by West, Shay
Alex laughed a little as she looked down at her barely budding chest. Anyone with eyes could see that the girl in the picture did not have Alex’s body.
“Next time it pops up, simply use those acting skills of yours and make a joke or something. You’re smart. You‘ll think of something.” Patricia held her daughter close.
Alex felt a huge load lifted off her shoulders. She now had a plan for dealing with Catelyn and her little friends.
“Perhaps you should make your Facebook settings more private to keep the little witch from getting hold of your pictures.” Patricia winked at Alex as she got up to fix dinner.
Alex fixed her settings so only her closest friends could see her information or photos. This had to be where she got the picture. Alex felt better now that her social site was private. She hoped she wouldn’t see any more naked photos with her face.
CHAPTER 48
ALEX DREADED WALKING into the school that next morning. Her heart hammered in her chest and her mouth was dry, even with a piece of chewing gum. Her heart sank when she spotted another one of the pictures hanging on her locker. Her face burned.
Paul, Simon, Amy, Jennifer, and even Brittany were already there waiting for her. Alex felt her confidence grow at their show of support. Catelyn and her friends stood right next to her locker, wanting to see Alex’s face when she found the picture.
Alex walked calmly up to her locker, wiping her sweaty palms on her jeans. She wore her skinny jeans and a loose fitting blouse cinched at the waist with a belt from her aunt’s store..
She took a deep breath and pulled the picture down. Alright, Alex. Just pretend you are Anastasia or Adriana and have all of the confidence and charm in the world.
Alex looked at the photo with a frown on her face. She then looked at her own chest as if examining it for the first time. She tilted her head from side to side.
“I don’t know about you guys but I much prefer this body to the one I have now. Don’t you think, Paul?” Alex sauntered up to Paul, hoping he would play along.
“What red-blooded guy wouldn’t like this body better?” Paul took the picture and leered at the nude woman.
Simon grabbed the picture and whistled. “Wow, Alex. You been holding out on us!”
Alex flipped her hair. “I didn’t want to brag.” She placed her hand over her small chest and tried to look modest.
Jennifer, Amy, and Brittany were about to die of laughter. Some of the other students joined in. Alex felt good that they were laughing with her instead of at her.
“I would be happy to sign autographs after first period.” Alex smiled at the students gathered around as she opened her locker.
Catelyn turned beet red with barely suppressed fury. She stalked off, followed closely by her friends.
I did it!
“You were great, Alex!” Jennifer grabbed her in a bear hug. She had been glad to witness Catelyn’s face when she saw the picture did not have the intended effect on Alex.
“That was pretty cool, Alex,” Brittany said. She was still grinning from ear-to-ear. “I can’t wait to see you in Wicked now!”
Alex soared through the rest of the day. Catelyn and her group avoided her, and even Beau seemed embarrassed. He tried to catch her eye in class but Alex purposefully ignored him. She felt triumphant, powerful, and glad she was taking a stand against those who thought it was funny to taunt and pick on her.
Alex, Jennifer, and Amy walked together to the college. They met several other groups of students on the way. They all had heard about Alex’s reaction to the picture hanging on her locker and thought she had acted brilliantly.
“Where did you get the idea to play it off like that?” A girl named Christy asked.
“My mom, actually.” Alex was proud to admit that her mom had come up with the idea.
“Your mom sounds like a very cool lady.” Christy winked at Alex.
The meeting that night was fun. Mr. Reardon was bursting with so much excitement he practically thrummed and vibrated with it. The man could not sit still as the students gathered their packets with their names on the front.
Alex was excited to get into the character of the crone. She thought her short visit in the body of Agy would give her a unique insight into what it would be like to live as an old woman.
After the meeting, she chatted with Jennifer and Amy about arrangements for getting rides from rehearsals. It would be easier once Jennifer got her driver’s license. She would turn sixteen in about a month, just two weeks after the end of the school year. Her parents had already bought her a cheap car she was using to practice on.
“So are you going to get your learners permit, Alex?” Jennifer asked.
