the people in this town are so smal-minded, especialy at school. Anyone different is an outcast. I’m so over it.” She slid her arm around his waist and hooked her thumb in the edge of his back pocket. It felt nice to belong again.
# # #
After the movie, Peter drove them back toward the stifling farmette. His gut ached thinking of leaving Libby with her pot-smoking aunt.
“Are you sure you’re okay there?”
“It’s fine. I’m used to it.” She sighed.
“Wel I’ve been thinking . . .”
“That’s dangerous.” Her voice chimed.
He reached across and squeezed her leg. “Would you be quiet, this is serious.”
“Yes sir,” she giggled.
“Actualy there are two things.” He returned his hand to the steering wheel. “First, I think its time we get you out of here.” There, he’d said it.
“What are you talking about?” She sat upright and stared at him through the dark.
“It’s terrible for you here. You have no ties to anything except your psycho aunt. She sounds like bad news, and honestly, I’m surprised your dad would leave you with her.” Libby sat silent and contemplated his words. He knew they struck close to home.
“I’m sorry, that was cruel. I’m sure your Dad did what he thought best.” Peter couldn’t imagine how a father could leave his own daughter. If he ever lost Libby, he’d go insane.
“It’s okay, I know what you mean. He wasn’t in his right mind.”
“Grief is a powerful thing and you’ve both lost a lot. Listen, I’m eighteen now and I want you to come be with me. You’d be safer.”
He’d said it. Finaly. Peter could picture how much fun they’d have together and how happy Libby would be away from Rockvile. He hoped she agreed.
She sat wide-eyed. She opened her mouth to speak and then stopped. He could almost see the wheels turning in her mind.
“I would love to escape this town and be together 24/7, but how would we do that? Where would I live? Would I go on tour with you?” Libby asked the same questions that roled around his mind.
“I haven’t got it figured out, but I’m working on it.”
“Don’t get me wrong, I’d love to run away with you, but somehow I don’t think your family would be too keen about some strange girl showing up. What about school? And what about my dad? He’s coming back.”
Peter wanted to say that if he hadn’t come back in the past year, it wasn’t likely he’d return any time soon, but he kept it to himself.
“I know, it’s a lot to think about, you’re in a bad situation surrounded by people who don’t care about you, but I care, and I want you with me.” He reached for her hand and held it firmly. “I’ve got al kinds of money, it should be good for something. Maybe it can help get you outta here.”
“That’s the nicest thing any one has ever said to me.” She sounded hopeful. “You say the word and I’m outta here. I’m so happy I could cry, but I’ve already done enough of that for one day.”
“Good, I don’t think I could take any more tears. When you live in a house with four guys, crying doesn’t exist. Garrett beat that out of me when I was three.”
“So what was the other thing you wanted to tel me about?” Peter couldn’t wait to lay this one on her. “I think we should go to your Homecoming dance.” He watched for her reaction.
Libby stared at him, her mouth agape. “You’re nuts. You just agreed I have nothing here and now you want to go to the Rockvile Homecoming?”
“Why not go? I never got the chance to go to a school dance and it’s something everyone should do once. It would be normal. I never get to be normal, and think how surprised everyone wil be to see you with me.”
“Aren’t we a little ful of ourselves?” she said. “Actualy they would be shocked to see me with a date at al. Heck they’d be shocked to see me out after five o’clock.”
“Then it’s a date.” He wanted Libby by his side. He wanted to show the world his beautiful girlfriend.
“I think you’re crazy. How do you know you can even make it? What if you have a concert or something?”
“If I have a concert, then obviously it won’t work. I guess we’l have to crash some other school’s dance. Get the date and we’l figure it out from there.”
“I’l have to deal with the crazy