Chapter II
March 27, 1999
William stared at the photo Casey had given him for his birthday last month, a
snapshot taken at Chuck E. Cheese of them kissing. She’d told him if anyone saw it,
he should say that it was their first kiss. She didn’t want anyone to know the
truth. Their actual first kiss had happened in the ball pit. So far, he’d kept his
promise.
He was meeting her soon to pick up pancake ingredients and rent a few movies. Her
parents were out of town for the weekend and tonight would be their first night
alone together.
Since their first time ditching school, they had been inseparable. His friend David
had mentioned how much happier William seemed since dating Casey. Eric agreed.
William had amused Casey when he had gone along with pretending to be a married
couple when they went to Applebee’s on her birthday. She laughed about him working
as a sauce dispenser at an imitation Bagel Bite factory. He figured she was already
dreaming up more bizarre scenarios for future outings.
He couldn’t believe she’d told him she loved him after opening her birthday gift, a
Love-A-Lot Care Bear doll, the one she had lost as a child. He already felt the
same but was glad she’d said it first.
He was also grateful his boss, Mister Stanza, who had let him have the day off.