Page 28 of Enemies to Prom Dates
“Hundreds of thousands of dollars,” Janie repeated. “Beth, what would someone do to win that kind of money? How far would they go?”
Rape. That was the ugly word no one wanted to say. We didn’t want to think it. We didn’t want to breathe life into it. But for that kind of money, for someone who needed it, there was only one way to guarantee the outcome of a girl’s lost virginity.
This time I stood.
“I need to go find my sisters.”
* * *
“Beth, a word.”
I was walking down the hallway toward the freshman wing of the building. Not that I had any idea what I was going to say to Kit or Lyd when I found them. That the male population of the junior class might be out to rape them for large sums of money? Knowing Kit and Lyd they would want to know if the prize money was the same for each of them.
Hearing the relatively soft-spoken words in the loud hallway, I stopped, fixed a polite smile on my face and turned.
“Yes, Miss Havisham?”
She crooked her gnarled finger at me in a gesture to approach her. She was standing in the doorway of her classroom in her typical uniform. The woman wore nothing but white pantsuits. There were times I speculated that she must own more than a dozen in varying styles. Always white. To go with her white hair, I supposed.
She backed into her classroom and took a seat behind her desk. Once inside the room, I noticed Fitz sitting at one of the desks in the front row. He looked as he always looked when sitting behind a desk. Like he didn’t fit. His legs were too long, his thighs too thick. The way he carried himself, he was always more man than student.
But he was a student. Just like me.
I took a seat three desks away from him. As if the camaraderie we’d established at lunch was gone and we were back to being what we always were.
“I imagine you’re both wondering why I called you in here. I know technically you’re still on lunch. It was luck I happened to both find you wandering the halls,” she began. “As you know I head the debate team of which you two are members.”
“Miss Havisham, technically Fitz is only a part-time member as his football activities prevent him from participating in some of our fall events.”
“Miss Havisham is aware but thank you for the reminder that I’m only a part-time member of the team. It makes me feel so included.”
I pressed my lips together. Really, did he think I could suddenly hit a switch inside and turn what was years of enmity into warm and fuzzies? This is what we did. This was how we acted. Not like we were in the woods Friday night. Not puzzle-solving crime-fighters who worked together to reveal the bad guy.
We certainly weren’t lovers. He’d had one of those already. Which meant I really needed to start thinking about who I was going to select to do the deed for me. Currently, I was as unemotional about losing my virginity as I was about having my wisdom teeth removed. Perhaps I should place a bet on myself.
“…Fashion Show and the two of you can host.”
“I’m sorry, Miss Havisham,” I said, forcing myself to focus on what she was saying. “What did you say?”
“It’s the Annual Fall Fashion Show. Our biggest charity fundraising event of the school year.”
Of course I was aware of the Fall Fashion Show. It was an Haddonfield High tradition and yet one more way to separate the Snobs from the Havenots. Not to mention a way to select the school’s most attractive students.
“Yes,” I said. “I know what the Fashion Show is but what does that have to do with me?”
I certainly couldn’t afford to buy anything. And there was no way I’d model.
Not that I’d be asked.
“I’m sure she wants us to model,” Fitz said.
Wait. Did he sayus?“You think I could be a model?”
“Why couldn’t you be?” he asked as if I was the thickheaded one.
“Actually, that’s not what I’m asking from you two. We need masters of ceremonies. As you’re two of my strongest performers, I thought it an excellent idea for you both to host.”
“Host? Together?” I asked.
