~*~

I was just untying my apron around ten o’clock when my cell rang. I answered it, expecting my mom’s worried voice, demanding with motherish urgency to know why I was late. Instead it was Ally Anderson.

 “Hey, Nathan. Denny said you were coming by with him. Why aren’t you here?” Her voice, usually trained to be carefully coy around me, had a sharp edge to it, as if she was actually angry that I hadn’t showed. Something about her question, and the way she asked it, annoyed me.

 “Well I’m loaded down with homework,” I began, then stopped abruptly, sensing through the phone and the air waves and the two miles in between me and Ally that she wouldn’t buy an excuse. So without knowing exactly why I said, “I guess I’ll be by in fifteen. See you.” Beep. Appalled at my words, I questioned my own sanity. Ally was the love of Denny’s life, strictly off-limits to his best pal. Everyone knew that, especially me. Everyone but Ally. I sometimes wondered if it was just Denny that made me keep my distance. I’d known her forever, and she was nice, cute, funny and even sweet. But there was something about her. Like maybe somehow she was too sweet. Her sweetness had a sugary quality about it: processed, unnatural, and probably really bad for me. I’d always felt that way without really knowing why. I’d never thought of Ally as a problem until now. Her persistent pestering was getting to be downright annoying, and Denny was going to flip if I wasn’t careful. I pondered this sudden predicament as I headed for the door, startled when my phone suddenly rang again.

 “Hello?”

  “Nathan! Thank God. Where are you?” My mom sounded more worried than I’d thought. As I suspected, she hadn’t been listening when I told her about my late shift and the party.

  “Mom, remember I told you I was working late tonight? And one of my friends is having kids over. I’m headed there now.”

  “Oh, I completely forgot. Wait, like a party? Who all is going? Where is it? And are there going to be adults there? Don’t forget you have homework.”

  “Eh, its just kids. And its at the Anderson’s. I’m sure Ally’s mom and dad will be there.” Like they’d let high-strung, flirty Ally have a party without them crouching over her shoulder at all times. “And I’ll get my homework done on time. I’ve got all weekend Mom.”

  “Ok, if you think you’ll have enough time. But call before you come home.”

I struggled to force back a sigh. “Ok Mom.” She said nothing, but it felt like the wrong time to hang up on my mother. “Well, I’ll be home in a bit. Don’t wait up ok?”

 “Ok, have fun.” The phone clicked. Even though she said she wouldn’t wait up, I knew she would. Feeling a sudden uneasy guiltiness (whether it was because of Ally’s conversation or Mom’s, I couldn’t tell) I shouted goodbye to Mr. Bell and hopped on my bike.

Why does it suddenly feel like this day has lasted twenty years? I wondered.