Chapter 52
Bobbie was taking a shower while Faye was looking through her email. She laughed at the irony of all the emails she got promising to make her penis bigger.
“Who in the hell is Mike Sobol?” She asked to the impassive screen. She clicked on the message because of the attachments and the familiarity that existed in the first line of the preview. She scrolled past the message and looked at the attachments. There were the pictures from the shoot. Bobbie stood there in poses that Faye had taught her, but then something happened.
Faye had been on an uncountable number of shoots, always the same; dull. But, the final product always looked the same. Very cheesecakey and swimsuit issue, these were different. There was a spellbinding magic to the shots. In the abstract, Faye was glad she didn’t have to do this shoot. Snow? Hell no…
…and that wolf outfit?? Ridiculous.
And yet, according to Bobbie, Rach had seemed to like it.
As she continued to flip through the pictures, she got more and more stunned. The clothes became less and less. Then, nothing at all. Bobbie! Faye raged. Allegra is going to kill me! I’ll never work again.
Justice, she better figure this out quickly.
Everyone had cleared out while Bobbie spent forever on the phone. Who the hell is she talking to in there? When Bobbie finally came out, there was an uncomfortable silence.
“So, princess.” Faye started, folding the laptop closed. “You want to explain those pictures? Oh yeah, forget about email?. No wonder you didn’t get bored. Fuck anybody while you were at it?” Her face hardened. “Who the hell are you? Are you trying to kill my career?”
Bobbie smiled. “Fuck anybody? Yes… Your girlfriend.” She raised her voice an octave and cocked a hip. “Had to ‘be Fay-fay for the weekend, remember?’”
SLAP! Faye’s hand connected with Bobbie’s face, stinging sharply. “You don’t get to say that!”
Bobbie rubbed her face. “If you wanted to touch me…” She pulled at the green streak. “All you had to do was ask.”
Faye screamed a girly scream and clenched her fists.
Bobbie forced an opening. “And what about you? Who told you to get all romantic with Tim? Riding the Vespa? When did you get all mushy?” She let out an exasperated sigh. “Getting back together? Dammit Faye, that’s not your call” Bobbie returned the animosity.
“Because.” Faye yelled. “You two are perfect for each other and Roxx is playing you. I don’t understand her connection in all this, but…” Bobbie’s phone vibrated in Faye’s pocket.
“You could just keep it in your front pocket and have them call you back.” Bobbie delivered in a sly, sexy tone.
Answering the device. “Yeah? Oh, hi. Almost ready. See ya soon.” Faye flipped the phone closed.
“To be continued.”
“Was that Tim?... Is your knight gonna come get you on his Shetland Pony?” Bobbie smiled plastically.
“You could put the food away before I get back. I made it, you ate it.” Faye pointed at Bobbie. God, this was such a mess. There was a stabbable tension in the air, lanced only by the sound of a tinny horn and a small engine.

****
Faye’s being such a bitch. Stealing my boyfriend, my life… aaaaah.
Isn’t she? A voice in Bobbie’s head… a voice not Bobbie’s
Faye’s voice. It was weird to hear someone else’s voice in her head.
I mean, Faye’s voice continued. Look at it this way, she would never have taken those shots. Hasn’t everything been so much…. More?
Yeah, it was. How did you not see that, Faye? You’re gonna be famous. I’m helping you you dumb bitch.
Hey, Faye’s inner voice barked. Be calm, she thinks she’s helping you.
Bobbie’s voice, Helping? By getting back with a cheating boy? How does that help me? Seriously?
Faye’s voice again, Maybe I’m jealous. I really like those shots, still think the green streak is crazy. But, trying to out Faye me will be one fight I won’t give up.
Bobbie looked into the mirror, staring at the swell of her breast. Detroit’s noise came up loud, then was gone. Nick entered the apartment with a thud as the door swung shut.
“Hello?” He called.
“In here.” Bobbie responded.
“All this stuff on the counter is dinner, right?”
“Yeah.”
Bobbie re entered the living room to see Nick holding a badly rolled burrito.
“Y’know? I was thinking we should just keep Bobbie.”
Bobbie shot him a nefarious look through a cannon. She saw the tightness of his colors, the burned so richly they seemed to leave an afterimage on her retinas when she closed her eyes.
“Put the food away, will ya?” Bobbie smoldered. The slam of her door was all the evidence Nick would ever need that the conversation had ended.
****
“I feel the need… The need for seeds.” Faye said, adding poppyseeds to the new lemon poppyseed cupcake. Tim facepalmed. “What’s next? The Terminator? Chocolate and blueberry? Still can’t believe you wanna call this the Ishtar.”
Faye smiled “Why not?”
“Yeah,” Beth chimed in. Looking up from the chocolate ribbons and frosting flowers. “Why not?”
Tim laughed. “No one saw Ishtar, not even the people who made it.”
“Well excuse me for trying to salvage it. It’s also the ancient Egyptian goddess of love, you know.”
Beth finished up the chocolate ribbons and started working with the fondant, sculpting it into tiny, purple tentacles. A small pile of white candy suction cups sat next to them. “What’s with these? Tentacles and eyes? The pretty ones are always, well… pretty.”
“I was talking to Mike over at the Revival. He’s showing a film series for the Lovecraft Appreciation Society.” Tim looked up from his homework. “Thought he could sell a few.” He pointed with his pen. “Tentacles were her idea.”
Beth dropped her head and shook it in the negative. “Sometimes, Bobbie.” She laughed. “I’ll bet Steve gets it.”
“How do you think I found out about the Lovecraft Society?” Tim smirked. Beth rolled her eyes and looked at Tim.
“Not surprised.” Beth returned to assembling the tiny tentacles. “Bobbie?”
“Hmmm.” Faye turned her head, her work braid slithering back over her shoulder.
“You got the paperwork together to get Prom Tickets, right?” Since he wasn’t a student anymore, he could only attend as Bobbie’s plus one.
“Well. “Faye started. “ I haven’t thought about it.” Because Bobbie’s gonna be back in here before then.
Tim was staring at his notebook. “Already taken care of. You don’t think I’d wanna cheat you out of that. Do you? Even asked Heather to help me pick out a new suit.”
“That has to be the most back asswards proposal I’ve ever heard.” Faye looked at Tim dryly.
Tim slowly and deliberately walked away from his schoolwork. He knelt to one knee, took Faye’s flour-coated hand.
“Would you like to go to the Prom with me?” Tim looked up into Faye’s big, blue eyes.
There’s that damn feeling again. I know Bobbie’s pissed about this. But she’ll see…
If this ever ends.
I thought you were done with me? Bobbie’ll see, she’s getting it… I think.
Yeah, the other voice snickered. Like that time she decided she was shooting for Penthouse.
Shut up! This is my moment. In the back of her mind, old files were called up. The occasional sincere guy had tried to talk his way into her affections. She’d always equipped quips and fired indiscriminately, collateral damage be damned.
This is Bobbie’s moment. Just a rental, remember?
Can we go back to the part where you’re done with me?
He’s asking her, moron. And since when are you interested in Prom, anyway?
Okay, that’s it. Now it is I who is done with you.
“Yes,” Faye said. She wanted to jump and sing and…. Oh, my God. You’ve gone native.
Shut the fuck up! “Of course.” Her eyes smiled. The echo of her own voice stabbed at her in a different way. Meh, whatever. Bobbie’s gonna figure this out before then anyway. Faye’s soul shriveled on a subatomic level when the attack landed.
The voice pressed. You know you’ve got it bad if you’re letting me get the last word.
Done with you, go drive over a puppy or whatever it is you do when we aren’t having these little talks.
“Okay, good.” Tim said, quickly getting up. Stealing a kiss as he stood, he looked over at the fondant station. “Now that that’s settled.”
“Let’s get these cupcakes together before the stars come right.”
Both Bobbie and Beth looked at Tim confused.
“…City of R’yleh? Really, Bobbie?” Tim’s surprise was plain on his face. “You of all people?”
Faye smiled. “Hey, I know Cthulu from the internet. Tentacles is all you need to know, right?”
“You have a point there.” Tim said, waiting for Bobbie to say something about being perfect. But the Faye inside completely passed it over into unheard oblivion.
The cupcakes were assembled, with their green tinged white cake, black cream cheese frosting and a carefully placed yellow eye flat in the center, surrounded by four purple fondant tentacles that reached from the netherrealm of deliciousness.
