Wednesday, March 30, 2011

Excerpt

They were sitting on Jacob’s bed, with him leaning against the headboard. He looked as if he was trying to explain something to someone who just wasn’t getting it, even though she also knew he understood what she was saying.
“Lauren. What I’m saying is this: Mrs. Williams was right in that you don’t have to put up with it. With or without the school’s support, you can stop them by whatever means you think necessary, as long as you choose intelligently and it doesn’t endanger other people. Contrary to what Dad says, you can hit one of them if he touches you, tries to touch you or if, for any reason, you feel that you can’t get away from him otherwise. And the school could do something about it, if they wanted to risk the damage it would do to their reputation.”
“What do you mean?”
“I mean you’re a generally good student, you’ve never even been in detention for anything more than having forgotten your ID badge, you don’t drink and you don’t smoke. Plus, you dress like I do, except in girl’s clothes and have never bothered with make-up. Long story short, you can’t be making it up because why would you? You can’t be crazy because your grades are good and you don’t drink or smoke, plus it would be documented by now if you were.”
“Ha ha.”
“Thought you’d like that. Also, it can’t be claimed that you encouraged them because you prefer T-shirts and jeans and you don’t flirt. There’s nothing they could say to excuse their actions, or lack thereof, and just trying it would make them look worse than they already would.”
“So, what are you suggesting I do?”
“Whatever you have to. If possible, cover your rear when you do. For now though, keep researching sexual harassment. Like they say, knowledge is power.”
“But knowledge isn’t making it stop. It’s just pissing me off because I know more about the wrongness of it.”
He laughed, much to her irritation. “That’s because you haven’t decided yet what you’re going to do to stop it. You’re still wrapped up in the possible consequences of defending yourself. When you get to the point where you can see things more clearly, knowledge will be very useful.”
“And how do you know all this?”
“I just do. But, you know, worst case scenario, you could say ‘to Hell with it’ and knock one of them out because you feel like it. I guarantee he won’t come near you again.” They both laughed.
* * *

…Some say there’s no hope at all but I know… Chasen’s a nice band to wake up to… Rise up when it gets us down. It’ll be the voice in a blaring crowd… Your love will lead us home. It goes on and on and on and on…Man, I wish I could just stay home today. Finish listening to this song, cut the radio off and go back to sleep…Of course, to do that, I would first have to get up…Oh well.
Cautiously opening her eyes, she squinted against the sunlight streaming around one side of her curtain and swore for the umpteenth time to weigh that side of the curtain down with something so it wouldn’t shift with the air from the vent. Groan. She wiped the crusty stuff from her eyes. B day, and all the bull that goes with it. Its first period with Kyle and Trey, then fourth period with Braden and Andrew, but at least I shouldn’t see any of them at lunch today. Grunt. “Shouldn’t” being the key word there. Rolling herself out and onto her feet, she was out the door just behind her brother.
“About time, Sleepy-Head,” he teased her with a mischievous grin.
“Oh, please,” she smirked. “You were one minute ahead of me and you know it.”
“But I was ahead of you. And, to think, you got a whole 30 minutes more sleep not having to ride the bus today.”
“Yeah, yeah.” Climbing into the passenger seat of his car and tossing her bag in the back, she muttered, “I hate school.”
“Me, too. Fortunately, this year at least is almost over.”
“Yes, and then I have two more.”
“Well yeah, but…anyway, let’s go.”
I’m going to have to make a point of coming back here one day with a digital camera. Such a wonderful view in most any direction that it almost begs the question as to how such beauty can exist somewhere that lets such bad things happen. A mask? She looked above the passing trees at the exposed rock face of one of the nearby mountains. Not having a camera, I’d love to sit out here sometime and draw the mountains, sky, and endless trees. If I ever got the time that is, and was in the mood to draw at the same time… As they rounded a turn, she looked down at a dirt road winding through the woods. I wonder if people really live down these roads. Four-wheel drives—gotta love ‘em, ‘cause Lord knows, it’s the only way you’re gonna get in or out of there after a storm like that one we had a couple weeks ago. Still immersed in her thoughts when they pulled into the parking lot of Battered Rock High School, she was struck anew by just how many people can be in a given space without being part of an event. Some thousand students here I think someone said.
“I’m going to say hi to Scott. See you in a couple minutes.”
“See ya.” Got fifteen minutes ‘til the bell rings. Wonder what’s for breakfast today, and will I need those cereal bars before lunch. Heading for the cafeteria, she stepped around people and groups without conscious thought. Oh, crap! There’s a test in Psychology today that I completely forgot about. Guess I’ll be spending part of Study Hall looking at my notes… Walking between a big-wheel truck and a low-rider, she stepped around another group of students.
“Hey, Lauren. How you doin’?”
Turning, she came face to face with Kyle and froze. He was still leaning casually against the back passenger-side door, yet there seemed a sort of tension in his muscles as if he was ready to move at a moment’s notice. She knew her face had gone pale. Why is he out here? I never see him out here this early. As the realization dawned that he may have been waiting for her, she started to walk away.
“Why’re you scared? I’m not gonna hurt you.”
He was laughing at her. It was tempting to rip into him just for that, but she continued to walk. She knew somehow that he wasn’t going to just let her go...
Arms.