by A. R. Braun
“Class,” Miss Major said, “we have a new student. Everyone say hello to Stacey.”
“Hello, Stacey,” the class droned.
“It looks like you’ve kept up on your studies.” Miss Major sneaked glances at the slip between watching her. “So I’ll just treat you as if you’d been attending class. If you feel you’re getting behind because my lessons are a bit different, I’m sure one of the other students will help you get caught up, and I’ll work with you on that, too.” The teacher returned her attention to the book with the answers. “Okay, class, can anyone give me an example of a misplaced modifier?”
The blonde raised her hand while saying, “Oh, I know!”
“Miss Major’s nice,” the girl next to Stacey whispered. “Well, compared to the other teachers, she is.”
Stacey glanced at the fuzzy girl. “Huh?”
“Mr. Duncan’s the worst, the big old poop.”
Stacey didn’t feel like laughing.
God, I hope he doesn’t beat kids, too.
“Jenna?” Miss Major asked. “Do you have something you’d like to share with the class, or would you like to pay attention?”
“Sorry, Miss Major.”
The teacher harrumphed and returned to her instruction.
Jenna let out a breath of a laugh, smiling at Stacey. She waited until the teacher wasn’t looking and stuck her tongue out at Miss Major. Stacey couldn’t help giggle a little bit.
“Freak,” the blonde said, having craned her neck.
“Oh, turn around, you teacher’s pet,” Jenna answered.
When class ended, Stacey started to leave the room with the rest of the children.
“Stacey?” Miss Major called.
She turned around. “Yes ma’am?”
The teacher smiled. “I’m glad to have you. Welcome to our school.”
“Thank you, ma’am.”
Miss Major waited until the other students had left the room to continue. “I see you’re with a foster family.”
“Um-hmm.”
“Well, I hope you have a wonderful home now.”
Not exactly.
“If there’s anything I can help you with, just let me know,” the teacher continued, as if psychic. “I want you to feel like you can talk to me. And if you’re having any trouble with the assignments, please tell me, kay?”
“Yes ma’am.”
“All right, have a nice day.”
“Bye.” Stacey walked out of the room with her head down, but changed her mind and looked behind her. Miss Major stared at her with a cocked brow as Stacey stepped through the door’s threshold.
In the hallway, Stacey shook her head.
I’m glad you’re concerned, but if I tell you what’s going on, Dick will kill me, kay?
CHAPTER SIX
Chewing her thumbnail, Stacey strolled onto the playground at recess. She backed up against the wall and watched. The other kids squealed and yelled. Some bounced balls to each other while others huddled in conspiring groups. The warm sun caressed her, and the gentle breeze teased her face.
She wished she had the guts to run up and play ball with someone.
Jenna ran up to her. “Hi-ya, new girl!”
Stacey raised her hand to shield her eyes from the sun. “Hi.”
“Where did you move from?”
“Here in Mowquakwa.”
“Huh?”
“Well… it’s…”
“Sounds like funny bananas.” Jenna giggled. “But hey, you don’t have ta tell me if you don’t want ta.” She swung her arms.
“It’s just, well… I was in The Children’s Haven.”
“No kiddin?” Jenna leaned closer. “What was it like? Screwy strawberries?” Her eyeballs grew wide and she clasped her hands together.
Stacey shrugged. “It was okay.”
“Wanna play kickball?”
Stacey nodded.
Jenna stuck her hand out. “C’mon!”
Stacey took her hand, and they ran to a crowd of kids playing on the grass field. Stacey smiled. A gang of about twenty children stopped moving the ball around and looked at them.
“Hey, can Stacey and me play?”
“Aw nuts,” the overweight kid from English class said. “We’ve already got twenty.”
“But Stacey here is a real cool kid that came from an orphanage.”
They spouted ooh’s and ah’s.
“Wow,” a thin, African-American boy said. “Really?”
“Were there lots of bullies and stuff?” the obese kid asked.
Stacey nodded. “I lived with three of ‘em.”
“I’m Billy,” the black kid said.
“I’m Ricky,” the hefty boy offered. “I bet you’re tough, huh?”