Faye and the crew started cleaning up the bakery, with her not thinking about pictures, or anything else but Tim.
Are my methods unsound?
Faye? You’re not listening at all, are you?
Faye?
***
Roxx saw Kim on Tuesday morning. The short girl nearly tripped over her own feet to fasten herself to the girl who defined so much of who she was these days.
“Missed you. Been a little sick lately, just a cold. But you know…” Kim was trying to play off the light sweat and fluttery stomach that had been plaguing her all morning. Roxx pulled out a small bottle from out of her purse and discreetly handed it to Kim.
“Missed you, too.” She ran her fingers over Kim’s scratchy scalp. I know you’re out… Sorry. The guy I normally go through got into some trouble with some Russians, so I had to find a new supplier. You’d think that in a town this size, that would be so much easier, but no.” She sighed, her breasts heaving against the pressure placed on her by Kim’s ivylike grip. “Gotta run to class.”
“See you at break, yeah?” Kim said, not letting go. She wanted to be near Roxx, but the call of withdrawal clawed at her, knowingly or not. The young girl couldn’t tell where the excitement of seeing Roxx ended.
And where the relief of simply having the pills in her possession began.
“Sure.” Roxx smiled. Kim disappeared into the corridor.
Almost Advocate, almost.
***
Bobbie was making those noises again, that could only mean one thing. She would be up soon, Faye was wondering how no one heard the ‘scream of a thousand souls’ but her. Nick was used to the sounds of Faye’s nocturnal activities to the point that they were just part of the ambient sound of the apartment. She was sipping coffee and finishing up her makeup, hoping to be finished when Bobbie finally woke.
Bobbie, Faye reflected. What the hell is going on with her… with me? Thoughts of slow dancing with Tim, and even working at the bakery made her smile. The red corners of her lips twitched upwards.
Bzzt Bzzt!
Faye glanced at the screen, indicating a text from Tim. She flipped it open and…
Be in soon.
“God, Bobbie needs to join us here in the future.” Faye snapped the phone closed. She looked at the machine. It had no touchscreen. Memory was practically nonexistent.
And the internet?? Geez, don’t get me started. Faye missed her Twitter account…
Faye was amazed that Tim got up an extra hour earlier to do extra prep for the day at the bakery… just to take her to school. And he was there right when she got out of her last class, using that time as his lunch break. She knew it was just another in a long line of endearing traits. The discordant moans of pleasure subsided. Knowing what that meant, out the front door she silently stole. Faye waited out front and watched the sun peek out above the horizon.
It was warm for this time of year, and the air smelled different. She didn’t know if it was the baking, but she seemed to smell everything differently. The appeal of joining the zombie horde made itself known to her, she could see the appeal. In a morning devoid of sound, Tim’s Vespa came around the corner. The headlight looming closer. She smiled again as he rolled to a stop.
She grabbed her helmet from the back bar and boarded the motored scooter. Better enjoy this while I can.
***
Bobbie looked for Faye when she woke up, the absurd normality of untying her hands from the vine of her womanly flower just another in the new facts of life. Only the empty scone plate told the tale of Faye’s early exit.
Raspberry scones with white chocolate chips? Cool. Bobbie grabbed one of the pastries and poured the coffee and contemplated how much had changed. Now she was the sexy one. She was the star of that shoot, promising to move Faye’s modeling career to the next level. She looked down somnolently.
And what had she done? Wrapped herself around Tim’s little finger? Biting into the scone, she realized that Faye had obviously inherited her cooking ability. And I get the senses of porno Wolverine. Snikt!
Seems like I’m getting the better end of this. What am I gonna learn here? She sipped the bitter coffee. Looking down, she realized that she was drinking it black. She thought better of eating anymore of the scone. Her bra was feeling a little tighter this morning. I guess Faye’s right. She hefted her breasts. She considered another scone for a second before thinking some new bras might be in order. Her boyfriend, my tits. She brought her arms together, squeezing them together lightly. She felt lightheaded as her nipples responded instantly, stiffening almost uncomfortably against the tightening undergarment. “Mmm… Definitely gonna need some new bras.” She mused.
Bobbie finished her coffee and completed her Pre-Nick routine. The scones did quite a bit to ease Nick’s general irritation over using the Camaro as a school bus.
***
Rach was leaning on the crutch, happy for the hundredth time that she saved them from the last injury. Getting dressed caused some winces, but nothing that the Vicodin couldn’t cure. She would be happy to be rid of the pills. The pain she could live with, just not right now. She heard the Camaro rumble to a stop. She crutched her way over to the door and went downstairs to see Faye.
She’s been acting so funny lately. I hope everything’s okay.
The ride to school was fraught with silence. Nick seemed chatty, with only the tan crumbs on the shirt depicting Rei Ayanami in a bikini and some unreadable Kanji that hung loosely over his chest.
***
Bobbie was tapping her foot, the straps of her boot flip flapping against the legs of the chair. She had to get out of there. One more word about J.D. Salinger was going to make her climb a water tower. She got up and made for the door.
“Miss Valentine.” Ms. Wolanczyk barked. “Where do you think you’re going?”
“The ladies’.” Bobbie barked back. “Wanna know why?”
Ms. Wolanczyk sensed why, but wouldn’t say. She sighed and acquiesced, waving her hand and continuing her lecture about Holden Caulfield’s skewed outlook on life. Bobbie heard the lecture end as the door closed, thankful that the dreaded literature mites would no longer be infesting her brain. She saw the bathroom and smelled it before she saw it. A cigarette.
Bobbie entered the bathroom and saw her there, Ferrari red hair, curves that wouldn’t quit and clothes that appeared to have been made from space age polymers.
Roxx… Her colors were curiously absent, completely content in who she was, what she was.
“Well, well, well, Faye. Nice to finally meet you. She's told me so much about you. She's kind of impressed, actually.” Roxx said extending her free hand. Bobbie couldn’t take her eyes off of the cigarette. Her voice sounded friendly, the maliciousness was gone.
“Where are my manners? Want a cigarette?” Roxx used the free hand to reach into her purse and pulled out a pack of Camels.
My old brand. Why not? Better enjoy it while I can.
“Sure.” Bobbie said, accepting the nicotine stick and placing it firmly between her lips. It felt normal, right… comfortable.
Clink! The flame slipped up from the fluid soaked wick as the striker wheel raised sparks from the flint. Bobbie puffed, then inhaled. It scorched her throat, a heavy cough followed by another. Then; finally, a breath. A moment later it stopped, Bobbie inhaled again. A few seconds later; her breathing settled, she inhaled on it again. It felt so good, the nicotine absorbed almost immediately after a long, luxurious exhalation, Bobbie turned and rested her luscious ass on the sink.
“Still trying to be a good girl?” Roxx dropped the purple stained butt into the toilet.
Bobbie could feel the nicotine building in her brain, doing its endorphin shifting sorcery.
“Definitely an E-Ticket ride. Every little thing I do is magic.” She winked, and rested her hind end on the sink next to Bobbie. Bobbie grabbed the cigarette with her thumb and forefinger, moving it over the sink.
“C’mon, girl. You know you feel it? The rush of… well, everything. You know they’re staring, you obviously like it. Can’t imagine anyone dressing like that if they didn’t.”
“You feel her, I know you do. Why are you fighting so hard? There’s absolutely no reason to.”
Bobbie looked at her. “If you say that we all float down here...” Bobbie trailed off like a Wilhelm scream. Kim… “Where’s your girlfriend?” Bobbie wondered about Kim. Since Sylvia threw her out, she knew nothing.
Roxx cut her off with a laugh. “Kim? She parties way too hard for even me, breaking it off.” The evil grin returned. “It’s all just sex and drugs with her.”
Bobbie inhaled on the cigarette one last time, she wanted to curl her hands into fists and pummel the girl, but stopped. Why am I fighting? Kim made her own choices. Like brother, like sister. She’s right…
…isn’t she?
Roxx smiled as Bobbie’s cigarette butt gained a companion in the toilet.
“Don’t forget to flush.” Roxx said walking away. Bobbie saw the Kanji on her back burning Ebony, twisting and like live Gakh. The sole sign that she was marked by Lust. She could see that now, through the slithery onyx.
“Lust,” Bobbie breathed, understanding Roxx at last. The wrong she had felt at the party, in this very bathroom. “Is it possible that this might be the right team?” Bobbie couldn’t shake the feeling for a long time, she stayed quiet during lunch. Just thinking and pondering, and for the first time…
Why are you fighting so hard?
