Storms 01 - Family Storms

replace anything anyway, even without insurance, so don’t give it a second thought. I don’t. There,” she said, stepping back. “You have a different outfit for every day of the week with the right accompanying earrings, necklaces, bracelets, and rings. Start trying things on. Oh, wait a minute!” She examined my ears. “You don’t have pierced ears. Didn’t your mother ever want you to get your ears pierced?”
    “No. She didn’t think I was old enough.”
    “Damn. Most of these earrings are useless. We have to get your ears pierced. We’ll do it this weekend.”
    I looked at the watch she had given me.
    “Will you stop being such a worrywart about your homework? I’ll leave you alone after dinner. Promise,” she said, holding up her right hand.
    I began trying her things on and was surprised at how well everything fit me. Everything looked and smelled new, too. She raved about it all. All of the tops were skin-tight, shirred, with plunging necklines. The skirts were short and also tighter than I would normally wear. There was a fuchsia halter-top dress that left little to the imagination. In fact, I thought what she was giving me was even sexier than the clothes she wore.
    “Are you sure I can wear all of these things to school?”
    “Of course you can. You’re not dressing much differently from most of the other girls. Besides, if you have it, flaunt it,” she said. “That’s my motto, and it should be yours, too. You have a great figure.”
    I was still reluctant. “Your mother was very upset about it.”
    “Of course she is. She has you in Alena’s room, playing Alena’s clarinet, and wearing Alena’s things. We know why, and we know how we both feel about that, right?”
    “Yes,” I said.
    “Good. I’m starving,” she declared before I could say anything else. “Let’s go eat dinner. Keep that on. I love the expression on Mrs. Duval’s face when she sees you in something I would wear.” She seized my hand and pulled me along.
    She was right about Mrs. Duval. Her eyes widened, and she shook her head softly, mumbling to herself as she went back and forth from the dining room to the kitchen.
    At dinner, Kiera reminded me about getting the club’s tattoo on Friday.
    “That’s when we’ll get your ears pierced, too,” she said.
    “What will be our reason for not coming right home after school?” I asked. Mrs. March probably would approve of pierced ears, but I couldn’t imagine her approving of tattoos.
    “I’ll tell my mother I had to stop at the mall to pick up some makeup. That’s one thing she understands and approves of, cosmetics. Besides, it is the start of the weekend. We don’t have to rush home to do homework—not that I ever do, anyway.”
    “Does she know you have a tattoo?”
    “I don’t bathe in front of my mother anymore, Sasha, and certainly not in front of my father. Besides, they both know that if I wanted to do something like that, I’d do it with or without their permission.”
    I was still quite nervous about doing it, but I felt I couldn’t back out now without turning all of the girls against me. Kiera didn’t talk about it any more. She went on and on about different boys and other girls at school whom the club members were considering, and she told me more about each of the girls themselves, especially whom I should listen to more and trust more. It was truly as if I had been taken into her confidence now, and there was nothing she wouldn’t tell me. She lived up to her word after dinner, however, and didn’t disturb my homework and practicing of the clarinet.
    Grover picked me up after school the following day, as Kiera had a therapy session. During the day, I did noticethat more boys were looking at me because of the clothes I was wearing. Both Ricky and Boyd made a point of telling me I looked hot, and all of the girls in the VA club complimented me. I saw the envy in the faces of the girls in my classes, too.
    “You’ll need us more than ever,” Deidre whispered. “Boys will be coming at you like flies to honey. Make no promises or commitments until you speak with one of us.”
    I thought I had felt as if I were floating when I had just entered such a school, but now I really was lightheaded and happy. I dared to think that maybe I was beautiful; maybe I was just as pretty as or even prettier than Kiera.
    Grover was surprised and amused by how many boys accompanied me out to the parking lot, each trying to get me to pay him