Guardian Angel
Part II: Hannah
11 My Girlfriend
TWO THINGS made eighth grade a new experience for me. First, I was approved to take high school chemistry during fifth period, so I didn’t have a study hall. That was usually at least a sophomore class. I was taking high school Algebra, too, but they had a whole eighth grade class and Brenda was in it, too.
Some of my classmates in eighth grade were still close to my size. I wasn’t the only one who was short at four-ten. But the percentage was much smaller in the high school hall. I just felt like a little kid among giants.
A little kid with no protection. In the high school hall, the only people I knew were my sister, Carl’s brother Bill, and Jessica. I didn’t see any of them. I did meet the varsity football team. At least the part of them who were finally getting around to fulfilling their science requirement with chemistry. I don’t think they even noticed me as the five big guys hit the door at the same time I did. Great. This is going to be a great year if I’m going to get pushed around by the football team.
I dropped off my admission slip on the teacher’s desk and looked for a seat. The only one available was next to a guy who probably outweighed Jackson by fifty pounds and looked as tall as Lionel. I sat at the desk and looked even smaller. He looked over at me and grinned. I thought it was a little predatory, but his voice didn’t match his size. It was soft and a little hoarse.
“Hey, little guy. Did you get lost? This is a high school class.”
“I’m in this class. It might be a mistake, but not because I’m lost.”
“You some kind of a progidy?”
“Prodigy. I guess a little. I just like science and do well in it.”
“Real well?”
“Yeah.” He held out a big meaty hand and I shook it a little gingerly.
“I’m Reggie Martin, senior varsity tackle.”
“Uh… I’m Brian Frost, eighth grade shrimp.” He laughed just as the bell rang and we turned to the teacher who started explaining all about how we’d be in lectures on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday and lab on Tuesday and Thursday. Since this was Tuesday, we’d use the opportunity to pick our lab partners and he’d give us a minute to change seats if we needed to. The guy on the other side of Reggie tapped him on the shoulder, but he waved him away.
“I got a lab partner,” he rasped. He looked at me. “Can you get me through this class, partner?” Oh crap. If I let myself get bullied by this guy it’s going to be a long miserable year. Better just get beat to a pulp the first day.
“I’ll be your lab partner and I’ll help if you don’t understand something that I do. But I won’t do your homework for you in this or any other class and I don’t care if you stuff me in a wastebasket. I’ve been there before. I help some of the basketball players and cheerleaders in my class, but I don’t do anybody’s work for them.”
“You got guts for a little guy. I like that. Let me tell you something, Brian. Nobody does my work for me. If I had Al over there do my weight-lifting for me, I wouldn’t be built like this. I’m not a straight-A student, but my grades are good enough to get me into college and maybe get a scholarship. We work together, we work as partners. Deal?” I grinned at him. Maybe this wouldn’t be so bad after all.
“Deal,” I said as I stuck out my hand again. I was a little more confident in my handshake this time and he didn’t try to crush it.
The other thing that made this year different from any other was my girlfriend. It wasn’t Rose. Or Brenda, Samantha, Rhiannon, Whitney, or Liz. And it certainly wasn’t Jessica.
It all happened on Friday the first week of school. Hannah Gordon walked right up to our table at lunch out of the blue.
“Hi. Can I join you?” she asked. I thought she was asking the table, but she was looking right at me.
“Sure,” I said. “I’m Brian.”
“Yeah, I know. We were in the same math class last year. I’m Hannah.” I looked quickly at Brenda and she moved over a seat away from me.
“Sit here, Hannah, and tell us about yourself. I don’t know you and I’m not sure any of the rest of us do, either. What elementary did you go to?” Brenda asked as they got settled with their lunches.
“John Chapman Elementary over in Fort Wayne. I just moved here last year when my dad got transferred.”
“What did he get transferred to?” I asked.
“He’s a Methodist minister,” she said. “The district superintendent promised we wouldn’t have to move again until I graduated. We moved so my sister could have all four years in the same high school. Course, anything could happen.”
“Wow. You mean you just get moved around? Without getting to say anything about it?”
“That’s pretty much it. This is my third school. In Fort Wayne the school was so big they split the elementary into upper and lower. It’s weird going to a school where there’s six grades.”
“I hardly remember seeing you last year. I’m sorry I didn’t make you more welcome. It’s like two-thirds of everybody here was new to each other,” I said. Man, it was ballsy of her to just walk up to a table of strangers and invite herself to sit down.
“I was pretty much a loner last year. My sister said I was going to stay that way if I didn’t just go make some friends.”