Bobbie didn’t know.
***
Faye had excused herself from Mr. Lesko’s class, planning to meet Zoe in the bathroom. She fired off a quick text to her most rebellious friend. She smelled smoke when she entered the bathroom. Bobbie was standing there, looking a million miles away.
“Bobbie? What the fuck? Are you smoking? I swear, what the hell is going on with you?”
Bobbie looked at Faye from a distant star. “Roxx…she…” Bobbie looked worried. “I’ve got to go…”

Chapter 53
Zoe had gotten the DHS cheerleader uniform out of Stacy’s room with no problems. She had been eating coffee cake that morning, Bobbie had sent enough pastry to keep everyone snacking until Prom… Ugh, between the increased sugar intake from the coffee cake and the saccharine sickly sweet stamp of the students threatened her pancreas with permanent shutdown. She had made plans with Bobbie to ‘drop off the package’ in the restroom. Zoe had to laugh at the thought of Stacy blushing under that zombie makeup. Like still water, Bobbie ran deep. The plan was to hand off the outfit in the ladies during lunch. But her text had come early. She saw Faye leave the bathroom hurriedly.
“Faye,” She called, but was ignored. “Faye!” She called again, but was gone around the corner.
She’s been acting weird for a few days, I hope everything’s okay.
Zoe entered the bathroom and passed the bag to Bobbie, who thanked her and promised to get a picture of her sister’s face as she ran away. “Careful, Bobbie. She’s a black belt in Tae Kwon Do. Don’t think your boyfriend will be much help.” She said.
Faye snickered. “Leave her to me.”
“Wasn’t Faye just in here?”
“Yeah…I…” Faye felt weird talking to Zoe about Faye. It’s me in here, dipshit.
“I’ve known Faye for a while, Bobbie.” Zoe put her hand reassuringly on Faye’s forearm. “The building may fall, but she always walks out in slow motion.” She smiled broadly. “It’s kind of her thing.”
Faye put a bright smile on Bobbie’s face. For all the things that had happened since the switch, she appreciated hearing what others thought of her. Nick, Zoe…
Rach… She missed Rach. Faye hadn’t seen her since she came to get Bobbie, and now with the injury…
Don’t get me wrong, Tim. You made me feel… special. But, in a different way. Faye really just wanted back to her own body, before Bobbie did some real damage. She reflected over the pictures, both naked and not. Smoothing things over with Allegra would be easy, provided nothing else happened.
Faye looked down at the cheerleader uniform and grinned. Stacy would rue the day she messed with Bobbie Sharpe.
Faye Valentine, dammit.
***
“Damn, Bobbie. I’m starting to like this badass streak of yours.” Amber was putting down her sandwich and pushing up her glasses while she addressed Faye.
“Bobbie.” Beth said with a sharp intake of breath. “You’re gonna ditch?” Her eyebrows vanished into her hair.
“Absolutely, Yes. Look, Beth. Tim needs a night off. He can’t do that without some prep. So, I’m helping.” Faye said. Beth smiled.
“We’ll cover ya.”
“Fuck yes.”
“Bully!” Heather said, raising a fist. Everyone else looked at her. “What?” She made a face. “You’re right. Too outdated, even for me.”
Faye looked at the Scooby gang and laughed through her nostrils. Here was an odd bunch; some musicians, a baker, a dressmaker. But there… between Amber and Beth, there was an empty space. Bobbie had told her enough about Kim to see that they all missed her. She could see it in all those assembled.
And now, Grrl Army was flying the missing man formation in honor of their comrade.
Gone, but not forgotten… safe passage until the sisterhood is reunited.
Faye broke from lunch early and drove Bobbie’s body out to where the fence that marked the school perimeter lay, uniform in hand.
***
Kim swallowed two of the pills with a handful of water from the sink. Just a couple to get through the rest of the day. She had noticed that these weren’t as good, hence the double dose. Kim was hoping to get in some quality time with Roxx. She was so much more fun than the plastics she used to hang around. More like Robb used to be.
Robb? How in the fuck had that happened? Robb, Bobbie… probably the biggest one eighty ever. And Bobbie? Jesus H. Christ, even Barbie with her pink sportscar and dreamhome couldn’t out good girl Bobbie. She thought of Roxx and smiled, life had been so much more fun since they met on that day in the field.
Kim coughed and spat in the sink. Her cough had gotten both better and worse, less coughing fits, but more severe coughing. Just a cold, wish it would just go away. She frowned; she wanted to make sure Roxx didn’t catch whatever this was. Kim wanted to cuddle and kiss her girl, now that they could share proximity again. She shrugged off and tripped over her foot slightly as she left the bathroom.
***
Roxx… Lust… That means she’s been a thrall the whole time…
Faye’s voice: Justice said ‘Until you learn what you’re fighting against’, right? Is this what she meant?
Maybe…I just don’t know. Can we talk about this later?
Bobbie couldn’t handle school anymore today, she was walking out by the perimeter fence where the…Ahh, still there. From time immemorial there had been a spot in the fence that had been cut open. However often it was fixed, it somehow always appeared again. Like a diabetic wound that just wouldn’t heal. Robb had been through this hole a few times, with Melanie waiting for him on the other side. Bobbie smiled at the memory, the thrill and flush of adrenalin that made his legs weak. A weakness Bobbie was feeling at that moment.
“Bobbie? What the hell are you doing here?” A voice jolted her to the here and now. Faye?
“I just can’t take anymore today.” Said Bobbie nervously, the conversation with Roxx still playing in her mind. She raised an eyebrow. “What about you?”
“Me neither, going to that party out at the cemetery.” Faye said nonchalantly. “You’re going, too. Right?”
Bobbie ignored the question as her eyes hardened. “You’re taking Tim, aren’t you?”
Faye shot back defiantly, “Yes. I. Am.” She pointed a blue nail at the other girl and began wagging her finger. “He needs a night off. All he does is homework and work the bakery. Why? Because of you. You fixed him without even trying. You should be doing this.”
“I told you already. That’s not your call, Faye.”
“Someone needs to do it. And it looks like I’m elected.”
“Well.” Bobbie put on a British accent. “I didn’t vote for you.”
“Y’know.” Faye said, smiling and laughing through her nose. “I see why you like him. He’s sweet. He loves you, and…”
A slight cracking sound in the distance made both girls jerk their heads in the same direction.
“Shit.” Bobbie said. Smiling, she darted for the fence. “Gotta go.” And with practiced motions and perfect muscle memory, she rolled under the hole and was gone. Faye followed suit with slightly less adroitness, but was also under quickly. Faye looked around, but saw her old body nowhere. Dammit. She looked down at the thin, white plastic bag that kept the uniform dirt free.
“Bobbie? What the hell is going on with you?” And then she looked down at the cheerleader outfit that she planned on wearing for Tim while she took him to an illegal party.
“What the hell is going on with me?”
***
Roxx was walking out to the perimeter fence. She could see them talking. Well, aren’t they all buddy buddy?
Crack! She brought her heel down on a fallen branch. Why was she calling her Faye? Roxx looked back to the campus.
“Well, that was easy.”
One to go.
***
Mary was leaving campus quickly. Everyone was talking about Prom, and she just couldn’t take another word. All of her friends seemed to be going, she moped. Maybe she’d been a little too forward with Bobbie. It’s just that she was so pretty, and smart, and…
It was almost love at first sight, she was standing there in the middle of the crowd. But Mary couldn’t see them clearly. Kim was playing the bass on stage; she twitched the corners of her mouth upward. Mary checked that she was at minimum safe distance before she pulled out a cigarette and lit it. She walked, feeling the world’s spin pulling her down into a vortex of sadness.
“Why so glum, tiger?”
“Huh?” Mary looked up, terrified.
Roxx laughed. “Hard to see such a pretty face frowning.”
Kim brought her eyelids down. “Where’s Kim? Aren’t you two still…”
Roxx laughed again. “Not so much. She’s always busy doing something now. Can’t imagine what. Want some company?”
Mary smiled a little. “Sure.”
“Got one of those for me, handsome?”
***
The door’s clatter shook Tim from his focus on the audiobook he was listening to while he pulled out the trays of candied bacon.
“Just a second!” He yelled, setting the hot tray on the cooling rack. He came out to the counter and saw Bobbie. “Hey, aren’t you supposed to be at school?” He smiled, suddenly looking less tired.
