But Honestly, Kate: Chapter 4, Part II

Truth, lies, and baseball

“Creek?” Theo asked.

“Creek.” Pete agreed.

“On your marks, get set, go.” Kate rattled off with great apathy. The boys took off like twin shots as Kate turned back to the house to take a shower. She had no interest in creek bathing and never would. Nor races, as they were beyond her physical capabilities by quite some distance more than Pete and Theo were from her now.

Kate let herself into the house and headed for the bathroom where she seemed to have set up a temporary existence. She got into the shower fully clothed intending to rinse off herself and shirt and shorts simultaneously. This was not the first time she’d used the shower at Tuck’s house, but it was the first time she’d used it to shower.

In high school she hadn’t understood just how obviously displayed her affections were, and the knowledge now always brought mortification. It had been an unrequited crush and everyone had seen it. She had expressed her affection in the most adolescent of ways. On no fewer than three occasions she’d broken into his house with the female contingent of their friend group to boobytrap and sabotage his home. Twice they’d stolen all his clothes, leaving him with -- to their teenage minds -- a truly embarrassing outfit to wear at school the following day.

His patience in the face of their antics would surely be commendable, if it didn’t feel so pitying. The last time she’d been in this shower she’d been hyperventilating. Theo had gotten home sooner than expected, and the girls had raced all over the house -- under his parents’ bemused and indulgent eyes -- for a hiding spot. But she’d been in worse shape than ever, having been at her most physically limited, and adrenaline only got one so far. She’d wound up with Taryn and Alex hiding in the shower. Well, it would have been hiding except that she couldn’t seem to breathe and sucked in oxygen noisily, concerning everyone who saw her -- including Theo who found their hiding spot easily as a result.

That had been the last time they’d engaged in any such escapades. She mentally cringed again at the spectacle she must have made then, and that she worried she still made now. After all, Pete could see it. That “it” whatever it was that stood between her and Theo. The maddening “it” that made people nudge each other or wink at her. That “it” that made everyone imagine she was still in love with him. It wouldn’t have bothered her if it hadn’t been true, but it was. And it felt like being 15 again and finding out in second period that her pants were stained with blood. Everyone saw and knew and there was nothing she could do about it.

She couldn’t change it. She couldn’t get out of rhythm with him. And dammit, she didn’t want to. She liked how it felt when they spoke. She liked that sometimes it felt magical like being on a scripted show written by the best writers. She liked how his mind worked and the challenge of debating with him. She liked him. Why should she hide that? Liking obviously didn’t mean dating. Liking just meant...well in her case it meant she stared at his hands when he talked. She watched his mouth when he smiled, and when he didn’t look at her, she would look at him. Discreetly. In reflected surfaces or from the corner of her eye. And it meant she would never, ever tell him how she felt.

She stripped off the shirt and out of the shorts and finished rinsing her hair before she got out of the shower and hung the clothes on the shower rod, toweled herself off and looked at her available clothing options.

Her bra would need to dry, so it was back into the dress, since that was the only built in support she had available. It would have to do. When she came back into the living room, Pete was just squelching in. He had stripped out of his shirt and shoes to reduce dripping.

Pete had deceptively strong shoulders, she decided. He had a long torso and long limbs that made him appear scrawnier than he was. Without his shirt she took note of shoulders that she’d often rested against in a comfortable, familial way. She had always found him sturdy, but never thought of the mechanics of how that could be possible for someone who so often, in a suit, resembled a clothed skeleton. She saw now that his long lean limbs had corded muscle. She supposed if his arms were shorter there might be a more pronounced definition, but his shoulders alone vouched for his workout habits. She spied some black ink running down his side and cocked her head at him.

“Is the tattoo new?”

Pete twisted slightly and glanced down at his side as he made his way to Theo’s room for a replacement shirt. “Yeah that’s….six months ago?”

He came out pulling on a blue shirt that read “I lost everything but my heart in Cabo” and Kate stopped him to get a better look at his torso which he patiently stood still for. The cross was simple with no flourishes, it looked inexpertly done, to be honest, crude. In fact, the arms of the cross were uneven and not parallel.

“This isn’t...you wouldn’t...let your ex-girlfriend who got a tattoo gun for Christmas tattoo you as one of her guinea pigs, right? I mean, you broke up seven months ago, and you wouldn’t then...like immediately turn around and let her repeatedly stab needles into your skin when she’d basically never done it before.”

Pete pulled the shirt down defensively. “I wasn’t a guinea pig, alright. She’s tattooed other people before--”

“--a handful at MOST!”

“-- and it’s frankly more comparable to getting a, uh, a free tattoo. And how did you even know she got a tattoo gun for Christmas?”

“Comparable? It damn well better be free. She used your side as a trainer canvas. And facebook. Obviously.”

“I broke up with her and you stayed facebook friends with her?”

“I didn’t want to look like I wasn’t friends with her because of you.”

“You were friends with her because of me.”

“Wait, did you pay her for this? Did she charge you?”

Pete contemplated a section of ceiling over her left shoulder and she put her head in her hands. “Pete. Why?”

