The Water Woman

The Proposition

Today was weird. Sage walked up after school and asked, "Hey, can I borrow you for a second?"

"Sure. What's up?" I answered.

She moved in close to me and buried her head in my chest. "I just need you to hide me. I'm not a pretty crier."

"I don't think anyone is. Why are you crying?"

"I don't know. Hormones probably." I wrapped my arms around her.

"Hormones do that?"

"Yeah. That's why guys are always so angry and moody. Testosterone tends to that. Estrogen on the other hand makes you sad and snappy. Quick to judge. It's affects are different depending on who you ask. Everyone's different."

"Why do we have them?"

"Has nobody taught you this?"

"Nobody taught me how to shave either."

"Why not? Hasn't your dad-"

"My dad's gone."

"But still you'd think that even from a distance he would-"

"He'd be talking to me from the grave."

"Oh..."

"Yeah..."

"Your hormones help your muscles grow at a fast rate and prepare you for reproduction. At least, that's what I've learned. My hormones make me weepy, more susceptible to breast cancer, and prepare me for reproduction."

"Dude, your hormones suck."

"Meh... so do yours. I've just got more of them. Yours make you angry and irritated at times."

I started to rock on my feet side to side. She followed my movements. In time, I shuffled her over to a quieter spot where she wouldn't be bothered by everyone asking her if she's okay. Every time they asked she would cry harder because she couldn't answer the question and they kept prying.

Eventually, she had stopped breathing irregularly.

"You good?" I asked.

"Just give me a few more minutes. Aw, crap! I'm so sorry! I'm keeping you from your brother!"

"Naw. It's okay."

"Okay. Don't run away when you see my face. How do I look?"

"Uh... Um... You're right. You're not a pretty crier."

"Shut up!" She punched me in the shoulder playfully.

We left to go pick up Cooper. We had our run and split just as we always did. But this time, when I turned the corner, my mom was there waiting in her car. I walked over to it and put my stuff in the back. Cooper was already in the car.

"You're late," Cooper said.

"Yeah, sorry," I said.

"You're never late."

"I forgot something in my locker."

"You mean besides a clean shirt."

"Basil, as usual I appreciate your observational skills and intelligence but shut you trap, please."

"Who's the lucky gal?" my mom asked.

"Why do you assume it had anything to do with a girl?"

"Just a shot in the dark."

-—-

"Birch. Birch. Birch! Push pause on your sex dream for a minute," Birch's mother whispered.