Fred O'Toole walked home with his sister Ginger not out of any sense of family obligation but because it was the most convenient path to their place.
While their's was the more stereotypical brother-sister relationship, never let it be said that they didn't love each other or would stand still while the other was in any danger, which is why Fred, upon seeing what was up ahead, said, "Lover Boy is waiting for you."
Ginger looked and saw John Harper sitting on the front porch of the Jenkins house, pretending to now be deeply involved in whatever book he was reading, but secretly anxious for Ginger to reach him for their daily after school visit.
"John does have... some issues," conceded Ginger, although she had never told anyone exactly what all of Harper's problems were.
"I understand that Ging," replied Fred, using a nickname he knew she didn't really like but didn't totally detest either. "But if anything advances between the two of you and it eventually doesn't work out, who will get hurt worse?"
"Wish I knew," admitted Ginger.
"Well, if he hurts you..."
"I can take care of myself," she replied, as Ginger waved to John before separating from her brother to join her friend on the Jenkins porch.
Fred just shrugged his shoulders and walked the rest of the way home as Ginger sat down in the empty porch chair next to John.
While John already had the miniature chess set Ginger had given him all set up on the porch table, for the first couple of minutes, the two teenagers simply exchanged small talk.
John had finished reading The Roman Hat Mystery and had just started Henry Jenkins, Senior's copy of Ellery Queen's second novel The French Powder Mystery, although he wouldn't tell Ginger who done it in the first book in case she ever wanted to read it for herself.*
Nothing exciting happened in school today, except some students were curious about what might be on the agenda for the big town meeting tomorrow night.(*2)
Most of her homework Ginger had already finished for the day, which kind of disappointed John, since right now she was the closest interaction he had with anything educational.
That led to John bringing her up to date on all things related to the Harper family. (*3)
When he was done, Ginger said, "I wish you could get into school sooner than that, for I have no idea how the teachers and district will want to handle whatever you've missed by that point, especially that close to the Fall Semester Finals and Winter Vacation Break. But shouldn't some of what you've told me have remained private between you and yours?"
John looked intently into the red haired girl's green eyes and said, "I've thought about that, but for some reason I still don't think there should ever be any secrets between us. Or at least, I don't want there to be any secrets between us. I really like talking to you Ginger."
Is that all you like? she wondered, but didn't ask, for Ginger knew that John was still confused and trying to figure out what direction his life should go in, let alone whether he was straight, gay, or bi.
"I'll be honest with you John and admit that, while everything I have told you is the truth, I haven't told you everything I know, for there are some things, especially within my family, that aren't mine to tell," she said.
"It's okay," John reassured her. Then he paused, trying to work up the courage to say what he wanted to next.
"I had another weird dream."
"Like prophecy dreams?" (*4) she asked, since it was a subject they had discussed before.
"Your guess is as good as mine," he admitted, before telling Ginger about losing his virginity to another weretiger before committing himself to her. (*3)
"And you have no idea who that boy was?" asked Ginger.
"The only thing I know for sure is that it wasn't your brother, and he's the only weretiger I currently know," replied John. "Of course, before that was the dream where I stood before everyone at that weretiger meeting and was asked who I wanted to induct me into were society, and the choices were you and some guy, but I woke up before making a decision." (*3)
"Was it the same weretiger from your latest dream?"
"I honestly don't know."
Of course there's the dream I had where you gave me your virginity on our wedding night," (*3) Ginger fondly remembered. Which I REALLY want to see happen. "The common theme here is that you appear to join were society as a weretiger."
"Maybe," although you seem to be missing the other point that there's both you and some guy involved. So the question remains The Lady or The Tiger? Or both? "I realize that if I do fall in love with someone here in Moon Lake," began John, while silently wondering if he might already have done so, "the chances are that they will already be a were. So the only commitment I'm willing to make in accepting a... what did you call it?"
"Fursona," answered Ginger.
"Fursona, is to become the male version of whatever were I make a relationship with."
