Chapter 7

My mother was so efficient at reducing me to the lowest life form on earth. I really don't know how she does it or why, but when she does, I completely freeze up inside. Unable to think or act in a rational manner, I become her ugly portrayal of myself. I even start to believe she's right after a while and behave accordingly. It was little wonder why most of my time was spent away from her.

A warm sunny rock had become my chair. From there I could watch the waves roll ashore, listen to the gulls calling overhead and feel the chill that told of the coming season. Just sitting there made my depression start to lift away like the breeze that blew in from the ocean.

How could I be getting tired of a place like this? It was so beautiful.

You need friends to be happy, I concluded. Not that it was some major discovery or anything, having lots of friends was just something I was accustomed to. At least Jenny did have other friends which was more than I could say for myself. Maybe our friendship was really hurting me, giving me an excuse for my shyness, making it all too easy for me to hide away.

There wasn't much to do, whittling away at the few remaining days before school started. I didn't feel like doing anything or meeting anyone, just being with Jennifer.

I could see her sun lit hair flying around in the breeze as she walked toward me. Even at a distance I could recognize her, feel her warmth inside of me. Somehow, nothing else seemed to matter now, only Jenny. Her smile made me feel lighter as I watched her coming closer. There was a part of me that still wanted to look sad and hurt for Jenny. No doubt she would try to cheer to me up if I was.

Jenny ran over as soon as she noticed me. "Mind if I join you?"

The rock was small, but I gladly slid over to make room for my friend. Remember, I told myself holding back a smile, you're sad and hurt. Well, it *was* true.

She picked up a stick and starting drawing little hearts in the sand, flushing out a small cloud of flies from their home in the seaweed. Tiny legs appeared from the bottom of a shell and carried it slowly across the sand. It stopped just a few inches from Jenny's stick.

"That's a hermit crab." She informed me. "When they get scared they climb back inside their shell. As soon as it's safe, it'll come out again. Watch."

After a few minutes the shell rocked back and forth a few times, then continued it's journey across the sand.

Jenny reached into her purse. "I've got something that will make you feel better."

I was still too sad and hurt to talk, but perhaps there was something she could do to make me feel better. It was worth a try.

When I saw the hairbrush in her hand and that cute little giggle of hers, I couldn't hold back from smiling. The feeling of Jenny's hands on my shoulders, gently rotating me into position, was just enough to get the blood flowing to all those excitable areas of my body.

My silence was broken. "Just so you know, my hair is *incredibly* available... for brushing."

Jenny laughed, pushing the brush through my hair. "Is it... available to for a date? How... about to be in love... is it available for that?"

I didn't bother to hesitate with my answer, "it's available for *some* kind of sex, I think."

The brushing continued, occasionally interrupted by Jenny's fingers petting my hair. "I love the soft feeling of hair across my nipples, have you ever felt that?" Was she talking to me? She must have been judging by my rapidly weakening state.

"No." I blushed. "But the idea sounds nice. And of course my nipples *are* very friendly, which I *think* you remember."

She remembered all right. How could she possibly forget how much I enjoyed having my nipples sucked, twisted and pulled in and out of shape. When she *demanded* to know how sensitive they were? It should have been quite clear at that point that they were *very* sensitive. I was again reminded of that as they brushed the inside of my blouse, making them even harder still.

The brush stopped half way through my waist length hair. "Oh god!" Scowled Jenny. "Here comes 'lover boy'."

I shuttered, already feeling embarrassed. "Your old boyfriend?"

When I turned my head to look, Jenny's hand forcefully repositioned it. Then I felt the brush again. It was obvious at that point: She was planning on brushing my hair right in front of him! Oh no!

"Jenny?" I whispered, not knowing how close he was. "I think this is embarrassing me? But I'm getting *really* turned on too?" Hopefully she understood.