Alex knew this question was coming. “My mom won’t let me get my permit until I turn sixteen and my driver’s license when I turn seventeen.”
“Why?” Amy asked.
“She thinks that just because the law says someone sixteen can legally drive a car doesn’t mean they’re ready.” Alex mimicked her mother’s voice.
Jennifer did not know what to say. “Seems kinda rude to assume that all teenage drivers are idiots. I drive okay.”
Alex groaned. “I know. But she won’t budge on this.”
“Well it sucks. I wonder if you could get your permit without her knowing?”
Alex looked at her incredulously. “You wouldn’t dare do something like that! Besides, I’m pretty sure you have to have your parents with you when you get it.” Alex could not keep the bitterness out of her voice.
“You can’t get a permit without your parent’s permission. And besides, would you suggest Alex steal her aunt’s car to practice?” Amy asked, trying to be the voice of reason.
“It would be wicked to drive that car. It’s pretty bad ass!” Jennifer said mischievously.
“I’ll talk to her about it again.” Alex looked at her watch. “My mom is probably waiting for us.” Alex and Jennifer waved good bye to Amy and began walking toward the front door.
“Umm...hey.”
Alex turned. “Hi, Drake.” She found herself blushing. Drake was playing the lead role in the play. He brushed his dark hair out of his face.
“I was wondering if you had plans this weekend.” The normally confident young man was blushing and staring at his feet.
Alex found herself at a loss. Oh, God! I’m being asked out on a date. “I’m free Saturday night. I have to work during the day but I’m usually done by five.”
“That’s great! What kind of movies do you like?” He smiled at her and Alex felt her heart pick up its pace. She thought he was way hot when he smiled. His blue eyes were framed by dark lashes.
“I am up for anything but chick flicks,” Alex said, blushing. “Believe it or not, I like action movies the best. But I’ll watch comedies and horror movies too.” Alex shut her mouth when she realized she was talking much too fast.
Drake looked relived. “I was hoping you would say that. The Supernatural comes out this weekend and I was hoping you might want to go out for dinner too. Or just dinner if you prefer. Or just the movie if you want,” he stammered.
Alex smiled, realizing he was just as nervous about asking her out as she was about being asked. “I’ve wanted to see that actually.”
“Me too! I saw the first one and couldn’t sleep for a week!”
“We could do dinner at Olive Garden or Red Lobster. They’re close to the movie,” Alex suggested.
“I love Olive Garden! Let’s do that.”
Alex bit her lip, waiting for Drake to bring up who would be driving or if they were going to meet. When he didn’t say anything, she brought up the subject. “So do we just want to meet at the restaurant then?”
Drake blushed a little. “Well...”
“What my friend here means to say is, I’ll be driving.” Another handsome young man with blonde hair combed down toward his eyes grinned as he put an arm casually around Drake’s shoulders.
“I was getting to that, James.” Drake
looked embarrassed. “Well, the thing is, we were sort of hoping that, well we wanted to...”
“You’re killing me.” James rolled his eyes and looked at Jennifer. “What my stuttering mate here is trying to say is that we were hoping to make it a double date. What do you say?”
Jennifer stammered. “I guess so.”
“Perfect! I’ll get addresses from you later in the week,” James said.
After he and Drake left, Alex frowned. “Are those two friends with Catelyn by any chance?”
“What makes you say that?” Jennifer asked.
“Why would they all of a sudden ask us out? They’ve had all year to do it.” Alex hated that she mistrusted their intentions, but after what Beau had pulled that night at the Pizza Hut she couldn’t help it.
Jennifer gave a knowing nod. “I see where you’re going with this. But I don’t think you have to worry. Drake and James and all of the other kids in theater are on Catelyn’s hit list too. Along with the people in band and Glee club.” Jennifer bit her lip. “Do you think James really wanted to double date?”
Alex smiled. “Why wouldn’t he?”
Jennifer shrugged. “I just got the feeling he asked me as a favor to Drake. It wasn’t until you brought up how you were getting there that James spoke up.” Her voice sank into a miserable mumble.