Stacey didn’t know what to say to that, so she just nodded.
“Since you’re so tough, you can be pitcher,” Ricky said. “C’mon!”
Stacey took his place, rolling the ball to the kicking kids. Jenna played catcher.
“Wow!” Billy said. “You pitch good, Stacey.”
Truly enjoying herself for the first time since the Alleys took her in, Stacey temporarily forgot her plight.
When the bell sounded, Jenna walked to class with her. “Wow, Stacey, you’re the bestest pitcher we’ve ever had.”
Stacey giggled. “Thanks. And thank you for being my friend.”
Now Jenna giggled. “No problem.” She sighed a laugh. “Funny baloney next: Mr. Poop’s class. Do you have that one?”
Stacey checked her piece of paper from the office. “Yes.”
“Good, we’ll sit together, if you can stand the pooper.”
“What does he do?”
“Oh, he’s just hard on us and stuff.”
“How come?”
“Because he thinks we’re a bunch of dum-dums. I get all B’s though.”
“He won’t beat us, will he?”
“Huh?”
Stacey looked away as she walked into the building and felt the relief of the heat, for this February day had gone back to being just a tad cold. The clouds threatened rain, but couldn’t back it up.
“Oh no, no goofy-baloney stuff like that. He just yells and junk.”
Stacey was relieved. “Oh.”
Jenna went to the water fountain and slurped a big drink. “Want some water?”
“Um-hmm.” Stacey politely sipped.
“Hey! Quit holding up the water fountain, will ya?”
Stacey turned around to see Ricky.
“Oh, it’s the cool kid from The Children’s Haven. Sowwry, Stacey. I didn’t know it was the southpaw.”
She smiled. “It’s okay.” Stacey stepped down and joined Jenna.
Ricky hogged the cooler, getting his mouth all over the waterspout, then yelled to another boy and ran to him.
Jenna made a funny face. “Know who that is?”
Stacey shook her head.
“That’s Mr. Poop’s kid.”
They laughed.
“Nuh-uh,” Stacey said.
“Yes-huh.” Jenna shook her head. “No phony baloney.”
“You lie.”
Jenna shook her head emphatically. “Honest Injun.”
They giggled again.
Jenna winced as a lovely blond girl and a gorgeous black-haired girl headed their way.
“Uh-oh,” Jenna said.
Stacey wondered at the curio. “What?”
“That’s Kaitidid Rogers and her best friend, Chady Weathervane.”
“So?”
“You don’t wanna even think of messing with—” Jenna whispered in Stacey’s ear, “—the bug, the one with the Elvira hairdo.”
“How come?” Stacey whispered back.
“You don’t want ta know.”
As the two oddly-dressed girls passed them, Kaitidid forked them the evil eye while Chady smiled.
Jenna looked behind her and waited until they were far down the hall. “Whew. Thank god they didn’t say nothin.”
&
nbsp; Stacey looked behind her. “Why do they dress so funny?”
“Oh, that’s a cinch. They’re apostolic.”
“An aposto-stick?”
“No, apostolic. Like licking some guy named Aposto.”
They giggled.
Jenna said, “I think it’s like a nun or somethin.”
As they walked, Stacey saw what had to be the principal surveying the halls. A bald, stern-looking gentleman with glasses, he seemed to be searching for unruly students. All the kids got quiet when they saw him, as they’d been chatting it up before. The sound of many squeaky sneakers scurried around.
“Is that the principal?” Stacey asked.
“Principal Warner, you betcha,” Jenna answered. “Be quiet.” She whispered, “He’s a funny-bunny.”
They passed the principal and Jenna again looked behind her until she was sure he couldn’t hear.
Jenna stopped. “Here we are. After Mr. Poop, do you have Grennie-grunt?”
Stacey checked her sheet again. “Gol’. Yeah, I do.”
Jenna grinned. “Besties till the endie.”
They giggled and entered the classroom.
<^^>
When Mrs. Gren’s social cruddies class ended, Stacey felt doomed.
