Naked In School

"Ah," Mama said. "And you help her, si?"

"Si. Unfortunately, the two people who are supposed to be her best friends didn’t."

"I don’t like those two, never have," Tanya said.

"And Paul broke up with her," I added.

"JEEZ!" Tanya exclaimed. "My poor sister."

"Is it that horrible, the scars I mean?" Mama asked.

"I never thought so, but I grew up with her like that," Tanya said.

"Well, I didn’t-today’s the first time I ever saw her naked-and I didn’t think they were that bad, either. People see what they want to see, I guess. Your sister’s beautiful-scars don’t change that," I said.

Tanya grinned at me. "You like my sister!"

"Of course I do, how long have we been friends?"

Tanya’s grin got wider. "No, I mean you like my sister!"

"Let’s not get carried away, here," I grinned at her. "Cassie and I are friends."

"Sure," Tanya grinned.

CHAPTER FOUR

CASSIE

The rest of the afternoon was all right, I guess. Band practice was fine. When I got home, Mom asked me to go fetch Tan from the Gutierrez’s.

I knocked on the door, and Frankie answered. "Hey. Looking for your menace of a little sister?"

"Yeah," I laughed. He let me in, and I found Tanya in the kitchen. I said hi to Rosa and Mrs. Gutierrez.

"Hi, Cass. Frankie likes you, you know," Tanya said.

"I should hope so, we’re friends," I laughed.

"No, I mean he really likes you," Tanya maintained.

"Yes, Cass. I must confess. You are the love of my life. Marry me now and have twelve babies," he joked.

"Twelve? You are crazy," I smiled back. "So, why is my sister trying to set us up, anyway?"

"She asked how it went today."

"Ah," I said with a frown.

"And Frankie said he didn’t care about your scars, that you were beautiful anyway," Tanya piped up.

"Well, you are," Frankie grinned. "Somehow, that little compliment has lead your insane sister to suddenly start shopping for a bridesmaid’s dress."

"Well, of course," I grinned. "Need I remind you, she’s twelve. Girls are all die-hard romantics at twelve."

"Ah. When I was twelve, all I cared about was learning the knuckleball," he said.

"See, you had the knuckleball. Tanya’s being a knucklehead."

"HEY!" Tanya said.

"Truth hurts, Tan," I grinned. "Come on, Mom wants you home." She came, after saying goodbye. On the way home, she said it again.

"Frankie does like you, I swear! I saw it in his eyes!"

"How would you know?" I joked. "Tanya, Frankie and I are friends. Boyfriends come and go. Friends are forever. Got me?"

"I think you’re nuts," Tanya said. "Frankie Gutierrez is the nicest guy you know." Well, she was right about that. "Hell, he’s probably the nicest person you know. Considering what he told me about Missy and Laura."

"I don’t even want to think about those two," I said.

We settled in for dinner. I told Mom and Dad all about my day. They commiserated with me about Missy and Laura.

"It’ll get better," Mom said. "It was the first day."

"I expected random strangers. Not my two best friends."

"Yeah, I can see where that was tough."

After dinner, while doing some homework, I got a phone call. It was from another friend, Vicki Langham.

"Hey, Cass," she said. "I think I should warn you about something. Frankie came over to our table at lunch and read Missy and Laura the riot act. And they’re pissed."

"He did?"

"Yeah, towards the end. I guess you were in the bathroom crying. He told them to get off their high horse, said they were shitty friends. When they went on about how ugly your scars were, he even told Laura her nose was too big and she had no tits-and then he told Missy she was overweight and had bad hair."

I couldn’t help it. I giggled. "He didn’t!"

"Yes, he did," she laughed.

"Vicki, why are you telling me this?" I asked her.

"Because I wanted you to watch out. Those two are on the warpath." She dropped her voice a little. "Honestly, I wanted to cheer Frankie on. Those two have been horrible to you. You have a lot of guts doing what you’re doing, Cassie. I mean that."

"Thanks, Vicki. I appreciate it."

I hung up the phone, and had to smile. First about Vicki-at least not all of my friends are assholes.

And about Frankie. Good ol’ even-keel, never-get-upset Frankie Gutierrez-got mad defending me. He really was a sweetheart.

I finished my homework, and went to bed.

PART TWO TUESDAY

CHAPTER FIVE FRANKIE

I woke up Tuesday morning, and ate breakfast. I walk to school-it’s close enough-and, since the middle school is right next door, Rosa walks with me. Cassie usually gets dropped off by her Mom. Since Tanya’s there, too, Rosa has a standing invitation to go with them-I probably could, too, if I asked, but we only live a half mile from school, and I like the walk. In bad weather, Mom’ll drive us-but, on a nice day, walking’s cool.

"Hey, Frankie, explain this program thing to me," Rosa asked as we walked.

"I thought you knew about it," I said to her.

"I thought I did, too, but I guess I didn’t know some of the details. You have to let people touch you? And you have to take your gym shower in the girl’s locker room?"

"Yeah."

"I don’t know if I’d want to do that. Just going nude is scary enough," she said.

"The only reason going nude is scary to me is that I’m not all that muscular or anything," I laughed. "I’d rather keep my scrawny body hidden." She giggled at that. "Outside of that, though, I don’t mind it. It’s makes you feel kind of free. You go to school with Amber Woodard, right?"

"Yeah, I know who Amber is. And I know she’s Lily’s little sister."

"Amber goes nude all the time. She was at one of our ball games nude last week."

"HUH?" Rosa was dumbfounded. I told her what Lily had told me, about the school carnival, and how Amber found she enjoyed being nude.

"I don’t believe it," Rosa said. "I thought maybe I’d be more comfortable with it when I got older."

"You might," I agreed. "Amber’s pretty gutsy."

"Well, with Lily for a sister, she’d have to be," Rosa giggled. "All the girls in sixth grade think that Lily’s the greatest. Imagine, she’s a girl, and she’s the best pitcher on the team!"

"Yadda yadda yadda," I teased. "And the second best pitcher on the team-who only happens to be your brother-is overwhelmed by your support."

"Oh, Frankie, you know you’re my favorite player. "

"Uh-huh," I grinned.

"Are you jealous of her?" Rosa asked.

"A little, I’ll admit it. I tell her that all the time. But only a little. I like Lily too much to really be jealous. Look, I’m good. I had a good year last year, and so far I’m doing great this year. Lily, however, is special."

"Yeah," Rosa agreed. "I’ve got a question for you."

"Shoot. Is this about ‘Madre de Dios’?"

She giggled. "No. Look, was Tanya right?"

"What, about me liking Cassie as more than friends?" Rosa nodded. "No. Been there, done that, don’t ever want to do it again."

"What do you mean?"

"A couple of times, I’ve taken female friends and tried to make it into something more. It doesn’t work. It just doesn’t work. Rosa, I’m everybody’s buddy. Girls want to be my pal, not my girlfriend. I’ve been friends with Cassie for a long time. It would never work."

"I think any girl would be lucky to have you as a boyfriend," Rosa said.

"That’s a sweet thing to say," I smiled at her. "But, unfortunately, that’s not the way it works. And I don’t think that it would work most especially with Cassie. Look, I know who she’s gone out with in the past. She’s attracted to good-looking musclehead assholes. She’s not attracted to scrawny Mexican pitchers."