Munch was minding his own business making his way to the cafeteria when he heard some one call out, “Munch.”

It was Jake. Cowboy Jake. He was decked out in his best cowboy boots, jeans and cowboy shirt. This was an outfit to impress with. Who was Jake trying to impress? Lisa? Those duds wouldn’t work for Grace. He said, “Yeah.”

“Can I talk to you for a minute?”

Not that he wanted to, but he said, “Okay.”

“You know Lisa and I broke up.”

Common expected knowledge. “Yeah.”

“I am really sorry about the way it went down. I-I didn’t mean to fall for Grace but I did. I am so sorry I hurt her. Do you think she might talk to me?”

There was desperation in this boy’s eyes. Munch wanted to say, Hell no! Instead he said, “I don’t know. Its probably too soon. Grace is still new and she was really hurt and embarrassed by the stunt you and Lisa pulled.”

Jake’s eyes became pools of hopelessness. Oh, God. He looked like a puppy that had just been kicked. “I know I really screwed up. It’s just I can’t keep my eyes off of her. She is so beautiful.”

“She is, but that don’t give you no right to gawk at her. You creeped her out.” Each word Munch said, seemed to hit Jake like sledge hammer. Jake wasn’t a bad guy, he was just a guy. A guy who had fallen hard for a beautiful woman.

“So, there’s nothing I can do?”

“I don’t know Jake. Maybe, but I wouldn’t do anything anytime soon. Grace could whup you if she had a mind to.”

The corner of Jake’s lips curled into a small smile. “Huh, I bet she could.”

Munch thought, Oh yeah, and you’d get off on that. Jake didn’t have a chance in hell. “I’ll see you later Jake.” He walked away. When he reached the cafeteria Lisa was at their table. All week she had been hiding in the library before school and during lunch. She gave him a smile that was none too happy. He wondered if she would ask him what the cowboy had said, but to his relief she didn’t.

Grace came to the lunch table. She hesitated before she sat down. Lisa looked up at her and said, “Please sit. I’m not upset anymore. It has taken me a whole week, but I now know you did nothing. I am so sorry I embarrassed you like that. Can you forgive me?”

Grace’s eyes darted from Munch to Lolly. Both of them nodded. “Okay,” Grace said and sat down.

*

It was Friday afternoon and Munch was freezing his butt off! Today was Trevor and Jake’s first home track meet. Lisa would have been there, but she opted out. She wasn't ready to watch Jake run. The thing that made all this so stupid was that Lisa was literally out of Jake's league. And yet, she was the one who got hurt and she was the one who was sad and she was the one who was missing out.

Out on the track feild was chaos. So many events going on at once, he could not keep track. At least in football and basketball he knew what to watch and where to look. Here he had not idea. He also had no interest in track. AT ALL. It was too damn cold, the only reason he was here was because Lolly Thahn Ho to the track meet. Lolly thought everyone should see her man run. Everyone was as entranced with her man as she was. Still, Thahn Ho had agreed and when she agreed, track was instantly granted some merit in Munch's mind. At the moment he was sitting right beside her in public. Grace was there too and so was Tina. Starting guns fired, boys ran, sprinted, hurdled. Munch was clueless. He cheered when Lolly cheered.

Across the parking lot, Munch saw a very tall boy. It could only be Kevin. Beside him was the recently emancipated Max. His month long grounding had come to an end. Max was looking in their direction. Oh, no. He was not seriously going to try to sit with them? Grace would have a fit. He glanced over at Grace. She was focused on the field, but her sister wasn’t. Tina’s eyes were trailing Max. Great. Just great.

When Kevin came up the bleachers he was alone. Grace knew who he was. She said, “Hey Slim.”

Kevin grinned and said, “Hey Grace.”

She asked, “Where’s your boy?”

Poor Kevin. His eyes got wide and round. Kevin could not lie to save his soul. He burst out, “He’s here somewhere.”

Grace said, “Long as he’s not right here, I’m good.” The way she looked at Tina was a pure warning. It was a warning that Munch sensed would not be heeded.

Kevin asked, “Can I sit with y'all?”

Lolly said, “Of course.”

No telling what Grace would have said if she had gotten the chance. Since Kevin was so dang tall he sat behind them, more precisely, behind Lolly.

The track meet continued.

