CHAPTER SIXTY-TWO
(part five)

“Thank you, sir,” Aden said. “I’ll take care of this at home.”

Aden grabbed Nash’s shoulder and pushed him out of the room. With his arm over the boy’s shoulder, he negotiated him through the school to his car. He locked the car doors so that Nash couldn’t escape while he went around to the driver’s side.

“That was unpleasant,” Aden said.

“IT’S TOTALLY UNFAIR!” Nash yelled. “I didn’t do anything. Sandy didn’t do anything. I’m responsible for the fight! That’s going in my permanent record. That’s what he said. I’ll never get into college now and….”

Aden laughed.

“No one cares about your permanent Junior High record.” Aden pulled out of the parking lot. “At least no one cared about mine.”

“Oh,” Nash said. “Do I have to go back?”

“You have to go back,” Aden said. “Life isn’t fair sometimes. Everyone gets the shaft sometimes. It’s good to learn not to let it get you down.”

“But do I have to go back?”

Aden laughed.

“I mean really, Dad,” Nash said. “It’s not the best environment for my mental and emotional development.”

“Talking to Mrs. Helen from the Marlowe school?” Aden asked.

“She came into the office while I was stamping envelopes for Blane,” Nash said. “How did you know?”

“She called,” Aden said.

“Are you mad at Sandy? Because I don’t think….”

“Mad at Sandy? Because of that toad?” Aden laughed. “Everyone has a past, Nash. I don’t know what they’re talking about and I don’t really care.”

“Even if she was in a movie?”

“What’s it to me? I know it’s confusing. Your age is all about ego – how cool or not cool you are, what you listen to, how you dress.” Aden laughed.

“Mr. Colin talks a lot about ego.”

“I bet he does,” Aden said.

Nash was quiet for a while.

“Really, Nash, think about it,” Aden said. “I know she’s been with other people. So have I. I don’t need to own her. Why should I care if she was in a movie?”

“You’re not embarrassed?”

“I’m not embarrassed.” Aden laughed. “I’m not embarrassed of you and I’m not embarrassed of her. I love you both.”

“But doesn’t that make her a whore?” Unable to let it go, Nash pressed on. “You’d want to date a whore?”

“Think of it this way,” Aden said. “If you were going to pick someone to play soccer with you, would you pick the person with some experience or the person who’d never played before?”

“Oh,” Nash said. “Why is it such a big deal then?”

“Because no one you know has had sex,” Aden laughed. “If some girl has had sex, there must be something wrong with her. Or worse. She’s not having sex with them.”

“But it’s different for boys?”

“Most of the time, yes,” Aden said. “Now that’s unfair.”

“I like Sandy, Dad,” Nash said. “I don’t think she’s a whore.”

“I love Sandy,” Aden said. “Let’s pick up Noelle and go to Liks for malts.”

“Aren’t you rewarding me for poor behavior? My independence?”

“I hope so,” Aden said.

Nash laughed.

Denver Cereal continues tomorrow….