that?" He asked.
"You just called Phoebe a certifiable genius."
"I'm in the same math class as her, and believe me, there's no denying that."
"But Ian, I was just thinking about how she never has anything nice to say about you."
Ian once again shifted into his self deprecating mode. "Well, maybe if I were a genius at something..."
"Ian, you are a genius. Believe me, what you did in Mrs. Pinny's class last Friday was pure genius. I'm not exactly sure what you call it, but here it is three days later, and I'm still thinking about it and laughing."
He grinned. "Yeah, Phoebe's probably still thinking about it too...and gnashing her teeth."
"You know what?" Rita had an idea. "Let's fast forward through this useless math lecture and see what we're both missing in sociology this week."
"Now there's an idea." Ian held up the remote and did so. As soon as he saw Mrs. Pinny, he realized that the camera was positioned exactly where he usually sits in the class. "Oh my goodness, it's just like being there, except you're seat is empty and Phoebe isn't flipping the bird at the camera." On the screen, the teacher was having Steven read an excerpt from some book or another, as usual. Ian looked over at Rita while she was watching the t.v.
"Why are you looking at me?" She asked.
"This is what I always do when Steven starts reading. I just stare at you and zoomed out. This is a special treat, having the luxury of actually being able to stare at your face, Rita, instead of the back of your head."
Rita smiled, and the two of them sat in relative silence for the next three hours, watching the tape, with Ian occasionally taking notes for her.
5:05 pm
Before they knew it, it was already getting dark outside.
"Ian, I've got to go to the bathroom again." Rita announced.
"I'll go get your mom." He started to get up.
"That's not necessary."
Ian had a look of surprise on his face. "Are you sure?"
"Ian, believe it or not, I feel a little more comfortable with you helping me. A girl gets to be at certain age, it's a little less embarrassing having your husband doing that, than your mother. You know what I mean?"
Immediately, Lily's words raced through Ian's head. Although Rita obviously only used the word "husband" as a metaphor, he felt it was still more than just a coincidence. "Are you sure your mom would approve of that?"
"Actually Ian, I had a talk with her earlier today. She said that if this had happened to her when she was my age, she would've felt weird having her mother take her to the bathroom all the time as well." She paused for a moment. "I'm sure my dad wouldn't be too crazy about the idea, but anyway, he's still out of town for the next couple of days."
"Alright, no problem." Once again, He helped her out in the bathroom. As they finished up, he noticed that it was now dark outside. "Rita, I don't want to overstay my welcome..."
"What are you talking about? It's only five o'clock." She nodded towards a clock on the wall. "My mom and I aren't even going to be having dinner for another hour. Come with me outside, Ian. I want to show you something." He followed her out the back door. "Check out my hill." The moonlight revealed an area of the lawn that rose up at about a forty-five degree angle. To Rita, it was like having a yard with a built in chaise longue. She sat down on the grass and laid back. "Come on, lie down next to me." He did so, using her cast as a headrest. Ian turned and looked at her. "I would imagine that you've always been popular."
She thought about this for a moment. "Well, Ian I suppose that depends on one's definition of 'popular'. I've always had friends, some of which I'm closer to than others."
"I mean with boys. Rita, I can't imagine any guy looking at you and not falling in love."
"I've always had friends of both genders. It's only within the last year that I've started thinking about boys as being potentially more than just friends."
"Well I've always thought of girls that way, Rita. But it’s only been within the last couple of years that I've been finding it difficult to keep those thoughts to myself."
There was about ten seconds of awkward silence. Rita finally decided to quit stalling.
"Ian, kiss me."
She only had to say that once. He leaned over and gave her a peck on the cheek, much like the one he had given her the previous evening.
"Ian...." This time she was going to be a little more specific.
"Yeah?"
"I mean really kiss me."
It was clearly time to seize the moment. He rolled over, put his arms around her, and planted a huge one on her lips. It lasted nearly a minute. Rita's head was in the clouds. This guy really knew how to kiss. He slowly lifted his head away from hers. Both of them were slightly dizzy.
