Naked In School

"You’re a nut," I beamed at him. We were out in the halls, which were starting to get crowded. Everybody was staring at me being carried down the hall.

"You’d better put me down," I said. "We’re causing a scene. Besides, if you throw your back out and can’t pitch I’ll never forgive myself."

"Ah, you don’t weigh anything, and I’m stronger than I look." But he put me down. Probably because so many people were gathering around and staring and laughing that it would’ve taken us a year to get to the lunchroom!

CHAPTER TWENTY-FIVE FRANKIE

You know, I thought I knew what sex was. After yesterday with Cass, I even thought I knew what great sex was. What had just happened in art? I’m not even sure that was sex. I think it was a step higher, or something. It was incredible.

And I liked carrying her down the halls. Thought, it’s true, I don’t know how long my back would’ve liked it.

After what had happened in the past hour, I had the sinking feeling I was going to pitch like shit this afternoon!

Anyhow, we got to lunch, and the first thing we noticed at the table was Amanda and Natalie-both in the art class-staring at us in open-mouthed awe.

"That," Amanda said, "was the most incredible thing I’ve ever seen."

"That works, because it’s the most incredible thing I’ve ever done," Cassie replied.

"Ditto," I threw in.

"What happened?" Ed asked. Natalie and Amanda explained it, with Cass and I throwing in our two cents.

"That sounds like it was something else," Lily said.

"Yeah. Oh, that reminds me. Did you hear about the other something else going on today?" I asked her.

"No, what?"

"Your sister decided to unofficially start up the program in sixth grade. She’s traipsing around Westport Middle School naked."

"You’re kidding!" Lily laughed. "Wait, how do you know this?"

"Because she’s got company," I grinned. "My sister Rosa-and Cassie’s sister Tanya."

"We walked here naked," Cassie said, "and Rosa and Tan decided to join in. When we got to the middle school and they said they needed to get dressed, Amber overheard them and suggested they don’t get dressed, and that she’d strip, too. They agreed, and we saw them walk into the schoolyard together."

"That’s rich," Lily laughed. "Leave it to Amber, the little exhibitionist. She’ll be at the game today, I can’t wait to ask her what happened."

"Yeah, I get to go to the whole game today, too," Cassie said. I looked at her. "No band practice. We have a concert tomorrow."

"Oh, yeah, that thing in the park," I said. "And you in the nude," I teased.

"Are you coming?"

"Of course," I said.

Just then, there was an announcement over the loudspeaker. "All juniors will report to the auditorium after lunch. Repeat, all members of the junior class will report to the auditorium after lunch."

"Hmm. Wonder what that’s about," Ed said.

"They’re giving an award to Frankie and Cassie," Natalie giggled. "Most inspirational poses in art class."

"I already got my award," Cassie said impishly.

"Uh-huh," Natalie grinned. "Well, I guess we’ll find out soon enough."

We finished lunch, and the group of us headed for the auditorium. Mr. Tilling was on stage as we all filed in.

"Can I have your attention?" he said, after the auditorium had filled. The room quieted down.

"The reason we’re hear is to talk about a little problem we’ve had this week. Could I ask Cassandra Vyshenko to please come up on stage?" Cassie looked at me, obviously nervous. I just squeezed her hand and smiled at her. She smiled back, and headed up on stage.

"Now, Cassie, as we all can see, you’ve been in the program all week. What your classmates might not know is you asked to be placed in it. Can you tell us why?"

Cassie took a deep breath and said, "Well, as you can all see, I have scars. I was in a serious car accident when I was eight. And the scars have affected my life negatively. I’m too self-conscious about them. So, I wanted to do the program to kind of get over it."

"Has it worked?"

"Actually, yes," she grinned. "It started out kind of rough, and there were a couple of incidents that were very rough-but it’s ended up working. I’m going to go to the mall this weekend and buy six belly shirts," she grinned. The whole auditorium laughed at that. "But it’s worked, I got great support from my partner, Frankie Gutierrez-who’s now my boyfriend." She was interrupted by applause. "Yeah, I’ll applaud that, too," she laughed. "And I also got great support from his friends, and a few of mine, and even people I don’t know. I think people got more used to the scars as the week went on. All the guys in here who decided to ignore the scars and have been feeling me up the last two days-thank you very much!" The class applauded again-especially the guys!-and even Mr. Tilling was chuckling.

"I’m glad to hear this," Mr. Tilling said, "but there’s been a few glitches, haven’t there."

"Yes," Cassie said with a grimace. "The pictures. And the writing on Mr. Riley’s map. I was humiliated by the pictures. But I decided not to be humiliated anymore. I’d like to see whoever did that go through what I went through this week."

"You will. Will Melissa Jenkins and Laura Elliot please come up on stage?" Mr. Tilling said. I could see a commotion over in the corner. Missy and Laura plainly didn’t want to go up there, but they were being escorted by adults. I knew one of them-Missy’s father, who was a city council member.

"OK, Missy and Laura, we now have proof that the two of you did, at least, the pictures. Copies of those pictures were found on your computers," Mr. Tilling said. Missy and Laura looked like they wanted to crawl under a rock. "And we’ve got both your parents here. What you did to Cassie was inexcusable. I have discussed applicable punishments with your parents."

"Both of you will be entering the program next week."

"WHAT!" I saw Missy yell. "You can’t!" she cried. Laura seemed far more sanguine about it.

"Yes, he can," Missy’s father said.

"I can and I am. Both of you will report to my office Monday morning to meet your partners. And you will be in school naked all next week." He turned back to the class. Missy was crying. Serves her right, I thought. "And, the rest of you? I hope you get a lesson out of this. Cassie did something incredibly brave this week. Most of you respected that-but some people didn’t. And a few people went way too far. The Program is a reality at Westport High School, and anyone going through it will be treated with respect. Dismissed-please head to your sixth period classes."

I waited for Cassie to come down off stage, and we headed out.

"This is going to be tough for Missy," Cass told me. "She’s as self-conscious about her weight as I am about my scars."

"I’d like to say that maybe she’ll learn something, but, after what she did, I don’t know if she’s capable of that," I said.

"Too true."

We separated and went to our sixth period class.

CHAPTER TWENTY-SIX CASSIE

After the school day was over-my last in The Program-I got my naked butt over to the baseball field. Jared, Amanda, and Natalie were already there.

Natalie had her sketchbook. "Naked Frankie pitching pictures, coming right up!" she laughed.

"Hey, did you put anything in the arts festival tomorrow?" I asked her.

"Yeah. I just got done talking to Mrs. Taylor about that just now." She grinned. "She actually asked me to put in the one from today, the first pose. So the whole town is going to see a drawing of you straddling Frankie. I hope you don’t mind."

"Why would I mind?" I laughed.