Chapter 22: Victory

One Thursday, the Riders seemed distracted. Mary asked why. "Jane's in trouble," they said, but gave no more information. But when Jane came into the clubroom, her face was shining; her grin spread from ear to ear.

"What's up?" Mary asked.

"I just got back from the principal's office and I feel great."

"What the hell does that mean? Tell us about it." The girls gathered around.

Jane looked at Mary. "At lunch today, I was just sitting there with Ginny, eating, you know? And this guy, John Forester, came over and started to goof on me, touching me. I told him to get lost. Well, he went away for a while, but when I got up to take my tray in, he came over and grabbed me from behind. Really took a good hold on my breast."

"Oh, Jane. What did you do?"

"You would have loved it, Mary. I turned away from his hand, you know?" She demonstrated. "My tray came around and I mashed it on his chest and let it drop. Dishes all over, tray hit his toes."

"Dynamite! Then what?"

"I slapped his face. Both ways. And I yelled at him, 'Keep your slimy hands off me, you filthy creep'. Then I walked over to the lunch room teacher and I said, real loud, 'Did you see him? He assaulted me. Are you going to call the cops?'

"You know what she did? She put her arm around me, and said, 'I saw it all, Jane. Let's go talk to the principal. John, you make sure you're where I can find you later.'"

"What did the principal say?"

"The teacher told him what she saw. He asked me what happened and I told him. Exactly, word for word. Nothing extra, no tears or hysterics. I told him I wanted to prefer charges for assault, and he called the cops. I've been right through it, all of it. Police station, everything. They brought him in and charged him."

"Were your folks there?"

"By that time, yeah. When Mom came in, she started in on me and I said, 'Mom, do not misunderstand me. I have been assaulted by a classmate who had no reason to do it. If you won't back me up, there's trouble ahead.' Dad got a grip on her arm — he's done that to me and I know he wasn't fooling — and he said, 'Pam, you stay out of this'. And he backed me up right down the line."

"So what happened with the creep?"

"His parents came, too. They're furious."

"Furious with him?"

"No, damn it, with me. Tried to accuse me of starting it. But I expected that. I told them 'Your son is one of the gang that goes around this school goosing the girls, grabbing our tits, and making our lives hell'. I said, 'I'm sick of it, and I won't take it any more.' They just stood there with their mouths open, and I left with Dad and Mom. I saw the teacher after. She told me she was glad I'd finally stood up for myself, and she had told John's folks that every word I said was true and that she would testify to it in court."

"Hurray for Jane!" one of the girls yelled.

"Hurray for the teacher, too." Mary said. "She could get in trouble. We need to let her know we'll stand by her,"

"I sure will," said Jane.

Mary hugged Jane. "I'm real proud of you."

"Mary, thanks to you and all the rest of us, I'm proud of me, too... Oh, but you know the best part?"

"What?"

"I had beef stew for lunch. The gravy ran all down the front of him."

Later, when they were alone, Mary asked Jane, "Was this John one of the guys who raped you?"

"No. Just as well. It would have made things complicated. But I can tell you, they're dealing with another Jane Pinski now."

"Not likely to be the end, you know. You could be targeted."

"Yeah. But I've got my friends here, and I've got my own guts. I'm going to be all right."