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Packard on a gas well access road down the street from her house. Sneaking through the backyard, he felt like a thief, which seemed almost appropriate. He had stolen her innocence in every way but one, and if he didn’t leave he’d steal her future too. No matter what she accomplished, once they found out, she would always be the girl who was spoiled by Johnny McMannus.
    “Elaine,” he whispered through her open window.
    She twisted away from the window. Even asleep she was adorable.
    “Elaine!” he whispered.
    She sat up, eyes wide. “Johnny! What are you doing here?” She jumped out of bed and trotted across the room to the window.
    “Elaine, I have to leave.”
    “What? Wait a minute. I’ll come outside.”
    “No.” Johnny clenched his fists. If she came outside, he never go. She’d be able to use that luscious body of hers in combination with her brilliant brain and then he’d slink back home to keep tempting fate until this blew up in their faces. “No, don’t. I have to leave tonight. I’m not coming back.”
    “What do you mean? Why tonight? Was it what we did? I’m sorry. I’ll never let it happen again. Can we talk about this? I’ll meet you at the garage. I’ll tell my dad the car started making a funny noise. The fan belt is squeaking anyway. Please, just give me some time.”
    “No, baby.” He splayed his palm on the window screen and she pressed her hand against his. It reminded him of movies where people in prison tried to touch through the glass in visitation scenes. “I have to leave. There’s no other way.”
    “But why?” She sobbed. “What did I do?”
    “You didn’t do anything. You are perfect.” Johnny’s throat started to close. He almost wished he had kept driving. Her pain would have been the same, but he wouldn’t have had to witness it.
    “Then let me come with you.”
    “You can’t drop out of school. And what would happen if we got caught? They would make you wear a scarlet A and they’d throw me in jail.”
    “Johnny, this is not Puritan New England.”
    “No, but it’s just about as bad. Elaine, I love you. I don’t want to drag you down. I want you to have everything you want. I–” His throat convulsed.
    Fat tears streamed down her face. “If you love me, then why are you leaving?”
    “You’ll understand later.”
    “Don’t you dare tell me I’m too immature to understand,” she snapped.
    “I’m not. You’re more mature than I am. You’re more mature than anyone I know. It hurts now, but once you think about it you’ll know how much I could cost you.”
    “Where will you go? Florida to live with your grandparents?”
    “Baby, I’m not going to tell you. We need to make a clean break.”
    “You won’t write me? Or call? Nothing? What about next year, when I turn eighteen? I’ll be legal then. It would be okay. You wouldn’t get into trouble if I was legal.”
    “It’s not me I’m worried about,” Johnny growled. “It’s you, baby. I’m a loser from a bad family. Trouble with a capital T .”
    “Can’t I be the judge of that?”
    Johnny sighed. She could always think circles around him. No matter what argument he came up with, she had an answer. The touch of her hand through the screen sank into his body. Every inch of his skin ached to feel her. He took a step back before he caved. “I love you. If you think of me in the future, I hope you remember me as a good part of your wild youth.”
    “Johnny, please. Give me another chance.”
    Johnny ran. He darted across the street and down the row of trees beside the cornfield. The bottom of the cornfield came up to the access road where he’d left the car. He had to go. It was the only way to save her from the shame of being associated with him.
    It was the only way.
     

 
    Chapter 4
     
    Elaine walked into the diner and looked around. She felt like she’d already accomplished a lot by washing her hair, getting dressed and leaving the house. How much more did the universe