Most kids agonized over going back to school. I sat on the bus, listening to others talk about their summers on the beach, sleeping late, going to parties, and how much they dreaded school. It was like they were speaking a different language. A foreign world I knew nothing about.
I glanced over at the seat across from me at my younger brother, Krit, and his best friend, Green. Krit was as relieved as I was to be going to school. We looked forward to this day for months. Having an excuse to escape the life we lived at home was a blessed relief. Green was excited because they were eighth graders now. Two years ago Sea Breeze had moved the eighth grade to the older section of the high school because the middle school had gotten too full. They were still separated from the high school for the most part but they would use the high school’s cafeteria and gym.
My brother had grown at least six inches this summer. He reminded me of a weed. Overnight he’d gone from scrawny kid to tall and slightly intimidating. Didn’t mean his mind had caught up to his almost six foot tall frame, though. He was still a kid. A scared kid. One that needed me to protect him. Even if I did have to tilt my head back to talk to him now. He had passed my five foot eight inches sometime around June.
I crossed my legs and tugged at my shorts. Not that it helped. There had been no money for me to go buy any school clothes this year. I had to wear last year’s things. Krit had grown way more than I had and he’d required an entirely new wardrobe. Every dime I’d made lifeguarding at the pool went toward buying him decent clothing at the consignment shop.
The problem with me wearing last year’s things was that, although I hadn’t grown in height, my breasts had gotten bigger, as well as my butt. And although I was still five eight, same as last year, my shorts were shorter. I wasn’t sure how my legs had gotten longer but they had—or my butt was just taking up the extra room.
My hips seemed wider too. That probably wasn’t helping either. Krit turned his head to see me tugging on my shorts and I stopped. The frown that wrinkled his forehead told me he wasn’t happy. We had argued about me spending all my money on his clothes. He’d said he needed two pairs of jeans and two shirts. He could wash them every day. I refused to let him go to school with only two outfits that fit him. I had plenty. I would just need to go on a diet and make them fit me right again.
I wasn’t sure how I had managed to gain weight, but that was all that made sense. This was my fault. Not his. I smiled at him reassuringly and acted like the short length of my shorts was no big deal. Picking up my book bag I placed it in my lap as the bus pulled to a stop in front of the high school.
“We’re here,” I said, standing up.
“They’re too short. I told you to buy new ones,” was Krit’s response. He wasn’t going to let that go.
“My butt and hips got big. I just ate too much over the summer. I’ll lose weight and it’ll be fine,” I told him. “Now, forget it and focus on school.”
“We don’t get to eat enough for you to have gained weight,” he snarled.
“Do the world a favor and please, God, don’t lose weight. It would break my heart,” Green said with a flirty grin.
Krit shoved him back down in his seat and scowled at him. “Don’t. Seriously, dude. Don’t.”
I was used to Green’s flirting. He’d been at it since last year when he discovered he loved girls. It was only getting worse. I knew he was harmless, and I remembered when he was scared of the dark and wore Superman underwear. He was like my other little brother.
“I don’t like you in those shorts. Shows too much,” Krit said in an angry whisper as we stepped off the bus.
“I’m fine. No one is looking,” I told him.
He lifted his eyebrows at me. “Really? You’re gonna tell me shit like that and expect me to believe it?”
I started to tell him to shut it when my heart rate picked up and my breathing hitched. He was here. I hadn’t seen him yet. But I knew he was here and he was close by. My body always reacted that way when Rock Taylor was around. It had been like that since I stepped off the bus the first day of school last year and made eye contact with the most beautiful boy I’d ever seen.
For almost three hours I had waited anxiously for another glimpse of him. Then finally at lunchtime I saw him again. A different girl on each arm, one even sat on his lap while he ate. His friends were all the same. Girls acted ridiculous to get their attention then threw themselves at the guys who seemed to think it was their due. Like they were supposed to get to pick and choose females. When Rock had gotten up to leave the cafeteria he had looked back at me and winked. Right before another girl grabbed his arm and he walked out of the door with her. By the end of the day I knew more than I wanted to know about Rock Taylor.
“Is that Rock Taylor?” Krit asked in awe. As if Rock Taylor were a celebrity. The guy was a high school football star. So what? He was gorgeous and talented. I would give him that much. But he wasn’t anyone I wanted my little brother idolizing. Rock Taylor used girls. I’d seen it firsthand. Over and over again.
But no matter how many girls I’d seen in the bathroom in tears on a Monday morning after Rock had ignored them after sleeping with them on Friday night, my body still reacted to him. Like it was on high alert. I understood why girls always went willingly into his arms, even while knowing it would end badly.
The difference was, I had real issues to deal with. Survival being the number one issue. For me and my brother.
Ignoring his comment, I changed the subject. “Do you have your schedule? And remember: give yourself at least five full minutes to get from the upstairs classes to the downstairs classrooms. Don’t be late for lunch. You won’t have enough time to get your tray and eat. Be sure to eat it all. Okay?”
Krit gave me a crooked grin. “I got this, sis. Seriously, chill.”
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He was going to be a hit here. He had been in middle school. Krit had always been a beautiful child. Girls were noticing that more and more. I was proud of him but I also hated for him to define himself by his looks. He had so much more inside him.
“I know you do. It’s just a big day and I want it to go well for you,” I replied.
“That’s them, see ’em?” Green said while pointing back toward where I knew, without even looking, Rock stood. “They own this school. See the girls all over them? Day-um that’s awesome. We’re so gonna be them in two years.”
Krit turned to look back but I fought the urge. I knew what I would see. Dewayne Falco, Preston Drake, Marcus Hardy, and Rock Taylor looking like the kings of the world while the females did everything in their power to get their attention. They personified every cliché in the book. Dewayne was the bad boy rebel, Preston was the playboy with the smile that dropped panties everywhere, Marcus was the wealthy privileged kid, and Rock was the football star. All of them had bodies and faces that sent girls into a frenzy.
For almost three hours I had waited anxiously for another glimpse of him. Then finally at lunchtime I saw him again. A different girl on each arm, one even sat on his lap while he ate. His friends were all the same. Girls acted ridiculous to get their attention then threw themselves at the guys who seemed to think it was their due. Like they were supposed to get to pick and choose females. When Rock had gotten up to leave the cafeteria he had looked back at me and winked. Right before another girl grabbed his arm and he walked out of the door with her. By the end of the day I knew more than I wanted to know about Rock Taylor.