“Aren’t you?” Faye smiled. “Big Brother has Winston Smith killed just like he saw the dissidents from earlier in the book. There, you should have enough to write the report. Now, let me in there so you can get this stuff done.”
Faye almost pulled out Bobbie’s phone and snapped a picture, his face was absolutely irreproducible.
“You’re going out tonight. No buts. Now, where can I hang this?” She held up the opaque plastic bag.
***
Bobbie opened the door to find Nick gone. There was a quiet to the place she hadn’t noticed before. “Dammit.” She said, trying to scratch at the spot on her back that she just wished could pushed out the airlock. The itching grew to a fever pitch as she entered the room. Stripping off her clothes she bent slightly at the waist and rubbed her back against the corner of the doorjamb. She thought that she had scratched too hard as she felt the skin pull awkwardly. A couple minutes later, she leaned against the wall. Still itching, but wanting to refrain from making the surrounding skin any rawer.
She hadn’t told Faye, or Zoe for that matter, that she would be attending a different event. Faye would understand. It’s work, besides…
She’ll be busy with Tim. The thought of Tim and Faye partying out at the graveyard rankled her. You should be doing this.
“Fuck you, Faye.” Bobbie said looking at herself in the mirror. She took advantage of the time alone she had to get herself ready for Luka. There was some time spend in the cosplayer’s graveyard that was Faye’s closet. Who in the hell did she think she was anyway? She nearly sprained an elbow trying to get the bra’s last hooks fastened. The fishnets, skirt, and boots came together quickly enough. Bobbie had started to wear the style of clothing Faye wore regularly wore. Her mind flashed back to the girls Robb used to keep his desktop background company.
Once her makeup was done, it was a waiting game until she heard from Luka. Powering on the game unit, Bobbie fought with many digitized warriors. But her best combos were unleashed against the red headed opponent that the computer had selected for her.
Roxx couldn’t get out of her mind. Lust, she thought. Knowing that now, Bobbie resolved to learn as much as she could about her. As Faye, the information might be just that much easier to get.
***
Kim was walking through the field, she had decided to forgo the cigarette that was usually her accompaniment. There was some noise out and away by one of the rock piles that dotted the landscape. A laugh. Roxx?
From nowhere she appeared, her red hair announcing her presence.
With someone else. Kim couldn’t tell who it was.
Kim tried to delude herself into thinking there was a good reason for what she was seeing. But, seeing Roxx and the unknown newcomer kiss and grasp each other’s hands cemented the reality for her. A particle of nothingness expanded in the pit of her stomach. She felt her legs lose strength and tears begin to deluge from her eyes. But, why?
She watched them walk out of the distance through vision distorted by the salty tears that monsooned down her face.
Why?
***
Luka had the top down, Her Karmann Ghia roaring with acceleration as she changed lanes onto the Delacroix offramp. Patsy Cline was singing about walking after midnight, and Luka was thinking about the same thing. But, doing the walking with Faye. She’d never met anyone like her. She exuded confidence and sexiness in a way that her cornfed looks and willowy frame would not allow.
Luka stomped the gas with a pink leather cowgirl boot and glanced over at the empty seat that would soon be occupied by the one girl she’d met who was obviously comfortable in her own skin. The phone was telling her to turn off here and make a left at the light.
Okay, Faye. I’m on my way. Luka smiled.
***
Faye was chopping the candied bacon, while Tim was storing the batter and frosting. “This should buy you a couple of hours.”
“Bobbie, I gotta be honest. I’m not too sure about this.” Tim said. “I mean, I’m pretty far ahead on the schoolwork and everything, but…”
“Shh.” Faye put up a finger to his lips. “All work and no play…”
He looked at the door. “Why do I feel like I should be expecting your identical twin to come in here and join you in a chant of ‘Come and Play with us, Danny’?”
Faye laughed, “Forever and ever.” She realized that she was going to have to break down and watch some of this weird shit he keeps talking about. Only getting about ten percent of his references was like full contact Trivial Pursuit. “Let’s get cleaned up?”
“Sure.” Tim smiled. They turned to the cleaning duties, which were so practiced that they were done quickly.
“Okay.” Faye said, closing the broom closet. “Think I can take a shower and get changed?”
“Sure, I’ll be up in a minute.
Faye took the elevator up and entered the living room of the apartment. Myka was hunched over a key board.
“Hey, Bobbie.” Myka said without looking up. “You’re here early.”
“I’m making sure Tim goes out tonight. He’s going to turn into a cupcake if he spends anymore time down there.”
Myka laughed.
She held up the plasic bag. “Was just going to take a shower. That okay?”
Myka waved her hand. “Sure. Towels are in the cabinet.”
Faye entered the bathroom and splayed out her purse’s contents. She entered the shower and scrubbed the remnants of frosting and batter from her hands and face. She worked quickly and was done in a matter of minutes. Hair washed and towel dried, Faye looked at herself in the foggy mirror. The blue of her eyes showed through the condensation.
“Gimme an ‘A’.” She said as she looked closer at what she was doing. Top and panties, pleated skirt. Faye almost couldn’t believe she was wearing this thing, it wasn’t her first time in an outfit like this. The last time had seen her draped on the hood of a Trans Am, luckily that ad campaign had been scrapped.
It took her about an hour to finish up, and she emerged from the bathroom. Tim was mid sandwich and Myka was looking at him laughing. Upon seeing his very own cheerleader, he inhaled a mayonnaise coated slice of rye bread with some shreds of sauerkraut still clinging to it. Much coughing ensued as he turned to the sink.
“Bobbie!” Myka said. “You’re a cheerleader? Tim, why didn’t you tell me?”
Regaining composure. “Because she isn’t, Mom. Is it some kind of costume party?”
Faye straightened one of the two blue bows that secured her partial twin ponytails. “No. But, I’ve been your cheerleader for a while.” She smiled sweetly. “Thought I could dress the part for once.” She absently brushed at a red smear on her left shoulder.
Faye twitched her thumb behind her, towards the bathroom.“Your turn. Get ready. I’ll be waiting right here, doing my makeup.”
***
Nick finally came home to see Bobbie standing near the screen, screaming at it while doubled over.
“Eat fist, fucking bitch. Gonna rip that red hair out with my hands. Fucking slut.”
Huaaaaa!
“Aww.. Allergic to Poizn?”
“Whoooa ooh. Ooooooh. Nice shootin’ Tex.” Nick said.
Bobbie glared at Nick.
“Ditched out, huh? Bad day?” He said, looking at the counter. “Faye? Where’s the coffee cake?”
The crumb studded plate on the table gave him the answer. He sighed. “Fine.” He grabbed himself a cola from the refrigerator and sat down. “So you going to that party?”
Bobbie softened her face and looked at him. The yellow and green were so prevalent, the reds and purples imbuing them with a sickly taint. She smelled the detergent and milk again. “Nah, got a work thing. I can miss an illegal party now and again. Keeps me mysterious.”
Nick chuckled. “Yeah, I’m sure they’ll survive being deprived of your presence.”
Bobbie batted her eyelashes. “Wanna save Metro City? There’s not enough fist when I play alone.”
What the hell does that mean? Nick thought. He accepted the control pad and selected Lucia. Bobbie looked at him funny, but ignored it as the fists and feet of fury began to fly.
***
“Where the fuck is Faye?” Rach leaned on her crutch as she scanned the parking lot. No sign of her girlfriend or the Camaro. She saw the hoodie with the bobbing hood walking up the path and turned to face her. She caught Zoe’s shoulder clumsily. The other girl snatched her earbuds out and flopped down her hood.
“Zoe, have you seen Faye?”
Zoe sighed. “Yeah, she took off earlier. She looked like something was wrong.”
Concern crossed Zoe’s face. “Goddammit. She’s been acting funny for days. She say anything to you?”
“No. Seems okay to me. Dressing a little weird, just hanging out with Bobbie for too long. The green hair looks a little weird, but…”
Rach frowned. “Think I can get a ride?”
“She left you? That doesn’t sound like her at all. I suppose I can.” Zoe seemed slightly annoyed.
Leaving the campus. Rach looked at Zoe.
“Skipping the party tonight?”
“I heard about it, but with the ankle, no.”
“I’m sure we’ll get by.”
Zoe turned up the radio, and took the quick side trip that would rid her of Zoe for the night.
