three dates with, I lived with for eleven months," he says as he tips his glass to his lips.  When I ask him what happened, he continues by telling me that they had gotten into a weird fight about a new couch for the living room. He says that he decided he had to go with his own taste because the couch was probably going to be around longer than she was. That's when I decide I think it's time to try and tell him the truth. "Kevin, do you think I can tell you anything?" I ask. He smiles and says of course I can, and that the older he gets, the more he realizes openness is the more important part of a relationship. "You'd feel the same way, no matter what? I mean this could be a shock." I hesitantly tell him. He then leans in and says, "Trust me. I'm shock proof. Faith, what is it?" he asks. 

"First of all, I want you to have my phone number." I tell him. He smiles widely and says, "You got a phone." I smile slightly and say, "No. I've always had a phone. I don't live in that sorority  house, and I don't go to college." His smile turns to more of a puzzled expression and suggests that I must work then. I glance down at my plate and say, "Kevin, I am a junior at Newcrest High."  "What kind of a junior?" he asks. I look at him and say, "A sixteen year old junior. Look, my best friend, Shannon told me that if we were getting serious, that I had to tell you the truth, and that if you really loved me, it wouldn't matter anyway." With a very irritated expression, he says, "Oh is that what Shannon said?" I then tell him how I thought he was shock proof. The server comes back over the table with a wine bottle and asks if we would like a refill, and Kevin tells him that maybe he should check my ID. "Or is that fake too?" Kevin asks. Confused, the server leaves the table once again to assist his other tables. Kevin becomes angry and says,"How could you do this to me? What is this, some kind of a high school prank?" "Kevin, I'm sorry. I thought," I begin but Kevin quickly interrupts me. "You thought... You thought wrong. I should sew your parents."  He then calls for the waiter to bring him the check, and he does just as he is asked. Kevin pays for our meals and we get into his car for him to take me home.

Most of the ride home is spent in silence as tears stream down my cheeks. As we draw near the road I live on, I tell him to make a left, and that's when he breaks the silence. "Tell me, Faith, was it fun playing grownup?" he asks. Tears then pore from my eyes as I say, "My feelings for you didn't change just because I'm a few years younger than you thought I was." He lets out a chuckle before replying, "What the hell do you know about feelings?" "I know alot about feelings. I would never tell anyone I liked them and then treat them the way that you're treating me." "Just wait until somebody you thought you cared about lies to you." he says angrily. "You know, don't you think it was hard on me too, Kevin?  Lying to my family about where I was going at night, flunking out of school. All for what? God, I can't believe it! I was gonna sleep with you tonight, and you were gonna be the first guy!" I say as I choke back the tears. He gives me an apologetic look as he puts the car in park in front of my house. I get out of his car and he chases after me down the pathway leading to the house. "Faith," he says as he tries to grab a hold of my arm. "No! Just get off of me, I'm glad this happened." I tell him. "At least let me walk you to the door," he says. "No! Just leave me alone! I never wanna see you again!" I yell. 

I run towards the house and Mom opens the door and closes it behind me. I then wrap my arms around her tightly, "I'm so sorry Mom." "Oh baby. It's alright honey. It's okay. I know, I know," she soothes. I then wipe my face with the sleeve of my jacket, and tell her that I never meant to lie to her, and how very sorry I am for doing so. "I know you didn't honey. I know." Our conversation then moves to the couch in the living room, and she asks me who the guy in the car was as she moves a couple pieces of hair from my face. "Some guy. Shannon and I went to a club...." I begin to explain. "Oh, honey, I'm sorry. It's my fault too. I just... I knew things weren't right, and I just....oh, I wanted you to be happy here, to fit in, but not like this." Mom says. "I know." I whisper as I bury my face into her shoulders once more. "Oh, It's alright honey." Mom soothes. Adam comes downstairs and asks what's going on, and what's wrong. I sit up before replying, "Nothing, Look, can we talk about this tomorrow, I have a lot to catch up on with chemistry." "Yeah sure honey," Mom says and I head up to my room and catch up on my homework.