Twenty-Eight

Mark had invited Natalie over to study for their last Psychology test of the calendar year. She said she had to go to her band concert and blushingly, nervously, asked him to come, as well. He agreed. Natalie played the flute.

Before the concert started, Natalie introduced Mark to her boyfriend, Paul. Paul went to the high school across town and was everything that Natalie was not: loud and effusive, generally gleeful. When Natalie introduced the boys he kissed her on the head and she blushed. Mark liked him.



Mark also liked this idea, this ending an old year with new friends. But then again, Mark always had been the sentimental sort. He liked that kind of stuff.

"They're very good," Mark whispered to Paul when the band had started up. Playing up there in front of everyone, Natalie looked less nervous than Mark had ever seen. It was ironic, sure, but also sort of sweet. Natalie was a sweet girl.

Paul grinned a wolfish grin. "She's the best," he told Mark proudly. "She's first chair in the flutes. She has a solo, later on."

And so Natalie did.

When the concert was done, Paul and Mark met Natalie coming out from the band room, flushed with pleasure. She wasn't embarrassed this time, not at all.

Paul put her arm around her and Natalie gave him a guilty glance. "Um, Mark," she all but whispered, quiet again, "we're going out to get some dinner, now." Paul nodded. "You can come, if you want."

Making new friends was one thing, but intruding on their date was another. Mark declined as politely as he knew how. Natalie smiled at him shyly and told him that she'd see him in Psych on Tuesday--Monday, she was playing with the band again. Mark promised to come down during lunch.

Natalie smiled bigger.

Driving home was a little stressful, what with all the snow. Mark drove slowly. He drove slowly enough that he could think about things that weren't driving.

He thought about Christmas.

He thought about Psychology tests.

He thought about his friends, old and new.

On the last Friday before the last week of school before Christmas and New Year's, Mark Goodman was very much at peace.