Get Real!

The first book in a new series about the Wakefield twins finds Elizabeth and Jessica with totally different impressions about their first days and new friends at the Junior High School. Original.

Elizabeth

My gym locker happened to be right next to Anna Wang's, which made sense alphabetically.  As we stood by our lockers, waiting for Miss Scarlett to pass out our uniforms, I wanted to say something to Anna, but I couldn't think of anything witty.  Still, it seemed silly not to talk to her--she was in all of my classes and she knew Salvador.  Besides, I was sick of not having anybody to talk to.  So far nobody had been mean to me, but I was starting to feel as if I were invisible, drifting silently from class to class.  I'd lucked out and eaten lunch with Susie Williams--another displaced SVMSer--but I hadn't seen Jessica all day.

I was desperately trying to think of something interesting to say to Anna when Miss Scarlett turned to me.  "What size are you?"

"Um, medium, I guess," I said.

Miss Scarlett tossed me a blue uniform.

"Anna?" she asked.

"Small," Anna said.

"These are yours to keep," Miss Scarlett said.  "Please inform your parents that they will receive a bill for them in the coming weeks.  You will each get two uniforms to last you the whole marking period, so you'll need to take them home and wash them after each class."

The uniform was a hideous, navy blue polyester.  I don't know why Miss Scarlett was even asking people what size they thought they were because the uniforms only come in gigantic or newborn.  Mine was of the gigantic variety.

With a sigh I changed into my uniform, then turned to Anna.  She had one of the newborn sizes--her top was skintight.

We looked at each other and shrugged.  I smiled, but before I could see if Anna would smile back, Miss Scarlett clapped.

"Okay, girls," she said.  "Let's get a move on.  Come on out and line up on the bench."

We trooped out of the locker room and sat along a wooden bench that ran the length of the gym.

"All right," Miss Scarlett said.  "First of all, I'd like to go over a few basic hygiene matters.  Locker rooms are the perfect environment for many fungi and viruses--" She broke off suddenly, frowning.  "Anna Wang, where is your sports bra?"

Oh.  My.

I can't even describe how horrible that moment was.  All the guys instantly leaned forward and stared at Anna's chest, which was only too clearly outlined in the navy blue polyester.  I wanted to kill Miss Scarlett, and this wasn't even happening to me.

Anna crossed her arms over her chest.  "I dropped it."

All the guys were grinning except Salvador, who was glaring at Miss Scarlett.  Even the girls were elbowing each other and smiling.

"You dropped your bra?" Miss Scarlett asked.

"Yes," Anna said.  Her face was red, but her voice was firm.  "In a puddle of water on the locker-room floor.  You--you always say we shouldn't wear wet underwear."

Miss Scarlett looked absurdly pleased.  "That's very true, Anna.  Nothing is a better breeding ground for bacteria than wet underwear.  But you simply can't attend gym class without a sports bra, because you are--"

I didn't know exactly what Miss Scarlett was going to say, but I guessed it would be something like "developing breasts," and if she said that, then all the whispers and giggles would erupt into laughter.  It was all so awful.  Anna cringed.  I was amazed that she didn't start crying.

"I have an extra sports bra in my locker," I said suddenly.  The words just came out on their own.  "Anna can borrow it."

Anna gave me a quick look.

"Excellent," Miss Scarlett said.  "Because a girl like Anna--"

"Miss Scarlett!" Salvador said urgently.  "My toes itch!"

The color drained from Miss Scarlett's face.  "Socks off, everyone!" she snapped.  "I'm going to have to inspect feet.  I might have known you'd show up with athlete's foot on the very first day of school, Salvador."

Everyone sighed and began untying their shoes.

"Should I take Anna back to my locker?" I asked.

"Oh yes, please," Miss Scarlett said distractedly.

I stood up and walked back into the locker room with Anna following.

"Thanks," she said softly as soon as we were out of earshot.

"It's no problem." I shook my head.  Just thinking about the whole scene again made me a little nauseated and light-headed.  I could only imagine how Anna was feeling.

Anna sighed.  "I guess you know I didn't really drop my bra."

"Well, I don't really have an extra one in my locker," I confessed.

I tried to imagine what we were going to tell Miss Scarlett when we walked back out without a bra.  I couldn't.  And I wasn't about to let Anna get humiliated again.  I took a breath and said, "You know, we--we could buy you a bra."

She looked at me.

"We could go shopping," I explained.

Anna smiled a little.  "Right now?"

"Sure," I told her, as if it were no big deal.  "We could skip class.  It's last period anyway, and Miss Scarlett won't notice.  She's too busy checking feet." Even if she does notice, I thought, I don't care. And I really didn't--I was furious with Miss Scarlett at that moment.

Still, I don't know where that idea came from because I have never skipped class in my entire life.  I've never skipped a pep rally, or an assembly, or a recess, even.

But Anna just said, "Okay.  Let's go."