Youre pagans, I say, taking the condom with two fingers and dropping it in Lindsays glove compartment. Just touching it gets my nerves going again, and I can feel something twist at the bottom of my stomach. Ive never understood why condoms are kept in those little foil wrappers. They look so clinical, like something your doctor would prescribe for allergies or intestinal problems.
No glove, no love, Elody says, leaning forward and kissing my cheek. She leaves a big circle of pink lip gloss there.
Come on. I get out of the car before they can see Im blushing.
Mr. Otto, the athletic director, is standing outside the gym when were getting out of the car, probably checking out our asses. Elody thinks the reason he insisted his office be right next to the girls dressing room is because he rigged up a camera feed from his computer to the toilet. Why else would he even need a computer? Hes the athletic director. Now every time I pee in the gym I get paranoid.
Move it, ladies, he calls to us. Hes also the soccer coach, which is ironic since he probably couldnt run to the vending machine and back. He looks like a walrus. He even has a mustache. I dont want to have to give you a late slip.
I dont want to have to spank you. I do an impression of his voice, which is strangely high-pitchedanother reason Elody thinks he might be a pedophile. Elody and Lindsay crack up.
Two minutes to bell, Otto says, more sharply. Maybe he heard me. I dont really care.
Happy Friday, Lindsay grumbles, and puts her arm through mine.
Elody has taken out her cell phone and is checking her teeth in its reflective back, picking out sesame seeds with a pinkie nail.
This sucks, she says, without looking up.
Totally, I say. Fridays are the hardest in some ways: youre so close to freedom. Kill me now.
No way. Lindsay squeezes my arm. Cant let my best friend die a virgin.
You see, we didnt know.
My first two periodsart and AHAP (American History Advanced Placement; historys always been my best subject)I get only five roses. Im not that stressed about it, although it does kind of piss me off that Eileen Cho gets four roses from her boyfriend, Ian Dowel. It didnt even occur to me to ask Rob to do that, and in a way I dont think its fair. It makes people think youve got more friends than you do.
As soon as I make it to chemistry, Mr. Tierney announces a pop quiz. This is a big problem since (1) I havent understood a word of my homework in four weeks (okay, so I stopped trying after week one) and (2) Mr. Tierneys always threatening to phone in failing grades to college admissions committees, since a lot of us havent been accepted to school yet. Im not sure whether hes serious or whether hes just trying to keep the seniors in line, but there is no way Im letting some fascist teacher ruin my chances of getting into BU.
Even worse, Im sitting next to Lauren Lornet, possibly the only person in the class more clueless about this stuff than I am.
Actually my grades have been pretty good in chem this year, but it isnt because Ive had a sudden epiphany about proton-electron interaction. My straight Aaverage can be summarized in two words: Jeremy Ball. Hes skinnier than I am and his breath always smells like cornflakes, but he lets me copy his homework and inches his desk closer to mine on test days so I can peek over at his answers without being obvious. Unfortunately, since I stop before Tierneys class to pee and check in with Allywe always meet in the bathroom before fourth period, since she has biology at the same time I have chemI arrive too late to get my usual seat next to Jeremy.
There are three questions on Mr. Tierneys quiz, and I dont know enough to fake an answer to a single one. Next to me, Laurens doubled over her paper, tongue just poking out between her teeth. She always does that when she thinks. Her first answers looking pretty good, actually: her answers are neat and deliberate, not frantically scribbled like you do when you dont know what youre talking about and are hoping if you scrawl enough your teacher wont notice. (For the record, it never works.) Then I remember that Mr. Tierney lectured Lauren about improving her grade last week. Maybe shes been studying extra hard.
I peek over Laurens shoulder and copy down two of her answersIm good at being subtle about itwhen Mr. Tierney calls out, Threeeeee minutes. He says it dramatically, like hes doing a voice-over for a movie, and it makes the fat under his chin wiggle.
It looks like Laurens finished and checking her work, but shes leaning so I cant see the third answer. I watch the second hand tick its way around the clockTwo miiinnnuuutes and thirrrrty secondssss, Tierney boomsand I lean over and poke Lauren with my pen. She looks up, startled. I dont think Ive talked to her in years, and for a second I see a look pass over her face that I cant quite identify.
Pen, I mouth to her.
She looks confused and shoots a glance up at Tierney, who is thankfully bent over the textbook.
What? she whispers.
I make some gestures with my pen, trying to communicate to her that Ive run out of ink. Shes staring at me dumbly, and for a second I feel like reaching out and shaking herTwwooooo minnnutttesssbut finally her face clears up and she grins like shes just figured out how to cure cancer. I dont want to sound harsh, but its such a waste to be a dork and kind of slow on the uptake. Whats the point if you cant at least play Beethoven or win state spelling bees or go to Harvard or something?
