‘So you’re still going? We figured you would either be here, or resting,’ Mrs. Watson said, with concern in her voice. ‘Well, church is import...nt, too. And it shouldn’t take long. And now I know what to do as far as avoiding further problems. I guess I just got over confident. Then with lunch, total time away from home shouldn’t be more than three or four hours. I should be fine,’ I said, then added, ‘I’m really feeling okay now, a little weak and tired maybe, but I don’t feel bad anymore.. Why waste the look on a face like this. School rules dictated that boys had to wear shirts with collars, but I'd inherited a couple polo shirts from Carl's little brother, Rich. So last year they were worn by a fifth grader. This year they were almost too big on a seventh grader. I wore my good jeans from last year. It all would have looked okay if it wasn't for the huge red splotch on my nose.And I wasn't in class with any of my usual friends. In seventh grade we were moved to St. Joe Valley. But then I thought of Heidi looking forward for ten years to getting fucked every two weeks by someone other than me that loved her. A man that she wasn't willing to give up until I found out about it. And then when the other man wouldn't have her was when she came to realize how much her husband was hurting. Well, being friends had to be enough for me now and that was even stretching it when I thought about it. The mind just goes round and round getting nowhere.The house went on the market and. It was me. It was my fault. I pushed him, I pushed my own brother.” Catherine looked up, disbelief in her eyes, teardrops still rolling down her cheeks. “Wha… what are you… are you s-saying?” Catherine stuttered. “It was me. I… I had feelings for you, for months, maybe longer. I don’t know. I was in love with you, Catherine, in love. And I didn’t know what to do, who to tell. I had feelings I shouldn’t have had and I was ashamed of them. You were my best friend, and I couldn’t tell you. I was.