The Second Virginity of Suzy Green

by Hantz, Sara

  “Suzy, hi.” I glance up and am faced with George.

  George.

  “Hey, George. I didn’t know you were here. What do you reckon to the band? Who are you with? Want to sit down?” Whoa, Suzy. Slow down. Play it cool. This is your opportunity. Don’t screw it up.

  He grins, a sort of cheeky grin. If I wasn’t with Guy and I didn’t know Lori liked him I’d be tempted myself. He’s a real cutie.

  “Thanks.” He flops down on the sofa and sticks his legs out, crossing them at the ankle. He seems relaxed enough. Let’s go for it.

  “I’m waiting for Lori. She’s in there.” I nod toward the line by the bathroom.

  “Yes, I know. I saw you earlier.” Did he? That’s promising. At least he’s still noticing her.

  He stares sort of vacantly in the direction of the door.

  “Great band, huh?” I wait for an answer but none is forthcoming. His eyes remain fixed on the bathroom. “George?”

  “Sorry. What did you say?” He turns his head and looks at me. Definitely cute. His eyes are such an unusual green color.

  “It’s okay. I was just saying how good the band are.”

  “Yes. Definitely.”

  “I guess you were thinking of Lori.” It’s so sweet because a little pink dot appears on each of his cheeks. “You still like her, don’t you?”

  “Yeah, sort of. But she’s not interested. Because of that fucking club.” A shocked expression crosses his face. “Sorry.”

  “Don’t worry about it. I say much worse myself.”

  “You do? You’re not like Lori then. She hates me cursing.” Yes, that is something I need to work on. Not that I curse much in front of Lori and the others. I mainly save it for Maddie.

  “Anyway, back to whether Lori’s interested. Between you and me, she is.” Got to let him think Lori doesn’t know what I’m doing, in case he thinks it’s a set up. Mind you, she doesn’t know what I’m doing. So it’s not a lie.

  “Are you sure?” I nod my head. “But she was the one to finish it.”

  “Yes, and I think she regrets it.”

  “But what about the club? I’m not joining. No way.”

  “Hey. It’s not so bad” I can’t believe I’m saying this. “Why don’t you try it? And no-one is twisting your arm to stick rigidly to the handbook.”

  “Handbook?” He frowns.

  Shit. Why did I mention that? Arrggh. I could kick myself.

  “It’s just there for support. Nothing to worry about.” I wave my hand dismissively.

  “I don’t know. That Jamie. He’s such a dick.”

  “You can say that again. Only say it to me and not Lori because she thinks he’s way cool.”

  “Why do you go? Sounds like you’re not that into it.”

  “Yeah, well. I agree with some of it. And Guy goes. And—”

  “Suzy.” Phew. Saved by the Lori. “Hi George.”

  I move along the sofa so there’s a space between George and me. “Sit down for a minute.” I pat the seat and Lori looks from me to George and then gingerly sits down, smoothing her skirt under her legs. You know, some girls are just born feminine. Others of us—well—

  “Hey, Lori,” George says. “How’s it going?”

  “Good, thanks.”

  “Listen, you two. I better get back to see Guy before he sends out a search party.” I jump up and once I’ve walked past George I turn and wink over his head so only Lori can see. She stifles a giggle by turning it into a cough. I guess that’s my good deed done for the day.

  ***

  I find Guy sitting all alone at our table. When he sees me a huge smile crosses his face. Awww. He’s so sweet. I shuffle my butt along the bench until I’m sitting next to him and our thighs are touching.

  Both his arms are resting on the table and I put my hand on top of one of his. He moves his head in closer. I think he’s going to kiss me. I tilt my head up slightly and my eyes are beginning to close when suddenly he jerks his hand out from under mine and he jumps away from me.

  “No, Suzy. We mustn’t. We’ll regret it.” He shakes himself as though he’s trying to get rid of something disgusting.

  “Guy, we haven’t done anything. I hardly think a kiss is going to send us down the path of ruin.” This is seriously driving me crazy.

  “Maybe, not this time. But each time we start something we’ll go further and further. The handbook is right.”

