The Spectacular Now by Tim Tharp

Author:Tim Tharp
Language: eng
Format: mobi, epub
ISBN: 9780375891403
Publisher: Random House Children's Books
Published: 2008-11-11T05:00:00+00:00

Chapter 35

At school the next couple of days, it’s not like I’m dodging Aimee. I’m just not going out of my way to run into her. After all, we don’t have any of the same classes or anything. Cassidy, on the other hand, I just happen to run into a bunch—in the parking lot, on the front steps, outside the girls’ bathroom. Only a couple of times is she with Marcus, so we’re able to get some good conversation in, a few laughs, a little touchy-touchy on the arm, the back, that kind of thing.

By Thursday, we’re completely comfortable in each other’s space again. We’re practically intimate. “So,” she says, “do you have to work this afternoon?”

“No, Bob cut me back to three days a week.”

“Are you still grounded?”

“I guess not. Mom and Geech really don’t have the interest to keep track of something like that for very long.”

“Good, because I need to go shopping and could use some company. You want to come with?”

“Maybe if you twist my arm.”

She grabs hold of my wrist—tight—and I’m like, “Uncle, uncle, okay, I give.”

“Pick me up at two,” she says. “Don’t be late.”

All right, so I’m going to follow Ricky’s advice, at least a little bit. He says I have to make some changes to get Cassidy back, so I will. I pledge to myself that I’ll be on time to pick her up, and what do you know? I am.

She’s looking very hot. White cable-knit sweater, blue jeans, boots, gold hoop earrings. The girl knows how to put herself together without seeming like she went to any effort at all. We hit several stores—Old Navy, the Gap, a local place called Lola Wong’s—but they don’t have the certain kind of pants she wants for her friend Kendra’s birthday present.

I have to admit, in the past, when I went to stores with Cassidy, about half the time I’d end up waiting in the car. I mean, I don’t understand the female fascination with shopping. For me, I just want to go in, buy what I want, and get out. This isn’t how girls operate at all. It’s like a police investigation with them. No piece of evidence can go without thorough inspection. They might as well pack along a forensics kit.

But I’m the new, patient Sutter. I go into every store and look at every item and nod and make listening sounds—hmmm, oh, uh-huh. I even let her hold up pants to my waist to see how they’re going to look. As if Kendra and I had anywhere close to the same build! The pants all look the same to me, but none of them are quite what Cassidy’s looking for. Luckily, I brought along my flask.

Actually, it’s good that we have to hit so many stores. I want the afternoon to last. It gives us both plenty of time to take nips off the whisky and start getting past that awkward balancing act of the ex-boyfriend and ex-girlfriend trying to pretend they’re just friends now.

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