“Your sister sounds cool, too,” Brenda said from the other side. “I’m Brenda.” Crap. Ever since she sat down I’ve been talking to Hannah like we were the only two at the table. Well, who could blame me? She had no end of cute! Curly brown hair, bright green eyes, a turned-up nose, and a little spray of freckles. I hadn’t stood next to her yet, but I estimated she was only a couple inches taller than me and I was pretty good at estimating height. Hannah turned and introduced herself to Brenda and Brenda pointed out the rest of the folks sitting at our table. It turned out she had English with Brenda and Rhiannon and study hall with Sugar, Samantha, and Derek. She was pretty sure she had class with a few of the people at the other tables near us and we promised to get her introduced to everyone.
After lunch, I had to head to my chemistry class so I was turning the other direction from everyone else. Hannah stopped me.
“Hey, it’s Friday,” she said. That was obvious. “Are you going to the football game?” Our varsity team played Friday nights and I realized it was a home game. Maybe I should go and support my lab partner.
“I hadn’t thought about it. I think I will go if my folks will give me a ride over.”
“I was hoping you’d meet me there so I’m not alone. Would that be okay?” We exchanged phone numbers and I promised that if my folks could get me to the game I’d see her there and I’d call if I couldn’t make it. I got to chemistry class just as the bell rang and slid into my seat next to Reggie.
Crap! I think I just got asked on a date!
I caught a break because Betts got to drive to the game and pick up two of her girlfriends so after Mom pressured her, she agreed to let me ride along. She wasn’t happy about having to bring me home before she and her friends went to the post-game dance, but that was the price of her getting the car. She picked up Doug’s sister Doreen and Ella Flynn, a senior I didn’t know. Ella rode shotgun and Doreen sat in the back seat with me.
I always liked Doreen. She wasn’t stuck up like a lot of older girls. I mean, she showed her brother everything if what Betts said was right. Just to teach him about girls. Way better than a stupid sticky book. I was finding out things almost every day that the book didn’t cover. While Ella and Betts talked in the front seat, Doreen talked to me.
“You meeting friends tonight? Doug didn’t say anything.” It suddenly dawned on me that I didn’t tell any of my friends I was going to the game. Well, I didn’t know for sure until I talked to Mom. That justified my not telling Doug or Carl on the bus. But I called Mom as soon as I got home, so I had plenty of time to call them. The only one who knew I was going to the game was Hannah. And the front five linemen I had chemistry with.
“Yeah. I hope so. Mostly I wanted to see a buddy of mine who’s on the team play.” Okay, that was quick thinking.
“You’ve got a buddy on the varsity squad?” Doreen asked. “Who?”
“Oh, Reggie Martin. He plays tackle.”
“No way that you know Reggie,” Betts laughed. “He’d break you in half.”
“He’s my lab partner in chemistry,” I said. This time Ella snapped around in her seat.
“Are you serious? You really are friends with Reggie?” she asked.
“Yeah. It’s not like we hang out, but we get along great. Rod, Al, Bob, and George, too. I work with the whole front line.”
“Oh my God. Will you hang with us after the game and introduce us? Tell them we’re big fans or something. Just get them to talk to us after the game. I’ve wanted to go out with Reggie forever! I don’t think he knows I exist.”
“Sure, I guess.” Betts scowled at me.
“Have you seen the car he drives?” Ella asked, turning back to Betts. “I think he’s rich and he’s going to Notre Dame in the fall. I’d fall on my back for him in a second.” Ella kept babbling and she really sounded like an empty-headed gold digger. I was wondering if there was a way I could get out of the introductions. Doreen turned to me and winked.
“Maybe you should warn him instead of introduce them,” she laughed. “But if they’re nice guys, I wouldn’t mind meeting them, too. I’m not going to put out for them, though. At least not tonight.” I sort of giggled. Doreen was cool. And she wasn’t done yet. “You’re meeting a girl, aren’t you?” she whispered. I glanced at Betts but she was raving about which other players were handsome and rich with Ella. I nodded. “I didn’t think you told Doug you were coming here. And I’ll bet none of the girls in your crew know either, do they? Just let me know if you need me to cover for you. You know, like if the two of you want to get a soda or something after the game. I’ll get Betts to delay taking you home.”
“Thanks, Doreen. You’re cool.”
“Run along and find your friends, shrimp-meat,” Betts said as soon as she got the car parked. “Be sure you are back here at the car within ten minutes after the game or we’ll leave without you.” I jumped out of the car and took off. I barely heard Ella yell at me.
“No! Meet us at the gate so we can go wait for the team by the locker room.” Well, we’d see what happened.
