She pulls into her space and barely comes to a complete stop before her fingers are dialing his number.  He answers just shy of a full ring.

“And your answer is…”

“I’d rather be naked.”

“Huh.”

She turns off the engine as silence fills her ear.  She imagines the look on his face.  It turns her on and makes her miserable at the same time.

“You’d rather spend five minutes at your desk, completely naked, then sit in Geometry class for an hour?”

“Yes.”

“Interesting.”

“You think so?”

“Definitely.  I’ll be sure to let Kevin know.”

“Oh, please don’t.”

She unclasps her barrette and tosses it onto the passenger seat.  The outside lights of the complex aren’t on yet, and she’s wrapped in darkness.  It feels comfortable.  Safe.

“Fine.  So, tell me about geometry.”

“It was my first ‘C’.  I was so devastated.  I can still remember how scared I was to tell my father because I thought he’d be so disappointed in me.”

“But he wasn’t, was he?” 

“No.  He laughed and said he got his first ‘D’ in Mr. Covington’s 4th period class.  He told me he still couldn’t say the word ‘protractor’ without breaking into a sweat. Obviously, it still haunted him.”

“Obviously.”

She glances at the clock just as it becomes 6:08.  Her stomach growls for the third time since she left work, and she laughs as she wraps her coat tightly around her.

“What’s so funny?”

“My stomach growled.  You didn’t hear it?”

“No.  Where are you?”

“Sitting in my car.  In the dark.”

Now it’s his turn to laugh.  It gives her a chill that she feels down to her toes. 

“Me, too.”

She smiles.  Traces the steering wheel with her finger.

“So…”

“So…”

“Tell me something that haunts you.”  The words are out of her mouth and she grips the steering wheel to center herself.  She tries to picture his face and presses the phone to her ear in hopes of hearing something.  Anything.

After forever, he clears his throat and says, “I think you know.”

She suddenly feels as cold as she did that night.  Can see the look in his eyes.

“Tell me.”

“Pam, don’t.”

“Please.”

Just then, a light goes on in her living room.  It bathes the front of the truck in a warm glow and she feels exposed.  Naked.

“Pam…”

Roy walks into view, holding a beer in one hand and the remote in another.  She closes her eyes and leans back heavily.

“I have to go.  I’m sorry.”

“Pam, wait.”

“Its okay, Jim.  I do know.  And it haunts me, too.”