Just a Memory

Kyle's Crush

3

"Reece, only being friends with boys won't cut it in middle school," Maverick was saying. "You're going to be either a tomboy or a whore."

Maria Hale smacked his head. "Language, Maverick." Her son waved his hand, "yeah, yeah."

Kyle and I were having lunch at the Hales'. We were going to have a sleepover like we always did, but our parents were reluctant. "You and Kyle can," my mother accidentally said in front of Reece one time. "Not with Reece though."

Kyle, Reece and I were twelve, we weren't stupidly oblivious to the fact why we could stay overnight, but we weren't into that stuff. We were best friends, always have been.

Maverick even stood up for us, in his weird perverted way. "C'mon Mom, they haven't had sex Ed yet, it's not like they're going to be into that freaky sex stuff," he said. Ms. Hale had grounded him for a week and took away his laptop. Maverick had really lost it since Forrest went to college this year. He grew out his hair, and swore a lot more. Last year, in the middle of my sleepover with Reece and Kyle at my house, he snuck through my window, drunk, and whispered "Is this not my house?" he looked around, laughed and held his finger to his lips. "Shhh!"

I never told Kyle or Reece about it, but it was pretty weird. I hoped he would clean himself up before he too went to college later this year. If he even got into college. 

"Maybe I do have friends that are girls," Reece snapped at her brother as the doorbell rang. "I just like hanging out with Brett and Kyle."

"Suit yourself," Maverick said, excusing himself from the table to answer the door. He opened it, and then I heard what sounded a lot like kissing from the hallway. Reece squished her face up in disgust. "Oh, get a room!" Reece yelled, not being able to take it anymore. Maverick jingled his car keys. "Already did," he said, slamming the door. 

Maria chased him out onto the driveway, but he had sped off. "Teenage boys are a pain," she mumbled. Kyle looked offended, but I knew it wasn't directed at us. Reece cleared the table. "You guys want to go swimming?" she asked. 

"I didn't bring my swim stuff," I said. Kyle hadn't either. She thought for a moment. "You can use Maverick's," she offered.

Kyle looked uneasy. "Can you get an STD from a swimsuit?" he asked in an undertone. I hoped he was out of Maria's earshot. I stifled a laugh. Reece knew us too well.

"I can assure you it's been washed extensively," she assured us with a laugh. 

Kyle and I jumped into the pool. Desiree had left all her girly floaty toys all over the pool and there was nowhere to swim. When I'd come up to breathe, I'd get shoved back under by some ridiculous floaty fairy or something. I threw it out of the pool. Kyle followed suit, and soon every toy was out of the pool and strewn out onto the lawn. 

Reece came outside in a bikini. She shook her hair out from its ponytail. Reece was one of those few sixth and seventh graders who actually didn't need to stuff their bra, which was an awkward topic for Kyle and I. The swimsuit wasn't overly revealing, but I caught myself staring. I hadn't been to the pool with Reece in years. 

She jumped in and Kyle brushed up against her. "Damn Reece, when did you turn into that?" he asked playfully. Reece laughed. I liked how our friendship was open and comfortable like this. I'm no good at avoiding awkward moments. 

We swam around for a while, playing boys vs. girl volleyball, when Reece got out for a second. "One minute guys," she said, wrapping a towel around herself.

Kyle watched her leave. I shoved him. "Dude, it's Reece. Wanna hold back a little?" I said. He shrugged. "We're friends right?"

I nodded. "We hang out every day, Kyle. I wouldn't say we're enemies," I said with a laughing smile. He didn't return it. 

"If you laugh at me, I swear I'll punch you," Kyle said. I raised an eyebrow and told him to continue. "Okay," he started. "I like Reece."

His words didn't register. "I know. I like Reece too. We hang out all the time," I said, treading the water, trying to hear his response. 

Kyle rolled his eyes. "What? Crap, no. I'm saying that I really like her, Brett. Like as more than friends," he said, his cheeks turning red. The sentence was phrased weirdly to me, and I almost wanted to laugh if not what he said.

"What! But she's our best friend," I protested. What was with everyone getting all hormonal lately? Why couldn't a boy and a girl be friends without it getting weird? I thought Kyle, Reece and I were above all that.

"I know, and she's awesome. But I can't help it," he said. I shook my head and brushed the hair out of my face. "I can't believe you have a crush on Reece."

"Kyle, Brett, your parents are here to pick you up for practice," Reece said, with the house phone in her hand. She pointed at Kyle, "You have football," then she pointed at me, "and you have lacrosse."

I got out of the pool and dried myself off. Kyle did the same, except he used Reece's towel. "I wish I didn't have to go," Kyle said, staring into Reece's eyes. If I hadn't known he had a crush on Reece, it was obvious now. Reece shrugged. "You'll be back tomorrow."

"Tomorrow's Monday," I pointed out, shaking out my hair like a dog. She nodded. "I know," she said. Then she wrinkled her nose. "Oh great, sex Ed starts tomorrow."

"Sucks for you," Kyle said. 

"We all have the same teacher, idiot," Reece said. He laughed. "Crap."

Reece hugged both of us goodbye, and I went off to my practice. I ran through all the drills and the scrimmage, not thinking about anything lacrosse-like. My only thought was that Kyle had ruined our friendship; he made it about something more than just having fun together. He wanted to have fun with Reece in more than a friendly way. And that wasn't fair.

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I walked out of my science class on Monday completely weirded out. No kid should have to be scarred with such graphic pictures of human sex organs right before lunch. 

"That was certainly enlightening, wasn't it?" Reece joked. She smiled facetiously, but I knew she was as grossed out as Kyle and I were. I felt myself through up in my mouth a little. I saw the pictures every time I closed my eyes. I tried to shake it away. "Oh don't even start," I said, holding my stomach under my shirt.

"Hey, Reece, come here," Lena called through the hallway. Reece offered a wave before bouncing off after her friend. She had been hanging out with Audrey Holmes, Lena Carson and Hallee Davidson a lot more lately. At first I was hurt that Kyle and I weren't good enough for her, but she didn't ever choose them over us, and that made me feel slightly less abandoned. Now I'm simply appalled that she has to go with them, because I'll be subjected to more talk about how sexy Reece is and I still think of her as one of the guys.

"You can't seriously think that Reece is still hot after seeing what we did," I said to Kyle at the lunch table. Kyle pushed his food away. I did the same.

"She is though," he said. "Seeing a few pictures of diseased, ehm, lady parts aren't going to change things for me."

I coughed, as Kyle's reference forced my breakfast back up into my mouth. "Seriously Brett, when are you going to grow up and start liking girls?" Kyle asked.

"When I can forget those pictures I just saw," I replied, debating whether or not to take a sip of water. Kyle laughed. "But seriously. If I can suffer through that pure hell," he pointed in the direction of our science classroom, "and still like Reece, you can definitely like someone."

I knew he was right. My eyes flashed to all the girls in the courtyard. I could see how some of them were pretty, but I wasn't about to profess my love to them any time soon. I knew I liked girls, but there just wasn't anyone special.

"Fine, you're right," I conceded. "Just don't start talking about how you want to get in her pants or anything."

Kyle laughed. "After that class? Not for a while."