Chapter Two
“A what?” screams Maddie down the phone.
“A Virginity Club.” I reply, trying extra specially hard to stop giggling. This is, after all, serious business. “You know, where everyone pledges to stay a virgin until they get married. You must have heard of them.”
I make it sound like they’re everywhere, but to be honest when Rachel gave me the leaflet my reaction was much the same as Maddie’s is now.
“Of course I’ve heard of them. Just never thought one would cross my path.” She pauses a moment. “Geez, I can’t believe you’re joining a Virginity Club.”
She laughs so loud I have to hold the phone away from my ear. Not that I’m surprised. I mean, me and a Virginity Club is hardly a match made in heaven.
“I didn’t say I was joining.”
“It sounded like it to me. You’re so funny, this beats the staple-gun incident hands down.”
“That was an accident, and you know it. Although I’m not saying she didn’t deserve it, after the rumors she spread. Anyway, all I’ve agreed to do is go to the meeting and see what it’s all about.”
“Why?”
“Because everyone belongs. Apart from the school tarts, and a few geeks, and—well, there are lots of members.” I think. I don’t actually know how widespread membership is, but I won’t mention that for the moment.
“And now you. I know you want to turn over a new leaf after everything that happened, and I fully back you; but really, this is going too far.”
Maybe she’s right, but I don’t care. It’s too important for me not to take every opportunity to be one of the in crowd and achieve my goal.
“I told you, I’m just going to look. And don’t worry, I’ll tell you all about it. All I know so far is it’s called ‘Wait for Love’.”
“Wait for Love?” She makes loud vomit noises. “That name is so awful it’s not funny.”
“I know. I felt like reaching for the bucket myself when I heard it. But it’s only a name. I’m going to go with an open mind and then decide.”
“Look, I hate to burst your bubble. But aren’t you forgetting something?”
I drop down onto my bed and lean against the headboard, crossing my legs underneath me.
“And it’s taken you this long to mention it.” I laugh. “You’re definitely slipping Maddie. Most definitely slipping.”
“Well?”
“Well, I know that technically I don’t qualify for membership, but—”
“Technically? What do you mean technically? Is there any other way to qualify? You’re either a virgin or you’re not. And you my friend are not.”
“There’s no need to put it quite like that. What I meant to say was, although I might not be a virgin I’ve only done it once (well, twice but in the same session) and that was over a year ago. So I could well have closed up. Which means that although technically I’m not virgin, in reality it could well seem like I am when I do it again.”
That has to qualify as the most stupid thing I’ve said in a long time. And judging by the snorts coming down the phone Maddie thinks so too.
“Suzy. I’m going to miss you soooo much. No-one else I know could say something like that and get away with it. Maybe they’ll let you in if you explain your re-virginisation theory. I can see it now. You’ll stand up and say ‘my name is Suzy Green and I’ve been re-virginised. And I take the pledge to remain so until I next have sex.’”
“Stop it,” I say, laughing so much tears stream down my face. “I’m trying to be serious.”
I reach over, grab a tissue from the box on my bedside table and wipe my eyes. I really should laugh more often.
“Yeah, me too.” I can almost see Maddie’s eyes rolling toward the ceiling and her head shaking in reproach. “Anyway, I still don’t understand why it’s such a big deal.”
“Because Lori’s a member.” How pathetic does that sound? I really need to get a grip.
“And Lori is?” I detect a note of sarcasm in Maddie’s voice. But I don’t know why. It’s not like Lori and I are best buddies or anything. We hardly know each other. Unlike Maddie and me. We go as far back as kindergarten, and apart from a couple of weeks when we were fourteen (which was very silly and over some boy who turned out to be a complete dick) we’ve always been best friends.
“A girl at school. She has to look after me and show me around.”
“What’s she like?”
“Cool. Really clever and sporty. And she’s pretty. But not up herself,” I add quickly, before Maddie has a chance to say anything, which she’s quite likely to when you think about our views on the in-crowd at my old school— views we weren’t reluctant to express. “You’d like her. She’s okay.”
“Sounds like Rosie.” The tone of Maddie’s voice drops a little when she mentions my sister Rosie. Or should I say ex-sister. That doesn’t sound right. I don’t mean ex as in isn’t my sister anymore. I mean ex as in Rosie is dead. “Sorry I shouldn’t have said anything.”
“No it’s okay. I don’t mind talking about her.” Not to Maddie. Anyone else, well—some things are best left unsaid. At least they are until I can deal with it better. “And now you mention it I suppose Lori is a bit like Rosie. A passing resemblance, maybe.”
In a pale imitation sort of way. Rosie is, I mean was, unique. Everyone loved her. There was nothing she couldn’t do. And no-one could have wished for a cooler older sister. And she was as popular as they come. Yet she always had time for everyone—unlike the aforementioned in-crowd. So where’s the problem in me wanting to be like Rosie? Especially as I know Mom and Dad want me to be more like her—even if it’s the total opposite of how I’ve been for most of my seventeen years.
