Chapter 52
Lindsay and I didn't get together for a few days, but we kept in light contact over text. Eventually, she asked me over to her house. When I got there, I walked into her house through the front door. There, I was greeted by Ms. Peale/Becky. She was sitting at the dining room table with a little old lady. The lady looked up at me with a smile before her face quickly turned to shock. "That's him!" she shouted, pointing her finger at me. "That's the boy I was telling you about!"
"Pat?" asked Becky, acting surprised. "Are you sure, Mrs. Headley?"
"Yes!" she confirmed. "His face is seared into my memory, along with a few other things!"
"I'm sorry, this is shocking," Becky lied. "Pat seems like a nice, normal boy; I can't imagine... Pat, is this true? Were you naked behind my house?"
"I- um..." My mind swirled trying to think up an excuse or a lie to get me out of this mess.
"See!" shouted Mrs. Headley, "He did it! He's turning red- looking at his shoes. I've never seen a boy look so guilty!"
"Oh Pat, why in the world would you do that?" Becky chided, "This is disgraceful."
I felt a pulse of anger that Becky was scolding me as if it weren't her and Lindsay's idea to send me outside like that, but that anger was swamped by my shame and embarrassment at being caught and seen by poor old Mrs. Headley.
I heard footsteps quickly descend the stairs behind me, followed by Lindsay's voice, "What is going on down here?"
Becky spoke first, "Mrs. Headley caught Pat streaking behind our house-"
"What?" Lindsay sounded genuinely surprised, although I presume due to the current situation rather than the 'revelation' that I had been 'streaking.'
"Yes Lindsay," Becky continued, "Did you know about this?"
"Well-" Lindsay thought for a second or two, "Pat confessed to me that he has an obsession with exhibition. But I told him it was wrong and he should stop. I thought he had put this behind him."
Lindsay knew I couldn't betray her. I guess she only half threw me under the bus.
"You continued to see him after such a confession?" Mrs. Headley said, "That's almost too forgiving, my dear." She turned to me, "And you, why admit such a thing to this girl? If you know something is wrong, stop doing it! If you need to confess your sins, see a priest or a therapist for goodness sake!"
"You are right, ma'am," I said ashamedly. "I am very sorry."
"Pat, you won't ever do this again, will you?" Becky asked.
"No Ms. Peale," I promised.
"Then, I think we should discuss what you will do to atone for your behavior," Becky continued.
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