Chapter 6

Danielle could hardly wait to tell Robin what she'd seen in Upper and Lower. She got to school early on Monday morning, and was surprised to recognize a girl she'd seen in Upper—she was one of the two teenage couples she'd seen—using a locker just two down from her. She wasn't sure what to say, or how. 'I saw you naked' seemed a little crude. The girl solved it for her.

"Are you Jessica Anderson's daughter?" the girl asked. "I saw you with her this weekend."

"You ... what?"

"I'm Fiona," the girl said, holding out her hand, "Fiona Snow." She was slender with dark hair swept over her shoulder and held back with a band.

"Danni Tyler," Danielle replied automatically, taking Fiona's hand, "and she's my Aunt Jessica. You ... uh, you look different."

Fiona laughed, waving her hand at her clothes. "Oh, these things. Yeah, I have fabric on." She plucked at her skirt. "My parents insisted I come to school up here rather than down in Seaside. They said I can't live and work down there my entire life, and I have to get used to the fabric world."

"'Fabric world'?"

"You know, clothes. I suppose I have to," she added with a sigh, "but I'm just not used to them. They bind and catch in all sorts of awkward places."

Danielle felt a sudden wave of relief. She was on familiar territory; she'd had the same complaint when she'd grown enough to have to wear a bra. "You might not be wearing the right size. That happened to me at first."

Fiona began unbuttoning her blouse. "Can you help me with it?"

"Not here, not out in the open," Danielle said, glancing around to see if anyone was watching. She grabbed the girl and dragged her into the nearest Girls Restroom.

Color had rushed to Fiona's cheeks. "I keep forgetting that people up here have some sort of nudity taboo."

"Not ... quite," Danielle said. "You can show things, you're just not supposed to show very much. Now let's take a look."

Fiona peeled off her blouse, and Danielle saw the problem right away. "The straps on your bra are too short," she said. "The bottom of your bra cup is pinching you."

"Too short? But I thought ... I mean, this is the one my sister wears when she's up here, and we're the same size and height, and..." She ran down as Danielle shook her head. "No?"

"Every girl is different, even identical twins will have some slight differences between 'em. They make these things in general sizes, but you have to adjust them to fit."

Fiona shrugged out of her bra and held it out. "All right, how do I do that?"

Danielle took the bra, carefully averting her eyes from Fiona's body. "Well, first you need to get properly fitted," she said, turning the garment over to read the size. "That won't solve the problem permanently because you're a teenager and your body is growing and changing. But I remember enough of when I got fitted that I can help you with a few things."

She did what she could, forcing herself to look critically at Fiona's chest, and making a rough estimate about adjusting the straps. "Here, try this."

Fiona had trouble with the hooks in back, so Danielle had to help her. Fiona smiled when the bra was finally secure. "Okay, I guess. I still don't see why I need one. My grandmother has lived her entire life without one."

"And I bet she gets uncomfortable if she does anything more than walk," Danielle said. "If you do any exercise at all you need one."

"I guess." Fiona buttoned up her blouse and examined herself in the mirror. "Come to think of it, my oldest sister, who went to high school in Seaside, said they had to wear them for gym."

"You'll hear some nonsense about how they make a girl look like she's nursing or something," Danielle said as they left the restroom. "Most of that's put out by women who don't need to wear one. A girl with any sort of chest needs one because it feels like her whole front is being pulled down. Remember, gravity is a girl's worst enemy."

"I'll remember that," Fiona laughed. "And I guess it's true, too, when you put it that way."

Danielle's curiosity prodded her. "So how do you like wearing clothes?"

"I don't. I like the feel of the sun on my skin." She held out her skirt. "It feels a little strange to have this knocking against my legs. How do you stand it?"

"You get used to it," Danielle said, shrugging. "You really go naked all of the time?"

"We call it 'nude'," Fiona said, "and yes, we do."

"What about that time of month?"

"I have a little pad that I wear, and tampons. You almost don't see it. But other than that..."

"Even in school? What about when you go on dates?"

"You mean like if I went out with a boy?" Danielle nodded. "That usually isn't a problem. You're hardly ever alone with a boy for any length of time. Parents are worried that their kids..." The color rose in her cheeks.

"Doesn't it get cold in Seaside?" Danielle asked, diplomatically changing the subject.

"Not really. In the wintertime it can get down into the upper 60s at night, but during the day it stays pretty warm. It gets colder up here, and yet people tell me this is a warm climate."

"I've heard the same thing." Danielle spotted Robin coming down the hall. "That's Robin. She's lived here longer than I have. She would know."

"Know what?" Robin asked. "Hi Fiona."