***
“I need that meat, you get the gems.” Nick said, jamming buttons in haphazard patterns.
“Got it.” Bobbie said. She had taken to bashing every single female target that appeared, Nick got the feeling that his roommate wasn’t talking about whatever it was that was bothering her. The opening of the door didn’t draw any attention as the button mashing continued.
“Hello.” Faye called through the door with Tim in tow. Bobbie turned her head and stared at Faye, her face full of both rage and worry.
“Oh, hey Bobbie.” Nick said. “I’d love to say that I loved the coffee cake. But, someone…” He jerked his thumb at Bobbie “…ate the whole thing.”
Faye scowled at Bobbie. “Faye, can I talk to you for a second?”
“Sure.” She said, swinging her posterior dangerously close to Nick’s face. She made it down the hall slowly. Once inside, she saw her old face as irritated as she had ever seen it.
“EVO keys, now. And what’s with the coffee cake?”
Bobbie handed over the jingling mass of keys. “I can’t believe you’re falling for this shit with him.” She hissed, wanting to keep her voice low.
“Roxx attacked him, I would say she has it out for you. How in the hell else did your mom get that picture?” Faye shot back.
“Well, seems to me that you’re the one she has it in for.” Bobbie said. “Have fun.”
“You’re not going?”
“Nah, got a work thing.”
“Work thing?” Faye cocked an eyebrow. “This is my career you’re talking about.”
“Hey, when this is over, you’re gonna be famous. You’re gonna thank me. Don’t leave loverboy waiting.” Bobbie turned on a booted heel and left the room.
“What the hell else can possibly happen?”
You asked. You sure you want the answer?
It wasn’t until Faye had the EVO out on the road, with a hand on Tim’s knee that she started to feel comfortable about the situation. The simple act of repositioning the seat and mirrors to accommodate her different mass and volume did a lot to shake her from the reverie. The graveyard beckoned, and Tim’s night off was a priority she couldn’t shake.
***
Nick answered the door to a strange knock. He blinked several times rapidly at the young woman at the door.
“Hi,” She drawled. “Is Faye here?”
“Yeah, one second.” He couldn’t take his eyes off of her. She had on a cowboy hat and boots. Torn, tight jeans, and a blue denim jacket that set off her deep cornflower blue eyes.
“Faye.” Nick called.
Bobbie came out to the door and looked at the rodeo queen that stood before her.
“Luka, hi.” Bobbie went forward and hugged her. A strange sight it was, the goth emo princess, and the bronco bustin’ beauty. “Let me get my purse and I’ll be out.” A quick retrieval of the handbag saw Bobbie leave so quickly that Nick could have sworn that he saw an afterimage of her long after she left.
Chapter 54
Kim sat in the living room and swallowed two more of the pills. She stared at the tv’s blank, black screen.
Why, Roxx? What did I do? Whatever it was, I’m sorry.
The high came on, and whatever was wrong with this batch of pills was suddenly gone. Kim was soon higher that she remembered being. It was as if warm water washed over her, removing tension and pain. Sweet, blissful detachment came over her. The screen played memories of her time with Roxx. Kim became ambivalent, she missed Roxx already. The way she felt when they were alone, the warmth of her cuddle, the raspberry taste of her lip gloss.
Raspberry, an unusual choice. Kim couldn’t feel anything at the moment, and that was just the way she wanted it.
She thought of Roxx as her eyelids became superdense and fell lower and lower. Her muscles relaxing, she sank into the couch and sleep.
…and the tomblike silence of oblivion.
***
Blue…..
Oh, so lonesome for you…
The radio was blaring, even still Bobbie had a hard time hearing it over the roar of the passing wind that blew from every direction. The Karmann-Ghia was every kind of agile as Luka deftly avoided every possible accident, although she may have caused a few.
It was just after leaving Delacroix proper that she pulled off of the freeway and found some desolate environ to stop and drink in some silence. She got out and looked at the horizon, the sun dipping into it’s prismatic ending show for the day. She pulled a joint from her purse and lit it.
“Gotta get my head right before I get there. These things are always so fake.”
“I’ve never been to one.”
“Oh, they’re all the same. Everyone comparing the work of the surgeon that gave them their personalities.” She inhaled deeply on the intoxicant and offered it to Bobbie.
Bobbie took the joint and studied it. So nice to have this again.
Soon the two girls were stoned, and laughing at the things guys said to girls in country songs. The faded convertible zipped back onto the freeway, ferrying Bobbie to a world as unfamiliar to her now as femininity had been when Bobbie was still learning what it meant to be what she was.
The Walden came into view soon after they stopped to grab some bottled water, the cottonmouth was unbearable. Slowing into the entrance, Luka got out and tossed the keys to a waiting valet.
“Take good care of her, sugar.” Luka drawled and touched the brim of her hat.
The valet winked and bowed his head.
“Shall we?” Luka offered her arm.
Bobbie smiled.
“We shall.” She linked her arm with the blonde girl and entered the lobby.
***
Tim was a little confused.
He had been running a low level erection since seeing Bobbie come out of the bathroom at home. It had been compounded by the fact that he could feel her grinding against him from the back of the Vespa. Now, here he sat in the passenger seat of Faye’s car. Her very nice car. Listening to a series of beeps, boops and throbbing bass.
“Doon-chicka-doon-doon. Chicka doon.” Faye was singing along to music that had no words. Hitting the steering wheel in time, she yelled. “DROP THE BASS!” As if on command, the bass and the surface tracks came together with the keyboard loop.
Bobbie was still Bobbie, but she had been acting funny since Spring Break. Tim figured that there was just a lot on her mind. But, she never screwed up a movie reference. Nor did she drive, or completely lose control whenever someone played dubstep. But the warmth of her hand kept feeding its kundalini into his left thigh.
“Don’t worry, Tim.” Faye yelled over the music. “We won’t break too many rules.” Tim smiled weakly.
“When did you start driving?”
“Faye let me borrow the car. She’s been teaching me.” Faye said, not liking the lie. Even though the flavor of truth was definitely on the menu.
The EVO made its way to the side mounted klieg lights and jury rigged sound equipment. Tim looked at the party. He remembered the parties he used to attend, the things he did there. It had been a good long while since Tim had been to one of these things. But, he trusted Bobbie.
So she was acting funny. Her whole life fell apart in a matter of weeks.
Tim felt the car roll to a stop. He exited the car, only to find Faye there. She tenderly grabbed his hand.
“C’mon, let’s get some fun in you.” Faye said as she led him into the pounding bass maelstrom.
***
Kim was still watching tv. Quirky little programs. Scenes of an all girl band played.
Flip.
Scenes of some girls running around a bakery.
Flip.
Two teenagers on a Vespa.
Flip.
The faces were all blurry, Kim either couldn’t or wouldn’t get up. She couldn’t figure out which.
A busty Asian girl walked up to the seat she was a part of, carrying a covered plate.
“Turkish Delight?” She said with a flourish, removing the cloche.
***
When Sylvia came home, her reaction was immediate. The nonreactivity of her daughter, the foam around her mouth. She’d been afraid of this, first with Robert, then with Kim. During the length of time it took for her to dial 911, she feared that she would have lost both of her children. She thought of Bobbie, and how none of this happened until she came around.
By the time the paramedics showed up, Sylvia was crying as she watched them bundle Kim onto a gurney and fitted with oxygen tubes. The EMT had told her that Kim’s labored breathing required oxygen. They asked her if there were any prescription medications in the house. Sylvia responded in the negative. She was mad at everything at that moment, busy clinging on to Kim’s hand, hoping and praying that her last link to Jeff would be okay. Thinking only of Kim, with fleeting touches of Robert… Robert. She wanted to scream, she wanted to hit something, but that would wait. She was terrified. She kept out of the EMT’s way while he watched and tried to make small talk to cheer up the hysterical woman. Kim’s breathing was stabilized by the time they reached Delacroix General.
And Sylvia was scared.
***
“C’mon. Dance with me.” Faye said to Tim, starting to swing her hips to the beat. She was brushing against his Gap jeans fleetingly. The party was impressive, DJ Plugman was laying it down. His new hardware making the beats tighter than she remembered from the last party he’d played. Tim tried to sway with her, but he seemed to be like Steve Martin in The Jerk, his rhythm always off by microseconds.
After a couple of hours, Tim started to loosen up. His dancing looked like an epileptic on fire coupled with someone trying to run away from his own arm. Faye laughed and tried to incorporate some of the spasmodic twitching into her own dancing.
