Free Off Limits by Kelly Jamieson Page B

Andrew’s parents and how pissed they were at what was happening. Dad had talked about how Andrew was throwinghimself into his hockey because it was an escape from how horrible things were at home. Then Andrew’s dad had left. Just disappeared.
    On her own, his mom had drunk even more, and then one night she crashed her car on the Oak Hill Bridge and died. And Andrew had no one.
    I don’t even know how it came about, but suddenly Andrew was living with us. I don’t think Mom and Dad hesitated one singlesecond after hearing the news of his mom’s death. He was almost a part of our family anyway at that point, spending more and more time with us because life with his mom was so miserable.
    He was quiet at first, cautious and polite. He helped around the house without being asked, which made the rest of us look bad because we were normal teenagers who had better things to do than take out the trashor mow the lawn—important things like videogames and online chats with friends and watching TV. Andrew complimented Mom’s cooking, which we all knew was sucking up because Mom’s not the greatest cook. He and Dad watched hockey and talked about hockey and spent time practicing, which thrilled Dad. Dad loved coaching hockey but never got the respect from his own sons that he got from Andrew.
    Afterabout a year, Andrew relaxed more. He was still the best behaved of all of us, but we saw his wide smile and dimples more often. He teased me and helped me with my math homework, because he wasn’t just a jock, he was smart, and he tried to give me advice about boys.
    I wasn’t interested in anyone but him.
    Andrew got a hockey scholarship to Moorehead College in New Hampshire—not too far from home,a great school with a great NCAA hockey program. After that, I saw him only when he came home for the odd weekend or holidays. I knew he dated girls at Moorehead, and I had to accept the fact that he saw me as a little sister. So I went out with a few guys…but nobody was ever good enough.
    Then I was about to graduate from high school and had to decide where I wanted to go to college. Mooreheadseemed like a good choice. They didn’t have a teaching program, but I thought a business degree would be a good idea for me, and then I was there, at Moorehead with Andrew.
    My parents asked him to keep an eye on me, of course, as you would with a little sister. And he’d agreed to. We saw each other sometimes, but he was super busy with classes and hockey. And other girls. Then one Friday nightin late November, I was trying to do my homework for the stats class I was taking. I fucking hated that course, and I was so fucking frustrated because I wasn’t getting it. Andrew happened to stop by my dorm room and found me with tears rolling down my face and dripping onto my papers.
    —
    “Hey, hey, what’s wrong, peanut?”
    I looked up at him, embarrassed, swiping at my tears. “Nothing. I’m justa stupid idiot, that’s all.”
    “That is not true.” He grabbed my roommate’s chair, my roommate who was away for the weekend, and swung it around next to me. “What’s going on?”
    “I just can’t get this. Nonparametric tests of significance. What the fuck.”
    “Why didn’t you call me? I could’ve helped. I took that course my freshman year.”
    I rubbed away more tears. “You’re busy.”
    “Hey, I’m not toobusy to help you. Come on, we’ll figure this out.”
    We stretched out on my bed, side by side, looking at my textbook. He started explaining the Chi-Square Test, and unbelievably it finally all made sense. An hour later, done with my assignment, I was so relieved I threw my arms around him and leaned in to kiss his cheek. He turned his face just at that moment and our mouths met.
    My skin was suddenlyburning everywhere. I closed my eyes and brushed my mouth over his again. With our noses touching, we both went very still. Our breath mingled and our eyes met. Anticipation and apprehension tightened every nerve ending