The Ballad of Braddy and Katie

PART THREE - A SAVAGE GARDEN CHRISTMAS

(read Part One)

(read Part Two)

WARNING - The following account contains scenes of intense adolescent awkwardness. Reader discretion is advised.

As much as I tried to keep my crush on Katie a secret, word got out and around - probably because my poker face has about as many cracks in it as an egg under the foot of a Russian dancer. I even got a lawnmower-shaped card at the Grasscutters concert, wishing me luck, not with the show, but with my courtship with Katie.

Right after the Grasscutters concert, we entered the Christmas season. Now, I've always thought that Valentine's Day is the biggest joke in the world, and Christmas is the true season of romance. I melt a little when I hear Christmas-themed love songs, whether it was hearing my junior high crush sing "Merry Christmas Baby" or watching Savage Garden perform "Last Christmas" during a television concert.

(I have mentioned that I have terrible taste in music, right? Well, in my defense, I DO think "Santa Baby" sucks.)

Just before school let out for winter break, I decided to make a grand romantic gesture and bought her a Christmas present. Having no idea what she would actually WANT, I bought her a teddy bear.


She liked it. I even got a hug for it - which means I got the better present.

That night, my high school's chamber choir had a show at Thanksgiving Point. My buddy Michael, also a member of the choir, had a twenty-four hour birthday party planned that would start after the show. We'd made arrangements to leave straight from Thanksgiving Point to go back to his place. I expected it would be a good weekend, and I was totally right, but a bit surprised at exactly how well it turned out.

See, Katie was at Thanksgiving Point as well. On a date. With Dwayne.

Not that it mattered WHO she was on the date with. She spent most of her time talking to ME.

Do you see this, Dwayne? You don't? That's surprising, because it's right IN YOUR FACE!

After I spent a good hour or so talking to Katie, I put on a heckuva good show (you know, for a chamber choir), then it was off to Michael's for a night of junk food and video games (cuz, you know, teenager). The day of his birthday, Michael invited all his girlfriends (and his "girl friends" - the distinction is necessary, because Mike was a player) for cake and ice cream.

Mike had invited Katie, so I was able to get the full story on what happened on her date with Dwayne. After the concert, they went for a drive, along with Dwayne's friend, Robby. At some point on the road, Robby decided it would be fun to pull a prank on the people outside the car. So... SHOOP! Off went his pants.

Less than impressed with Dwayne's choice of friends, Katie decided to go with me. We started dating at Michael's birthday party, where I, having no idea how to correctly cuddle with a girl, promptly draped myself over her shoulders like a lurpy scarf.

Trust me, over the next year and a half, we got MUCH better at the cuddling thing.

TO BE CONTINUED