Small Problem -15- by Melanie Brown

Small Problem

Part 15

“What is this? Is that you?” asked Chad.

I sighed. “Do me a favor and delete that, please?”

“Is it you?” pressed Chad.

I hung my head and sat roughly on my cot. “Yes. That’s my mug shot from when I got arrested this weekend.”

Chad sat on my chair at my computer. “Arrested? Holy shit, Amanda. What did you do? Rob a convenience store? What?”

I felt tears welling up again. “I didn’t do anything! And now my mug shot will be all over school!”

Not willing to let a sleeping dog lie, Chad pressed on. “Amanda, why did you get arrested?”

I sighed. “You know that cheerleader party Marcia had? Well, Cathy called Jon to come pick us up. On the way home, his car broke down. Unfortunately, Owen shows up and offers to take us home. Cat decides to stay with Jon, so I get in the car with Owen. He’s supposed to take me straight home. You know how Mom doesn’t like him? He’s supposed to take me straight home, but he decides to take a detour over to Hereford County to watch a street race.”

Nodding, Chad said, “Oh yeah. I heard the sheriff’s department set up a sting operation to catch street racers. Something about them screwing things up.”

I laughed humorlessly. “No shit. I was basically arrested for being fourteen in Hereford County. They arrested Owen for trafficking an underage girl, me! for sex. They searched me in cavities I didn’t even know I had trying to find any of Owen’s sperm so he could be arrested for statutory rape. It was horrible. Finally, a county judge took one look at the arrests and dismissed all charges.”

Chad’s eyes were as big as saucers. “Oh my God, girl!”

I sighed. “You probably hate me and want the thumb drive back. I don’t blame you.”

Chad grinned. “That’s awesome! I’m dating a woman with a checkered past!”

I chuckled. “Well, living through it wasn’t quite as funny as it probably sounds.”

Chad wiped a tear away from my cheek. “I agree this sucks, and anyone looking at this picture of you would get the wrong impression.” He popped up the keyboard on his phone. “I’m going to text everyone on the team, including Coach, asking they not only not share the picture but delete it too, as it unfairly hurts a squad member. I’m reminding everyone of their oath to protect the squad.”

I gave Chad a weak smile. “Thanks. I feel so humiliated.”

He leaned over and kissed me. “Hey. You’re my girl. Nobody messes with you.” We both stood up and hugged. I wasn’t sure how I felt about being claimed as someone’s girl.

“I need to help Mom with dinner. Thanks for the thumb drive.”

Chad nodded. “I need to get home, too. And hey, if you get lost or confused tomorrow at school, look for someone on the team. We’ll help you.”

I walked him to the door and stood on my tiptoes to kiss him.

*  *  *

I was petrified.

“Will you get out of the shower, dork? We all need to get ready!”

“I’m not leaving!” I exclaimed.

Cathy angrily shouted through the bathroom door, “Get out of the shower now, or Mom and I are going to drag you out.”

I turned off the water and just stood in the shower and dripped for a minute. Finally, I grabbed a towel and started drying off. I didn’t want to go to school anyway, but now that my mug shot will probably be pasted on every wall, I definitely didn’t want to go.

Cathy opened the bathroom door and was enveloped in the steam. “It’s like a sauna in here! Any hot water left?” she demanded.

“Will you girls hurry up!” Mom scolded. “The water in my shower turned cold on me.”

Cathy said, “At least you have your own shower!”

“I wasn’t in there that long!” I exclaimed as I slipped past Cathy to get to my room.

“You were in there half an hour!” A moment later, she whined, “Mom, I won’t be able to do my makeup because Amanda got the mirrors fogged over!”

Mom shouted, “Use the mirror in your room.”

“All my stuff’s in the bathroom!”

Mom sighed. “We can’t do this every morning.” There was a pause, and then Mom asked, 

“Amanda, are you dressed yet?”

“No. I can’t find the clothes you left out.”

Mom stormed into my room and picked up the clothes. “They’re right here where I left them. Now get dressed.”

“I’m not going,” I announced. What’s the point? I’m more educated than the teachers. Could any of them build a nanite army that can overwrite basic cell structure?”

Grumbling from her room, where Cathy was attempting to do her makeup, she said, “And I bet none of them would be stupid enough to try it on themselves!”

“Cathy! Your father wasn’t stupid,” scolded Mom. “He was careless.”

“You know I’m right here,” I shouted.

“Mom, what should I say when I’m asked about my sister being arrested for prostitution?”

I ran into Cathy’s room and shouted, “I was not arrested for prostitution! But I am about to be arrested for murder!”

