Chapter 4: No-Brainer

Pauline and Jeff received a recommendation for an Italian restaurant in Lexington from the Garden staff. The young couple spent two hours there lingering over their meal, talking. They added those hours to their talks during the travel time from Enfield. Jeff did all of the things he learned were expected of a gentleman that night, such as holding doors and chairs. Jeff also offered to pay for the meal and offered Pauline gas money, both of which she declined.

Jeff’s parents and sister were not up when the high schoolers returned to his house, even though this was his first date. Both Pauline and Jeff knew that his mother and sister would grill him the next day. He and Pauline sat talking in the kitchen for another half hour. Jeff walked Pauline out to her car, held the driver’s door for her, and received another kiss.

“I had a wonderful time, Jeff,” she said after the kiss finished, holding him close.

“Would you like to do something next weekend?” he asked her once his synapses started firing again.

“I’d like that,” she answered before kissing him once again. “Unfortunately, we’re going away for a quick vacation now that the state tournament is over. We won’t be back until the afternoon of the twenty-fourth.”

“Figures,” Jeff muttered.

Pauline climbed into her car to head home. Jeff watched as she backed out of his driveway and drove away. He stood in his driveway in the cool night air. He reviewed the incredible night in his mind. Jeff finally shook his head in disbelief and headed inside.

Jeff walked into Thompkins nine days later. He still had a spring in his step from his night with Pauline the previous Saturday. He caught sight of Pauline at her locker and made his way over.

“Hi.”

Pauline turned, and then smiled when she saw that it was Jeff. “Hi.” She pulled him in for another long, steamy kiss, not worrying about who saw them. “I missed you.”

“I missed you, too. I wanted to say again that I had a great time last Saturday,” he said as they stepped back from each other.

“I did as well,” she replied, still smiling. “I’m looking forward to what this weekend may bring.”

“Do you have something specific you’d like to do?”

“I wouldn’t mind just going to a pizza place, so long as we can talk like we did Saturday. I really enjoyed that. I...”

Pauline stopped speaking and her eyes widened as Jeff felt a presence behind him. Jeff brought his arm up to shield his head. He felt a fist strike his forearm. Turning and shielding Pauline with his body, Jeff saw Bryan Cosgrove, the boy he’d had the cafeteria confrontation with last year. Cosgrove, stunned that he had missed, tried smacking Jeff in the head again but was again blocked.

“What’s your problem, Cosgrove?” Jeff asked angrily.

“You are, geek. You shouldn’t be talking to girls. You should be locked in the computer room or something.”

Cosgrove labeled Jeff a geek early in their freshman year during study hall. Jeff had been studying instead of messing around like Cosgrove.

“Well, I was being polite and thanking Pauline for our date last weekend, crapeaud.”

“What did you call me, geek?” Cosgrove asked, stepping closer.

“Crapeaud,” Jeff responded, standing his ground. “It’s French for toad, you jerk. I could have called you something else but crapeaud is easy to say and there’s a lady present. It also has the benefit of sounding cultured while having the word crap in it. Now, if you don’t mind, I’d like to get back to discussing this coming weekend with Pauline before first period starts.”

Jeff turned his back to Cosgrove, dismissing and enraging him at the same time. Jeff felt Cosgrove’s hand on his shoulder pulling to spin him around. Jeff turned and raised his left arm to block the punch he knew Cosgrove would throw. Sure enough, Cosgrove’s fist was almost in his face. Jeff blocked the punch with ease and shoved him away. Cosgrove stumbled backward, and then landed on his ass.

Cosgrove sat stunned for a moment before picking himself up off the floor with anger visible on his face. Jeff stood his ground. He ducked back away from another punch and redirected it so that Cosgrove spun away. Jeff slid sideways to keep himself between Cosgrove and Pauline.

“Pauline, get a teacher!” Jeff yelled.

Cosgrove growled, spun around, and hurled himself at Jeff again. Students crowded around. Pauline and Mr. Fenniman, an English teacher, forced their way through. Jeff focused on the two-hundred-pound bully who charged at him like a bull. Jeff stepped aside at the last second, giving Cosgrove a firm shove as he passed. The shove caused Cosgrove to crunch into the row of lockers behind Jeff with a loud crash.

“You come at me again and I’ll drop you, Cosgrove!” Jeff warned.

“YOU’RE GONNA DIE, SPAZ!” Cosgrove yelled, seeing red.

Cosgrove launched himself at Jeff yet again. Jeff let Cosgrove close with him before stepping inside Cosgrove’s swing. Jeff hooked Cosgrove’s arm and used the bully’s momentum to pull him over his hip, and then used Cosgrove’s body weight to drive him to the floor. Cosgrove landed flat on his back, knocking the wind out of him.

Cosgrove lay on the floor gasping, trying to catch his breath. Mr. Fenniman moved to stand over him before hauling Cosgrove to his feet. The teacher dragged him away toward the school’s office.

The crowd was stunned. They’d always thought that Jeff was an easy-going guy up until today. No one had expected the confrontation. No one had expected anything but Jeff getting splattered by Bryan Cosgrove once it started, but Jeff was untouched!

Jeff turned back to Pauline. She stared at him in shock, her eyes wide. Jeff sighed in resignation, his shoulders slumping as a sorrowful look crossed his face. He thought he had blown the chance that she took on him the previous weekend. Who would want to date a violent person like him? He walked over to the young woman he had wanted to know so much better.

“I’m so sorry, Pauline,” Jeff said to her in a soft voice only she could hear. “I won’t bother you anymore.”

Jeff began to turn and walk away when Pauline grabbed the front of his shirt. She pulled him back to her and planted a deep, searing kiss on his lips. She left him breathless while the crowd hooted their approval. His sorrowful look turned to shock, and then to dopey by the time she released him.

“Everyone! Listen up!” she yelled to the crowd. “Jeff Knox is MY BOYFRIEND! Anyone who has a problem with that can get bent!”

“I’ll pick you up Friday at six,” she told him in a tone that brooked no argument. “Remember, I know where you live if you even THINK of standing me up.” Seeing his expression change from dopey to confused, Pauline explained.

“I’ve gotten to know you better since hockey season began last November, Jeff. I know I have nothing to fear from you. I know that I would never be on the receiving end of anything even close to that. I could also tell that you were keeping yourself between Cosgrove and me just now, protecting me.”