But there was no answer, just the static sound of a brush clinging slowly through hair. Inside me, the messages were a bit more mixed: "Tell her to stop."... "No, tell her *not* to stop."..."Don't tell her anything!" One thing was sure. My face must have been 5 shades of burning red by now. Every part of me felt like it was shaking as I heard the footsteps get louder and louder. My whole body felt electric, shrinking up in utter embarrassment, yet so excited to be on public display. The whole thing was definitely getting me even more horny, something I *didn't* need at that point.

Jenny spoke in an upbeat voice. "Hi Tom. I have a friend I'd like you to meet. This is Sarah... Sarah, this is my boyfriend Tom." She finally allowed me turn around and say hello, but one look at his snarling face was enough to make me turn my head back.

Wait a minute. 'My boyfriend'? Did she call him her boyfriend? I must have heard wrong. I thought they had broken up, at least that's what she told me.

"Sarah's having her hair braided, I think she's going to look really pretty that way." Each of Jenny's words was like a small electric shock travelling through my body. Was she teasing this guy or what? Or was she teasing me? Or both of us? I couldn't bear to think what was going to happen next. This guy would be telling the whole world about us. What was even crazier was how much I was getting turned on by that possibility!

"So what's the big idea?" Barked Tom. "Huh? Just getting up and leaving me like that. What kind of crap is that anyway?"

I started to get up, I don't know what I would have done though, if it hadn't been for Jenny's pressure on my shoulders telling me to stay put. Inside of me there was a dog growling, lifting up its lip to show the teeth.

Then I couldn't believe my ears, Jenny started apologizing to that jerk!

"I'm really sorry Tom, for leaving you."

"You're *mine*, do you understand me? You're not going to walk out on me like that, make *me* look like a fool in front of *my* friends. Don't *ever* do that again. A bunch of the guys are going out tonight with their girlfriends. You're invited. We'll be at the boardwalk at 8. See you later."

Off he went in a rage, stomping his way down the beach.

I was completely shocked. "Does he always talk to you like that?"

"It's just that tough guy act, you know, football star, sports hero. He's got quite a flock of followers too. Inside that tough outside there's a warm, thoughtful person inside. He really needs someone like me to love him and bring out his good side."

The thought of someone like that having a good side was sure foreign to me. It would take a much bigger person than myself to love a guy like him. He would talk to me like that exactly *one* time.

I looked over at Jenny, her face numb and expressionless. "So how do you fit into the sports scene? You don't seem the type."

"Don't laugh, but I'm a cheerleader," she admitted reluctantly.

This was sure one day full of surprises. A cheerleader of all things. Boy, if I were a cheerleader, I'd be routing for the *other* team and Tom would get a pom-pom right in his face!

It was getting hard to imagine how we were going to stay friends in school, our interests were so different. I never could stand jocks, especially the ones like Tom who represented everything I'd come to despise in the breed.

Jenny was busy braiding my hair as promised, stopping now and then to kiss the top of my head or hug me from behind. Her touch was so nice, so sensitive and gentle.

"Why don't you try out Sarah... for cheerleading."

"Cheerleading?... Me?" Hopefully she was kidding. I felt so defensive trying to explain. "Well... I just don't think I'd be very good at it. I mean you're so pretty and popular, but I wouldn't-"

Jenny cut me off, stopping in the middle of a braid. "Come on, how do you know if you don't give it a chance. Try-outs start in 2 days, why don't you come?"

School was still 2 weeks away and already they were trying out for sports? Just how I wanted to savor the last drops of summer vacation, trying out for the cheerleading squad! "Can't they at least wait until school starts for all that?" I asked out of curiosity.

"I guess they used to, but the football coach complained they didn't have enough time before the first games. There was big debate about it and he basically said 'this town has to decide whether it wants a winning team or a losing team.' I guess he won the debate. There's a big emphasis on sports right from the first day of school."

Then she explained how they have a huge pep rally the first day to introduce the teams, and how the whole town shows up for the event. She said that some of the teachers make jokes like "I wish we had as many people at graduation."