He fixed himself a drink and avoided her gaze. “I always wanted to get a tattoo anyway and besides since I knew she was just … learning, I had her do something simple. I’m not an idiot.”

“You let your ex-girlfriend -- EX -- at your body with a tattoo gun! And apparently she charged you something for it. So she basically invited you to offer your body up for a process that has a high rate of infection, is PERMANENT, and if done wrong results not just in embarrassment but health consequences, she made you do it FOR A FEE, and she didn’t really have a strong motivation to not fuck it up to begin with, seeing as you had dumped her a month before.”

“And it turned out totally fine!”

“Just...just pour me a drink.”

Pete turned obediently back around as Theo walked in wearing just his shorts. She flipped around immediately and tried to busy herself by helping Pete fix a vodka cranberry.

Theo halted at the surprising silence of the room. “What’d I miss?”

It would have been so easy, so easy for him to have just walked to his room and put more clothes on but no, he had to stop and get the full scoop while he was half naked. It couldn’t wait.

Pete shot her a warning look and immediately thrust a drink in front of Theo’s face. “Nothing. You missed nothing. By the way,” he added, gesturing to the shirt he’d taken from Theo’s room, “How long have you had this?”

Theo squinted at the shirt in confusion. “I don’t even know where that came from. I’ve never been to Cabo.”

“Yeah, cause it’s mine.” He passed a hand over the shirt. “I can’t believe you’ve had it this whole time.”

“What whole time?”

“From...whenever I didn’t have it till now.”

Theo rolled his eyes. “Well, I’m glad you have it back.”

Pete handed him the drink he’d made for Theo and clinked his glass against it. “ Here, try this. I promise it’s not just juice.”

Kate, realizing she didn’t need to self-inflict, whirled around, her skirt flaring around her. She raised her chin and promised herself she would look at either his feet or his face, but nothing in between. She chose his eyes and watched Theo swallow hard and cough.

“What else is in it?” He deadpanned.

“What, does Pete make a mean vodka cran?” Kate took a sip from the drink Pete made her and forced back a cough herself. “I feel like the juice was frankly more of an afterthought.”

They stood there drinking in silence, why couldn’t Theo get dressed again? His room was literally right there and it had shirts in it, she knew this for a fact. Or maybe he was afraid of the memories that would assail him if he went into his bedroom. Memories of...Debbie? She chuckled into the glass as she sipped.

“What?” Theo asked.

“Debbie the turtle.” was all she muttered, but her eyes twinkled.

“Yeah, all right, all right. I’ve confessed.”

Kate dug a hand under her bodice and readjusted it. Damn boning.

Theo tilted his head back, finished the glass and headed straight to his room to change.

Finally, she thought with great disappointment. She used a chair to boost herself on to the counter between the liquor and sink, daintily arranging the bottles and her dress.

Pete crowded her, invading her personal space and whispered urgently, “listen, don’t bring this up to Theo, okay?”

She lifted her brows, “bring what up?”

“Good, excellent. Just like that.”

“Although frankly it’d only be fair. Since you did tell me about Debbie and all.”

“I didn’t tell you about Debbie!”

“Fine, got manipulated into accidentally spilling the beans about Debbie. Tomato, to-mah-to.”

“Literally no one says to-mah-to.”

“Listen, speaking of tomatoes, I’ll give you ten bucks to bring up potatoes tonight, but refer to them specifically as “po-tah-tos”.

“Ten WHOLE dollars?”

“Whatever, just do it!” She went on, switching conversational gears at a reckless pace, “and why would Theo even care anyway?”

“Why would I care about what?” Theo asked, pulling a shirt on as he came out of his room. This one was white and read, Color Run in rainbow letters. Kate couldn’t help noticing it was an old shirt. It fit him a little tight. Damn him. He moved back to the couch and stretched out on it.

“Listen, let’s just get it all out there. You know? I’ve made my confession -- albeit against my will.” He amended before Kate had a chance to correct him. “And you know what?” he continued, ”I feel better for it. Debbie is out there. I’m able to heal. Confession is good for the soul. Who’s next?”

Pete glared at Kate. She shrugged. “I flunked a geography quiz in the sixth grade and never really recovered.” She admitted.

“In eighth grade at Steven’s big party at his family’s house on the lake? Julia’s bikini top came off while she was jet skiing and I told everyone I didn’t see anything, but I did. Changed my life.” Pete said.

‘Terrible. Kate’s poor grasp of geography has never been a secret. You get lost in cul-de-sacs. You literally got lost the first time you drove to my house.

And Pete, well yeah, no I’ll buy that confession.”

“‘Boobs changed my life’ is not a confession! That’s just the slogan of gross straight men everywhere.”

“C’mon, Kate. Surely you’ve got a real secret you’re dying to share.”

Kate blanked. Just totally blanked. Never at a loss for words, this was a new phenomenon for her and she didn’t like it. Or rather, she didn’t like the one thought she had that wouldn’t go away and make room for other thoughts. She did have a secret that sprang instantly to mind, but there was no way in hell she was going to share it with Theo.