I spotted Hannah waiting at the ticket counter with another girl that looked like a slightly older version of my new friend. I grinned and ran up to meet them.
“You did come!” Hannah exclaimed. “I knew you would. Sort of. I almost called you but Sarah said not to.”
“I said I’d call if I couldn’t come.”
“Yeah, but I get anxious. This is my sister, Sarah. Sarah, this is Brian.”
“Hi Brian.”
“Hi Sarah. It’s nice to meet you. Are you going to sit with us?”
“No. I’m not your chaperone. Just stay in the stands and the concession area and don’t leave without me. Daddy will be here after the game to take us home and said he’d give you a ride if you’d like.”
“Gee thanks. I’m sure my sister would prefer that. I might have to introduce her and a couple friends to the football team, though.”
“Well, you guys have fun. There’s Jessica. I’m off to have some fun.” I looked and saw Jessica, Bill Fisher, and Sammy D. I had a little pang but when Jessica spotted me, she winked. I wondered if this whole thing with Hannah was a setup. Well, she was a nice girl, so I was going to go with it and see what happened.
“’Bye! See you later,” Hannah and I both said at the same time. We laughed and headed into the stands to find a seat for the game. Hannah looked at me and giggled like she expected me to say something. Then she blurted out “Jinx! You owe me a soda!”
“Huh?”
“We said the same thing at the same time. I called ‘jinx.’ That means you owe me a soda.”
“Cool. Let’s go get one.” It was still about twenty minutes until game time so we had plenty of time to get to the concession stand for a drink.
“You don’t have to do that,” she said. “You didn’t even know the game. That wasn’t fair.”
“Yeah, but I was going to offer to buy you a soda anyway,” I laughed. “It’s what a guy does on a date. At least that’s what I’ve been told.”
“Does meeting at a football game make it a date?” she asked.
“Well, you asked me, so I guess you get to decide.”
“I’ve never been on a date. I’m only thirteen.”
“Me too. I’ll be fourteen the first of October, though.”
“Oh. You’re so much older and wiser,” she said. “What would you call it?” She cocked her head to the side and fluttered her eyelids in the most absurd flirty gesture I’d ever seen and Whitney was a princess at flirty gestures that didn’t mean anything.
“Well, are you meeting any other friends here?”
“No.”
“Me neither. I guess we are just meeting each other. In my book that counts as my very first date.” Hannah smiled at me so big I thought her cheeks would break.
“Well, just so you know up front, I don’t kiss a boy on the first date.”
“Wow! Have you had a lot of first dates?”
“No. I’ve never had a first date. I just made that rule up. I don’t kiss boys at all.” She wrinkled her nose at me like she smelled something odd.
“Then are we making it official that we’re on our first date with each other?”
“And our first date of all time,” Hannah affirmed. I pretended to spit on my hand and held it out to her.
“Deal?” She went through the same gesture and grabbed my hand.
“Deal!”
I bought us sodas and we headed for the bleachers. It was my very first date. Well, there was meeting Cassie in the woods when we were eleven, but that was just treasure hunting and playing. We didn’t go anywhere. On a date, you go somewhere or do something. No. This was officially my first date. I was going to write that down somewhere. I should keep a journal. Except then Betts would find it and read it, so that wouldn’t do. With my luck, Mom would read it and then… No journal! I’d just look at the calendar when I got home and circle the day as a reminder that on September 6, 1985 was my first date of all time.
We found an almost empty row and sat down. I didn’t try to hold her hand or anything. We were just talking a mile a minute.
“Look, there’s my buddy Reggie,” I said. “Number 57, right tackle.”
“He looks huge even from here.” I watched as Reggie yelled toward the sideline and pointed my direction. I waved at him. Then Reggie was back to work on warm-ups with his team.
A few minutes later, six guys came down the row toward us. Actually, it was three guys and three girls, but they all looked like guys. They were big and wore muscle shirts in spite of the cool September air. Even the girls. There were plenty of seats, but they kept coming toward us. A guy sat down right next to me and then shoved. I slid down on the bench, taking Hannah with me and knocking my drink over in my lap.
“These are our seats, ya clumsy brat. Go sit with the babies.” I wanted to tear into the big ox, but a lot of good that would do. I’d probably get beaten to a pulp and they’d hurt Hannah. I stood up and turned away from him and he gave me another shove. I fell over Hannah.
“Hey!” she screamed. “Quit picking on us.” I was afraid Hannah was going after the guy because her drink was on the ground under the bleachers now.
