Girls, Gifted

by E K Ballard

  “Rob, I don’t think they should go. We don’t know any of the kids who are going to be there. Will there be any adult supervision?” Rebecca asked.

  Rob said, “We’ve only been here a week, how would we know anyone? And no, I doubt there will be parents there, but we’ll be right around the corner. Kristin can call us if she needs us.”

  “Can I go?” Lucas asked.

  “No!” said Kristin and Rebecca at the same time.

  “Why not?”

  “Because it’s not for little snot-nosed seventh graders,” Kristin said.

  “Mom!”

  “If you’re going to tease your brother you won’t go either.”

  As they were getting ready to leave, Rob handed the keys to his car to Izzy.

  “Let’s see if you really know how to drive.”

  Rebecca shot him a disapproving look, but he got in the passenger seat while Izzy got into the driver’s seat. He told Izzy where to go, and she smoothly drove the car without any problems. He took her past Uncle Mike’s house.

  “Rob, where are we going?” Rebecca asked.

  “To the river,” he answered. “Now, Izzy, if you take a left up here, that will take you to Three Rocks. There is a fire pit down there, and I am betting if they are meeting at the river this is where they’ll be going. I am going to take you to the other place they might go.”

  He directed her to another spot a mile down the road. “See the sign? This is called The Pool. This is a bigger area, but the water is very deep, and the currents can get strong, so I would tell you not to go swimming. Some kids drowned here a few years ago.”

  They turned around and drove back. They pulled in to Mike’s driveway.

  “The Pool is exactly four miles away from this driveway. Three Rocks is about a mile. If you start going down a steep hill you went past the driveway.”

  Introductions were made when Izzy got in the house. Kristin’s cousin, Patty, dragged Izzy to her room to show Izzy her collection of stuffed animals and to give an explanation of where she got each toy in her slow and deliberate voice.

  After dinner, Kristin’s phone rang, and she excused herself to take the call.

  “Hi, Kristin? It’s Hank. From the beach today.”

  “Hi Hank.”

  “So, where do you live? We were going to come and get you guys.”

  “Actually, we have a way to get there, so we can just meet you,” Kristin said. “Where on the river is it?”

  Hank didn’t answer for a few seconds. “It’s, uh, at this place called Three Rocks. Are you sure you don’t want us to come get you?”

  “No, we’re all set. We’re going to head there soon,” Kristin asked.

  “Uh, okay,” said Hank.

  “Okay, bye,” Kristin said and hung up.

  “Bye.”

  “That was Hank,” said Kristin when she went back inside. “He said everyone was going to Three Rocks.”

  Aunt Kathy said, “Oh, are you going to the river tonight?”

  “Yes, some kids we met at the beach today invited us to go,” Kristin said. “Dad said he’d drop us off.”

  “Actually, Kristin, I was going to let Izzy drive you two,” said Rob. “The catch is, you have to be back here by ten so we can all go home.”

  “That’s perfect!” Izzy said. “We can go, you can meet some people, and we can get out of there after a couple of hours.”

  Rob cleared his throat. “I don’t suppose I need to tell you that there will be no drinking by you two?”

  “Dad, I have never had a sip of alcohol in my life!”

  “Good. Now’s not a good time to start. Izzy?” Rob looked at Izzy.

  “I promise I won’t drink or do any drugs or anything.” Izzy held up her hand solemnly.

  “Is this something Patty might like to go to?” asked Rebecca.

  Kristin’s excitement fell. Of course she should invite her cousin, but she wanted to go with Izzy and make her own friends. She didn’t want anything to sabotage her night, yet she had a feeling that was exactly what her mother wanted to do.

  “Maybe,” said Kathy. “Patty, do you want to go to a party with Kristin and Izzy?”

  “Sure,” said Patty, beaming.

  Rob said, “Do you think it will be rude if you bring an extra person? You two were the ones invited.”

  Kristin shrugged.

  “Oh, come on,” said Rebecca. “It’s a party at a river. How formal can it be?” She turned to Patty and said, “Go with them and have a good time.”

  She shot Kristin a sly look that said she did this on purpose.

