keg stands a run for
their money.
After tossing the second empty cup aside, my
attention centers on Wren as she places her head in her hands and
whimpers softly. She sniffles, sucking back tears and I slide
closer and place my arm over her shoulder. “Wren, what’s wrong?”
She lifts her head, cheeks flushed, and swats at piece of loose
golden hair in her face. “Seriously, Wren. Did someone mess with
you? I swear I’ll kick their—a!”
She cuts me off in a low, quivering voice.
“That’s not it.”
I place two of my fingers under her chin and
tilt her head towards me. “Then what is it?” Seeing her hurt kills
me. I want to be a band aid covering her wound. I want to do
anything I can to help because she’s been there for me during every
low point of my existence. And I owe it to her.
“Why don’t boys like me?”
My mouth opens and I lean away. “Huh?” That’s
not what I expected to hear.
“Boys. Why don’t they like me?”
I don’t know how to answer that. I’m stumped.
So I try to answer the question the best way I know how. “You
intimidate them.”
She wipes away a few straggling tears with
her palms. “Intimidate them?”
Thinking hard, I try to put myself in a guy’s
shoes. If I had a girlfriend as smart and as pretty as Wren, I’d be
intimidated. “No guy wants to admit that his girlfriend is smarter
than he is,” I tell her reassuringly.
She sighs, frustrated. “Why can’t I be more
like Katie?”
Clearly Wren is delusional. “How can you say
that? You and Katie don’t belong in the same sentence or
category.”
“Boys like her.”
“No. Boys use her. There’s a difference.”
Again, I tried rationalizing Wren’s claim from a male perspective.
If a hot girl was handing out free sex, I probably wouldn’t pass on
it. “And that’s because she’s an idiot.” I pause. “And a skank
face.”
Sometimes the whole random hook-up scenario
that occurs between kids my age bothers me. A person’s innocence is
precious and beautiful and when you share that piece of yourself,
in my opinion, it’s supposed to mean something. Sure I’ve, made out
with my fair share of guys, but I decided that my virtue is special
and I should share that with someone I love. Someday.
Wren’s lips curl slightly and inside I’m
elated. So happy that I’m able to bring a smile to her lips. Sudden
warmth starts in my heart and spreads throughout my entire body.
“Thanks, Ells. You always have a way of making me feel better.”
I hug her, squeezing her tightly to my chest.
“Any guy would be a straight up moron not to want you.”
Wren pulls out of the hug and stands. I stand
too and motion to the backdoor. “You wanna go back inside?”
Wren and I both stare at the commotion going
on in the kitchen. Josh Turner is running around in a circle,
slapping several guys hands as a chorus of cheers erupts.
She looks at me earnestly. “Nah. I think I’m
going to call it a night. How bout you?”
“I’m gonna stay a little bit longer.”
She walks to the edge of the porch and nods.
“Call me tomorrow.”
“Will do.” I keep my eyes on her as she steps
off the porch and slips into the darkness.
Pushing my way through the crowded kitchen, I
stop at the keg and lean against the aluminum alcohol container.
Josh spins around and cracks a curious smile as the loud chatter in
the kitchen dies down. “What do you think you’re doing?” he
asks.
“Hoist me up,” I say adamantly. “I’m about to
show you boys how this is done.”
His chocolate brown eyes wash over me,
intrigued. “Is that so?” He lifts his arm and two linemen from the
football team move forward. One on each side of me. “We’ll see
about that.”
Twisting, I grab both sides of the keg. The
linemen raise me up effortlessly; I rest the nozzle in my mouth and
position my thumb over the red button that will eventually spill
liquid into my mouth.
Hanging upside down, I focus on Josh’s white
tennis shoes while he
their money.
After tossing the second empty cup aside, my
attention centers on Wren as she places her head in her hands and
whimpers softly. She sniffles, sucking back tears and I slide
closer and place my arm over her shoulder. “Wren, what’s wrong?”
She lifts her head, cheeks flushed, and swats at piece of loose
golden hair in her face. “Seriously, Wren. Did someone mess with
you? I swear I’ll kick their—a!”
She cuts me off in a low, quivering voice.
“That’s not it.”
I place two of my fingers under her chin and
tilt her head towards me. “Then what is it?” Seeing her hurt kills
me. I want to be a band aid covering her wound. I want to do
anything I can to help because she’s been there for me during every
low point of my existence. And I owe it to her.
“Why don’t boys like me?”
My mouth opens and I lean away. “Huh?” That’s
not what I expected to hear.
“Boys. Why don’t they like me?”
I don’t know how to answer that. I’m stumped.
So I try to answer the question the best way I know how. “You
intimidate them.”
She wipes away a few straggling tears with
her palms. “Intimidate them?”
Thinking hard, I try to put myself in a guy’s
shoes. If I had a girlfriend as smart and as pretty as Wren, I’d be
intimidated. “No guy wants to admit that his girlfriend is smarter
than he is,” I tell her reassuringly.
She sighs, frustrated. “Why can’t I be more
like Katie?”
Clearly Wren is delusional. “How can you say
that? You and Katie don’t belong in the same sentence or
category.”
“Boys like her.”
“No. Boys use her. There’s a difference.”
Again, I tried rationalizing Wren’s claim from a male perspective.
If a hot girl was handing out free sex, I probably wouldn’t pass on
it. “And that’s because she’s an idiot.” I pause. “And a skank
face.”
Sometimes the whole random hook-up scenario
that occurs between kids my age bothers me. A person’s innocence is
precious and beautiful and when you share that piece of yourself,
in my opinion, it’s supposed to mean something. Sure I’ve, made out
with my fair share of guys, but I decided that my virtue is special
and I should share that with someone I love. Someday.
Wren’s lips curl slightly and inside I’m
elated. So happy that I’m able to bring a smile to her lips. Sudden
warmth starts in my heart and spreads throughout my entire body.
“Thanks, Ells. You always have a way of making me feel better.”
I hug her, squeezing her tightly to my chest.
“Any guy would be a straight up moron not to want you.”
Wren pulls out of the hug and stands. I stand
too and motion to the backdoor. “You wanna go back inside?”
Wren and I both stare at the commotion going
on in the kitchen. Josh Turner is running around in a circle,
slapping several guys hands as a chorus of cheers erupts.
She looks at me earnestly. “Nah. I think I’m
going to call it a night. How bout you?”
“I’m gonna stay a little bit longer.”
She walks to the edge of the porch and nods.
“Call me tomorrow.”
“Will do.” I keep my eyes on her as she steps
off the porch and slips into the darkness.
Pushing my way through the crowded kitchen, I
stop at the keg and lean against the aluminum alcohol container.
Josh spins around and cracks a curious smile as the loud chatter in
the kitchen dies down. “What do you think you’re doing?” he
asks.
“Hoist me up,” I say adamantly. “I’m about to
show you boys how this is done.”
His chocolate brown eyes wash over me,
intrigued. “Is that so?” He lifts his arm and two linemen from the
football team move forward. One on each side of me. “We’ll see
about that.”
Twisting, I grab both sides of the keg. The
linemen raise me up effortlessly; I rest the nozzle in my mouth and
position my thumb over the red button that will eventually spill
liquid into my mouth.
Hanging upside down, I focus on Josh’s white
tennis shoes while he
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