“Excuse me. Excuse me.” I looked up and a black guy even taller than Lionel was standing in front of me trying to get around me and next to the gang. Great! Caught between a rock and a hard place. I was practically sitting on Hannah as the guy pushed past me. Behind him there were four more big guys and three absolutely gorgeous girls. Awesome. “Move it, Kirby. These are our seats.”
“You weren’t sitting here, Lamar. Get lost.”
“My buddy here was saving seats for us. You want to make something of it?” The three girls had stepped behind the last guy and the next guy stepped past me.
“Niggers!” the punk muttered. Lamar pulled back a fist and all six of the gang ran for the other end of the bench. They didn’t stop there. It looked like they left the stadium.
“I really hate those punks,” Lamar said. He turned to me and his buddy passed by him. The other three sat on the other side, leaving room for the beautiful blonde that was with them to sit next to Hannah. One of the girls scooted past us and sat between the two guys on my right and the other girl sat between the two guys at the far end. Hannah and I were sandwiched between them. “Hi. I’m Lamar. We’ve got some friends in common and that makes us your friend, too.”
“We do?” I asked. “I’m Brian and this is Hannah.”
“Oh, I know you. All I’ve heard for the last year is Brain Trust this and Brain Trust that.”
“Brain Trust? They call you Brain Trust?” Hannah asked. She started to laugh.
“Thanks,” I said as sarcastically as I could manage. “I mean for stepping in. How do you know who I am?”
“You are the stuff of legends, my man,” Lamar said. “My brother thinks you walk on water.”
“Your brother?”
“Lionel Trane. And Reggie tipped us off that you would be here tonight and pointed you out from the field. He wanted to make sure none of the thugs got smart with you.”
“I know Lionel,” Hannah said. “He eats lunch with us. It’s nice to meet you, Lamar.”
“And a pleasure to meet you, Miss Hannah. Let me make some introductions. Beside me is the lovely Camellia Brown. That’s really her name. I saw her drivers’ license. And beside her is Jeff Lincoln. Camellia sits between us because she can’t figure out which one of us she’s dating.” He got a jab in the ribs for that.
“I think I’m with Jeff,” she said turning her back on Lamar. “Tonight,” she added.
“Sitting next to your lovely girlfriend is Lynn Holt and the pale faced guy over there we just call Birdman. It’s because he looks so much like that other white basketball player. What’s his name? Larry Byrd?” I looked at the two and they were both rolling their eyes but held out their hands to shake with us. He didn’t look anything like Larry Byrd except he was tall and white. I got it. I shook his hand.
“Yeah, I see the resemblance,” I said. “You know a lot of people think I look like Larry Byrd, too. Except for the height thing, you know?” That got everyone to laughing. I breathed a little easier.
“Down at the end, that’s Johnson, Sondra, and Will. I know we’ll all get to know you better. If you haven’t figured it out yet, we’re the first five on the varsity basketball team. If you ever need something and can see one of us, flag us down and we’ll do our best to help you.”
“Thanks, Lamar. Your brother’s one of my best friends.”
“Why does everybody protect you?” Hannah asked. “I noticed it at lunch, too.”
“I guess some people just like to help the helpless,” I said. I really didn’t know why.
“Don’t you let him fool you, girlfriend,” Lynn said beside her. “Brain Trust is a regular hero. Jessica Barnes is my friend and I’d do about anything for this guy, even though he didn’t know me before just now. Last spring, he took out two guys who were trying to rape Jessica. I mean laid them out flat and sent them to prison.”
“You did? Jessica’s like my sister’s best friend.” Hannah looked at me. “Why didn’t I hear about that?”
“Um… it wasn’t that big a deal and no one was supposed to hear about it,” I muttered.
“Bullcrap,” Birdman said. “Look Hannah. You want a guy who won’t let you down, you chose him right there beside you. Those guys were huge bullies that had already raped at least two girls that we found out about this summer. It took balls to do what you did, man. We respect you.”
Well, that started the evening off nice. We’d already missed the kickoff by the time we finally got our attention on the game and Portage High’s offense had just pushed into our territory. We forced a punt and Reggie and his line went into the game on offense.
“Come on, guys! Let’s go!” I yelled. I could hear the difference in the contact when our line charged forward. Our quarterback took it right up the middle for a first down. I was going to be hoarse from yelling.
“Brian!” I snapped around at my sister’s voice. She and Ella and Doreen and a guy I didn’t recognize were standing behind me. He looked really uncomfortable, but Ella and Doreen looked ready for a fight. “Are you all right? Can’t you guys find someone your own size to pick on?” she snapped at Lamar. My sister and her friends were coming to my defense? I was stunned. Lamar held up his hands. I had to jump in.