  Izzy said, “Sure, Patty, come with us. It’ll be fun.” Patty went to get changed.

  “Patty, leave your toys,” said Kathy, when Patty returned carrying what looked like a light blue dog.

  Patty looked disappointed, but placed her stuffed animal down on the coffee table.

  “Okay, girls, remember, we are only a mile away, so if you need anything, call.”

  “Thanks, Dad,” said Kristin. She checked to make sure she had her phone and they left.

  When they arrived at Three Rocks, there were already a lot of cars there, so Izzy parked close to the road. They got out and walked toward the sound of voices.

  Kristin noticed that there was a fire started, providing light into the nearly dark night. She estimated that there were about fifty kids there and saw Hank on the other side of the fire. They walked over and said hello, and Kristin introduced Patty.

  “Do you want a beer? There is a keg on ice over by the edge of the woods,” Hank said.

  “No, thanks,” said Kristin.

  “Shot of tequila? Jägermeister? Rum and Coke?”

  “No, thanks. Maybe just a Coke.”

  “What about you?” he asked Izzy.

  Izzy held up her water bottle. “This is fine.”

  “Patty? Do you want a drink?” Hank asked.

  “Yes, please,” she answered.

  Kristin said, “Nothing with alcohol in it.”

  Hank went off to get them drinks. When he returned, he handed Kristin and Patty red cups with ice and cola in them. When he went back to get a drink for himself, Kristin took Patty’s cup from her and sniffed it. It smelled fine. She took a quick sip. It was just cola. She handed it back.

  They started talking with some of the kids they met that afternoon playing volleyball. Hank joined them, and he was friendly and charming. Everyone laughed when someone made fun of a football player’s tan lines when he stood next to Izzy, who was getting a lot of appreciative glances at her long legs and smooth, even tan. Kristin sat back and watched the guys vie for Izzy’s attention.

  “I’m going to get another drink,” said Patty, heading off on her own.

  The group grew as more and more cars filled with people arrived. Kristin was enjoying herself, and Izzy had them in hysterics with her goofy sense of humor.

  Kristin introduced herself to some people by the fire and struck up a conversation with two girls who were seniors. Hank came and stood next to her and put his arm around her. She was startled, and he sensed that and removed his arm.

  “Are you cold?” he asked.

  “Not by the fire.”

  A new group of people arrived, and they made their way down to the fire. A plain-looking girl with chubby cheeks and an ugly expression on her face headed right over to Hank and Kristin.

  “Hey, Hank,” she said, appraising Kristin with a hostile expression.

  “Hey, Paige,” said Hank noncommittally.

  “Who’s this?” She jerked her head towards Kristin.

  “A friend,” he answered vaguely.

  Kristin watched the exchange and wondered what was going on. “I’m Kristin,” she introduced herself.

  “I don’t care who you are!” snapped Paige. “Hank, I need to talk to you.”

  Hank and Paige walked off to talk. Izzy came over to Kristin and asked, “What was that about?”

  “Paige. She used to date Hank,” one of
the girls said.

  They watched Paige and Hank. Their conversation seemed animated and heated at times, and then Paige suddenly stormed off, leaving Hank by himself. He walked back and stood by Kristin and Izzy.

  “What’s going on?” asked Kristin.

  “Just my ex-girlfriend freaking out over nothing,” he said.

  “Hey,” someone called from the woods. “Does anyone know this girl over here? She’s pretty drunk. Someone needs to take care of her.”

  Kristin immediately thought of her cousin. “Where’s Patty?” she asked Izzy.

  They walked over to where everyone else was headed and saw Patty kneeling on the ground, laughing. “Hi Kristin,” she slurred.

  “Patty!” Kristin turned to the group. “Who made her drinks? What did she have?” No one answered. “How many drinks did you have?” asked Kristin, alarmed.

  “A lot.” Patty belched.

  “Come on Izzy, we have to get her out of here,” said Kristin, upset. Her dad was going to kill her. Izzy got on one side of Patty and Kristin got on the other, and they lifted her to her feet.