While Laurens bent over rummaging for a pen in her bag, I copy down the final answer. I kind of forget I even asked her for a pen, actually, because she has to whisper at me to get my attention.
Thirrrrttttyyyy seconnndss.
Here.
I take it from her. One end is chewed: gross. I give her a tight smile and look away, but a second later she whispers, Does it work?
I give her a look so shell know that now shes being annoying. I guess she takes it as a sign I dont understand.
The pen. Does it work? she whispers a little louder.
Thats when Tierney slams the textbook against his desk. The sound is so loud we all jump.
Miss Lornet, he bellows, glaring at Lauren. Are you talking during my quiz?
She turns bright red and looks back and forth from me to the teacher, licking her lips. I dont say anything.
I was just she says faintly.
Enough. He stands up, frowning so hard his mouth looks like its going to melt into his neck, and crosses his arms. I think hes going to say something more to Lauren because hes shooting her a death stare, but instead he just says, Time, everybody. Pencils and pens down.
I go to give Laurens pen back to her but she wont take it.
Keep it, she says.
No, thanks, I say. I hold it between two fingers and lean over, dangling it above her desk, but she tucks her hands behind her back.
Seriously, she says, youre going to need a pen. For notes and stuff. Shes looking at me like shes offering me something miraculous and not a Bic pen with slobber on it. I dont know if its her expression or not, but all of a sudden I remember the time we went on a field trip in second grade, and the two of us were the only ones left after everyone had chosen their buddies. We had to hold hands for the rest of the day whenever we crossed the street, and hers were always sweaty. I wonder if she remembers. I hope not.
I smile tightly and drop the pen in my bag. She grins from ear to ear. Ill throw it out as soon as were done with class, of course; you never know what kind of diseases get carried through slobber.
On the bright side: my mom always said you should do one nice thing a day. So I guess that means Im in the clear.
MATH CLASS:
FURTHER LESSONS IN CHEMISTRY
Fourth period I have life skills, which is what they call gym when youre old enough to be offended by forced physical activity (Elody thinks they should call it slavery instead, for accuracy). Were studying CPR, which means we get to make out with life-sized dummies in front of Mr. Otto. More proof of his perviness.
Fifth period I have calc and the Cupids come early, just after class has started. One of them is wearing a shiny, red unitard and has devils horns; one of them looks like she might be dressed as the Playboy bunny, or maybe the Easter bunny in heels; one of them is dressed up like an angel. Their costumes dont really make sense in the context of the holiday, but like I said, the whole point is to show off in front of the junior and senior boys. I dont blame them. We did it too. Freshman year Ally dated Mike Harmona senior at the timefor two months after she delivered a Valogram to him and he said her butt looked cute in her tights. Thats a real love story right there.
The devil gives me three rosesone from Elody, one from Tara Flute, whos kind of in our group but not really, and one from Rob. I make a big deal of unfolding the tiny card thats looped around the rose stem and acting moved when I read the note, even though all hes written is Happy Cupid Day. Luv ya and then in smaller letters near the bottom: Happy now?
Luv ya isnt exactly I love youwhich weve never saidbut its getting close. Im pretty sure hes saving it for tonight, actually. Last week it was late and we were sitting on his couch and he was staring at me and I was suresurehe was going to say itbut instead he just said from a certain angle I looked like Scarlett Johansson.
At least my note is better than the one Ally got from Matt Wilde last year: Roses are red, violets are blue, if I get you in bed, it would be really cool. He was kidding, obviously, but still. Blue and cool dont even rhyme.
I think thats going to be all of my Valograms, but then the angel comes over to my desk and hands me another one. The roses are all different colors and this ones pretty amazing: cream and pink swirled petals, like its made out of some kind of ice cream.
Its beautiful, she breathes.
I look up. The angel is just standing there, staring at the rose lying on my desk. Its pretty shocking for a lowerclassman to have the balls to speak to a senior, and it annoys me for a second. She doesnt look like the average Cupid either. She has hair so pale blond its almost white, and I can see individual veins through her skin. She reminds me of someone, but I cant remember who.
She catches me looking at her and gives me a quick, embarrassed smile. Im happy to see some color rush into her faceat least it makes her look alive.
Marian.
She turns around when the devil girl calls to her. The devil makes an impatient gesture with the roses shes still carrying, and the angelMarian, I guessquickly rejoins the other Cupids. All three of them leave.