  Screw the freakin’ handbook.

  Chapter Seventeen

  “Remember, guys. The picnic next Saturday. Meet at Victoria Park gates at three. Before you leave write down on the sheet what food you’ll be bringing. And I’ll bring whatever we don’t seem to have enough of.”

  “What picnic?” I whisper in Rachel’s ear. “And does he mean Saturday as in tomorrow?”

  “We’re having a summer picnic. And no it’s not tomorrow it’s Saturday week.”

  “Why didn’t someone tell me?” my voice comes out louder than I intend and Guy nudges me in the ribs with his elbow.

  “Sssh, Suzy. Jamie will hear you.”

  I’m having a huge crisis here. Jamie hearing me is like minus fifty on the care factor scale at this precise moment. This is awful.

  “We’ll take a break, then after have our support session.” Jamie steps down from the stage and as he saunters past our row he grins conspiratorially at Lori. What are they planning, I wonder?

  Anyway, back to my problem. What the hell am I going to do? The picnic is on the day of Truck-fest. Can it get any worse? Is it too much to ask for things to run smoothly for a change? Haven’t I been playing my part? Stepping up to the mark. Being the model daughter, model student and model anything else that crosses my path. And look how I got Lori and George talking again. Even if they’re not going back out yet, it’s still a step in the right direction. All I need to do is persuade her to ask him out. It’s not like we’re living in the dark ages. Girls do ask boys out. I reckon she should invite him to the silver wedding party. Mind you, it’s a pretty big ask to expect someone to embrace the full force of a family party. Well, in our family it is. It makes me go all goose-bumpy to even think about it.

  “Suzy, have you got a moment?” Lori asks, leaning over Guy who’s sitting between us.

  “Give me a minute. I’ve just got to—to—” what have I got to do? Apart from grab some fresh air. On my own to try and sort this mess out. I don’t want Lori following me. I need to think things through. “To speak to Jamie about something.”

  For God’s sake, is that the best I can come up with?

  “I’ll come with you.”

  Great. Now I’ve got to get rid of her.

  “It’s kind of personal. Sorry.” Her face drops. Yay, Suzy. Let’s make it even worse. “Not about me. It’s just Maddie wants me to ask Jamie something. It won’t take long.”

  Where’s the freakin’ shovel, the hole I’m digging for myself is that big.

  “Sure. Please be quick. I need to speak to you during the break.”

  Now I feel guilty. She looks really anxious. I should stay but how will I explain that suddenly there’s no need for me to talk to Jamie. It’s all too complicated. I stride toward the back of the room and as I push open the swing door I run smack into someone.

  “Sorry,” we both say together.

  “George.”

  “Suzy.”

  We again speak at the same time. My shock at bumping into him is reflected in his face. Though why he should be shocked to see me I don’t know seeing as he knows I’m a member.

  “What are you doing here?” I ask.

  “That’s what I’ve been asking myself all the way here,” George replies. The corners of his mouth turn up in a half smile. “I must be insane. There’s no way I’ll fit in with this lot,” He peers over my shoulder and I turn around to look with him. At the risk of putting him off, in many respects I agree.

  “Don’t go inside yet. Wait until after the break and the meeting starts again, then sne
ak in the back. That way no-one will see you.”

  George breathes a sigh of relief. Poor boy. He’s really got it bad if he’s here. I’m assuming it’s for Lori and not because he’s had a change of heart about Jamie and the club.

  “Yeah, good idea. Will you stay with me?”

  “Well, I was going outside to—,” I pause a moment, but his pleading eyes win me over. I’m such a sucker. “Yeah, sure.”

  ***

  “Come on,” I whisper to George. “There are a couple of empty chairs in the back row. We’ll sit there.”

  “Okay. Lead the way.” We tiptoe along the back of the room behind the last row of chairs until we get to the two empty seats. Just as we sit down, there’s a piercing whistle from the microphone, causing me to put my hands to my ears.