“Sit down and enjoy the game with us, Betts. Lamar, Birdman, guys… this is my sister Betts and her friends Doreen and Ella. Sorry guy, I don’t know your name.”
“Joe,” the guy with Doreen said.
“And Joe. These are my friends, Jeff, Camellia, Lamar, Lynn, Birdman, Johnson, Sondra, and Will. You probably recognize them from the basketball team,” I said. Then I pulled Hannah up by her hand. “And this is my date, Hannah Gordon.”
“Your date?” my sister shouted.
“Come on, Betts. Have a seat and let’s enjoy the game.” She looked down the row.
“Is it okay? I’m sorry, but I just saw my brother surrounded by… um… big guys and thought the worst.”
“Hey, Betts,” Lamar laughed. “Come sit beside me so you can keep an eye on your brother. Camellia’s decided to be with Jeff tonight, so I don’t have a date.”
Camellia and Jeff moved down and Lamar offered Betts a hand down to the bench. Doreen, Joe, and Ella went down past Jeff and sat down where the punks had emptied out the row.
“Look! Look! Look!” I yelled. A hole opened up in the middle of the line and our halfback took the ball and went straight up the field for a touchdown. We were all on our feet screaming.
At halftime I told Lamar that my sister’s friend wanted me to introduce her to Reggie and asked him what he thought.
“Reggie’s a big boy. He can take care of himself. And don’t worry about him disrespecting your sister’s friend. Some guys on that team would, but not the front five. The ten of us pal around a lot. You know, the front five and the first five? It’s because we’re all so big. Why don’t you let me take care of the introduction and you go ahead with your girlfriend? I’ll keep an eye out for your sister and make sure she gets home safe.”
“Thanks Lamar. You’re a lot like Lionel.”
“Hey! I came first. He’s the one who’s a lot like me,” Lamar laughed. I bought replacement cokes for Hannah and me.
“That’s twice he’s said that,” Hannah said. “Am I?” I guess I looked at her kind of blankly. “Am I your girlfriend?”
“Well, I don’t think that’s up to just me to decide. You get a vote, too, and the decision has to be unanimous.”
“Um… how would you vote?”
“Let’s do this officially. A motion is on the floor. Proposed is that Brian and Hannah become boyfriend and girlfriend. All those in favor raise your right hand.” I stuck my hand in the air. Hannah hesitated a second before putting hers up. “Opposed the same sign? The ayes have it. You are now officially my girlfriend.”
“I heard it that you were now officially my boyfriend.”
“That works for me.”
“Betts?”
“What do you want now?” Betts snapped at me. Crap! Old habits die hard.
“Hannah’s dad offered to take me home after the game. It’s not out of the way or anything because he’s taking Jessica home, too. You don’t have to worry about me. Why don’t you guys go ahead and go to the dance after the game. You know I’ve got to go to bed and get up early. It’s already way past my bedtime.” I was serious. I was about falling over in my seat.
“What about…?” Ella started.
“Lamar promised that he’d introduce you guys to the front five at the dance.” Ella smiled but Betts looked worried.
“I don’t know. I told Mom I’d bring you home. I want to meet Hannah’s dad to make sure it’s all right.” My sister was getting protective again. There was hope for the future, if I didn’t die first.
“Sure. He’s the Methodist minister.”
“Oh. Still…” I motioned with my head and we went toward the gate. “I’ll be back in a minute if it’s all okay. If not, I’ll be back later,” she called to Doreen and Ella. Something told me that my safety was not really Betts’ concern. I asked Hannah to go on ahead for a minute.
“Betts, something is wrong. Spill it.”
“Crap, Brian. You are too old for your age.” She’d heard Mom say that once and it stuck. “Is Lamar really okay?”
“He’s a good guy, Betts.”
“I’ve never… uh… gone out with a black guy. Am I safe? What if he thinks I’m a slut because of… what I did?”
“He’s just a guy, Betts. Get over it. And he promised me he’d see you got home safely. Nobody knows what you did unless you or the asshole told them, and if anyone accused you of being a slut, Lamar would probably drop him. You can have fun and not worry about doing anything else. I think Camellia is like halfway his girlfriend. I don’t understand that yet, but I’m pretty sure she’d object if things got out of hand.”
“Okay. Thanks, kid brother. But I’m still going to meet your date’s dad. And we are definitely going to have a talk about you dating. You’re too young.” I rolled my eyes, but Betts acted every bit the responsible big sister when she met Rev. Gordon. He was gracious. She was pleased. I rode home sitting between Hannah and Jessica and kept thinking how good life was.
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