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“It was dark! I couldn’t see anything.” She held her hand up and curled her fingers toward the palm, like she was squeezing an imaginary penis. “I think it was about this big.”
“That seems big enough.” I didn’t have any frame of reference. I’d never seen one in person either. And what I saw on the internet terrified me.
“What about you?” Brandi asked. “Got any big plans for you and Mark tonight?”
“We’ve never even gone out,” I answered. “This will be our first time doing anything together. Maybe I’ll make out with him.” I paused. “If the night goes well.”
“Slut,” Brandi teased, pulling away the curling iron. She cupped my hair and gave it a little bounce. “There. You look perfect.”
“Are you sure?” I asked, looking at myself in the mirror. I’d never dressed up like this before, and felt self-conscious about everything.
“Positive. Mark Thompson will be begging to make out with you, guaranteed. I’ll meet you in the kitchen?”
“Be there in a minute,” I replied.
When she was gone, I went to my bedside table and pulled out my journal. Inside was a signed photograph of the Jonas Brothers. Knowing that I was too old for such things, I kissed my fingers and pressed them to the photo.
“Wish me luck, boys,” I said.
As I turned away, I glanced out my window. The house next door was one story like ours, but the next house was larger. One of the windows on the second floor was lit, and motion caught my eye. Jack Franco stood there, facing something I couldn’t see to the left. Probably a mirror, because he was straightening his bow tie.
He looks really good, I thought. Jack Franco had been a thorn in my side ever since we moved in, but there was one undeniable fact: he was growing into a handsome young man. Just in the last year, he had grown a few inches, and year-round sports had given him broad shoulders and thick muscles. It’s too bad he’s such a jerk.
“Well doesn’t A look… mature,” our mother said when I left my bedroom. She was standing by the front door, smoking a cigarette.
“Mature?” I said.
“You don’t look like a helpless little girl,” she said. “For once.”
It was the closest thing to a compliment I could remember receiving from her. Even Brandi looked surprised.
“Thanks.”
“You can thank me by not getting yourself knocked up tonight,” she barked. “That goes for you too, B. Take it from me: nothing destroys your life more than an unwanted pregnancy.”
“We’re well aware,” Brandi replied. “You’ve driven home that lesson every week for the past sixteen years.”
“And I’ll keep driving the point home until you’re out of my house. Don’t think you can get knocked up and stay under my roof. I’ll send you packing. Maybe that’ll teach you to listen to me for once.”
“I don’t plan on doing anything like that tonight,” I said curtly. Glancing at Brandi, I added, “Neither of us do.”
Our mother snorted. “You can tell yourselves whatever you want.”
The doorbell rang, making all of us jump.
“They’re here! Our dates are here!” Brandi hissed excitedly. She looked at herself in her cell phone camera, then opened the door. I held my breath.
But there was only one boy standing there. Brandi’s date.
“Hi, Mrs. Ford,” Kyle said sheepishly. “Hi, Brandi. Wow. You look amazing.”
Brandi glanced at me, then frowned with concern. “Where’s Mark?”
Kyle’s cheeks turned red, and he avoided looking in my direction. “We were all going to ride together, but he texted me an hour ago and said he was going to drive separate. I, uh, don’t know where he is. I’m a few minutes early, so he’ll probably be here soon.”
All of us knew it was a lie. Even our mother, based on the sneer she was giving me.
“I’m not leaving Alyssa,” Brandi said. “If Mark is late, we can just wait here for him.”