Mom shouted, “Girls! Girls! Knock it off. You’re driving me insane. You both have ten minutes to finish getting ready or I’ll take you to school even if you’re naked.”

“I don’t have my make-up on yet!” I squealed.

Mom laughed. “Until a few weeks ago, that’s something I never imaged you saying.”

“Is it my fault women have this weird fetish of painting their faces?” I asked.

Mom stepped into my room. “You don’t have to do it. We’re leaving in five minutes.”

As I brushed on my mascara, I said, “I still don’t want to go.”

“You’re over-ruled,” said Mom flatly.

As we piled into Mom’s car, she said, “We’re not doing this tomorrow, We’re going work out a schedule.”

It was a relatively quiet drive to school. Cathy and I both sat quietly, lost in our own thoughts.

As Mom drove on to her work after letting us out, we just stood on the sidewalk watching kids enter the school. Cathy asked, “Do you know where you’re supposed to go?”

I shook my head. “Not really. Is it the boys' gym first for schedules?”

Cathy nodded. “Yeah. Our first real classes don’t start today until third period. We pick up our schedules in the boys’ gym, then we go to our homeroom classes which are usually second period. We’ll walk to the gym together.”

I have to admit. I felt very intimidated surrounded by all these kids. And what made it worse was that I was considered to be part of them. Kids waving, shouting and just talking as they filled the halls. I hung close to Cathy. She was used to this and I wasn’t.

As we made our way to the boys’ gym, I wasn’t challenged about my mug shot. My guess is I’m known only to a handful of the student population. Even if they saw the picture most would probably go “Yeah? So?” At least, that’s what I was hoping.

On entering the gym, we saw tables segregated by letters corresponding to last name. 

Several teachers sat at each table and students were lining up. The “A” and “B” obviously had longer lines than the “Q” and “Z” lines. Cathy and I both headed to the “M” line which thankfully was fairly short. At least for now.

One teacher at our table greeted Cathy with a grin. “Cathy! Good to see you. Ready for another exciting year?”

Cathy grinned. “Sure am, coach!”

I looked at the teacher and then back to Cathy. “Coach?”

Cathy laughed. “We have more than one girls coach. Coach Langtree coaches the dance team.”

The coach looked at me with a wide grin. “You two look identical!”

Grinning, Cathy said, “Coach Langtree, this is my little sister, Amanda.”

Coach Langtree said, “And you’re both on the squad. We’re going to have a fun year, for sure. Okay, girls. Here’s your information packets along with class schedules. And since you’re both in athletics, you need to go over to the table with all the coaches to get your permission forms. And Amanda, welcome to the home of the Mighty Tigers!”

Coach Renwick turned in her chair as we approached the table. “Good morning, girls. Glad to see you here.” She pointed at the football coach. "I’m sure you know Coach Riley, and that mean-looking fellow behind him is Coach Browning, the head coach. If you have a squad-related issue and you can’t find me or Coach Langtree,  you can go to either one of them.”

Coach Browning grinned at me. “Since you look just like her, I’m going to guess you’re Cathy’s sister. This is your first year here, right?”

I nodded. “Yes, sir.”

He continued to grin. “Welcome aboard. We consider the team and the squad to be a big happy family.”

I just smiled nervously.

They handed us the permission forms Mom will have to sign. We turned to leave the gym and before we got the door, I just froze.

Cathy looked at me curiously. “What’s wrong, Amanda?’

“I can’t do this. The shit just got real. I don’t know how to be a girl. I don’t know what I’m doing. Everyone will expect me to have the same life-long experience you have. Boys will be talking to me, doing dumb things like asking me to dances and shit. And I did not like the way that Coach Browning was looking at me.”

Cathy took my hand. “Calm down, Amanda. Everything will be fine. You’ll fit right in. You remember how things were when you went to school before? And since you’re beautiful like me, you’re going to get boys’ attention. And believe me, nobody likes Coach Browning. Look. I’m here. Chad’s here. You’re friends with everyone on the squad, and several guys on the team know you. You’re surrounded by friends. So relax! We have the same lunch period, so I’ll meet you outside the cafeteria.”

“I hope you’re right,” I said dourly.

“I’ll walk you to your homeroom,” Cathy said pleasantly. “One of the things you got along with your schedule is a map of the school. I suggest you take a look at it during homeroom.” I nodded.

We parted ways at my homeroom. I found an empty desk along the far wall from the door. I sat down and pulled out my schedule and map, and started studying them.  A boy sat down at the empty desk in front of me. He turned around and smiled at me.

“Hi. “I’m Bobby.”

This was going to be a long day.

End of Part 15 Small Problem.