{{Our episode title is also a song by The Monkees.—tmw.}}
Julie Stovall rode with her father to school, with him dropping her off at the front door just as the early warning bell rang. Not getting to see her fiance Eric Anderson before her first class, she quickly went to her locker for that period's text book and hurried to where she had to be.
Eric Anderson rode with his brother Nate and Nate's boyfriend Alex Ramsey in Ben Twist's car to Moon Lake High School. The Freshman wanted to see his lady before class, but between Ben parking in the student's section of the parking lot and Julie's schedule, that wasn't to be.
He knew there was always Freshman lunch, when the two of them could sit and eat together, but that was never enough time as far as he was concerned.
Yet there was no opportunity to even say "Hi" to his fiance before he had to get to his own first period class.
During the change over between first and second period classes, Eric spotted Julie in the hallway, but was surprised to see her talking to someone else.
"So, if you don't mind me asking, how tough was Simmons' over the weekend homework for you?" asked the blonde haired teen walking next to her.
"Hard, but not impossible," admitted Julie to the boy keeping pace with her.
"I'll never understand why teachers seem to go all out on homework on Fridays for the weekend," said the other teen. "After all, we have more time to do it than they have to grade it in."
Julie smiled at that and replied, "True. Then again, we don't have the answers already prepared for us, do we?"
The two of them were so engrossed in their conversation that Julie never saw Eric in the hallway.
Dang! I wish I had some classes with her this semester, complained Eric. Then again, I have her love, he thought happily, going on to his second period class that, thankfully, was across the hall from hers.
At the end of second period, Eric hurried out of his class room and made his way towards Julie's second period room.
The way their schedules were arranged, the two of them would be headed in opposite directions to reach their third period classes, so this was his only chance to see her before Freshman lunch.
Yet Eric wasn't sure what to think of their brief encounter today.
Julie did acknowledge his presence with a cheery "Hello Eric," as she walked out the room to head for her next class, but otherwise was talking once again to the same boy from earlier.
"Just between the two of us, I still think Simmons' is wrong putting more emphasis on the Industrial Revolution of the past than the Technological Revolution of today," said the other boy.
"But without one you wouldn't have the other," pointed out Julie as the two of them walked off together.
I wish I could have long conversations with her like that, thought Eric, before consoling himself with I'll see her at lunch, as he went to his own third class of the day.
The anticipated lunch time came, and Eric rushed to the school cafeteria to be with the "Jewel of his heart".
But he was seriously surprised to discover not only was Julie waiting for him at "their" spot, but the other boy was with her!
"Hi honey," said Julie happily, as Eric sat down on her left. "I don't think you two have met before now. This is a fellow were-mer. Arthur Curtis, meet Eric Anderson."
"Pleased to meet you," said Arthur politely. Since he was sitting on Julie's right, he had to reach over their meals to shake Eric's hand.
"We have history and science together," explained Julie.
Two of my favorite subjects, thought Eric, wistfully.
"Our history teacher, Mister Simmons, has paired us up to give an oral report on Friday," added Julie.
"The Impact of 20th Century Developments Today," said Arthur. "We drew topics out of a hat and Julie and I wound up with television."
"Interesting," was all Eric would say.
"Yeah. I'm just glad we didn't wind up with something lame, like the phonograph," said Arthur. "Who even uses one nowadays when CDs and MP3s are so much better?"
"Actually, vinyl is having somewhat of a renaissance in the recording industry today," replied Eric, before sharing what he knew on the subject.
Geez, thought Arthur. The way Julie keeps going on about this guy, you'd think he was hot stuff. Yet he's acting like a cold fish. I don't know what I've swum into the middle of here, but if Eric isn't careful, some other guy will scoop Julie up in an instant, and if that happens, I want to be the first one to try.
The three talked about nothing of any major consequence for the rest of the lunch period.
When the bell rang for the change over from Freshman to Sophomore lunch, Arthur said, "Got to go. Gym's next for me and that's on the other side of the campus. See you in Science Julie. Nice meeting you Eric," as he grabbed his tray and left.
As the couple got up to leave, Eric said, noncommittally, "He seems like a nice kid."
"Yeah. I've known him since before Kindergarten," replied Julie, not realizing how Eric was feeling right now. "Walk me home after school dear?"
"Sure," said Eric, hoping to have a chance to talk to his fiance in more detail about Arthur then.
But as the two were-mers parted company to go to their respective Freshman Study Halls, they were unaware of the Sophomore observing them.
Now who's that stud and how come I've never noticed him before? wondered the teenage girl, watching Eric leave. Smells like a were-mer to me, but that don't matter as long as he can scratch my itch, she thought with a sly grin on her face.
TO BE CONTINUED...
(with thanks to s1 for plot consulting—tmw.)