  “Sorry, guys.” Jamie’s voice echoes. He taps the mic a few times and goes to the side of the stage where he twiddles with the knobs on the black box thing—I know, I should definitely have some sort of technical career. “Time for anyone who felt themselves tempted since our last meeting to come up on stage and share,” Jamie says, once he’s back at the front of the stage.

  “What the—” whispers George.

  “I know. Don’t worry, I’ve only ever seen one person go up there. It’s no big deal. Just don’t laugh because they take it seriously.”

  “Of course I won’t,” He looks quite offended. Just because he doesn’t feel he belongs here doesn’t mean he’s going to act in the same way as kids from my old school. He is a St Peter’s guy after all.

  “Sorry. Didn’t mean to be rude. Anyway, it looks like no-one is going up there. Which means the meeting should end soon. I could murder a Starbucks. Want to come with us?”

  “Sure. Is Lori going?”

  I grin at him. “What do you think?”

  “Well done, Lori,” Jamie says, distracting me from talking to George. Lori. What does he mean Lori?

  Oh. My. God.

  I am unable to do anything but watch, with my mouth wide open, as Lori edges her way along the row where she’s sitting and strides to the front. She’ll just die when she finds out George is here. And more to the point who is she going to talk about? Surely not George. Stupid question. Who else would it be?

  She walks up the steps onto the stage and Jamie hands her the microphone. Now I can see her face, I have to say she looks shit scared.

  “Thank you Jamie,” she says holding the mic close to her mouth. “Um—I’m here to talk about—um—well—recently I—um—”

  “Come on, Lori,” Jamie says, wrapping his hand around Lori’s and pulling the mic toward him. “Don’t be embarrassed. You’ll feel so much better when you rid yourself of these impure thoughts,” He has the most patronizing expression on his face ever. I could seriously thump him at this precise moment. And I’m not a violent person. Well, I didn’t used to be.

  Whatever. This calls for some quick thinking. I can’t let her start confessing her feelings for George, in front of George. That would be the sort of embarrassing moment to never be topped in someone’s entire lifetime. But what can I do?

  Suddenly, an idea pops into my head. It’s freakin’ silly but it might work.

  I jump up and let out a piercing scream. Everyone turns around.

  “A rat,” I cry. “I just saw a rat.” I clench my hands in front of my chest. “Over there.” I point toward the door.

  The noise from all the others (well, mainly the screaming girls) is deafening. George runs from where we’re sitting to the door, steadying himself on the chair backs as he goes. This is working even better than I thought. I didn’t figure he’d play the hero. Surely Lori will see him now.

  “Quiet,” Jamie’s booms. “Everyone sit down and we’ll sort it out. I’m sure Suzy was mistaken.”

  I glance at Lori who’s now standing near the front of the stage. A look of horror is on her face. I think we can safely assume she’s seen George. She gestures with her hand for Jamie to come over. I have no idea what she says but he doesn’t look happy and she walks back to her place with her head bowed and shoulders slouched.

  ***

  “Thank you, thank you thank you.” Lori says. “I owe you big time.”

  We’re sitting at a table in the corner of Starbucks while George and Guy are at the counter. The meeting pretty much ended after the rat sighting. Thank goodness. George hasn’t said anything about it. At least, not to me.

  “No worries. But I don’t get it. Why did you go up there? You didn’t even say you were planning to.”

  “Somehow Jamie found out about me and George at the concert. And he spoke to me about it earlier this evening before the meeting started. That’s what I wanted to talk to you about at break but I couldn’t find you.”

  “Oh, no. I’m so sorry. I was with George. But it’s not like you did anything with George. So why did Jamie say you had to confess stuff? And, more importantly, who told him?”

  Lori shakes her head. “That’s what I’ve been worrying about. You don’t think Rachel would, do you?”

  “Nah. Why would she do that?”

  “She’s got a thing for Jamie and she thinks I have too. Which I haven’t.” Hmm, that’s debatable. “So if Jamie knows about George he won’t like me so much.” She pauses a moment, and rubs her nose with her finger. “I’m probably way off base here. But what other reason is there?”