Tina got up. Grace asked, “Where you goin’?”

“To pee. You gonna follow me?”

“Sure am."

By the look on Tina’s face this was not the response she was hoping for. Munch watched the girls head down the bleachers.

Lolly said, “Look there’s Trevor!” She waved.

There was also Jake. He was watching Grace descend the bleachers. Thank goodness, Lisa was not there to see him ogling Grace again.

Within minutes, Grace was back up the bleachers alone, and she was pissed. She said, “Tina just gave me the slip.” She cast her scary gaze at Kevin and asked, “Do you know where they went?”

Terrified, Kevin lost all his color. He shook his head.

“You wouldn’t like to me,” Grace got right in his face and asked, “would you?”

“Uhh, no Ma’am.”

Lolly said, “He wouldn’t. Kevin really sucks at lying. You want some help finding Tina?”

“If you don’t mind.”

Just as they stood, Tina appeared with a bag of pop corn. She played innocent really good. Slowly she made her way to where they were sitting. As soon as she reached them Grace asked, “Where have you been?”

Coyly, Tina held up her popcorn and said, “I was hungry.” She popped a few kernels into her mouth.

Grace growled, “Well, don’t go running off again.”

Tina plopped down beside Kevin. “I didn’t run off in the first place. I just got some popcorn.”

“Yeah right.”

The next race was called. It was the 440 relay. Jake and Trevor were both in this race. The starting gun was fired. Startled, Thahn Ho grabbed a hold of Munch’s arm. The eyes that looked up at him were frightened. This wasn’t the first time the starting gun had been fired. What was wrong? Softly she said, “I don’t like the gun fire. I want to stay here, but I don’t like the gunfire.”

“Okay. You want to call your mom?”

“She’s with Le at his piano lesson. Ong noi is home though. I will call him.”

If Lolly weren’t so focused on Trevor, she probably would have noticed Thahn Ho was upset. To be fair if Munch hadn’t been so focused of being in Thahn Ho’s presence, he would have noticed she was upset. He said, “I got a quarter. I’ll show you where the pay phone is.” As they made their way down the bleachers disappointment slid into Munch’s happiness and completely canceled it.

At the pay phone, visibly shaking, Thahn Ho dialed her number. She said, “Ong noi, can you come get me?”

She paused. “No, I am not sick. The gun fire, it…I don’t know…” Tears started sliding out of her beautiful eyes. “Okay, Ong noi.” “Yes. No, Michael is at the meet too. He showed me the pay phone.” Ong noi said something and then Thahn Ho said, “Bye.” She looked at Munch and said, “I am really sorry.”

He wanted to take her in his arms so badly. “You have nothing to apologize for.”

Softly she said, “But I wanted to spend time with you.”

“And I you. There will be other times okay?”

“Okay. Will you wait with me until Ong noi get’s here?”

“Of course.”

They went to the stadium entrance to wait. People of all colors were at the meet, so they didn’t stand out as they waited. An ancient Ford Falcon appeared in the parking lot. In it was Ong noi.

He stopped the car and asked, “Michael, do you need a ride home?”

He could not believe his luck! “Yes! I just need to tell Lolly I'm leaving.”

“All right, we will wait. I park over there.” He pointed at the parking lot.

Munch was just about to make a dash for Lolly, when Max appeared. He said, “I’ll tell Lolly you got a ride.”

It was the first time Max had spoken to him in over two weeks. “Thanks.” Munch did his best estimation of running as he headed for the Falcon. Thahn Ho was in the front seat. He climbed in the back seat. In the front seat, Ong noi said something to Thahn Ho in Vietnamese and headed out of the parking lot. Ong noi asked, “So Michael have you mastered your strokes yet?”

“I think so.”

“Then, we have another lesson. Good?”

“Yes Sir.” This was very good!

Thahn Ho told Ong noi where to turn. She had the route to the farm memorized. When they pulled into the drive Ong noi parked. His eyes took in the landscape around him. Munch remembered that Thahn Ho had wanted her grandfather to see the farm. He asked, “Mr. Phan would you like to look around?”

“Ah, Michael, that would be most kind.” With a slight catch in his voice, he said, “Please show me your land.” The way Ong noi said, “your land,” made it sound sacred.

“Yes, Sir.” He looked at Thahn Ho. She seemed better and her eyes were smiling at him.