Tuesday
It was the next morning. I'd arrived at school. People were milling about in the hallway before class started.
Nancy grabbed me.
"Huh?" I asked, turning around.
"Why didn't you call me?" she hissed.
"Huh when?" I asked.
"Yesterday. And where'd you get that coat?"
"Yesterday. The mall. And I was busy. I forgot."
"Oh, were you?" she asked, disbelieving.
"Yes. I was."
"Are you doing anything later today, after school?"
"Yes, I probably am, actually."
"Oh, well fine then so am I."
Nancy turned and flounced off.
"Karen!" I heard a voice call.
I whirled around and saw Pamela, Leslie, Lauren, Christy and Max heading down the hall towards me.
"Hey," Pamela said when they'd reached me.
"Oh hey," I said.
"What's wrong?" Leslie asked.
"And what," Lauren said; "was that all about?"
"Oh, nothing really except that a; my mom made me button up my coat this morning before I left. And b; Nancy wanted to know where I was yesterday."
"So what'd you tell her?" Christy asked.
"And girrrl," Max said; "what is up with those shoes? It's not snowing."
"Yeah thanks I know that. I'll tell you in a minute."
"Oh."
We walked down the hallway.
"To answer your question Christy," I said.
"Yeah?" she asked, looking at me.
"She, being Nancy, wanted to know why I didn't call her yesterday like I was sposed to. I told her I was busy."
"Course you were you were with us," Pamela said.
"Yeah exactly. And she also wanted to know where I got this coat. I told her yesterday. At the mall."
"Oh."
We'd reached our metal lockers.
"And to answer your question," I said, looking at Max; "these were the only I could find that went with this outfit."
"You need some new boots sweethart."
"Yes, thank you," I replied, smiling.
"Which is why," Lauren said, pulling a large brown bag out of the bottom of her locker; "we got you these."
Out of the bag she pulled a pair of thigh high black leather stiletto boots.
"My god how high are those heels?" I asked.
"4 inches," Pamela said.
"Jeez those are big. Thank you, by the way."
"Uh huh."
"Well, try them on," Leslie said.
"Ok."
I sat down on the floor, unzipping my snow boots and putting on the new ones.
"Oooh great skirt," Lauren commented.
"Thanks I got it last night."
"We know."
They laughed.
I stood up in the boots, wobbling a little.
"Wow these are like ........wow. I don't really know what to think of them."
"Wow you're a little tipsy and you're not even drunk yet," Christy laughed.
I smiled.
"Oh don't worry you'll get used to them," Max told me; "you're gonna have to if you're gonna be a stripper."
I looked at her, surprised.
"Um exscuse me? Stripper?" I asked, my eyes wide.
"Ya huh. My friend Melissa just came into town from Vegas. She plays blackjack. She'll show you the ropes."
"She also happens to be my older sister," Christy told me.
"Oh. Um when?" I asked.
"Today. Well tonight, rather," Pamela said.
"We've already set up an appointment for you," Leslie said.
"Christy, Max and I will come with. We have to, anyway. We work there," Lauren said.
"Where?" I asked.
"Downtown at the casino."
"Guess I'll be in late tonight then."
"Oh you'll have a lot of nights like that."
"Oh."
"And after school we're going to my place," Christy said.
"Oh."
"By bus, of course," Max told me.
"Of course," I repeated.
"And then the mall," Pamela said.
"Wow we're busy," I remarked.
"Yeah well."
"And you have the body for it," Leslie told me.
"I I do?" I said.
"Yes my god you're gorgeous," Lauren told me.
"Thank you."
"Uh huh."
"With your long blonde hair and piercing blue eyes………..good thing you got contacts," Christy told me.
"The men are gonna love you and the women prolly will too," Max told me.
The warning bell rang. We put the snow boots in Lauren's locker and went to class.