"That's reasonable," she said, while secretly hoping that it would still be her. "Of course, you do realize that once you join were society—"
"It's already been explained to me that I only have one shot at it, so I better be as sure as I can be about becoming a specific were before I do so," said John, finishing the statement for her. "As if I don't have enough unanswered questions on my mind as it is."
Ginger knew what she should ask next, but dreaded doing so even as she spoke. "Do you miss..."
"Stephen?" asked John, saying the other boy's name to her for the first time. "I honestly don't know. What little the two of us had, was it really me and him specifically? Was it just the thought of actually having someone, anyone? Or was it just doing something I knew my parents wouldn't have approved of? I'm only 14. How am I supposed to know?" he protested.
With that, the two of them sat in silence, until Ginger spoke again.
"You're far different than my brother Fred. Right now, while he does have a girlfriend, neither of them are truly serious about each other to the point where they're not seeing other people."
"The one thing I do know for sure when it comes to potential relationships is that I'm definitely a one person at a time type of guy. When I was in what passed for my relationship with Stephen, I never once thought about doing whatever it is people allegedly do before they're sure they're with the right one."
"So you've never played the field?" wondered Ginger.
"What field?" asked John, to which Ginger smiled in response.
"It's just an expression about wondering about other possibilities before you fully commit to someone," she explained.
"I'm still trying to figure out the right gender combination. How am I supposed to know the rest of whatever there is?"
"Maybe we're overthinking this," realized Ginger.
"What do you mean?" asked John.
"Perhaps the question shouldn't be 'What am I?" but 'What am I not?'"
"Hmmm...." said John, thinking that over.
"I know we're friends, and I like being friends," he finally answered.
It's a start, thought Ginger, not wanting to get her hopes up prematurely. "What else?"
"I miss school. I miss having other people my own age to talk to and interact with. School was about the only time I was away from my parents and could truly be myself, whenever I finally figure out who that is."
"One day at a time, my friend," advised Ginger. "For better or worse, your parents have been an influence on your life for the last 14 years. Whatever the answers are, being here in Moon Lake and away from them are part of your new start in life, but that doesn't mean you'll discover and learn whatever you need to know right away."
"True, but as much as I like the Jenkins I hate being cooped up here. I'm hoping Henry gets to do more jobs for his son Huck so I can accompany him. You know, get out and see the town more."
"Well, if you want, I can show you around Moon Lake. What about Saturday?"
"Really?" asked John in disbelief.
"Sure. We can walk from here to the high school. Then maybe to the convenience store across the street from the school, and whatever else we might stop and see along the way. For a relatively small town, Moon Lake does cover a lot of ground considering the way it's laid out, so we'll probably not get to see everything all in one day on foot."
"I don't mind not seeing everything, as long as I get to see something. It's a date!"
"Date?" Ginger said, as her face went pale.
"Is something wrong?" John asked, worried about her. "I didn't mean date as in—"
"I know how you meant it," she said, even while trying to figure out what to say next. "It's just that... Well, I promised my parents that, before I went out on a date with anybody," Ginger hastily added, because her folks were only truly worried about John Harper, or more specifically—his father and their concern if the son was like him, "that... They'll want to meet you first."
"Oh. Really?" he replied, taken a bit aback. "Wow. I've never been in a situation where I had to meet someone's parents before. Sure, I've met other adults before, but not like this. Are they nice?"
"Mom and Dad? Yeah. At least I think so."
"Well, I guess there's no better time than the present," realized John, as he stood up.
"I guess there ain't," agreed Ginger, rising from her porch chair and grabbing her things, the chess set and game completely forgotten between them. I just wish I knew how this was going to turn out before we get there, was her unspoken wish.
John paused long enough to open the front door of the Jenkins house and shout that he'd be back in a little while, to which someone yelled "Okay."
Then the two teenagers left the Jenkins property and started walking toward the O'Toole house a few doors away.
TO BE CONTINUED...
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*And I personally, highly recommend the Ellery Queen novels as great mysteries to read.
*2. Already revealed in the Moon Lake, Tad thread, to which Andersons is working up to that moment.
*3. As seen in recent episodes of this series.
*4. A phenomenon some weres believe in, when they have a tough/life alternating decision to make.—tmw.