Chapter 11

“Stevie I think I broke Kyla. Can you check on her?” Bree asked of her brother.

Steven stood in front of me and had his hand near my cheek. I took that hand in mine and looked at him and said, “Sorry I was just picturing Bree with Erin. I’m fine now.”

I was about to leave when Bree yelped in pain and different bells and whistles went off. A nurse came in and asked us to leave the room. It wasn’t long before that nurse came out and informed us that Bree was going to be just fine but she wasn’t up for visitors now. Knowing that Steven said he wanted to hang around a bit longer. I went my own way and found my parents. I filled them in on what was going on. Except for the stuff about the two of them wanting to date me or Bree knowing my secret. Or even Bree’s secret. I also asked Carter for help. I found an empty room and he kept watch so nobody would stumble onto what I was going to do. I changed into my Kyle suit. I noticed once again how my chest felt uncomfortable in the suit. I hoped that would work itself out soon. I hesitated for a bit before I opened the door. Part of me wanted to see Steven again but part of me was afraid to. I was nervous the entire time I was walking through the halls. I was about to turn around when I was spotted by Steven.

“Hey man, it’s good to see you. Is everything okay with you? You look a little off. Sorry I didn’t mean it like it sounded,” Steven said.

I waved my hand a bit and said, “No worries. I’m just not very comfortable. I guess we’re both going through some family stuff.”

“Bree’s not going to be able to have any company for the rest of the day so I’m afraid I wasted your time in having you come down here,” Steven said in a hushed voice.

“You’re both my friends. It’s not a waste of time,” I said just before my stomach growled.

Steven laughed but I was embarrassed.

Steven asked, “Can I get you something to eat?”

I paused. After the talk, I had with him and his sister that almost felt like he was asking me on a date. But I just laughed and said, “I’d love to. I’ll just need to talk to my ... my Dad and see if they still had plans for Kyla and I today.”

Steven acted funny when I mentioned the name, Kyla. I almost smiled but I didn’t want to give anything away just yet so I accidentally grimaced.

“Have you talked to Kyla since she left?” he asked.

I shrugged and said, “They should still be in the waiting room. You can fill me in on how Bree is doing on our way to my family.” After we walked a minute I added, “I hear that you and Bree are both interested in dating Kyla.” For the next few days, I had been keeping mostly to myself. I’d answer text and emails from Steven and Bree. I’d even answer emails from Steven to Kyle. It was hard to tell them I couldn’t talk much and I wanted to study. One day after getting a treatment from my Dad I tried to get clean in my dorm but my sink broke. I thought about taking a shower in the girl’s bathroom but it was occupied. Which was crazy because it was three in the morning. I was desperate enough that I checked the guy’s bathroom. I thought I was lucky when I noticed that it was empty. I had forgotten how much I had missed having a shower. Yeah, I’ve had a couple at home since I started school but that just felt different than here. I had dropped my shampoo bottle and when I picked it up I heard a whistle behind me. I stood up and after turning around I quickly covered my body with my towel.

A couple of guys stood there and the taller one said, “I know the face of every cute girl in this school and I have to say that I have no idea who you are. What are you doing here?”

The shorter guy nudged his friend and said, “I think that’s Mr. Hamill’s kid. I’ve seen her at his class a couple times.”

“Actually that doesn’t matter. What I really want to know is what will you do to keep us quiet about finding you not only on the school campus but in the guy’s room. Both places you aren’t supposed to be,” said the first boy.

I held onto the towel even tighter as I said, “I don’t have anything to give you.”

“What? I couldn’t hear you,” said the first boy.

Louder, I said, “I don’t have anything to give you.”

The boy looked over my body and said, “Don’t worry there’s something you can do for us.”

The second boy looked at his friend shocked and said, “Dude, seriously?”

Boy one, “Shh. Let me finish.” To me, he said, “I want a picture taken with you. Don’t worry. You can be clothed. We’re not fiends or anything. I have a little sister at home. She’s built similar to you. She’s always felt depressed about being flat-chested. She thinks she’s the only one. If I can show her that someone out there is like her it might help her a bit. If I take a picture with the both of us she might believe the legitimacy of it more than if it were just you. She knows I wouldn’t pay anyone to do anything with a picture with me in it.”

I backed myself into the corner in my shower and said, “If that’s all that you want then can you let me finish my shower?”

Both boys nodded and backed away. I closed the curtain and after a few seconds, I wondered if this was reality. I wondered how I was lucky enough that having a picture taken with me was all they wanted from me. Especially when I was naked. I was still nervous when they each took a picture with me. I had been tempted to run off before they could take the picture or tell them I couldn’t do it. Would they believe having my picture taken was against my beliefs? My relief was short-lived though. When I woke up in the morning I checked the school’s web page and there was a naked photo of me posted on it. I even found the same pictures and others in my email. How could I have been so stupid? I took my weekend bag that I have prepared for when I want to spend the weekend at my parents’ house. And I went home as fast as I could. When I got home nobody was there. So I used my key and made my way to my room.

I was still there when my Dad came home. I heard him knock on my door but I didn’t answer. I have no idea how many times he knocked on my door before he came in. He sat down next to me and ran his fingers through my hair. He finally got up and made his way to my door.

Before he could leave I said, “I feel so stupid. And humiliated.”

He asked, “Why? What happened?”

I quickly told him about being caught in the showers and how innocent the boys seemed and how they had secretly taken the pictures of me nude and posted them on the school’s website and sent them to a bunch of other people’s emails in school. I hadn’t known that part until I checked the email again and checked that area of the email. He seemed surprised when I said even some of the teacher’s names had been on the list.