Evelyn 7

Monday morning I see something is bothering Sarah, wait til we're out her door, "I ah well I'm sorry. Didn't mean to cause all that."
She looks at me blankly, "what on earth are you talking about?"
I blush, "all that stuff with the dream."
"Oh, that. Heavens, that's the last thing on my mind. No apology needed."
"I see, so if I didn't freak you out, then who did?"
"You actually opened my eyes, but only in a roundabout way. After all and everything, I just couldn't sleep, everything from Hasids to loot swirling in mind. And because I didn't sleep, I learned something."
It starts to dawn, "you mean, your parents? And the Kleins?"
"By the time I went to bed, they had already drunk too much. They were noisy, I crept out to look. The bedroom door was closed, but I could still smell pot. Hear the unmistakable sounds of S&M. After all, I should know what a paddle sounds like."
We both laugh.
"Now that, I could shrug off. This is the Left Coast, every adult except your Mum and half the kids smoke up. And who doesn't do S&M nowadays? But they were - gasp - swapping."
"You mean, as in infidelity?"
Pulls a face, "even worse than that. The two guys together and the two women. Disgraceful!!"
"I just cannot imagine your Mum - good looking as she is - in bed with that fat swine. Are you sure?"
"Positive. You know, I'm not sure I ever want to grow up. Maybe wait a few years, then fling myself off Ogden Point."
My skin starts to crawl. "No, don't do that."
"Why not? Who are you to order me around?"
"Let's just say you might be a bad influence, tempt me to do the same."
"I detect in your tone, you've already given it thought."
I blush hotly, "ah yeah."
The silence hangs in the air for all eternity and then some, but probably only a minute and a half in real time.
She sighs, "ok, for you."
I heave an inward sigh of relief.
She gives a rueful smile, "time like this, I hate to bring this topic up."
I groan inwardly, sensing where she's headed.
"See Brent is getting bored with me, threatens to dump me if we don't get a little variety."
"Lemme guess, his idea of variety is me paddling one cheek and you the other."
She laughs easily, "amazing how you pick up clues."
"Forget it if he means all the time. But a one shot deal, why not? I can guarantee my side will be purple, he'll be sitting on one cheek in school for a week."
"No, you can't do that. For sure, he'd dump me, for you. Gotta swing ordinary."
"Oh ok, guess I could use practice, in the unlikely event I ever find a boyfriend."
"In fact, gonna ask you swing lighter than me, he'll appreciate me more after."
"You really do ask for a lot. Ok, so be it."
As we arrive at the school yard, Brent joins us, brazenly feels my right arm, sarcastic tone, "not much there."
Visions of multiple contusions, him sitting on a pillow for a month dance before my eyes. But a promise is a promise, so I smile sweetly and say nothing.
He leers, "time to start going to the gym." I shrug, knowing it's a crass effort to provoke me.
After school, I establish that yes I have lots of self-discipline and self-control. My desire to create total mayhem is overridden by my promise to Sarah. What can you do? Friends count for more than revenge. Besides, it's not like he's doing MY math for free, what does he deserve?