  “Look, she pissed herself!” someone yelled, pointing at Patty’s wet pants.

  “Fucking gross!”

  Kristin was too upset to say anything. She just wanted to get Patty into the car and get her home. What if she died from alcohol poisoning? Kristin started to panic. Should she call 911?

  “You want to know what’s worse than a retard?” said someone. “A drunk retard!” There was laughter, which only got louder when Patty’s knees buckled and she fell to the ground.

  “You guys are such assholes,” came a girl’s voice from the group. The laughter died down. The girl continued to berate the people who had been making fun of Patty.

  Two people emerged from the crowd. A boy said, “Here, let us help you.” They were able to lift Patty to her feet.

  Kristin ran ahead to open the car.

  “Over here,” said Izzy as she led them to the car. By this time Patty was being carried by one person, who bent down and placed Patty’s limp body into the backseat.

  “Thank you so much,” said Izzy. Kristin climbed in with Patty and tried unsuccessfully to rouse her.

  “Come on Patty, wake up,” Kristin begged. She turned Patty on her side in case she got sick.

  Izzy tried to shut the car door, but Patty’s legs were hanging out. Someone bent Patty’s knees and pushed them into the car.

  “Thank you,” said Kristin to the people who had come to their aid.

  “You’re welcome. I hope she’s all right,” said the girl who had stuck up for Patty.

  Izzy got into the driver’s seat, started the car, and sped off.

  “Oh no,” said Patty right before the contents of her stomach came up and splattered on the car floor. She continued to retch violently in the back seat of the car.

  “Oh, God, Izzy, what if she dies?” cried Kristin. She took out her phone and called her dad. Izzy sped up the road.

  “What’s the matter?” Rob asked when he heard his daughter crying.

  “Dad, it’s Patty. She got drunk and she got sick everywhere!” Kristin wailed.

  “Where are you?” Rob asked, walking to the door and motioning for Mike to come with him.

  “We’re almost to the driveway,” sobbed Kristin.

  Izzy pulled into the driveway quickly. Rob, Mike, Kathy, and Rebecca were waiting for them. They met the car and opened the back door and were assaulted by the smell of vomit. They pulled Patty out of the car.

  “Oh, shit,” said Rob.

  “Should we call an ambulance?” Kristin asked.

  Izzy and Kristin watched as they checked her breathing and pulse.

  “I don’t think so,” said Mike. “The only thing they would do is pump her stomach, and she already took care of that.”

  Patty responded by vomiting on the driveway.

  “Oh, baby, are you all right?” Aunt Kathy got down on the driveway and rubbed her daughter’s back. Patty threw up for another minute, while her mother held her.

  “I am so sorry,” started Kristin to anyone who would listen.

  “Just shut up, Kristin!” Rob was furious. “I am beyond disappointed in you right now. What the hell were you thinking? You both promised me no alcohol!”

  Uncle Mike cut in. “Rob, stop. What happened? How much did she drink? What was she drinking?”

  “I don’t know. I told her not to have any alcohol, and I told the guy who fixed her drink no alcohol. I even double checked it when he brought it!” Kristin started crying. “Is she going to die?” she asked.

  “No, not from this, anyway,” said Uncle Mike. “She won’t be feeling too good for a few days, but she’ll be okay.”

  They got Patty inside, helped her upstairs, into the shower, and into pajamas. Aunt Kathy sat upstairs with her while she fell asleep.

  Rob got a bucket and filled it with warm, soapy water. He put some rags in the water and handed it to Kristin. She took it from him and she and Izzy went out to clean out the car.

  “Oh, God this is going to make me sick,” said Izzy. She turned and dry heaved at the smell.

  Kristin cleaned the car out the best she could in the dark and dumped the bucket in the woods. She left the rags in the bucket outside, and she and Izzy went inside.

  “How’s she doing?” Kristin asked her uncle.

  “She’s asleep.” He saw her worry and said, “I know your father is angry, and I am not happy about it, but I don’t blame you.”

  “I do,” said Rob. “That was the only thing I asked of you two. No drinking!” He glared at the two girls.

