Dawn (Cutler 1)

"They do? Of course they do," I realized bitterly. "I'm sure we're on everybody's gossip list, especially your sister's."

"I don't listen to gossip, and I don't care whether you're here because your father's rich or because your father works here. I'm just happy you're here," he said. "And as for belonging here—you belong here more than most of these spoiled kids. I know your teachers are happy you're here, and Mr. Moore is walking on a cloud because he finally has a very talented student to teach," Philip declared. He looked so sincere. His eyes shone bright with determination, and his gaze was so soft and warm upon me that I shivered.

"You're probably just saying all these nice things to make me feel better," I said softly.

"I'm not. Really." He smiled. "Cross my heart and hope to fall in a well full of chocolate sauce." I laughed. "That's better. Don't be so serious all the time." He looked around and then drew closer, practically pressing his body to mine. "When can you and I take a ride again?"

"Oh, Philip, I can't take any more rides with you." Uttering the words hurt so much, but I couldn't disobey Momma and Daddy.

"Why not?" His eyes grew small. "Did my sister or her friends say something else to you about me, because whatever they said, it's a lie," he added quickly.

"No, it's not that" I looked down. "I had to promise Momma and Daddy I wouldn't."

"Huh? How come? Someone say something to your father about me?" he demanded. I shook my head.

"It's not you, Philip. They think I'm too young yet, and I can't do anything about it right now. We have too many problems."

He stared hard at me and then suddenly smiled.

"Well, then," he said, refusing to be defeated. "I’ll just wait until they give you permission. I might even speak to your father."

"Oh, no, Philip. Please don't. I don't want to make anyone unhappy, least of all Daddy."

Despite my words, part of me wanted Philip to talk to Daddy. I was so flattered that he wouldn't give up on me or take no for an answer. He was my knight in shining armor who wanted to whisk me off into the sunset and give me everything I had always dreamed of.

"Okay," he said. "Take it easy. If you don't want me to talk to him I won't."

"Even though Daddy won't let me ride with you now, I want you to know I will go for a ride with you as soon as they say it's all right," I added in a rush.

I didn't want to lose Philip. He was becoming a special part of my life that I liked very much. When I saw that his eyes brightened hopefully, I felt much better.

We heard the doors opening and saw some other students beginning to arrive. Philip looked toward the library.

"I do have to get some research material for my term paper. It wasn't a total fib," he said, smiling. He started backing away. "See you later."

He kept backing up until he backed into a wall. We both laughed. Then he turned and hurried toward the library. I took a deep breath and turned to the front doors. The rest of the student body was charging in, and I caught sight of Louise. Louise waved, so I waited for her.

"Everyone's talking about you," she said, rushing over to me, her pale, freckled face flushed with excitement.

"Oh?"

"They all know you went for a ride with Philip after school. Linda just told me there's a lot of gossip at the dorms."

"What are they saying?" My heart was racing like a train at the thought of all these rich girls talking about me.

Louise looked back at the growing crowd of arriving students and nodded toward the girls' room. I followed her in.

"Maybe I shouldn't tell you," Louise said.

"Of course you should. If you want to be my friend, like you keep saying you want to be. Friends don't hide things from each other. They help each other."

"Clara Sue's telling everyone that her brother wouldn't be interested in a girl like you, a girl from such a poor family, if he hadn't found out that you have a reputation. .

. ."

"Reputation? What kind of a reputation?"

"A reputation for going all the way on the first date," she admitted finally and bit her lower lip quickly as if to punish herself for permitting the words to fall out of her mouth. "She told the girls Philip told her you two . . . did it yesterday. She said her brother bragged."