Chapter 4 - An American Flavour

I didn’t see much of the kid after that. Soccer season was in full swing and I was busy, playing and practicing. Hockey tryouts for all, like six of the teams came and went. Not long after, I heard Sidney was better then Zach had even been, which was somewhat surprising, because as far as I knew, Zachie was one of the best hockey players to ever come through Shattuck’s.
I didn’t really see Sidney again until early October, other then a quick, ‘hi, how are you’ kind of thing in the halls. There just wasn’t time. I had soccer practice, harp lessons and practice, piano lessons and practice. I liked the structure of Shattuck’s, even if I chaffed against it from time to time.
The structure kept me busy and allowed me to avoid my schoolmates as much as possible. In early October though, I was thinking about throwing my first wild party of the year, the Halloween bash, that was always an invitation only, alcohol flows freely (both literally and figuratively) affair at one of the halls in town. I paid to rent the hall, had a party planner plan everything, and then hired some doormen.
This party inevitably landed me in a lot of hot water with Stoney, but I had done it every year since freshman year (it had been upperclassmen and me only that year), and I wasn’t about to stop now.
Anyway, one day when I was sitting in the library, writing out my guest list and trying to decide whether or not to include Sidney, he came and plopped himself down at my table. “Whatcha doin’?” He asked.
“Trying to decide whether or not I should include you in my usually upperclassmen only Halloween party kid.” I told him.
“Your what?” He asked. I rolled my eyes. Smaby and Stafford and the other boys on the Tier I Bantam team had NOT done a very good job of informing him. “Every year at Halloween I rent one of the halls in town, and invite a very select list of people kid…. Usually upperclassmen only, and usually only the ones I like, along with some kids from town that I party with from time to time, to a wild New York style Halloween party.” I paused. “Why has no one told you about it? I’ve already got sophomores BEGGING me for invites.”
Sidney shrugged. “I’m not much of a party kind of guy.” He told me. “I mean, I can drink and all…. In fact, I can probably out drink most of these American kids, but I try to live like a professional athlete in season, which means taking care of my body.”
“Well that solves my dilemma then kid.” I said, deciding he wasn’t interested.
“Whoa I never said I didn’t want to go.” Sidney said, realizing that it was now my intention not to include him. “What I want to know is if it’s such a dilemma. What’s the big deal if you invite one sophomore?” He asked.
“I’ve already been accused of wanting you as a replacement for Zach.” I said. “I don’t want people to think that I actually am replacing Zach with you kid, because, well I’m not. I don’t need to replace Zach.” I paused. “Besides, he’s pretty irreplaceable.”
“You two are close huh?” Sidney asked, rather erroneously.
“You could say that kid.” I told him. “I mean, you pretty much know that Zach is one of the guys I’ve slept with. But Zach was my friend before, during and most importantly, after. We’ll always be friends.”
“With benefits?” Sidney asked eyebrows raised inquisitively.
“We don’t have any kind of sex anymore kid, if that’s what you’re asking.” I said honestly. I won’t tell anyone anything that they don’t need to know, but I will always answer a direct question. “But every now and then, one of us gets lonely, and we cuddle and stuff.” Sidney nodded. “Well in case no one’s told you, Katie something and Natalie something were saying that you and Zach went and spent the weekend in a hotel room in St. Paul and didn’t see anyone all weekend when you left with him.”
“Oh Lord.” I muttered. “Those two are so full of shit it isn’t even funny.” I told him. “We went to his parent’s place. His Mom cooked and did his laundry and fussed over him. We watched movies and ate popcorn and hung out, that’s what happened kid. It wasn’t wild or exciting.”
Sidney shrugged. “I didn’t say I believed them, I just figured you should know what people are saying.”
“Well they weren’t going to be getting invitations to the party anyway.” I said with a philosophical shrug. “They can go to the school wide dance with the other losers and pretend like they don’t want to be at my party, and go to bed by midnight, when the rest of us will sneak into the dorms around 6 am. I’ll get suspended for a week or two for throwing the party, Grandmama will make a donation to the school, and I’ll be stuck in my dorm room because it will be impossible for Grandmama and Grandpapa to take me, and Mom and Washington Willy will be too busy too.”
“Who’s Washington Willy?” He asked.
“Step-dad.” I replied.
“What about your Dad?” Sidney asked.
“It’s what October?” I asked, thinking. “He’s either in Monaco or maybe Greece. Somewhere with good gambling, good weather and scantily clad women kid. That’s how my Dad likes to spend his time.”
Sidney shook his head. “Wow.” He said. “So are you going to invite me to the party or not?” He asked, changing the subject.
I shrugged. “Why not?” I said. “I’ve been raising eyebrows and dropping jaws since I started school here. Why change now?” I asked rhetorically.
Sidney grinned. “Great.” He said, then he paused. “It’s not a costume party is it?” “Hell no.” I said in disgust. “That’s what the losers at the school wide dance do. We dress up to the nines…. New York style kid.”
“And that means?” He asked.
“Tuxes for most of the guys.” I said, I glanced up and down. “I’ll have Grandmama pick something up for you kid.” I told him. “Just give me your measurements.”
“I can’t let you do that.” He said.
I shrugged. “I did it for Zach kid.” I said. “And some other guys in the past. It’s not a big deal. Grandmama has excellent taste. I email her the measurements and a picture of you and she gets her personal shopper to the rest.”
“But tuxes are expensive.” He said.
“Yeah, and my Grandparents are multi-billionaires or something kid.” I said, rolling my eyes. “So who cares? I finally convinced Zach to keep his tux, I mean it was Armani after all. It spent a lot of time in my closet before he’d keep it. You can do the same if you’d like.”
