| Romance Fiction posted October 28, 2020 |
  |
For any who have ever been thirteen and in love...
All For the Love of Peggy
by Jay Squires
My name’s Jimmy McNichol. I’m fourteen and a freshman at Prince Falls High. If you ever been fourteen and in love, like I been with Peggy Thoreau since the third grade—though I reckon she didn’t even know I existed ‘til last week—well, then you’d know why I’m hiding beside the hedge on Halloween night, dressed like the Avenger, tryin’ to get the nerve to step out and head to her door.
But that still don’t explain why I’m here. That’s the important part.
It’s not easy bein’ a freshman. You wanna be like the cool kids, but you gotta stick with the ones who stand by you. Like Howie and Fred. But you know I'm gonna drop them like hot potatoes if Jason, who’s a sophomore, and especially Peggy, would invite me to their table.
Which they did. Listen ...
Howie and Freddie was spoutin’ off in those squeaky voices you can hear a mile away, about the three of us going trigger-treating on Halloween night. Out the corner of my eye, I see the silly grin on Jason’s face, showing he heard everything from their table. Then he puts his mouth to Peggy’s ear; then she looks, and then they keep talking together.
So I shush Howie and Freddie without letting on to them that we’re being watched, and I keep my eyes off Jason and Peggy.
Before long, I hear the voice that turns my guts to jello. “Why’nt you guys come over to our table, Jimmy?” Peggy’s eyes sparkle.
“Um,” I say. “You guys wanna?”
“Sure,” they say, and we grab our lunches. Ain’t no freshmen wouldn’t o' traded places with us.
And there’s Jason with his grin that coulda charmed the pants off any freshmen girl—which I hoped Peggy wasn’t already one of ‘em—tappin' his forefinger on the tabletop across from him and Peggy. We take the bench seat and wait.
“So I was telling Peggy you dudes should go to the rager Cristo’s throwing Halloween night.”
“Senior Cristo?” asks Freddie.
“The one,” says Jason, and he looks at me. “Plenty sauce, and bud. Lots of scat—”
Peggy elbows him, hard.
“—girls, juniors, and seniors."
“I don’t know …” Howie looks at me.
I shrug. “Why … us?”
“Can’t take it, McNichol?” Jason scowls. “Little McNichol with a teeny pickle.”
Peggy shoots to her feet. “Jason!” She shoves him and rounds the table. Jason, watchin’ her, huffs off, all mad an’ embarrassed. Then, from behind, Peggy plants the biggest kiss on my cheek ... and leaves.
Howie nudges me. “You been set up good, Dude.”
“Shaddup,” I say.
Then, fifth-period study hall, Peggy slips me a note. It says, “9 PM Halloween. Baby-sitting brother. He’ll be asleep. Trick or treat.”
Freddy warns me later, “Dude, don’t go!”
But that still don’t explain why I’m here. That’s the important part.
It’s not easy bein’ a freshman. You wanna be like the cool kids, but you gotta stick with the ones who stand by you. Like Howie and Fred. But you know I'm gonna drop them like hot potatoes if Jason, who’s a sophomore, and especially Peggy, would invite me to their table.
Which they did. Listen ...
Howie and Freddie was spoutin’ off in those squeaky voices you can hear a mile away, about the three of us going trigger-treating on Halloween night. Out the corner of my eye, I see the silly grin on Jason’s face, showing he heard everything from their table. Then he puts his mouth to Peggy’s ear; then she looks, and then they keep talking together.
So I shush Howie and Freddie without letting on to them that we’re being watched, and I keep my eyes off Jason and Peggy.
Before long, I hear the voice that turns my guts to jello. “Why’nt you guys come over to our table, Jimmy?” Peggy’s eyes sparkle.
“Um,” I say. “You guys wanna?”
“Sure,” they say, and we grab our lunches. Ain’t no freshmen wouldn’t o' traded places with us.
And there’s Jason with his grin that coulda charmed the pants off any freshmen girl—which I hoped Peggy wasn’t already one of ‘em—tappin' his forefinger on the tabletop across from him and Peggy. We take the bench seat and wait.
“So I was telling Peggy you dudes should go to the rager Cristo’s throwing Halloween night.”
“Senior Cristo?” asks Freddie.
“The one,” says Jason, and he looks at me. “Plenty sauce, and bud. Lots of scat—”
Peggy elbows him, hard.
“—girls, juniors, and seniors."
“I don’t know …” Howie looks at me.
I shrug. “Why … us?”
“Can’t take it, McNichol?” Jason scowls. “Little McNichol with a teeny pickle.”
Peggy shoots to her feet. “Jason!” She shoves him and rounds the table. Jason, watchin’ her, huffs off, all mad an’ embarrassed. Then, from behind, Peggy plants the biggest kiss on my cheek ... and leaves.
Howie nudges me. “You been set up good, Dude.”
“Shaddup,” I say.
Then, fifth-period study hall, Peggy slips me a note. It says, “9 PM Halloween. Baby-sitting brother. He’ll be asleep. Trick or treat.”
Freddy warns me later, “Dude, don’t go!”
But here I am. All for love.
Separating the branches, I see a gap in the drapes. Pale skin slides past. Then the drapes close.
Separating the branches, I see a gap in the drapes. Pale skin slides past. Then the drapes close.
Halloween Flash Fiction contest entry
 Recognized |
#232 2020 |
Thanks to Michael Shannon and "Unsplash" for the photo.
Pays
one point
and 2 member cents. 
You need to login or register to write reviews. It's quick! We only ask four questions to new members.
© Copyright 2025. Jay Squires All rights reserved.
Jay Squires has granted FanStory, its affiliates and its syndicates non-exclusive rights to display this work.
