Under Her Skin

Chapter 27

"You need to read more," said Lyssa.

"I do?" Sunny said pushing her away as politely as she could.

"You're going to fall behind."

"There's such thing called a TV."

Two days later, when the books arrived, Sunny put them on the dresser on top of the other magazines she intended to read. After weeks of not reading, she moved it to the coffee table, where they caught dust until Lyssa, in a fever of tidying the house, moved it onto the pile of flyers back on the dresser. Sunny knew her mother was right. But every time she picked one up, her phone raised its voice, shouting through the cracks between the pink case.

Tap me! The phone said. Look at me!

What? Said Sunny, swiping into a stranger's Snapchat story posted 3 seconds ago. Sunny put in her earplugs and immediately began to chat.

"I'm taking your phone if you don't read these books. I paid for these."

"You can't do that."

"Either that or," she took a moment to gather her thoughts. "If you get your grades up, I'll leave you alone."

"Deal."

"Deal."

***

Selena was looking sexy again. In addition to her scholarly virtues, she was widely acknowledged as hot, rather in the way of a rock star or artist. She was a little sloppy. Her hair was not combed and she didn't even attempt the "statement necklace." Selena favored slouchy sweats, dull patterns, and large hoop earrings. Selena had dressed for a different life.

"Guess what," she said, leaning close in a way that suggested drunkenness.

"Is it Brad again?" asked Sunny. Selena tottered back and wiped saliva from the corner of her mouth.

"We did it."

"You mean--" Sunny paused. "Did you fall asleep in his armpit?"

"No. Well yes. But we're wayyy past that," she said. "He said he wanted to try something new." That something new turned out to be whispering into her vagina while she occasionally remembered to rub the curls on his head. But somehow Selena dressed it up with glittery vocabulary and managed to make it sound cool.

"He whispered poems into your vagina?"

"I know right!"

"Did he do stuff with his tongue?"

"Yes," said Selena, firmly. Sunny moved back, confused at how Selena could have an orgasm over a poem.

"Gosh. That's—I don't know what to say—that's amazing." As if she meant it.

"I think we're getting serious," said Selena, suddenly scratching the back of her head as if a horrifying image knocked into her head. The image was Brad's face as he periodically withdrew to assess his progress and announce each subsequent stanza, proud, like a dog bring the fetch ball back to the owner. He was bored.

"Selena?"

"Yeah. Sorry, what were we saying?"

"You guys are getting serious."

"Mhm," she said, blanking out again. Sweat pooled behind her knees and gathered at her brow. Selena said something about needing to finish her paper and pointed at the exit. Sunny didn't beg her to stay.

***

Report Card season. Sunny wasn't worried. She eagerly opened the envelope on the bus even though the teacher specifically told her not to before her parents had seen it. A piece of thick, good-quality paper. The smell of a straight-A transcript. She could just see the pride on Lyssa's face.