Alex shook her head. “Drake could have asked me alone or told me to meet him if he didn’t have a car. I think they asked us because they wanted to.”
Jennifer giggled and hugged Alex tight. “So what are you gonna wear?”
The two chatted about what they would wear as they waited for Alex’s mom to pick them up. When Alex told her mom about Drake and James, she rolled her eyes when her mom got that stiff posture that meant she was about to tell Alex no.
“Please, Mom! We won’t be late. It’s just dinner and a movie.” Alex held her breath.
“They both come to the house, and you’re home by ten.”
Alex opened her mouth to protest, but Jennifer jabbed her with her elbow. “Okay. We’ll go to the early show and be back by ten.” She hoped the boys wouldn’t think she was lame when she asked them to come in and meet her mom.
Alex and Jennifer spent hours on Facebook chatting about the coming double date. Alex’s heart skipped a beat when she found friend requests from both Drake and James. Jennifer chatted that she received requests too. Once they had accepted the two as friends, Alex started a group so the four of them could chat in one common window. She told Drake and James about her mother’s rule and to Alex’s relief, both said it was cool, even though they teased her about it.
As she sat chatting and getting to know the two young men, she smiled and felt her heart swell with excitement and happiness, so much so that she thought it might burst.
CHAPTER 49
ALEX AND JENNIFER were sitting under a tree having lunch, chatting about their double date.
“You’re going out with those two dorks?” Simon asked, slapping his forehead.
“They’re not dorks!” Jennifer faced Simon with her hands on her hips.
“What are you two fighting about now?” Paul asked as he sauntered up to the group.
“Alex and Jenn are going on a double date with Drake and James.” Simon’s tone was full of incredulity.
“You mean the two pansies that wear girl’s jeans and their hair hanging in their eyes?” Paul made fake gagging noises.
“Just because their pants cover their underwear…” Alex said pointedly, staring at Paul and Simon’s sagging jeans.
“This is cool!” Paul looked down at his saggy jeans and untied shoes. “Well, hope you four girls have a swell time.” Paul waved mockingly as he left for his afternoon classes.
Alex rolled her eyes and grabbed her trash from lunch and her backpack. She helped Jennifer to her feet. She was groaning on the ground, complaining she had eaten too much and needed more time out in the sun to digest.
“Why can’t we take siestas? It would be so cool if we could take a four hour nap in the afternoon,” Jennifer complained.
Alex agreed. This Friday afternoon was perfect for a nap. The sun was shining and the sky was a cloudless blue. She knew that this pleasant weather would soon turn swelteringly hot. It was another difference between Longmont and Grand Junction she would have to get used to. Her friends told her this side of the mountains did not see nearly as much rain as the eastern side of the state.
“You will sweat in places you never even knew had sweat glands,” Simon had told her.
Alex couldn’t wait until Spanish class was over. She was so excited for the coming date. Jennifer was staying the night so they could figure out what they would wear Saturday night. They did not want to come dressed too much alike.
“If you two are done mooning over the girly boys, I have something to ask you.” Simon winced as Jennifer punched him in the arm. “Paul wants to go to the Monument Sunday and do some hiking. You guys up for it?”
Alex shrugged. “I‘m game. Don’t have much homework this weekend.”
“I’m in. We can make lunch and bring it in a backpack or something,” Jennifer suggested.
“Let’s meet at Paul’s at around 10 then. That’s when he wants to head up. It’s supposed to be in the low 90s so it’s best to get back before we all die of heat stroke.”
“Now who’s acting like a girl?” Alex teased.
That night at the house, C.C. ordered pizza and Alex and Jennifer ate outside on the patio. The iPod player was blasting. Karen and Patricia came outside, holding their hands over their ears.
“You guys are going to go deaf!” Karen yelled.
Alex’s response was to play air guitar along with Jennifer’s air drums and C.C.’s air bass. The three went between rocking out to eating a bite or two of pizza. Patricia laughed at them and looked to Karen. “If we can’t beat ‘em, join ‘em!”