“First crush.” Pete suggested, and she understood he was trying to help but it just made it worse.

“First crush is...is obvious. You know, I mean...we all had the same...ones.”

“All the girls liked the same guys? I don’t believe that.” Theo said

“Well, no, sure there were lots of crushes to be had and all that, but there were some classic crushes.” She was just digging her own grave, wasn’t she.

“Who?”

“The good guys. The nice guys. Guys girls like.” How much clearer could she be?

“Yeah, but names, Kate.”

Pete just grinned at her and sipped his drink.

Exasperated she finally burst out, “You gotta know In high school every girl either had a crush on you or on Louis. Regardless of how dorky you tried to look, and to be fair, you did try your best in that department.”

“What?”

“Remember that time you tried to grow a mustache?”

“No, I meant the other part of your story.”

“Oh, sure. You guys were the right kind of guys. Ask anyone.”

Theo immediately looked to Pete. “Well don’t ask him. It’s not like he had a crush on you. He had a Jessica.”

Pete shrugged and finished his drink.

“So you and Louis, huh?” Theo asked her.

She turned around to put the peanuts back on the counter. “Louis?”

“I knew there was something going on with you and him!” He crowed triumphantly.

She snorted. “I would never have had a crush on Louis. At least not past the eighth…grade.” Too late she realized what she’d just confessed. It’s fine. Fine. She could handle this blow to her ego. High school was ages ago.

“Oh snap! Score one for Theo.” Pete started an air tally as he poured himself another.

Theo smiled cheekily at her. “So high school, huh?”

“It seemed like the thing to do,” she dismissed. “Everyone else was doing it.”

“So if everyone else jumped off the bridge and dated me would you have let me buy you dinner too?”

She couldn’t tell if he was joking, but she had too much pride to ever be next in line for a date at Theo’s revolving dinner table. “Nope.” She said, and it was the truth and her wounded pride speaking.

“Aaaaand she’s back in the game!” Pete trumpeted like a sports announcer. “Point two to Kate!” And he downed the remainder of his drink.

Theo’s lips quirked into a wry smile, “No?”

“Dating in high school is categorically stupid. I felt that way then and I feel that way now. The only value it has is in not making you look like an idiot when you get to college, and you have your first real adult relationship.”

“So it’s not personal, you just took a stand on dating.”

Theo, she was suddenly vividly remembering had a penchant for being quick to make connections at the most inconvenient times.

“Meaning,” he continued, “had your principles not gotten in the way you totally would have dated me.”

Pete made another air tally for Theo. “You guys are more entertaining than baseball.”

Theo blinked away from her and flopped back onto the couch. “That’s not hard. Baseball isn’t that interesting.”

He was letting her off the hook, because he’d won. Nothing was more maddening. “Excuse me, are you disparaging America’s favorite pastime?” She hopped off the counter and moved to sit by him. She was determined to win at least one argument tonight.

“It’s not. Football is where it’s at. Tailgate parties, Monday nights, there’s even a parade to celebrate a college bowl game.”

“I honestly don’t think the Rose Parade is linked to the Rose Bowl. Besides you’re saying this only because you love football.”

“That’s right. And I am an American. And football is my pastime. And the Parade and Bowl are obviously linked.”

Pete agreed. “It’s men at their finest. Contact sport. Sheer athleticism.”

“Wouldn’t hockey be more impressive then?” Kate questioned. “They don’t even have an attached floral parade.”

“Canadians have already claimed it. No one else has football. Distinctly American.” Pete shrugged off her argument and flopped across them both, drink skillfully unspilled.

“But come on! Baseball goes with apple pie, the American flag and Sunday afternoons.”

“I’m pretty sure America didn’t invent Sunday afternoons for baseball reasons,” Theo countered.

“Or at all,” Pete trumped.

“Right,” Theo agreed.

“Come on, you know what I mean.”

“Not as often as you may think.” Pete countered and Theo nodded.

“All I’m saying," Kate persisted, “Is that regardless of how you may personally feel about it, baseball equals America.”

“Bold claim, Kate. Bold claim,” Pete said and took a thoughtful swallow of his drink. “Theo, your counter argument?”

“Kate, when was the last time you went to a baseball game?”

Kate brushed him off. “I don’t think that’s really relevant.”

“We’ll make it easy for you.” Pete said. “When was the last time you WATCHED a baseball game?”

“This isn’t about my habits--”

“Kate if you had gone to the academy, as I did, they would have taught you about defensible positions.” Theo was getting faux-sanctimonious, prepping the killing strike.

She hated smug. She rolled her eyes, pushed Pete off and stood. “Okay, you may have a small point.”

They cheersed with their cups and then ridiculously did a wedding toast with their drinking hands linked around each other, just to rub it in.

Kate took Pete’s cup away and poured him some water. “BUT you can’t deny that in the past Americans loved their baseball passionately and so saying “It’s America’s favorite PAST time” is 100% accurate. If you had gone to a liberal arts school, you too could have slept through most of Speech 201 and still gleaned the usefulness of the precision of the English language.” And she high fived herself.