Jenna walked out of the room with her. “What’d you think of Grennie-grunt?”
Stacie attempted a smile and failed. They walked on, through the halls.
“Don’t make so much noise, you might deafen me,” Jenna taunted.
Stacey continued to look at the floor as she walked.
“Why ya bein so quiet?” Jenna asked.
Stacey shook her head. “Dunno.”
“Wanna come over?”
Stacey shrugged. “I guess.”
“Really? Well, I hope you speak up. Now you’re acting like a funny-bunny.” Jenna elbowed her gingerly. “C’mon, laugh.”
Stacey locked eyes with her. “I have to ask my mom if I can.”
Jenna studied her. “You mean your foster mom?”
Stacey nodded.
Jenna looked straight ahead, as did Stacey. Billy and Ricky were knocking around by the double-doors. They gawked at Stacey.
“Take a picture, it lasts longer,” Jenna cried, and giggled.
Stacey didn’t join in on the revelry.
“Bye, Stacey,” both boys said in synchronicity.
Stacey raised a hand as they passed them.
“Goofs!” Jenna said. “Those Zagnuts think you’re cute.”
Stacey stayed silent.
“Okay, talkie-walkie, you catchin the bus?” Jenna asked.
“Oh,” Stacey answered, “no, I… get a limo.”
“Huh?”
“A limousine.”
“You joshin?”
Stacey shook her head.
“What? You rich or somethin?”
“Um-hmm.”
Jenna’s eyebrows rose. “Well, if I’m not buds with Little Missy Rich! They care if I come over?”
“Um…”
“Let’s find out, big mouth.”
“I… um… better ask them first.”
“Well whip out your Blackberry, Little Missy Rich.”
Stacey looked at her, puzzled.
“Don’t have a cell phone?”
Stacey shook her head.
“Well, tell Daddy Warbucks to buy ya one.” Jenna glanced at the bus while the sun hid behind the clouds and the breeze turned cooler. Kids were screaming all over the place. “Ooh! Gonna be late for the bus. So, you ask your parents, and tell me what she says tomorrow.”
Stacey nodded.
“Bye buddy,” Jenna cried.
Somber, Stacey watched Jenna make a funny face, then smile.
Jenna touched Stacey’s arms. “Glad I met ya, kid. See ya later.”
With that, she left. Stacey watched her go with all the sadness the world could muster.
CHAPTER SEVEN
The next day, as school ended, Stacey again became quiet as they walked through the halls after their last class. She heard the clatter and the chatter of the other students, but barely. Her mind was elsewhere.
Jenna looked her over. “Are you gonna be a funny-bunny again?”
Stacey was puzzled. “Huh?”
“You gonna get quiet again?”
Stacey shrugged.
Jenna sighed. “Did you ask your parents if I could come over today?”
Stacey nodded, then stopped.
“What?” Jenna asked.
Stacey took a deep breath. “I don’t think it would be such a great idea if you came over.”
“Why?”
“My parents are… weird.”
“Oh, join the club, goodie-goof.”
Stacey shook her head. “That’s not what I mean.”
“Well, you wanna come over to my house?”
“Can’t, I’m grounded.”
“Aw, nuts. Then that means I can’t come over?”
Stacey thought about telling Jenna about the abuse. Then she remembered what her father had said.
If you tell anybody what I just did, I’ll kill you.
Stacey said, “Guess so.”
“Well, now I see where you get your funny-bunnyness from: those kooky, fake parents of yours.”
Stacey looked at her.
Jenna stuck out her lower lip. “Humph.”
Stacey started walking again, and Jenna grabbed her arm. “Hey, wanna get into some trouble?”
Stacey shook her head. Then she saw Kaitidid push her friend from behind. Chady stumbled.
“C’mon,” Jenna continued, “it’ll be fun! I’ll just come over anyway. What are they gonna do, huh?”
“I’m in enough trouble,” Stacey answered.
“Whadja do?”
“I watched South Park.”
“Geez, Louise! If I even think about South Park, I’m grounded for a year! How long ya grounded for, silly goose?”
“Two weeks.”