She tried to catch her breath and speak at the same time. "I sure wish you were the leading man in the school play."
Ian found this to be a curious comment to make at this time. "Who is the current leading man?"
"Ricky." Hearing this, Ian couldn't help but burst out laughing. "Ian, that's not nice." Despite her words, she couldn't help laughing herself.
Ian could barely speak. "In other words, the school play doesn't have a leading man, it has two leading ladies."
Rita had managed to calm down a little. "Well, at least in real life I've got a leading man." Ian didn't miss his cue. He kissed her again. It was even longer than the first one. Eventually they both came up for air. "You have no idea how frustrating it is not to be able to move my arms right now, Ian."
Suddenly, the backyard light went on, and Mrs. Hammond came out the back door. Ian instinctively resumed his position next to Rita, although he knew that her mother was probably knew what was going on.
"Ian, I just got a call from your mother. She says that dinner will be ready shortly, and she'd like you home. I told her I'd give you a ride."
"Thank you. That wasn't necessary." Ian got up, helped Rita to her feet, and they all went into the house.
Obviously dinner was just about ready at the Hammond household as well.
They continued walking out the front door. When they got to the car, Ian opened the passenger door and was about to step in, when Mrs. Hammond stopped him. "Ian..."
"Yes?"
She nodded towards her daughter. "I believe your girlfriend would probably enjoy one last kiss before you leave."
This had to be the ultimate capper to the best day of Ian’s life. Not only was the object of his dreams now officially his girlfriend, but her mother was giving the relationship a big thumbs up.
He wasted no time in complying. He turned and gave Rita one last kiss. Remembering what Lily had said, he whispered "I love you" in her ear, and she did the same.
"Rita, keep an eye on the stove. I'll be back in less than ten minutes," announced her mother, as Ian slid into the passenger seat. The brief ride home was mostly quiet. As soon as the car arrived at Ian's house, Mrs. Hammond parked, and shut off the engine.
"Ian, I've got something to show you." She reached into the glove box, and pulled out a few photographs. "Rita would kill me if she knew I was letting you see these, but I'm going to show them to you anyway." She turned on the car's dome light.
He examined the photos, which appeared to be of a much younger, awkward looking Rita, with stringy hair, braces, and a sweatshirt that had a cartoon character on it. "I take it these are from a couple of years ago."
"Wrong," Mrs. Hammond answered. "They were taken last May."
Ian couldn't believe it. "You're kidding..."
"No I'm not. In only four short months she somehow managed to morph from that into the beautiful young lady you now know and love."
"Who knows," Ian mused. "Perhaps at so
me point I'll also morph into something presentable."
"Ian you're just fine the way you are," She couldn't help but be charmed by his self deprecating humour. "I knew that this would be the year that Rita started taking more of an interest in boys on a romantic level." She put her arm on Ian's shoulder. "You have no idea how relieved I am that you showed up, and not some high school senior with a motorcycle." She winked.
Ian was slightly embarrassed. "I'm sorry my grades aren't better."
"Rita tells me that the troubles you've been having in school are largely a result of you being distracted by her. Obviously that's no longer an issue. Ian, something tells me that by the time the two of you are back in school next week, it's going to be a whole new ballgame."
As he got out of the car, they said their final goodbyes, and he disappeared into the house. Mrs. Hammond headed back home, looking forward to dinner with a daughter who was now in a really good mood.
10:11 am
The first thing Lily noticed about Ian this morning, was that he was a bit bruised up, and walking with a slight limp.
"What the hell happened to you, Ian?"
"I was just out practicing on my bike. Sometimes you have to fall a few times before you get it right."
"Well, at least I'll be able to report to your principal that when it comes to physical education, you are willing to do the work, no matter how grueling it was."
"Believe it or not Lily, as awful as I look, the school's phys-ed progam always leaves me in much more sorry shape than this."
"So how'd you make