  “We didn’t have anything to drink. They offered, but I said no. Patty must have gone off on her own and gotten it herself.”

  “I should have spoken up, but I didn’t think it was a good idea for Patty to go with them,” said Uncle Mike. “As a parent of a kid like Patty, you want her to have all the normal experiences kids have, but that wasn’t fair to put that kind of responsibility on Kristin.”

  “I told you they shouldn’t go,” said Rebecca. “You’re grounded!”

  “Aw, come on,” Uncle Mike said, laughing. “They’re kids. Remember what we used to do when we went to the river?”

  “No stories, Mike. So you didn’t know she was drinking?” Rob asked Kristin.

  “Of course not! I told you I even checked her drink to make sure she didn’t have anything in it.”

  “Did you know there was alcohol there?” he asked.

  “Yes,” she admitted. “But Patty and I both got just a Coke, and Izzy didn’t get anything.”

  “Patty got more than just a Coke.”

  Aunt Kathy came downstairs and said, “She’s asleep. I think it would be best if we called it a night.” She looked upset.

  Kristin hugged her aunt and said, “I’m sorry.”

  Rob drove home. Lucas, Izzy, and Kristin sat in the back with all the windows open, trying to rid the car of the rancid smell of alcohol vomit and stomach bile.

  * * *

  “Well, that couldn’t have turned out worse,” lamented Izzy as they got ready for bed.

  “Nice of Hank to stick by us and help us out,” said Kristin sarcastically. “I thought the kids here were pretty nice, but not after that. Did you hear what they said about Patty, calling her a retard and laughing at her? They’re assholes.”

  “Not all of them are assholes,” Izzy reminded Kristin. “A few of them carried Patty to the car. We might still be trying to get her home if they hadn’t helped us.”

  “And one of them told them off. You’re right. I wonder who they were.”

  “When you figure it out, thank them.”

  Chapter Four

  “Hey Celeste, it’s Jamie. I just got back in town and was wondering if you want to get a game going this afternoon with everyone?”

  “Um, I don’t think so. Tessa and Charlotte are away this weekend, and I’ve already got plans. You ready for tryouts?”

  �
�Yeah, I just got back from Weymouth. Been working out with their team all summer and playing club ball. I’m feeling pretty good. What about you?”

  “I meant to practice more than I did, but I’ll be fine.”

  “You sure you don’t want to get together and just kick a ball around some?” Jamie asked.

  “I can’t, but I’ll see you Monday.”

  Next, Jamie called her friends Lissy and her boyfriend, Sam, who she hadn’t seen all summer.

  “Hey, you’re back! A bunch of us are meeting at the beach later,” said Lissy. “There’s also a party at the river tonight.”

  “I’m going for a quick run, but you want me to get you guys when I’m done?”

  “That’d be great. Just come over whenever.”

  Jamie put on her running shoes, shorts, and a tank top and grabbed her iPod and ear buds. She lightly jogged out to the end of the driveway, stretched a little, checked her watch, and set off towards the dirt roads leading further up the mountain. She took it easy for the first mile, then hit her stride as the climb started to level out. She looped around the top of the road and started back down, breathing easily. She finished her four-mile round trip in thirty minutes, came back down the driveway, and saw that her mother was back home.

  “Hi, Jamie,” greeted her mother, Angela. “I just got back from the store. Are you hungry?”

  “Starving. What are we having?”

  “Well, your father will be home soon, let’s finish the leftover meatloaf.”

  When Jamie’s dad came home, they sat down for an early supper. Jamie told them all about her summer and the people she’d played soccer with, and they caught Jamie up on what had been happening in Stowe.

  Jamie pushed her chair back to clear the table, and John said, “Jamie, sit down. We need to talk.” Jamie internally groaned.

  “Is this about school?” she asked, dreading the answer.

  “Yes, it is, and we really need you to listen up and think about what we are going to say.” John Chase stared at his daughter until he was sure he had her attention. “I spoke to some Division One coaches who want to come see you play this season, and they all expressed concern over your grades.” John paused to let that sink in. “You really need a strong showing this year academically to get in to some of these schools.”