After dinner I sat with Anna on the couch in the den—in the front of the quasi-watchful eye of Wendy.
“I want to be a chef like mama.”
“She really was one?”
“She used to work in this grand hotel when she lived in Georgia.”
“Atlanta?” I asked as I looked into her eyes.
“Mmhmm, she said it was the Winecoff Hotel and it was a beauty of a place. She met papa there.”
Wendy stuck her tongue out at her sister and then made smooching nosies.
“Why are you even in here?”
“Mama’s orders.”
“Where do you listen to her?”
“When she’s paying me,” Wendy replied with a smirk.
“Okay, fine.” Anna grabbed my hands and stood us both up. “Then this will be worth it. Kiss me, Bryce.”
I didn’t hesitate that time as I placed my lips against hers and heard an audible sigh from Anna, a screech from Wendy, and a few skipped beats from my heart.
There was the feeling of electricity flooding every single nerve. The current carried warnings that Anna’s parents could walk into the den at any second, but they were ignored as I let go of her hands and wrapped my arms around her waist in what I could only describe as euphoric. To think that earlier in the day, as I fell before William’s crutches, that I couldn’t sink any lower into the depression of being a senior in high school who never had anyone to confide in. Only to be in the arms of a beautiful redhead.
“Anna Renee’ Joel,” Mr. Joel barked.
I couldn’t turn my head to face him, but Anna did, while still keeping her hands around me as well.
“It was worth it Pa, I’m not going to deny it,” she replied.
“I reckon so. It’s a little late. Perhaps you should take Bryce home?”
She let go of me and I dropped my hands to my sides. I feared he had a pistol or maybe a double-barrel shotgun in his hands. We were kind of in the country, so he could shoot me and no one would ever find my body or worse, he would forbid me to ever look in the general direction of his daughter.

Anna backed up and then made a circle around their large driveway to go down the hill and back onto the highway.
“I think they like you.”
“I like them too, they’re nice.”
“They are…even Wendy can be tolerable but on a lot of days she’s like a going down a dry water slide in July.”
“Quite the burn,” I replied as Anna shifted gears.
“I don’t hate her, never have, even on the first day I met her, she followed me around everywhere.”
“I can imagine. I have a little brother who should have been named ‘Shadow’.”
“Always behind you?”
“Hiding in the coroner of my eye,” I replied as I pointed to my eye.
“But we gotta lead the young. The job befalls on us, old ones.”
“I don’t want to feel until I’m in my forties. How’s old is your dad?”
“He’s never told me,” Anna replied as she took a quick glance at me. “I ask and I get to hear a life story about past families, fire, and war.”
“Was he in the Gulf War?”
Anna shrugged.
“My dad was, but he doesn’t talk about it much. Maybe they could get together.”
“They’d talk the legs off all our chairs.”

Anna slowed the car as we drove into town and turned the left. She took it slow for a few seconds but then accelerated past the speed limit of thirty. I admit I looked in the mirror in hopes the sherif wasn’t hiding on one of the side streets that connected to the highway.
“You think they’d get along?”
“I think everyone will…and, well, it would allow us to get away from everyone.”
“I’m liking your idea, Bryce. We should plan it out.”
“There’s only one thing I worry about,” I replied as Anna sped up.
“What’s that?”
“When I get home, my parents are going to want to know everything about you.”
“Understandable, They gonna wonder who the southern belle is who’s stolen their son’s heart.”
“I want to think it was a mutual exchange. You take mine.”
“I take yours?”
“Yes,” I replied.
“Just so know, I usually don’t giver hearts back.”
“No exchanges or refunds.”
“We think so much alike. I’m glad we came up north.”
“So am I,” I replied.

We talked about inane subjects for the rest of the trip home, ranging from teachers, to William, Susan, and about how the junior class had to work the concession booth during the basketball games in order to help finance Prom. Anna feigned shock that she had to help people.
“Perhaps I could bring a pot of beans? I’ll get the preparation done right, eventually.”

We turned into my driveway which, like hers, overlooked the road from a small hill.
“Do you want to meet everyone today?”
“I would, but Pa would wonder where I was. I went a little fast so we could spend a second or two more with each other.”
She left the engine running but placed the car in park.
“I’m not this foreword to everyone, I’m really now.
“I think it’s great. It’s wonderful. It’s cute.”
“I’ll take all three compliments,” she replied with a blush.
She reached across the front seat and kissed my cheek. “We’ll see each other tomorrow?”
“Not ever a cattywampus could stop me.”
“They say a girl oughta marry someone like her daddy.”

I locked eyes with her and wanted to confirm that. Yes, yes, I would marry her in a second, even if I had no idea what that would entail one day. But I didn’t care, I was just lost in her gaze.
“Don’t forget your backpack,” she said as she reached behind my seat and handed it over.
“See you tomorrow, Anna.”
“Bright and early, Bryce.”
“Bye.”
“Bye…we’re gonna sit like this all right, aren’t we?”
“No, I wouldn’t want you to get in trouble. Tell your family thank you for me. Even Wendy.”
“I will, thank you.”

I walked into the house, thinking I was about to be given the fifth degree as it was late and I never called.
I thought of seven different tales I could weave to satisfy their grilling. I should have rushed into the house to face the music and inform my parents that they did not have to put my picture on a milk carton but instead I turned to see Anna’s car drive down the hill and onto the road. Only when the car was out of sight did I open the front door and awaited my Mom’s voice cut through the silence with those parent patented words: “You’re late! Where were you?”
“Hey, sorry I’m late, but I have a good reason.”
Mom looked up from her book and then at the clock. “Late? It’s only five o’clock.”
“Five?”
“Dinner will be ready in an hour. I’ll need you to set the table.”
“Yeah, sure…It’s only five?”
“Yes,” mom replied as the clock chimed five times.
“Five, PM?”
“Yes, what’s going on?”
“I thought I lost track of time.” I replied as I turned around and walked upstairs to my room