Free Becky's Kiss by Nicholas Fisher

at each other. Becky suddenly realized that these were Joe’s friends, and she was about to ask, and rather rudely, where they all were five minutes ago. The boy with the big ears and crew cut seemed to read her mind, speaking earnestly, with a bit of a lisp.
    “We were at a stage crew meeting for the assembly next week. Joey’s not with us because he has a conflict with robotics. We walked in when Cody Hatcher was throwing the grapes.” He paused. “We all have our bullies.” He looked at Becky directly then. “Nice arm.” Everyone at the table nodded.
    “Thanks,” Becky said. The guy giggled nervously, grinned foolishly, and began playing church and steeple with his fingers. The red head tapped his arm, widened her eyes, and nodded towards Becky.
    “Right,” the boy said. “My name’s Shane, and I win the Science Olympiad every year.” He looked back at the skinny red head. “That’s Beth. She writes songs. She played guitar at the Philadelphia folk festival in 2010 and won the music award in eighth grade at Paxon Creek.” He angled his head over at hippie-hair. “Justin’s just sick with computers, and he invented three video games. We call Brandon ‘Fluffy,’ because he never takes his hat off, and Jill is weird, but she’s really nice.”
    The big girl leaned over, her necklaces swinging and clacking all over the place.
    “You’re interesting,” she said. “Could I pierce your ears? I have some hoops with rubies at the bottom that would really bring out your eyes.”
    “We could have a party,” Beth said, crossing her legs, almost folding into herself. “I’ll bring my acoustic and play you three songs no one ever heard before.”
    “My Mom can make Amish Whoopie Pies,” said Fluffy.
    “With fudge icing?” Shane said.
    “Is there any other way?”
    “Mmmm,” they all said so simultaneously it seemed rehearsed. They were all smiling. Justin looked around the group shyly, then, and said,
    “I’ve been forming a new battle program. It has super heroes, but I haven’t worked out the villains yet except for some empty prototypes. I’ll bring my laptop.”
    Joe smiled and clapped his hands together like a little boy.
    “Yes, it’s an ear piercing party. Piercing, music, and villains.”
    He focused on Becky.
    “We can we come over, can’t we?”
    Everyone leaned in, looking at her.
    “Tomorrow,” she said. “After school. I’ll tell my mother to bring home a tray from the Superfresh when she gets off shift.” For a second then she died inside, embarrassed that her mother was so the cliché of the weird lady at the supermarket, but Shane’s eyes had gone dreamy.
    “Ooh,” he said. “Superfresh, really? That’s neat. I like their corned beef.”
    “They have the only rawhide bones Chippy will play with, like at all,” Fluffy added. Jill’s eyes had gone distant like Shane’s. “Nice Revlon products, non-foods, aisle four,” she said.
    “If your mom brought home a tray that would be awesome,” Beth said. “But in case she can’t, I could bring hot wings, Tostitos, and guacamole.” She looked at Becky closely and lowered her voice almost to a whisper. “Do you think your mom will like me? I need a job and I think I’d be a good cashier. Is she nice or mean?”
    “Nervous.”
    Beth smiled.
    “Just like my mom.”
    They all got out their phones and did the ritual trading of phone numbers and Facebooks and screen names. They took some pictures together in different pairs, told silly jokes, and time flew.
    “Miss Michigan?”
    “Yes?” Becky looked up, and there was a man standing there—silver hair, red tie, dark blazer.
    “I’m Mr. Ladd, the Disciplinary Dean. Could you come with me, please?”
    Blood drained out of Becky’s face. She numbly got her stuff and walked into the aisle with him. There were sarcastic cheers and she hardly heard them. Three days in, and she was already doing the walk of shame to the Principal’s office.
     

 
     
     
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