I hold up my hand. “First, he does not like me. Second, I strongly doubt he’ll let us out of class, but I’ll try.”
I’d forgotten about the plan to take MJ to the doctor by the time I was in Independent Study. I’m steadily researching the latest assignment McAllister’s given me when MJ and Logan come strolling into the computer lab.
“We need your help,” MJ announces, plopping down into a chair beside me.
“With what?” I ask, not looking up from the screen. Logan leans closer, watching me as I work.
“A little space.” I angle my chair away from him. I don’t know if our assignments are confidential from other students, but I have the sense to shield what I’m doing from view. Logan takes the hint and sits down next to MJ.
“We need to look up a clinic for tomorrow morning. Somewhere that’s free or takes cash, so I don’t have to use my medical insurance and have my parents get the bill.”
I look over at her, impressed for once that she’s shown maturity and rational thought.
“Logan’s idea,” she says, reading my mind.
Logan swings his chair around closer. “And we don’t want to use the computers in the common room, since the history is traceable.”
“Oh, of course.” I gesture to the computer in front of MJ. “Search for whatever you want. I’ll wipe it clean afterwards.”
“Thanks.” She smiles.
Logan and MJ search for free clinics while I continue working on my latest hacking assignment.
“Here’s one, twenty miles away, they’re open until four.” MJ taps the screen. “Write down this address, Logan.”
I take a peek at the screen. “How are we going to get somewhere twenty miles away? Cab?”
They exchange a look.
“What?” What am I missing?
“Ah! We’ve got ourselves a first timer here, Logan.” MJ grins.
“First time for what?” I ask.
Logan chimes in, “Don’t worry, we’ll go easy on you.”
“Seriously, what are you guys talking about?”
MJ stands, folding the address into her jeans pocket. “The fuck truck.”
I learn that the fuck truck is the endearment for the old beat up pickup truck the school lets students use ‘in case of emergency,’ like picking up a prescription, or going to the dentist. In reality it’s used for fast food runs and parking sessions for couples, hence its name.
That explains how over the weekend, Dane went out and came back with enough fast food to feed our entire class and a several drug store bags filled with condoms. All of the guys proudly filled their pockets, while the girls looked on. Only MJ was bold enough to join in, taking several herself. Now if we could just get her to actually use them. Baby steps.
MJ explains the guidelines for the truck, you can’t use it more than once in a two-week period, and only those with a valid driver’s license can sign it out. She doesn’t have one, but Logan and I do; only he’s already used it in the past two-weeks.
In the morning, we walk to Colt’s classroom, and craft our plan. “I’ll just say MJ needs to go to the doctor, I need to sign out the fu– truck, and since it’s a stick, we need Logan to drive.”
MJ shakes her head. “You can’t say it’s for me. Colt hates me ever since I told him off after he messed with Jewel.”
“Well what the hell am I supposed to say, then? What other reason could I have for the three of us needing to leave together?”
We step into the classroom, and MJ shoves me forward toward Colt. Please, she mouths, clearly still uncomfortable about her situation down below.
Colt looks at me with amusement in his eyes. “Yes?” He draws out the word, his deep voice rolling over me.
Under his scrutiny it’s hard to think. I’m not nervous in the lying-to-a-teacher type of way, more like nervous in the I-hate-you-but-still-think-you’re-sexy kind of way. I clear my throat, stalling. I still haven’t decided what to say. “Um… vaginas …” Heat races up neck and have to look down.
“Vaginas?” he asks, curiosity sparking in his eyes.
I nod. “Girls have them,” I add brilliantly.
“Excellent observation. They do, indeed.”
What the eff am I talking about?
He waits with an expression of humor and something else... The silence presses down on me. Students mill around waiting for class to begin.
“Is there anything else I can help you with, Taylor?” he asks, suppressing a grin.
“Um, I need to take care of some lady issues today. Can I have a pass out of class?”
He gives me a once over, looking troubled. “Everything alright?”
I manage a nod. “Mm-hm.”
“Go have it taken care of.”
“Thanks.” I turn to Logan and MJ who are giving me looks of encouragement from the door. Thank God they’re out of earshot so they can’t hear me give Colt an anatomy lesson. “Oh, and I need Logan to drive me and MJ for moral support.”
His brows knit together.
“Please?”
He nods once, unsure if he’s being taken advantage of or if I truly have something wrong with my lady parts, but unable to pry any further.
I escape out the door, linking arms with Logan and MJ as we jog down the hall.
Chapter 23
Logan creeps up behind me and MJ in the hall on Friday night.
“Fight club tonight,” he whispers between us.
“Sweet.” MJ grins.
“What does that mean?”
“You’ll see,” Logan says, swishing my hair over my shoulder as he saunters away.
“Let’s go get ready.” MJ pulls me by the hand toward the stairs.
I don’t know what fight club is, or why it requires a push up bra and extra eyeliner, but I dutifully follow MJ’s lead. She’s no longer satisfied with me sitting on her bed watching while she does her make-up, instead, and after that first time I let her, we’ve graduated to her insisting on doing me up each time too. Even though I complain throughout the process, I find that I actually like the effect.
In between swipes of lip gloss, MJ explains, “The second year guys go down to the local Karate school and round up a bunch of guys. They bring them back here and basically throw down.”
She pulls back, studying her work before she runs her fingers through my hair, and spritzes me with hairspray.
“There are always cute boys here on fight club nights. Fun times await, my friend.”
“So what exactly is fight club?” I press my lips together, rubbing in the sticky lip gloss.
MJ changes into a tighter pair of jeans and I look away as her bare behind flashes me. “Did you ever hear of an old movie called Fight Club?”
I shake my head.
“In the movie these guys create a social club for fist fighting. Same concept. It’s practically a Wilbrook tradition now. They’ve been doing it for years.”
“So what they just beat the crap out of each other for fun?”
“Pretty much.”
I shudder involuntarily. “Do girls ever…participate?”
“I’ve only seen it once. They mud wrestled in white T-shirts after the guys hosed down the floor, turning the whole place into a giant mud pit.”
“Let me guess. Bria’s idea?”
“You’re catching on, Beckett.”
She puts her arm around my shoulders and we head down to dinner.
Once darkness falls, MJ and I follow the stream of people outside. I don’t know where we’re headed, but the excitement of fight club has invaded the atmosphere, turning everyone into giddy hooligans. We venture behind the school, heading across the wide expanse of grass to the barn in the distance.
“Won’t we get in trouble for having an event like this on school grounds?”