Alex asked her mom if it was alright if she went hiking with her friends on Sunday. Patricia fought the mother’s urge to tell her no, that it wasn’t safe to go wandering in the wilderness where there were poisonous snakes, scorpions, and maybe even mountain lions.
“Only for a few hours, Alex.”
Alex tried to argue, thinking it totally unfair. It’s not like I’ll be alone. “Paul knows this area really well. I’m sure I’ll be safe. Besides, it’s not like I haven’t gone exploring before.”
“I want you back here no later than two in the afternoon. Four hours is more than enough time to play around. Sunday is supposed to be hot and you aren’t used to this heat yet.”
“But…” Alex began.
“If you argue, you won’t go at all,” Patricia said.
“Fine. But nothing’s going to happen,” Alex grumbled.
Karen ended the music early, saying she needed to get to the store earlier than usual the next morning to do a fitting for a customer. The girls did not mind. They had more important things to do than listen to music on the patio.
Alex and Jennifer raided Alex’s closet, putting together outfit after outfit. It took hours to settled on an outfit for Alex that wouldn’t look too much like what Jennifer would wear. Alex would pick a combination only to have Jennifer shake her head, saying it wasn’t flattering, or that it was outdated, or it was too similar to what Jennifer had in mind to wear.
Once the clothing was finalized, they had to settle on hairstyles. Jennifer was going to have her sister, who also happened to be a hairdresser, do her hair in loose waves. Alex felt a flash of jealousy. If she wasn’t stuck working at the store, she could have gone with Jennifer and had her hair professionally done. Since she was stuck working in the stockroom, she needed to have her hair up out of her face.
“Try this.” Jennifer stood on a chair behind Alex and deftly piled Alex’s dirty blonde hair on her head, using barrettes and bobby pins to hook pieces here and there. “Did you see how I did that? You can do it before you leave for work and all you would need to do is curl these pieces really quick when you
get back here.” She pointed to several pieces that she had left hanging.
“Looks like your sister isn’t the only one who can work magic with hair.” Alex liked the hairstyle.
Jennifer smiled. “This is how she does her hair when she’s in a hurry and can’t do a major style. It looks very natural. Not too stiff.”
“I hope I can remember how to do this tomorrow morning.”
“Practice doing it now! I need to check my Facebook anyway.” Jennifer hopped down, grabbed the laptop off the dresser, and took it to the bed.
Alex practiced doing her hair until she thought she had it mastered. The more she looked at her reflection, the more she liked the hairstyle. I hope Drake likes it.
The thought of Drake gave her butterflies of nervous excitement. She wondered if he would hold her hand or if he would put his arm around her in the movies. What if he tries to kiss me? The thought, while appealing, was also terrifying. She had never kissed a boy before. So how do I do it? Do I do it close-mouthed or open-mouthed? What if I am a horrible kisser? Her hands flew to her stomach to quiet the fluttering there.
“Alex? Is there something in the mirror?” Jennifer jumped up so fast she dropped the laptop onto the floor.
Alex shook her head. “Nothing in the mirror.” She looked at Jennifer, embarrassed. “I was just wondering if Drake would kiss me and I’ve never kissed a boy. I was just wondering how I would do it or if I would be any good at it.”
“I’ve never kissed a boy either,” Jennifer admitted.
“Really? That’s great! I mean, I’m glad I’m not the only one.”
“Maybe we’re worrying about nothing. I mean, how hard can it be?” Jennifer gave Alex a strange look. “Wait a second! While you were in Spain you said you made out with Carlos or whatever his name was. What are you worried about?”
Alex rolled her eyes. “It’s not the same! And we didn’t make out. It was a fast kiss. He mainly kissed my hands and forehead anyway. When all that was happening, Adriana took over and she obviously knew what to do. Here, I’m just me, and I have no idea what I’m doing! What if my breath is horrid? Or what if I am too sloppy? Or not sloppy enough?” Alex started to feel panicked and almost wished her mother had said she couldn’t go on the stupid date.