“Dang. We’ll go to my house when you’re not grounded anymore, then.”
It was a nice thought, but that simply was not happening.
<^^>
Stacey sat on her bed. Bored out of her mind, she was glad when someone called. She picked up the receiver. “Hello?”
“Hey, goodie-goof. It’s me.”
“Oh. Hi Jenna.”
“Whatcha doin?”
“Not much—homework.”
“Didn’t ya think I’d call after I asked for your digits?”
“Dunno.” Stacey winced as her parents argued downstairs; it was that loud.
“Well,” Jenna continued, “say something, funny-bunny.”
“Something.”
“Ha! I finished my homework for Mr. Poop and Grennie-grunt’s class.”
Stacey couldn’t help chuckle at that one.
Jenna said, “Made ya laugh, ooh-wee gooey eyeballs.”
Stacey laughed heartily this time.
Dick picked up the phone and punched in some numbers.
“Who’s that?” Jenna asked.
“Stacey, get off the fucking phone!” Dick barked.
Jenna gasped.
“I’ve gotta go. It’s my dad.”
“Okay.” Jenna’s voice sounded choked now. “Bye.”
“I’m off!” Stacey said.
To hell with consequences; she slammed the receiver down.
I’m gonna get it later, but that was worth it.
CHAPTER EIGHT
Five years later
Stacey walked through the halls of Teepee High School with Jenna at her side. The former noticed her friend’s boobs were getting bigger, but those large circular glasses had to go. Stacey would never tell Jenna what to do, though. What an insult that would be. Jenna dressed nerdy as opposed to Stacey’s trendy jeans and ruffled pink shirt.
Jenna looked her over. “If we don’t get boyfriends, everyone’s going to think we’re a couple of dykes, you know it?”
Stacey turned into the lunch room with
her bestie. “I don’t care what they think.”
They went through the lunch line. Jenna picked a Sloppy Joe with french fries. Stacey chose a salad.
“You ought to join a rock band,” Jenna said. “You could call it Anorexia.”
“Ha-ha.” When Stacey turned, she collided with a boy. She barely kept from dumping food all over the floor.
He turned around. Attraction swept over Stacey so vehemently, it was electric. The boy had short brown hair and blue eyes. He kept in shape, the tanned muscles bulging from his tee shirt. He was well-hung, his sexual organ bulging from his skinny jeans. His clear skin set off his masculine face—soft but sharp—and the dimpled chin completed the picture.
Stacey said, “Sorry about that.”
He looked a little harder, not able to take his eyes off her.
Stacey felt her face go into hot-flush mode.
“Uh… my name’s Kevin. Kevin Browning.” He stuck his hand out.
“Well, Kevin Browning,” Jenna said from behind her, “you’re holding up the lunch line.”
Stacey put her tray on the line and shook with him. “Stacey Alley.”
His firm grip almost made her squirt.
Stacey smiled shyly. “You’re in my algebra class, aren’t you?”
“Dunno… but… are you sitting with anybody?”
Stacey wanted to crawl under a table and hide. She felt heat rush to her face again and knew she’d double-blushed. “No.”
“Hey!” Jenna said, poking Stacey in the back.
Stacey faced her. “Shush.”
Kevin said, “Would you like to… sit with me?”
“Sure.” Stacey gestured toward the soda fountain. “Get me a Diet Coke?”
“Oh. Yeah. No problem.”
The threesome walked to the end of the line and paid. They took an empty table. Jenna sat by Stacey, eyeballing her quizzically. Kevin sat across from her. He bit into the Sloppy Joe and washed it down with soda.
Kevin looked her over. “Got a boyfriend, Stacey?”
Stacey shook her head and looked downward.
“Anybody ever tell you you’re gorgeous?” Kevin added.
“Oh yeah,” Jenna said. “She hears that, oh, all the time. What are you talkin about?”
Stacey tried her best to fork Jenna a look of doom. Her bestie shut up quick-like. Then Stacey stared at the salad.
Kevin lifted her chin with his finger. “You shouldn’t hide your face like that. I can’t see your lovely eyes.”