“I…” Tim panted. “I need some water.” Faye could barely hear him over the music and the press of people jumping up and down. She led him out of the dance pit and found the coolers full of water. They each grabbed a bottle. Faye sipping hers, and Tim downing his in the time it took to tell a knock knock joke.
“Bobbie.” Tim said between ragged breaths. “How is it that you’re not sweating?”
“Magical cheerleader powers.” Faye took another measured sip. Tim tried to laugh, but his breathing wouldn’t let him.
***
Stacy was similarly out of breath and was searching for water. She was also feeling that Steve Martin feeling. She felt as if she had nothing in common with these kids. She saw one of the Blue Devil cheerleaders making out with a boy. She smiled, reminded of simpler times. When they separated, she looked at the girl.
It was the porn queen and the burnout. The slight red stain on the left shoulder told her everything she needed to know. When it had come back from the cleaners, they told her that the red stain from the makeup would never completely come out. That’s my… how in the fuck? Zoe, oooh! I’m gonna throw her out the window.
The memory of the theater suddenly fresh in her mind, she stomped towards the couple.
“You…”
***
Faye was giddy, making out with Tim had that effect on her. So, it was still a little strange. But it was strange in a wonderful and alien way.
“You… BITCH! Take it off.” Stacy screamed. Faye snapped her head up. Oh, shit.
“Why? I wear it better.” Faye said defiantly, she grabbed Tim’s hand. “Gotta go.” She whispered, pulling him away from the party and into the foresty night.
Chapter 54
“Two fingers of Bulleit, one of Chambord, splash of club soda and Angostino bitters.” Bobbie said confidently to the bartender. She looked at Luka. “Make it two.” With bottles spinning and liquors flying, the blonde girl with the gold vest presented the drinks quickly.
“Thanks.” Bobbie and Luka stereoed.
Luka sipped at the drink. She coughed after the first, test sip. “Really strong.”
Bobbie sipped and smiled. “Good though, right?”
The girls looked out at the sea of blonde hair and gold lame. Ears bobbed everywhere.
“We stand out a bit.” Luka said. “Don’t we?”
Bobbie looked closer at the room. She was the only brunette in the room with breasts. Confronted with reminders of her old body everywhere, she felt an odd alienation.
“Well,” Luka drawled. “We should mingle, too much going on to stand here and watch from a distance. Meet back here in an hour?”
“Sure.” Bobbie smiled distantly. Luka’s hat crested and troughed into the crowd.
We’re gonna need some bigger tits. Bobbie’s mind played the sound bite in Roy Scheider’s voice. She saw an opening in the crowd, and wriggled in. Just like the ski lift. She felt like a salmon swimming upstream, drink in hand and pushing past platinum blondes, dishwater blondes, and other shades that seemed to fade into each other. The room had an undertone of greens and yellows. Lots of fear. She downed the last of her drink.
“Sure is.” A seductive voice. “Take your glass?” Bobbie looked around into the face she’d grown increasingly too familiar with. Faye’s face, only this time with blonde hair.
“Yeah, sure.”
“You shouldn’t fight so hard. Maybe you’ll enjoy it.”
“Excuse me?” Bobbie said, puzzled.
“I’ve been to so many of these things over the years. Fighting just makes it harder to get out.”
“Just when I thought I was out, they pull me back in.” Bobbie set her glass on the tray.
The Asian girl laughed. “You have no idea.” And she was gone.
***
“What is it that you want?” Said the woman with the tray.
“For you to fuck off and leave me alone.” Kim flipped the channel again, this time showing a redhead dancing. Tears started to leak from her left eye.
“Oh, little one. You can still be together. I just need one thing from you.”
“Please tell me that you want me to tell you to fuck off.”
The Woman made her mouth a tight line. "It's not too late you know. Roxx only did what she did because it was for a greater good. I just need you to help her do one, last thing..." Kim thought of all the time she had spent with Roxx. The girl had made her feel special in a way no one else had. She learned about more things than she ever knew possible.
“And Bobbie…” She began, waving a hand to the left.
“Yeah, she can fuck off, too. Robb was more fun.” She trailed off, “When he was around.”
“Robb… yes, Bobbie.”
Kim looked at The Woman, stunned. “You know about that?”
“Of course I do. I also know that she’s hasn’t been quite herself lately.”
Kim looked a little scared. She realized that she didn’t know how long she’d been sitting there.
Setting down the tray, she continued. “Didn’t you notice anything funny about that? I mean, first he’s a girl. Then she starts baking cupcakes…”
Kim looked around. Why couldn’t she get up? Why couldn’t she recognize any of the shows on tv?
The Woman smiled. “Where did you think you were? Those pills of yours do a marvelous job of keeping one unconscious.”
Kim started to panic, she suddenly felt leaden. “What did you do?”
Again, the laugh. But now, it was malevolent. “Me? Nothing. This was all you.”
“And Robb.” Her voice deepened slightly.
“Robb…Bobbie? How?”
“If she hadn’t shown up, everything would have been simple. I’d love to tell you the whole story, but.” She patted her head gingerly. “It appears that time is something you don’t have a lot of.” The channel she was watching faded to snow, then a bright smurf blue.
Kim’s panic reached full velocity, “What do you want?”
***
Bobbie looked at the bartender. It was blonde Faye again. “What do you want?”
“I just don’t know anymore. I’m… I used to be such a loner. Just wanted everyone to leave me alone. I guess I got my wish.” Bobbie brushed her hair over a shoulder.
Blonde Faye smiled. “I meant to drink?”
“Oh, sorry. Scotch rocks?”
“You look like a single malt girl. Isley?” She blurred behind her and had a drink poured with inhuman grace. “Macallan 15.”
“Thanks.” Bobbie said curtly, casting her eyes down. She turned. Luka’s hat had disappeared some time ago, leaving her cut off and not knowing where to find her. Getting a drink let her view the carousel of yellow hair and bunny ears, hoping to catch the one face she knew in the crowd.
“You know,” The bartender said. “You can have whatever you want. You just need to let yourself go a little. Joan of Arc didn’t stand idly by.”
Bobbie turned back to blonde Faye, she gave a questioning look.
“Sorry, I just love history. But, if there’s one thing I’ve learned at this job is that if you want something, you have to just take it. It’s not a party until something breaks.”
Bobbie sipped at her scotch, it burned peatily all the way down. Settling into her stomach she considered leaving, but thought…
Let’s try another lap.
***
Beth was getting ready for bed when the phone rang. She could hear her father talking in alternating tones of excitement and utter calm.
“Beth!” Roy yelled. He knocked and opened her door. “I’ve gotta go. Sylvia and Kim are at the hospital.”
“Hospital? Why, everyone OK?”
“No, Sylvia’s fine, but something’s wrong with Kim.”
Oh, no. Beth thought. She remembered their failed intervention. “Kim.” Beth started to feel her eyes burn and mist. Roy hugged his daughter.
“She’ll be fine, I’m sure. But I’ll be back, can you get to school tomorrow and everything?”
She wiped her eyes. “Yes, daddy. I’ll call Heather.”
Roy grabbed some things and hurriedly left. Beth immediately got on the phone to sort out the logistics of staying home alone. It almost never happened, when it did, it was usually a fun experience. But not tonight. Beth activated her phone and contacted Heather.
***
Bzzt Bzzt!
Heather was cleaning her face when the phone rang. Looking at the screen she saw a picture of Beth, smiling with Steve. Wearing a dress she made, the red one with the polka dots. The one Steve liked. She smiled and fingered the accept bar to the right.
The aftergrin from her laugh vaporized. “Sweet residence. Heather speaking.” She laughed. “Hi, Beth. What’s up?”
“It’s Kim.” Beth blurted anxiously. “She’s at the hospital. I think… I think…”
“I’ll be right there.” Heather was out the door in her sweatpants and baggy t-shirt so quickly that the filmy soap had dried before she arrived at Beth’s house.
Beth had the door open in time for Heather to enter the room. “Everything will be okay. I’m here.” Heather had said.
“Kim.” Beth sobbed into Heather’s bathrobe, hugging her.
“She’ll be okay.” Heather said.
“She didn’t listen to us.” Beth continued to cry. The intervention had left everyone worried about Kim, only to have their fears realizing right in front of them. Heather felt her eyes leak as well. She wanted to just scream, she thought of Roxx.
