A Summer of Lessons, Laughs, and Love_PDF Version

97 Fourteen \"This isn't my way home Prescott.\" The ice cream helped a little. I enjoyed the chocolate chip cookies pieces and the fresh strawberries. He ignored me and kept driving straight. When he finally did speak, it was to say the most random thing ever. \"Do you know why my parents' named me Prescott?\" he asked. \"It's because my dad really wanted to name me after my grandpa, grandpa Scott.\" He decreased his speed at the curve. My mom was against naming me after some dead guy.\" Right after, he hit the gas pedal and continued straight. \"For some reason she wanted me to grow up and be president someday,\" He looked over at me. \"Crazy I know.\" I didn't even say anything. \"As a compromise, they named me Prescott, almost like president Scottie but not. It's stupid, I know,\" he said shrugging his shoulder. \"But they're still married so it counts for something.\" \"Uh, thanks for sharing.\" I leaned back against the passenger seat until my head was against the headrest.

98 \"Now it's your turn,\" he said. \"You want to know why my name is Grace?\" I asked. \"If you want or something more exciting.\" \"I'm not an exciting person.\" I crossed my arms and looked out at the window. I liked him better when he was silent. \"That's what every exciting person says,\" he said. \"Come on Grace, give me something,\" he pleaded. \"Ask me something at least.\" \"Why are we here?\" \"Something less philosophical.\" \"No, not here as in on earth.\" I said. \"Why are we in Polk?\" We passed the edge of Sutton's limits five minutes ago. \"Oh, you'll see soon. Ask something else.\" If I was going to have a conversation against my will, I might as well make it count for something. I decided to take up his mom's offer and asked him about college. I'm glad I did. Prescott answered all the nagging questions I had, even the most embarrassing ones. \"Nah, you don't need to ask. You can get on up

99 and leave,\" he said laughing. \"I remember my freshmen year, I sat during a three-hour lecture holding it in. I was squirming and wiggling. I thought I was going to burst.\" Thinking about his naivety back then was hilarious. \"So next class, I decided if I needed to pee, I was going to leave. The next class comes and I’ve got to pee again. Side note,” he said stopping to look over at me. “Before heading to that class, I stopped at a coffee shop every day to grab a large piccolo latte and I finished it by the time I got to campus.” Did he ever think to order a smaller size?” Back to what I was saying, the opportunity presents itself during the next class. I get up in the middle of the professor's monologue and he points at me,” he imitated the professor in his story by using his index finger to point. “immediately I think he's going to tell me to have a seat, so I go 'I'm sorry sir, I've really got to go, so I'm going’. You should’ve seen the look on my face, I was so determined. Nothing was standing in my way of using the bathroom.” At the railroad track, he threw his head back and laughed. “Turns out he was pointing at the kid behind me who had a question.\" I covered my mouth with my hands, feeling a surge of secondhand embarrassment. That sounds like something I would do. \"That's just one of my many embarrassing freshmen stories,” he said chuckling. \"I don't think any of yours will be as drastic as mine but

100 beware Grace, you will have some,\" he said in a deep scary voice. \"Great,\" I said laughing. \"I'm looking forward to them if it means I'll have great stories to tell.\" \"Trust me, you'll have a basket full,\" he said. \"I think you'll do fine.\" \"Oh yeah?\" I asked. \"Why is that?\" Prescott didn’t know much about me. What was his statement based on? \"You love new and exciting things. You're not afraid of meeting new people or putting yourself out there. You speak your mind and ask the questions no one is willing to ask or wants to,” he explained. \"Therefore, you'll do fine. If I could do it, you can do it.\" Was I like that? \"Thanks.\" I was smiling genuinely for the first time today. \"For telling the truth?\" he asked teasingly. \"I should tell the truth more often if it'll get you to smile like that.\" \"Whatever,\" I said. \"Anyway, I have a question,\" I said hesitantly. \"Shoot.\"