True Letters from a Fictional Life Read Online Free

than to suggest we borrow from her parents’ cabinet, but I eyed it until Theresa frowned at me.
    We spent much of the rest of dinner comparing the gym programs at our respective schools. At Kim’s school, you didn’t have to take gym if you played a sport, whereas we had to take it no matter what. I’d received a C one term forconsistently failing to wear the proper uniform. This happened while I was the leading scorer on the soccer team. There was no greater injustice imaginable. Kim suggested I transfer to her school, and then Theresa pointed out that I’d have to wear a yellow-and-black soccer uniform and be called a Yellowjacket.
    â€œCrap, that’s right.” I sighed. “Sorry, deal’s off, Kim. I’m not going to be a Yellowjacket. Your players look terr-ee-blay.”
    â€œThat’s all that really matters to James,” Derek said. “How he looks on the field.”
    To prove his point, he produced a photo on his phone of me fixing my hair while about to take a penalty shot.
    Kim’s brother texted to say he was on his way to pick her up, and Theresa suggested that I give her a hand with a few things in the kitchen. I gave Derek an all-teeth smile and got up, leaving him alone with Kim and his chance to ask if she wanted to hang out again sometime. As I stacked dishes by the sink, Theresa slid up next to me and whispered, “You look very handsome.”
    â€œSo do you,” I whispered back. “I mean, you know,” I mumbled. “Beautiful.”
    She put her hand on my waist as she reached around me for a dish towel, and her perfume made me slightly light-headed. Stay right there, I wanted to say. Just like that forever.
    â€œIs he going to ask her out?” Theresa mouthed. I clasped my hands together as though in prayer, then I wrapped themaround her waist and spun her to the counter. We kissed while they talked and giggled in the dining room.
    This was a perfect evening. I told Theresa it was perfect. She rubbed her cheek against mine and kissed my ear. “Thanks,” she whispered. “You were perfect, too. Except that you drank most of the wine, you jackass.”
    â€œNo!” I protested. “That was Derek!”
    They entered the kitchen while we were cracking up and I was gripping Theresa’s wrists to prevent her from bopping me on the head.
    â€œOkay,” said Kim, ignoring the fight. “I’m out of here. Thank you again for a wonderful evening.” We each got a peck on the cheek. “C’mon, Derek,” she said, taking him by the hand. “You can wait with me on the porch.”
    After they left the kitchen, we stared at each other wide-eyed and grinning. “Stay here tonight,” Theresa whispered.
    â€œWe have to stay over. Derek’s not driving anywhere. He’s going to be asleep on the couch in twenty minutes.”
    Sure enough, he came back in and stretched out on the couch to chat, but soon he was asleep and smiling. Kim ended up canceling their first date—some family thing—and Derek took it as a flat-out rejection, never called her back. Thinking he’d lost interest, she started going out with a kid at her own school, and Derek pretended not to care. But lying there on the couch, he was goofy with happiness. We covered him with a blanket and went upstairs to curl up in Theresa’s bed.
    You could see the stars from her window. “Maybe he’llshow her Saturn through his telescope,” I said. “Then she’ll be his forever.”
    â€œOh, yeah? Is that how he made you fall in love with him? Astronomy?”
    I thought of Hawken’s stunned expression when he looked up from the telescope after first seeing Saturn. The way he put his hand on my shoulder in excitement. “Something like that,” I muttered. It was the first time all night I’d let myself slip into thoughts of him.
    April 10th
    Dear Mom,
    Oh, hi. It’s your son.