  “No idea. Anyway, main thing is you didn’t totally embarrass yourself—though my guess is you’ll have to think of something to tell George. What about saying that Jamie asked you to come up on stage to encourage some of the newer members? So they don’t feel so embarrassed. But that you don’t really have anything to confess.”

  “Hey, that’s a good idea. I don’t know how you manage to come up with these ideas all the time.” Years of practice.

  “Neither. Anyway, going back to Rachel, why don’t you ask her at school and see what she says?” Suddenly, I start to giggle. “I have to say I’m really impressed at how effective the rat-trick was. I’ve never had such a good response before.”

  Lori’s eyes widen. “You mean you’ve done that before?”

  Shit. What am I on?

  “Not really. At Maddie’s tenth birthday party I tried it. But no-one took any notice.”

  Chapter Eighteen

  “Hi, is that you Lori?”

  “Yes. Who is it?’

  Yay! My pathetic, sick voice must be working if she doesn’t recognize me. I do a loud disgusting sniff and then cough. It sounds like I’ve been on forty cigarettes a day for a hundred years.

  “It’s Suzy,” I say making my voice come from the back of my throat so it sounds all hoarse.

  “I didn’t recognize you. Are you okay? You sound dreadful.” The concern in her voice makes me feel really guilty. I hate having to lie like this but what else can I do?

  “I feel like crap.” Sniff, sniff, cough. “There’s no way I’m going to make the picnic. Mom says I’ve got to stay in bed.” I reckon playing the Mom-card is especially crafty, as Lori always listens to what her Mom says. A little too much if you ask me, but that’s another story. And she is the youngest so she’s bound to be spoilt and wrapped up in cotton-wool a bit. Hey, I’m the youngest. Why didn’t I get that treatment?

  “Oh no. Poor you. Guy will be so disappointed.”

  He will? That’s news to me. I texted him earlier to say I couldn’t make it because I was sick and got a very terse text back saying: ‘ok c u monday.’

  What’s a girl to make of that? It’s not as if we haven’t been seeing each other or anything. As well as our evenings out—of which there have been several—I see him most lunchtimes at school, unless he’s got a practice or I have a meeting.

  If I have a meeting. It still makes me laugh when I think of it.

  “He didn’t seem to be when I texted him earlier. He didn’t seem at all concerned.”

  “I’m sure he was, but you know what boys are like, can’t show their feelings. I’ll ha
ve a chat with him later, tell him off.”

  “It’s fine. Please don’t say anything.” All I need on top of everything else is for Guy to think I’ve fallen out with him.

  “Okay. If you don’t want me to. Look why don’t I come over before the picnic starts? I’ll bring some magazines. Mom bought me the latest Cosmo you can borrow that if you like.”

  “NO,” I shout then quickly cough to hide it. “I mean, thanks but no you mustn’t. I’m very contagious and you can’t risk catching anything. Not with the netball finals coming up.” Notice being ill hasn’t affected my talent for thinking on my feet. Except I’m not ill, am I? Oh well, whatever. I’m still good at wriggling my way out of things—hardly surprising the amount of balancing and wriggling I’ve been doing these last few months. “I’d hate to be responsible for the best player on the team missing the most important match of the season.”

  I launch into a long cough and throw in a couple of sniffs when I finish. You know I really should have taken drama. I’m a natural.

  “I suppose you’re right. Well take care. And I’ll ring you as soon as I get home. If you’re feeling a bit better tomorrow I’ll pop around then.”

  You know, this is so weird. The most popular girl in school and leader of the in-crowd is concerned about me. And I’m having to let her down. Never in a month of Sundays did I ever picture myself in this situation. And believe me I’ve envisaged a lot situations in the past. Well, only the recent past because Maddie and I never cared about being in the popular group before. We used spend our time laughing at them.

  Just wait ’til Maddie hears about this. I’m sure she’ll agree this confirms I’ve truly made it. I’m where I set out to be. And it’s definitely worth all the sacrifices I’ve had to make. I feel sort of cleansed. A bit like how people must feel after a colonic irrigation. Gross, what on earth made me think of that? Oh yes. Maddie mentioned it to me. Said she was thinking of having one. Actually I think she was winding me up.