Если я останусь

           "Don’t,"hewhisperstoKim.

           SoKimdoesn’t.Withoutsayinganotherword,shehoistshisarmaroundhershoulderandshiftshisweightontoher.AdamhasaboutafootandfiftypoundsonKim,butafterstumblingforasecond,sheadjuststotheaddedburden.Shebearsit.

           KimandIhavethistheorythatalmosteverythingintheworldcanbedividedintotwogroups.

           Therearepeoplewholikeclassicalmusic.Peoplewholikepop.Therearecitypeople.Andcountrypeople.Cokedrinkers.Pepsidrinkers.Thereareconformistsandfree-thinkers.Virginsandnonvirgins.Andtherearethekindofgirlswhohaveboyfriendsinhighschool,andthekindofgirlswhodon’t.

           KimandIhadalwaysassumedthatwebothbelongedtothelattercategory."Notthatwe’llbeforty-year-oldvirginsoranything,"shereassured."We’lljustbethekindsofgirlswhohaveboyfriendsincollege."

           Thatalwaysmadesensetome,seemedpreferableeven.Momwasthesortofgirlwhohadhadboyfriendsinhighschoolandoftenremarkedthatshewishedshehadn’twastedhertime."There’sonlysomanytimesagirlwantstogetdrunkonMickey’sBigMouth,gocow-tipping,andmakeoutinbackofapickuptruck.AsfarastheboysIdatedwereconcerned,thatamountedtoaromanticevening."

           Dadontheotherhand,didn’treallydatetillcollege.Hewasshyinhighschool,butthenhestartedplayingdrumsandfreshmanyearofcollegejoinedapunkband,andboom,girlfriends.OratleastafewofthemuntilhemetMom,andboom,awife.