“Are you sure?” Sid asked, uncertain.
“Of course I am kid. I wouldn’t offer if I wasn’t sure.” I replied firmly. I paused, pondering before I continued. “I’m thinking something from the Sean John Collection would be tight. Either that or Armani… Armani is classic.” I paused. “In fact, I’ll even let you pick a couple of friends to bring with you and I’ll dress them too if they’d like. Would you rather have something from Sean John or Armani?” I asked.
Sidney starred at me. “I have no clue.” He said. “But put Drew Stafford on your list I know he’s an upperclassman, but I have a feeling that he wasn’t on your list. I’m not sure who else I’ll bring, but Drew for sure.”
“’Kay.” I said, scribbling, I didn’t actually mind Drew, he was a decent guy, probably joining Zachie and North Dakota last year. “Armani does nice suits, but Diddy has some nice designs.” I pondered out loud. “I think I’ll leave it to Grandmama, She’ll see you dressed in style kid.”
“Well if I am going to let you do that for me.” Sidney said, looking me in the eye. “Then you are going to have to let me do something for you.”
“It’s nothing kid.” I said firmly. “Don’t worry about it.”
“No.” Sidney said just as firmly. “You’re risking even more rumours flying around about you by inviting me to the party in the first place, now you’re going to get me a tux, and that means even more rumours. You have to let me do SOMETHING for you.”
“Depends on what you want to do kid.” I told him warily, having learned long ago not to trust most people.
“I want to take you home with me.” He said. “For Thanksgiving.”
“I’ve gone to the Parisé’s for Thanksgiving for the past two years, and Mrs. Parisé told me she was expecting me this year kid.” I told him, feeling somewhat relieved. “I can’t turn her down, not when she’s been so nice to me.”
“Not for American Thanksgiving.” Sidney said. “For Canadian Thanksgiving.” He paused. “The Parisé’s are taking me for American Thanksgiving too.” He told me.
“You have a different Thanksgiving?” I asked, eyebrows raised, not commenting on the fact that I’d see him at Thanksgiving.
“Yep.” He said. “Our Thanksgiving is next weekend. I’m going home on Thursday and coming back on Tuesday. I want you to come with me.”
“I don’t know kid….” I said slowly. “I’ve got a lot to do, plus if I go, I’ll miss a couple of soccer games.”
Sidney rolled his eyes. “No offense Kally, but you’re the back up goalie. You don’t play much. I’ve been to games. I’m sure they can survive without you for a weekend.”
“Well I have a lot of stuff to do kid.” I said, totally surprised that he had actually come to any of my games. “I mean, with the party and all, the planner needs to see the space, and then I have to make a ton of phone calls and pay for stuff.”
Sidney rolled his eyes again. “All of which you can do from Cole Harbour.” He pointed out irritatingly.
“Then how about this kid?” I asked, starting to feel a little frustrated, even if I was flattered. “People will talk even more then they already are.”
“I suppose you’re right.” He said. “Well just think about it okay?” He said getting up. “And let me know before Wednesday. Because it’s something nice that I can do for you… get you out of here for a little while. Besides, we don’t have to tell anyone that you’re coming with me.” He pointed out. “You could be heading home to New York for a weekend or something.”
“Except for the minor detail that my family only sends for me when they need to keep up appearances. I would have to appear in the society pages of the Times at least once in order for people to believe that.” I told him.
Sidney rolled his eyes. “Now you’re just looking for reasons not to come with me Kally.” He said pointedly. “Just let me know okay?” He said as he turned and walked away.
Part of me wanted desperately to go with him, because, well, he was him, the guy I’d know for an eternity before ever having met him. But the far more reasonable part of me knew that if I went with him we’d either have to lie to everyone (and someone would eventually find out). Or everyone would just know.
I wasn’t sure which option was worse for me personally. Because this indecision on my part was completely about it me and the fact that I had had enough gossip. It had nothing at all to do with Sidney. The fact was, I wanted to go with him, but there were only two possible outcomes of me going, and that’s what I was concerned about.Everyone knowing right away and having a field day talking about how Sidney was my new Zach….
Or we could lie to them and then have it slip (which it would eventually, it was inevitable). Then hearing about how not only was Sidney my new Zach (as if that were even possible), but also all the speculation as to why we lied about it in the first place, which would inevitably involve sex. (And besides I knew that he was much more then Zach because he was the soul I’d known forever).
So I put off making a decision. I avoided Sidney as much as was possible after he had come to my dorm room one night to tell me that along with Drew Stafford, he was going to invite Jack Johnson, another sophomore to the party. He borrowed my digital camera took pictures of them, and I took one of him, then gave me all of their measurements.
And if you think avoiding him was easy, well then you’ve never gone to a school of 300, that boards about 250 of the students. He knew where I liked to hang out too, making it even harder for me to avoid him successfully. He caught me Monday after school as I was coming out of my French class.
“Kally!” He called, making his way towards me.
I looked at my watch and started backing down the hallway. “Sorry kid!” I replied. “No time to chat. I’ve got to hurry to piano.”
“You play the piano?” Sidney replied, eyebrows raised, looking completely surprised. I stopping walking backwards and grinned wickedly at him. “And I play the harp too kid, which I do like an angel according to my Grandmama and her set.” I told him. “Unfortunately apart from that I totally fail in the angelic department.”
Sidney laughed. “Depends on the angel.” He said with a wink. “’Cause as far as I’m concerned you’ve been my guardian angel Kally.” He walked right up to me, ignoring everyone in the hallway who was starring at us, and he casually tucked a strand of hair that was in my eyes behind my ear. Looking into my eyes he said softly. “And through no fault of your own, you’re probably a bit of a fallen angel too.”