I’ll fucking kill her. Heather felt a rage she was unaware of building within her, as if Audrey Hepburn became the Hulk. Heather wiped her face as she pulled away. She rubbed the tears and filmy soap between her thumb and finger, she studied the streaky substance.
“Get dressed. We’re going.” Heather said. “Just let me wash my face.”
“But, School, and Daddy…” Beth wasn’t sure about this. Going out on a school night was similarly unusual.
And a decidedly unenjoyable experience this time.
“It’s Kim.” Heather said. Beth could see Heather’s upset face. “We’re going. Grrl Army leaves no one behind.”
The car was off with both girls. Beth calling Bella and Amber…
And everyone suddenly trying frantically to reach Bobbie.
***
The fabric of Faye’s seat vibrated. She’d left Bobbie’s phone there along with her purse. The uniform had no pockets, so she was unreachable. The rumbles and beeps went unnoticed as the voicemails and text messages started to pile up.
***
Stacy was tromping around the semi forest. There was anger over the full bottle of water that spilled on her, making it see through and clingy. “Hope you’re having fun blowing your pet burnout.”
Where is that bitch?
And how did Zoe get the uniform out of the house? She resolved to have some words with her sister when she got home…
Right after she spent some time doing some sparring practice with an unwilling opponent.
***
Faye was on top of Tim. Her breath smelled of peppermint, her blonde hair falling into his face and tickling his nose. They could hear Stacy stomping around out there, stringing random syllables together. Something about her being wet and ‘gonna kill her’, before finally fading off into the distance.
They lay, unmoving. Smiling and trying not to laugh as they looked into each other’s eyes. Faye’s laugh was the first to break the silence. How long had they been there? Time both stood still and was irrelevant. She bent forward and kissed Tim. His response was immediate, the moment overtaking him. Showing up at the bakery like that, making him go out and be a little irresponsible. He could feel how much she cared about him, the warm, soothing embrace and the shared heat of their bodies.
His arousal was at a fever pitch. Her sheer presence was doing something to him unlike anything else. His hand reached for a breast, he thought better of it and started to pull his hand away. Faye gripped his wrist and pulled it back, forcing him to squeeze.
“Mmmm.” Faye moaned, she felt his other hand slide down her thigh. It then doubled back to touch the lacy, sheer undergarment beneath.
Tim smiled. “Nice underwear.” He ran his finger along the inside of the lacy waistband, recording the tactile sensation of the sheer fabric.
“Shut up.” Faye said as she kissed him again. She felt the throbbing heat of him as she brought her hand closer to the button of his jeans. Tim hesitated.
“It won’t be like with Roxx, I promise.” Faye moved in again, feeling Tim relax under her. He sat up, klutzily trying to undo her bra strap with one hand and trying to move down Faye’s panties with the other. She found his clumsiness sweet, endearing. Practice had seen Faye become highly adept with Rach’s buttons. But Tim had on button fly jeans, which meant that she had to repeat the process five times. She watched him bite his bottom lip as her hand felt the rough cloth of his boxer briefs. Boxer briefs? Had him for a tighty whiteys kind of guy.
Tim was feeling like he just won the lottery, it wasn’t like their date. This place, this night, this moment. Hiding from Stacy, the adrenalin and endorphins coursing throughout his veins.
Faye gasped as Tim’s hand reached the inside of her thigh, a vapor trail of inflamed passion chalked its way into her skin. She hooked a finger around the elastic waistband and pulled down the maroon underwear. His erect penis pointed skyward. Faye grabbed it, gently sliding her hand along the shaft.
Faye, looking at the fleshy protrusion in her hand, stared at it. If you had told me just two years ago, this was gonna happen. I would have called you a fuckwich. Strangely, she remembered where all the nerve endings were and how best to control the activity. Just like riding a bike… with testicles. He sat up again, sliding the unfastened bra and the cheerleader top upward with his calloused hands. Tim twisted his hips to move Faye under him, she complied effortlessly. She felt him start to slide down the panties, Faye lifted her hips to grant the intimate item passage as they slid down the smooth, toned legs.
The part of Faye that she didn’t like to talk about at parties, while still done with her, looked on as Tim entered her. She gasped as she felt him invade a place that had never had contact like this. Faye felt her insides stiffen as her pussy gripped and clenched, throbbed in time with him. The peristaltic action brought him closer and closer to orgasm.
“Bobbie…” His bit back his moans and cries, lest Stacy come back and perform the kata of coitus interruptus. The pumping action slowed slightly. Faye took the opportunity to flip him back over quickly, allowing herself to be impaled on his erect manhood.
***
Faye took control. Keeping a thought straight was becoming increasingly difficult.
Hey there, Cinderella. What would Kane say?
Not now, busy.
What about Rach?
I will find you and have you removed from my brain. I don’t care if I can’t do math.
That’s the point, nitwit. Bobbie’s brain, boyfriend…
Her life.
Faye bit her lip as she felt Tim spasm his entire body. Still…ooh…st….
BUSY!
Faye felt herself glow from within, a light candy coating of perspiration washed over her like a tide. She laughed, collapsing onto him and rubbing her nose on the side of his neck. Tim’s arm came around to the small of her back, then further, to slither around her hip. He squeezed her close to him. Their eyes caught each other.
It wasn’t until they had both lost circulation in one of their hips before they decided to get up from their position. The disentangling of their bodies was a delicate dance of directionless moving and scant avoidance of being struck by an errant knee or elbow. Finally fully dressed and vertical, fingers again entwined, they headed back through the last stragglers of the party starting to clean the party zone. There were people cleaning up the streamers and empty cups. The kegs were long gone, DJ Plugman had removed his implements of doom. The sound of the bass and the sense memory of the rhythmic intimate dance they had just shared persisted in their heads as they reached the white EVO. Tim looked at the plate. He stifled a laugh at the license plate that hung proudly in the rear bumper’s center.
NT UR followed by a blue heart.
“Definitely Faye’s car. Not your Valentine. Ha.” Tim brought Faye in for a closer, more personal hug. “Bobbie.”
“Hmmm?” Faye said, feeling herself melt into Tim. Heightened senses left Faye with a lingering smell of leather and wood.
Tim was still grinning from ear to ear like a five year old with a dozen cookies. He looked into the eyes he’d been lost in so often, he’d started to find his way around in there. “You made me go out tonight.”
“I did.” She looked back in.
“You saved my dad’s dream, you fixed my mom you…you….”
“Bobbie Sharpe, I think I love you.”
Faye blinked.
I TRIED TO FUCKING WARN YOU.
“I…I love you, too.” Faye said. She thought back. His tears at the store, his drunken apology. That date. She swelled inside, being asked to the prom was special. This, on the other hand was something new, stratospheric. They entered the car and drove away into the twilight, taking one of the long roads back into Delacroix proper. The phone, devoid of charge lay silent and dormant under her seat. Tim couldn’t stop staring at Faye the whole way home, the repetitive music playing in their heads over the silence.
She heard a siren in the background.
No, no, no. The cherry red and raspberry blue lights came on and spun rapidly.
“Bobbie? You don’t have a license, do you?”
Faye smiled at him. “Uh, no. I don’t.”
“We’re gonna go to jail.” Tim hung his head.
“Don’t freak out yet.” Faye rolled the evo to a stop on the quiet road.
Faye kept her hands on the steering wheel as she saw the flashlights come up on both sides of the car. She rolled her window down.
“Do you know why I pulled you over?” A voice asked from a dark face above the flashlight’s bulb.
“Uh,” Faye began. “I was driving?” She smiled paralegically.
The officer laughed. Tim knew that laugh. “Officer Hudson?” He rolled down his window. “Officer Hobson?”
“Tim, what are you doing out here? We were checking some noise reports, but we didn’t find anything.”
“Yeah, We didn’t see anything.” Faye said quickly.
“So, this is Bobbie.”
The flashlight in the driver’s window dropped suddenly. “Nice to finally meet you. You’re right Tim. She’s gorgeous.” Faye blushed.
“Go on, get out of here. My wife would never forgive me if I wasn’t able to bring home any more of those maple bacon ones.” Officer Hudson said.
“Thanks.”
“No problem. And Bobbie?”
“Yes, officer?”
“Get Faye’s car back to her. You’re a better driver than she is, but she needs to fix that brake light.”
“Thank you.” Faye said, feeling odd since it was her car.
