The Fifteenth Year

April: Part 5

Tuesday, April 12, 2005

Dear Friend,

Word got out fast about Jason and me. It's like an infectious disease. Everybody is talking about the prom. Flyers are everywhere, ticket booths are still up, and guys are asking girls on school grounds in elaborate ways. One guy even got up on a table in lunch and invited the girl up there with him, recreating the Seth Cohen declaration in The O.C. God.

The school released the nominees for prom king and queen this morning for the junior and senior proms. I'm pretty sure it's against the rules for an underclassman to get nominated. The honor goes to juniors and seniors only.

My friends are being champs. Not a single one of them is feeling jealous or longing for a boyfriend. Tessa's guarded since that crap with Devon happened, Renee's too busy trying to lift her grades (she's a little worried about not maintaining a C average and has had nightmares about not being able to go into the next grade with her class), and spending time with her dad. Chloe is...well, Chloe. Happy go lucky.

Something incredibly scary happened though after school got out. I met Jason at my locker and we were walking out of the school together to drive to our neighborhood in his Jeep when we heard someone heckling behind us.

"Hey Conners, is that your pretty young thing? Yeah, you like them young, don't you?"

The hairs on my neck stood up. Everybody was staring at us. I kept my eyes on my feet as we walked, the heat of embarrassment rising on my neck.

"Who is that?" I whispered.

"It's nobody," Jason mumbled. "Keep walking."

The voice continued, "Haven't you gotten the memo, dummy? You screw the freshmen; you don't take them to prom! If you want a pubescent thing, don't you know they're easy?" Laughing from the person followed.

I could see the anger flooding Jason's eyes.

"Don't listen to him," I said, though the words hurt me. What was this guy's deal? Did I even know him?

"I've known you since the 8th grade, Conners. Since when did you like the little girls, you sicko? Why don't you take your little whore out back instead of parading her around our real girlfriends?"

Jason let go of my hand and before I could say a word, stop him, or acknowledge what was happening, he charged at the guy, tackling him to the pavement. Hollers from classmates rose immediately. Jason's fist came down somewhere on this guy's face. Shouts rang out; people gathered.

"Jason!" I screamed, trying to rush through the crowd. "Stop!"

Jason stood without a word and walked back to me.

"You're dead, Conners!" the guy said through a bloody nose and plowed in his direction only to be abruptly halted by Jason's friend, Chris. They tumbled into the grass.

"Let it go, Dower," Chris spat out. "You earned that one."

"I'll kill you!" this Dower person yelled in Jason's direction, followed by some expletives.

"Don't about her like that, Dower. Ever," Jason warned. He rubbed his knuckles. "Know when to quit."

Someone must've grabbed the principal in the whole mess because he ran over, fretting. "Both of you in my office! Now!"

Tears spilled down my cheeks. It all happened so fast. How much trouble would Jason be in? This wasn't like him at all. Would this go on his permanent record and ruin his chances of getting into a good college? Hurt his chances of being considered a good candidate for the NFL draft? Would he be banned for going to prom? Kicked off the football team he helped carry this far? He had so much to lose. What if he lost all these things because of some jerk?

Later that night, I stood in my yard waiting for Jason so we could talk before bed. I decided not to share with my parents what happened, but no doubt the school called his. He already informed me over the phone he was grounded and could only talk to me for a few minutes before he had to go back to 'house arrest,' as he put it.

I sniffled and crossed my arms. "Hi," I ssaid.

"Hey," he said, looking down at his shoes.

"Jason, who was that guy?" I asked.

He sighed. "Al Dower. Some jerkweed on the team. He's a second string."

"Why would he come after you like that?"

"Well, yesterday when we got back, I was real excited about taking you to prom. It came up in the locker room, Chris was telling me about some girl Kim he's taking and I told him that I asked you, and the guys were jabbing me a bit about it. Some were cool and supportive, most didn't care, but other guys have given me a hard time for taking a freshman. Like it's disloyal to our women, whatever that means. Like I'm a dirtbag that's going to get you drunk and leave you high and dry after a fun time even though they all know me. I don't know. They think it's embarrassing; some of them. And Al has made it no secret how laughable he found the whole thing. And he's been an ass all year since he got benched most of the season," Jason explained.

"Why didn't you tell me about any of this?"

"Because I didn't think any of it mattered. What would be the point? I didn't want it to hurt your feelings, and it doesn't matter what any of those guys think. You're my girlfriend and I'm taking you. End of story. I've been dating you since February. I'm shocked any of them were surprised."

"It clearly matters to you what they think, because you decked a guy," I said, tears filling my eyes.

"No. It doesn't," he said firmly, coming closer to me. "I wasn't going to let him embarrass you like that in public. He had no right to say those things about you. He doesn't even know you. What he did wasn't right."

I sighed. "How pissed are your parents?"

Jason rolled his eyes. "Well, obviously, they're not thrilled. Once I explained to them why I did it, they were a little more understanding. It helped my case they love you so much. I'm grounded for a week. They figured the school was going to lay out a harsher punishment so they lightened up on me. They know I learned my lesson."

"What is your punishment?" I asked, scared to death.

"Well, I have to write some stupid apology letter to Al to prevent his stupid country club parents from pressing charges..."

"Charges?! For what? Their son being a bully?" I asked, dumbfounded.

"For maybe kinda breaking his nose..."

"You did?!"

"And the school is making me sit out our last game before the playoffs. I'm also going to be helping out at the youth center for two afternoons this semester and teaching kids about how violence doesn't solve anything."

"That's it?" I asked, relief filling me to the brim.

Jason nodded. "The school board saw my file, knows this was out of character for me, and doesn't want my chances of a football scholarship or a state championship for their school to go to waste. So this isn't going on my permanent record. I have to make up for this, but not with long-lasting consequences, thankfully."

"Thank God." I hugged him.

"Al is getting a week's detention for provoking the argument. He's getting a harsher punishment because he's already been in trouble twice this year alone for causing a scene like that."

I pulled out of his embrace with a smirk on my lips.

"What?" he asked.

I brushed hair out of my face. "Nothing. I just never thought I'd see the day where my long-time crush defended my honor."