“Whatever,” said Charlene. She turned and stalked off, slamming out of the locker room door. The entourage hurried after her.
“I can’t stand that girl,” said Kyzie, under her breath. “And that dumb boy is causing all kinds of problems.”
“He can’t help being good looking,” said Brielle, watching Charlene and her girls walk off. She turned to her sister.
“Yeah, but he can help throwing your name out there, like you’re perfect or something,” said Kyzie, with a snort.
“You think he really told her she should act more like me?” asked Brielle, thrilled.
“Yeah,” said Kyzie, rolling her eyes. “She’s too stupid to have thought it up by herself and he’s too stupid to have kept his opinion to himself.”
“He’s not stupid,” said Brielle, offended.
“Humph.”
“You didn’t have to step in. I can take care of myself,” said Brielle, sullenly.
“I know,” said Kyzie. “But you’re a lot bigger than she is. It would have looked like you were picking on her.”
“True,” said Brielle, deflating. “Although, you’re bigger than she is, too.”
“I’m cuter than you,” said Kyzie with a sidelong smile. “It wouldn’t have looked as bad.”
“No, you are not,” said Brielle, smacking her lightly on the shoulder.
“Besides,” said Kyzie, still looking at the door, “if she messes with you, she messes with me. It would be a gang beat down instead of a fight when Charlene got through telling it. Her little flunkies would probably be too scared to move. And we’d both get expelled.”
“Thanks,” said Brielle, giving her sister a pat on the shoulder. Kyzie turned to face her. “It’s a good thing Charlene has no idea that you can’t fight.” Kyzie flashed an impish grin at her sister. Then, just as abruptly as it came, her amusement faded.
“You watch yourself with that boy,” said Kyzie, flatly. She looked Brielle full in the face. “I’ve been hearing stuff about Damon all over school. Trouble follows him everywhere he goes.”
Sasha
“There is nothing here for a pregnant girl,” said the woman behind the counter. “We can’t take the chance. Too much liability, I’m sorry.”
“Thanks,” said Sasha. She turned and walked out of yet another fast food restaurant. Here she was, five months pregnant, schlepping around Grand Rapids, searching for a job. The shelter required that everyone leave during the day, so even though Sasha was exhausted, she dragged her body up every day and went out looking for work. It was the same story over and over again. No one wanted to hire somebody who was short term, who might slip and fall or go into labor on the job.
Sasha walked the two blocks to the bus stop. Her next ride would take her to the public library. At least there, she could read and escape her problems. Maybe she could go on the Internet and search for a job.
The bus lurched and stank.
Sasha got to the library and spent twenty minutes in the bathroom throwing up. Once finished, she rinsed her mouth by cupping water from the sink. She reached into her pocket and pulled out some peppermint gum. It was the only thing that kept her from being constantly queasy. She pulled her shrinking sweater down over her burgeoning belly. In a few days, this shirt was going to be too small, and she’d have to beg the shelter for some more clothes. She refused to contact her father again, even though the money that he’d given her had long since run out.
Sasha headed down to the basement, where they kept the old books. Once there she picked a book from the shelves and went and sat in a corner. No one would bother her here. She would stay until five and then make her way back to the shelter in time for dinner. She opened the book and began to read.
October
Damon and Brielle
“Why the big sigh?” asked Damon.
“Just wondering,” said Brielle, leaning against Damon’s shoulder. She’d been thinking about how to approach Damon with the question for days. She finally decided to go with full frontal assault.
“Why, all of a sudden, do you like me, when before, you would hardly speak to me?”
“You’ve been the one acting all shy around me,” protested Damon.
“Not acting,” said Brielle. “And you didn’t answer my question.”
“You’re kind of fly,” said Damon, flashing a quick grin. “And you’re so beautiful.”
They were sitting next to one another on the bench just outside the locker room. Brielle had just finished morning swim practice. Damon got to school a half hour early so that he could spend quiet time with Brielle. Since he worked most evenings and Brielle was in active swim competition, they rarely got to see each other and when they did see each other they were never alone. They talked on the phone every night until Brielle’s father threatened to take her cell phone away.
“I’ve always been a beautiful young lady,” said Brielle, with a coy smile. “I mean I’m a little bigger and taller, but still the same. You’ve known me for years. What has changed?”
“I don’t know,” said Damon. He scuffed the toe of his sneaker on the tile floor. “You were just one of my little sister’s friends. I didn’t really look at you like a real girl. Then you grew up.”
“Oh,” said Brielle, sounding disappointed. “So now that I have grown a little more body you like me?”
“That’s part of it,” admitted Damon. “But, you’ve grown up as a person. I’ve always talked to you. You never spoke back. Now, you’re talking back. You’ve matured.”
“You’re only like a year older than me,” scoffed Brielle. “Less than that, ten months really. You probably learned to walk and spit raspberries before me, but that’s about it.”
“I grew up a lot over this past year,” said Damon. “A year can make a big difference in experience.”
“Why do you say that?”
Damon could