“So this Lori. She’s the reason you want to join the VC?”
“VC?”
“Duh. Virginity Club. You know the place you’re wangling entry into, despite falling a tad short on the entry criteria.”
“Oh, that VC. No it’s not because of her. And before you ask it’s not because of Guy either.” Oops, I didn’t mean to let that slip just yet.
For the second time a snort echoes in my ear. Maddie really needs to control herself. I’m feeling more and more like I’m on a farm.
“Excuse me,” she splutters. “Guy? Who is Guy?”
“Just some guy,” I say, sniggering at my sad attempts at a joke. “Who happens to be hot,” I add, sort of under my breath but it comes out louder than I intend.
“And who also happens to belong to the club. Now that’s more like the Suzy I’ve come to know and love. If there’s a guy-Guy involved then I can see why you want to join.”
“That’s not the only reason, though it may have a slight bearing on my decision. But really it’s all to do with my plan to become miss-perfect student, who the teachers don’t pick on for no reason at all. And if it means hanging out with the popular kids to achieve this, then I’m prepared to make the sacrifice.” I let out a huge sigh for effect.
“So, homework in on time from now on. No more cheeking teachers. And joining all the right clubs, with all the right people.”
“You can mock. But let me tell you being good all the time is a lot harder than our usual trouble-making modus operandi.”
“Modus operandi? One day at your new elite school and you’re spouting Latin. I can’t bear it.”
“Shut up,” I say giggling. “This is serious business. And not just involving my behavior. I’ve had a total appearance overhaul as well, remember.”
“Oh to be a fly on the wall. And, by the way, I’m still waiting to hear what this guy looks like.”
A smile breaks out on my face as I think about him and my heart skips a beat. Oh dear. I think I’ve got it bad.
“He’s hot. With blond hair that curls a little over his ears. And he has pale blue eyes and such a killer smile.” I can feel a blush creeping up my face.
“And I bet he’s up himself. Guys like that usually are.”
“No he’s not,” I say hotly. “He’s confident. Well who wouldn’t be looking like that? And he’s in the football team.”
“Hmm. He doesn’t sound like your usual type.”
“I don’t know what you mean.” Actually I do but that’s beside the point.
“A blond, blue-eyed, sporty, alleged virgin—’
“What do you mean alleged?”
“Well, guys like that just belong to these clubs for their image.”
“How do you work that out exactly?”
“Simple. What better way to get a girl if she thinks he doesn’t want them just for sex.”
“Maddie not all guys spend their time wondering if they’ll get to third base you know.”
“Hmmm. If you say so.”
“Well, I do. And for the record he definitely is my type.” As from now.
“Come on Suzy. This is me you’re talking to. If you’d have said, cute, laid back, with a cheeky grin then that would be different. You’ve never gone for the obvious. Because of their obvious deficiencies.”
Yes, and where has not going for the obvious got me? Precisely nowhere. Maddie and I are not exactly top of the in-crowd’s party list. We might spend our time drooling over various guys but that’s about it, being asked us out happens rarely.
“Anyway, it doesn’t matter because he’s hardly going to notice me. Not with the likes of Lori around. And for all I know he’s already seeing someone.” I was going to ask Lori about that then changed my mind at the last minute in case she told him.
“Here we go again. Putting yourself down. Why wouldn’t he notice you?”
“You want a list?”
“Yeah. And don’t come out with the usual crap about your hair.”
“Hair is important,” I moan.
“But not the be all and end all. Come on, why else won’t he notice you, hmm?”
“It’s no use talking to you. You’re deliberately being difficult.” I hold the phone against my ear with my shoulder, fold my arms and stick out my bottom lip.
“Stop sulking. Just because I’m not in your room doesn’t mean I don’t know what you’re doing.” I swear she’s got the gift, even if she does deny it. “So, tell me more about this elite school.”
“You’d just die if you could see the uniform,” I say, my tense muscles relaxing and brief tantrum forgotten. “And they all conform. Not a non-regulation item to be found on any of them. It’s like being a Stepford Student. And don’t get me started on the shoes. I’ve already got through a packet of blister plasters.”
“And your tongue stud?” Did she have to remind me of that? Losing it caused me a great deal of angst.
“What do you think? I had to say goodbye to it. After all that time keeping it a secret. And now, in the space of a few of hours, you’d never even know it had been there. The hole’s totally closed up.”
“Is there anything good about the place, not counting guy-Guy?”
Good question. Apart from the obvious, as in if I play my cards right I’ll be heading for the right college with the right people, doing the right course and being a daughter any parent would be proud of. I can’t let them down again. I just can’t.
“Sure. The guys in my classes seem okay.” I pause for a moment. My mind’s gone a total blank. “Anyway, it’s too early to decide. I’ll tell you one thing, though. For a top school the work isn’t that hard. I couldn’t believe it, I thought I’d have loads of catching up to do. But not so far.”
“You watch it. If you’re not careful you’ll be the class nerd.”
“Yeah, right. In your dreams.” Or should I say mine?