“You kids get home. It’s a school night.” Officers Hudson and Hobson turned and walked back to their cruiser. They watched them drive off. Faye slowly pulled out, driving back into the oddly angled grid of streets.
Tim’s phone vibrated, beeped and made some sound reminiscent of a videogame from the 70s. Looking at the screen, he suddenly yelled. “Oh, shit!”
“What? What?” Faye screamed, nearly applying the brake.
“Bobbie, get us to the hospital. Kim’s there.”
Faye nodded solemnly, the heady rush of feelings and the oxytocin dump from the sex faded instantly. With clarity, she turned back to the road. She turned on the blinker and drifted the EVO towards the hospital.
***
“Beth! What are you doing here.” Roy harshly whispered.
“Kim’s our friend, daddy.” Beth said defiantly.
“My fault, Mr. Rivers. But, she’s right. Kim’s our friend.” Heather said, readjusting the zipper of her hoodie.
Sylvia was holding Kim’s hand, staring off into space. The sounds of the oxygen and the beeping of the heart monitor standing out against the cold, antiseptic silence.
Heather looked with great fear at the young girl on the hospital bed. “Kim.” She whimpered, and the floodgates were open. Tears gushed as she threw herself on the bed. Beth was a model of composure, her surprise at Heather’s reaction holding back any serious emotive response.
Beth hugged her father and Heather held the hand that Sylvia didn’t have in a death grip. Faye and Tim entered abruptly, and the silence was scattered like insects after the sudden appearance of light.
Sylvia’s head snapped up. “What are you doing here? I thought I told you…”
Faye glared at Sylvia. “Told me what? To stay away from people I care about to…”
“Care about? You lied to me. To us.”
“No, I didn’t. I was Robb’s boyfriend, That picture is from when we met. I didn’t want to tell you that.”
“Yeah, Miss Pointe. We’ve all made mistakes. Me, her… you. Bobbie tells me that you kind of lost it after your husband died. So did my mom. You got better, but that took time.”
“He has a point, Sylvia.” Roy suddenly spoke up. “Bobbie helped Beth in a way no one ever did. Hell, she got us together.”
“My mom, remember her from Christmas? She talks now, she’s started doing the books for the bakery, taking deliveries.” A tear slid from one eye as he grabbed Faye’s hand. “She’s helped everyone in this room. Picture or no picture. That’s not who she is. I think she’s proved herself to everyone.”
Tim pointed at Sylvia. “Everyone except you.”
Beth looked at Bobbie’s mom. “Back when I first met Bobbie and Kim. I…” She made her round face smile. “I asked her if she was an angel. I knew it was a silly question. But, she helps everyone. Never has a bad word to say about anyone. Not even Roxx. And we all know that she has more to do with us all standing here now than Bobbie ever could.”
Faye let go of Tim’s hand and slowly walked toward Sylvia. “I’m sorry that I didn’t tell you everything.” She said, not really talking to Sylvia. “No mother wants to hear that.”
Sylvia stepped forward into Faye’s outstretching arms. She sobbed. “I just… just… wanted somebody to blame. Robert… Kim…”
“Jeff.”
Faye was lost somewhere else, remembering Kane’s parents. Christmases, graduation. The first few minutes of any visit, before things got awkward. Since becoming Faye, email had been the contact medium of choice. The maternal vibration to the hug brought back memories of cookies and tricycles. Sometimes you just want your mom, Faye thought. In the time it takes to squeeze a trigger, Faye, too was crying. The emotion of losing the person she was finally bubbling to the surface in a way that never could come out around Zoe or Nick.
Or Rach.
The two women hugged each other and cried. Tim didn’t cry, but smiled. Finally able to help Bobbie in such a profound way, made him feel as if he’d proven his worth. She believed in him, and he was starting to believe in the things she saw.
“Mom.” Faye sobbed, letting out an entire year and a half of outrageous fortune. The beep beep beep of the monitor kept pace along with the other heartbeats in the silent room.
***
Bobbie was laughing with the Barbie doll who studied astrophysics, a big step up from the sentences she shared with the competitive shopper and the ballerina. If I hear one more diet tip, I’m going to shower them with a bullemic double rainbow. How it was possible that this many identical looking people could coexist in the same room without violating some law of physics.
Begun, the clone wars have.
Idle chatter occupied her time, a slight buzz from the scotch and some of that itching feeling gone. Bobbie was having a semi good time, it felt an awful lot like work…
“Ooh, sorry.” Bobbie said, looking up into the face of…
“Luka, hey.”
“How you holdin’ up?”
“It’s kind of weird. Very Stepford Wives.”
“Stepford? Is that some kind of lingerie?”
Bobbie laughed. “No, it’s a movie.”
Luka looked blankly. “Oh. Come here. There’s someone I want you to meet.” The blonde led Bobbie to a couch that supported a man in his late thirties. He was impressive in his John Phillips suit, flanked by an army of fembots. The man had a laid back air, impassive behind mirrored shades. A dark brush cut that tailed down into a pencil thin beard. His dark hair and skin contrasted deeply against his light suit and crisp, white shirt. He sat up quickly.
“Faye Valentine, the star of Leets and Geeks. Mike told me about you. Loved the snowboard spread.” He shook her hand, there was so little color surrounding him. It was so muted, she was reminded of the darknesses she saw.
“Hi.” Bobbie said, gripping his hand tightly. His grip was firm, as was hers. “Any friend of Luka’s…”
“Leonard M. Last name’s Mireazian. Too hard for some to pronounce.” He released her hand. “Get you a drink?”
“Sure. Two fingers of Bulleit, one of Chambord, splash of club soda, splash of bitters.” Bobbie said to the fembot closest to the bar.
Leonard looked at her in surprise, “Make it two.” He said.
“Unusual drink,” He continued “I get the feeling that you’re just full of surprises.”
The drinks came and Leonard was impressed with its flavor.
Leonard studied this girl. Sure, she was a bit gothy, but that figure begged him to take pictures. Definitely a welcome change from the fembots and Barbie dolls he seemed to be continually shooting.
Bobbie got lost in conversation with Leonard, Luka had disappeared again. She couldn’t see the hat either. But the conversation had turned to Irving Klaw, Bunny Yeager and the Bettie Page days, and how laughable they were. What he would have given to work with the notorious Bettie Page. Bobbie’s thoughts drifted to the poster on that used to hand on Robb’s wall.
Somehow, Bobbie didn’t know how, had managed to convince Leonard that recreating that shoot in a modern style.
With Bobbie in the starring role.
“Look, I know they’ll go for it. Ready for the bigtime?” Leonard’s confidence was a golden wall, steadfast and resolute.
Bobbie’s back twitched as a smile crossed her face.
“Sure.”
“Great. I’m only in Delacroix for one more day. So, Tomorrow? Should be easy enough. I have more than enough support people I can call here.”
Just like that? Playboy? Bobbie’s mouth turned up. “You got it, Lenny.”
His smile dropped a little. “That’s Leonard.”
Bobbie politely extricated herself from the suddenly chilly exchange after accepting his card. Is that Bone? My God, it even has a watermark.
She thought back to the poster in Robb’s old room. She grabbed the front of her hair and thought for a second.
Bobbie was a million miles away as Luka drove her loud Volkswagen back into Delacroix Proper. She thought of Mike and the last shoot. Visualizing herself naked, hanging a Christmas ornament. Bobbie looked at Luka.
“Good luck on that shoot tomorrow. Thought you two would hit it off. I’m heading out tomorrow. Glad I met you Faye, you seem level headed.” Luka was full of reds and greens, which only made Bobbie keep thinking about Christmas.
***
“Well.” The attending physician said to Sylvia. “It looks like she took a mix of Fentanyl and Oxycontin. We’ve given her Narcan, but we’re gonna have to keep an eye on her, she might need another dose. And, she has a respiratory infection from the drugs. Opoids depress the respiratory system. We’ll keep her for observation. Other than that… we’ll just have to wait. It’s kind of touch and go at the moment.”
Sylvia was pale. “I…I didn’t know,” Faye hugged her again. “How could I let it happen again.” It wasn’t a question.
Faye looked at this mother surrogate and let her cry. Beth and Heather shared a glance. Tim looked at everyone. “Looks like we’re here for a while. I’ll find a coffee machine.”
He left the room, passing Beth and Heather. Beth saw him wipe his eyes as he left past the green curtain.
“Bobbie?” Heather said. “What’s with the Cheerleader uniform?”