"You two know each other?" Danielle asked.

"She's in a couple of my classes," Robin said.

"She lives in Upper and Lower," Danielle said.

"Huh. I thought she lived in Valley's End. Really?"

Fiona nodded. "My whole life, except for when my family's lived in Seaside. Danni was helping me with my bra. I'm not used to wearing 'em, and I had it on wrong."

"You should get fitted," Robin said. "All girls should." She cocked her head. "Upper and Lower? Why aren't you going to school in Seaside?"

Fiona repeated what she'd told Danielle. "And they didn't want me to enroll in a regular school up here," she added.

"Oh?" Danielle frowned. "Why not?"

Fiona blushed bright red. "Because of one of the classes. So here I am."

Danielle wanted to ask which one, but the bell for the start of classes interrupted her. She and Robin had a class the last period, and Robin was trying to hide her laughter when she walked into the classroom in the late afternoon.

"What is it?"

"Fiona. I had P.E. with her last period. She's wearing a bra, but that's the only underwear she had on."

"She wasn't wearing any—?"

"Nope. I wasn't sure if I was shocked, or what."

"I know what you mean. On one hand I'm not surprised, but on the other..."

"Yeah, how can you wear a skirt and not wear panties? I hope the boys didn't notice."

"How do you tell her that she should be wearing them?"

"I tried. She said 'What for?' Telling her that they cover you doesn't do a thing. She doesn't see the need."

Danielle forced herself to take a mental step back. It was a strange way of looking at things, but from Fiona's perspective, the girl was right. Covered was covered. Clearly she only thought of the practical effects of clothes.

"I don't think either of us should go to her for fashion advice."

Robin exploded with laughter, drawing looks from the teacher and everyone else. "Goodness, no. She wouldn't know fashion if it hit her over the head."

The teacher rapped on her desk with her knuckles. Danielle and Robin looked at her stern expression and settled in their seats. When she got home Aunt Jessica was gone. Jenny was in her room, and from the noises, she was there with her boyfriend. Jenny hadn't closed her door all of the way; Danielle could see them on her cousin's bed, and if the noises hadn't clued her in, the sight of two naked bodies would have told her what they were doing. She paused for a few seconds, watching them.

They certainly seemed to be enjoying themselves. Jenny's fingers seemed to be hooked into the boy's shoulders, and her legs were wrapped around his. The whole bed was shaking, and both were moaning and gasping. She pulled the door shut, aware that she was peeping on what was a very private moment.

Aunt Jessica came home a few minutes later. Danielle met her in the kitchen. "Did you know Jenny and her boyfriend are upstairs having sex right now?"

Aunt Jessica nodded as if this wasn't news to her. "He has to share a room with his two brothers," she said. "This is the only place they can get any privacy."

"But don't you mind? I mean she's no older than I am, and yet—"

"One, I don't mind," Aunt Jessica said, cutting her off. "It's quite natural for a girl of her age, of your age, too, to be interested in sex. And two, yes, I think she has the emotional maturity to handle things."

"But ... but what if she gets the clap, or pregnant or something?"

"That's not going to happen in Three Valleys."

"It happens everywhere."

"Not here." Her aunt's voice was firm, and her eyes narrowed. "Things are different here. I thought you were told that."

"Everyone says that, but it really isn't true."

Her aunt had started to put on her apron. Now she sighed and hung it up again. "You're sounding a little harsh today. Are you still mad about what happened back in Tiburon?"

"No, not really."

Aunt Jessica cocked her head. "I think you just don't show it. You've gotten awfully good at hiding your real self these last couple of years." She sat at the kitchen table, and motioned Danielle to join her.

"You've been through a lot of changes in the last few weeks, haven't you."

"I'm fitting in," Danielle said.

"But your friends are back in Tiburon. Would you like to see them? I can arrange it."

"Really?" Then she thought about what she'd been told. "I couldn't say anything to them, could I."

"Not really. You could see your parents instead."

"Um, maybe."

"I'll take that as a yes. It'll be a week or so before we can do this."

"How much ... how much do they know about this place?"

"Some, but only in a general way. They don't know the specifics, only that there's a place where you're safe. That was very important to your mother."

"How much do they know ... about what happened?"

"Probably more than you think."

"I didn't tell her, but you guys probably did."

"Your parents love you very much, Dani. They want you to be safe, to grow up safe and healthy, and where you were, that wasn't right. You don't know how much it cost them to send you here."

"They can afford it. Dad's rich."

"I'm not talking about money."

"But how could they know? Was it Jenny?"

"She only told me a little, enough, though. Your mother had figured it out."