Chapter 16- Jessica

Sara had cooled off by lunch. When Jessica had met her at the snack bar, she had even laughed about how her election had proved beyond no doubt the substandard intelligence of the majority of Tabb’s students. She had not changed her mind about the job.

Polly joined them midway through break. She had not heard of the election results, and neither Jessica nor Sara brought it up. She had however, already printed out the party invitations- elegantly lettered orange cards in flowery orange envelopes. Jessica and Sara both agreed the printers had done a fine job. Polly gave them six each.

“But don’t invite anyone weird,” she warned.

“You’ll have to give one to Russ,” Jessica told Sara.

She fingered the envelope uneasily. “I’ll think about it.”

“Are you talking about Russ Desmond?” Polly asked suddenly.

“Yes,” Sara said warily.

Polly giggled. “You can’t invite him. You’re the one who got him kicked off the cross-country team. He hates you.”

Sara didn’t respond immediately, which surprised Jessica. “What are you talking about?” Jessica asked.

“Russ had to stop in the middle of his race last Friday to help Sara up. She had jumped right in his way, and he accidentally knocked her down. He ended up losing the race, and the football coach got furious and kicked him off the team.”

“How does the football coach have the authority to kick someone off the cross-country team?” Jessica asked. Sara had told her about the race incident, but from a slightly different perspective.

“He’s also the athletic director,” Polly said.

An odd look had crossed Sara’s face. She was angry, certainly, but also- was it possible?-upset. “You lie,” she said.

“I’m not,” polly said indignantly. “The whole school knows about it.”

“If that’s true, then why did the whole school just nominate me president?”

Polly sneered. “Since when are you president?”

“I am president. Ain’t I president Jessie?”

“Unquestionably. But why does Russ hate Sara? He can’t blame her for what happened.”

Polly shrugged. “He does.”

“How do you know?” Sara demanded.

“He told me so when I took him home on Friday night.”

Sara snorted. “You took him home? Where did you take him home from?”

“It’s none of your business,” Polly said.

Sara held up her finger. “Polly, if you’re lying to me or even if you’re telling me the truth, you’re going to have a party at your house you’re never going to forget because I’m going to drown you in your goddamn swimming pool.”

And with that, Sara whirled around and stalked off.

“What’s got into her?” Polly asked.

“I don’t know,” Jessica said. “Maybe it’s love.”

Polly departed to eat large quantities of sugar. Jessica was left holding her six invitations and wondering who to give them to. It took her all of a fraction of a second to realise she had to get one to Bill Skater. It didn’t take her much longer to spot him. He was alone, walking towards the parking lot. She had never seen him alone before; he usually had a bunch of guys around him. This could be a rare opportunity. Quickly she strode towards the other exit. She should be able to circle around portion of the lot and run into him coming the other way.

Her plan worked better then she had expected. She ended up coming up the aisle where he’d parked his car. He stopped when he saw her, nodded.

“Hi.”

She looked up, smiled. “HI! You look familiar. Do we share a class?”

He put the key to his red Corvette in the door, his eyes on her. They were as blue as the Bill in her fantasies. “I don’t think so,” he said. “What’s your name?”

“Mr Bark. I mean we’re in Mr Bark’s class together. My name’s Jessie. What’s yours, Bill? Is your name Bill?”

He nodded. He did not appear to notice she was suffering from momentary brain damage. She was so nervous. “I remember you,” he said. “You sit next to the girl who snores.”

What notoriety. “That’s me,” she gushed.

“Right.” He opened his car door. “See you around, Joan.”

“Jessie. Wait!”

He sat inside on the black leather upholstery. “Yes?”

“Ah- you were great last Friday, you know, in the game. I thought you week.” Tabb had lost sixteen to three. Bill had thrown only one interception and an equal number of completions.

“Thanks. Bye.”

“Bye. Would you like to go to a party?”

He shut his car door, rolled down the window. “What did you say?”

“My friend’s having a party. She gave me all these to pass out.” Jessica waved her half-dozen invitations as if they might multiply into hundreds any second. “Would you like to come? It’s not this Saturday, but next Saturday. In the evening.”

He took one of the envelopes, opened it, nodding as he read the contents. “Are you going to be there?” he asked.

“Sure. Yeah the whole time.”

He nodded again, tossing the card onto the passenger seat. “I’ll see you then.”

He drove away. Her approach had set woman’s lib back twenty years, she realised. But she didn’t care! He had asked if she’d be there! He was only coming to see her!

Right, and your name’s Joan.

Jessica decided to dwell on the positive. It didn’t require much willpower. She floated back up the steps into the courtyard. She bought a milk and sat by herself in the shade beneath a tree. Polly had specified on the cards that everyone was to bring a bathing suit. Jessica had a new bikini she could wear- blue with white polka dots. It left little to the imagination. Maybe he would bump against her in the water…

If she went in the water. She’d almost drowned as a child in a backyard pool. She didn’t know how to swim.

Jessica looked up. Michael Olson was coming to say hi. How sweet.