“Is that you?” I marvel pointing at the testament to all things steroid.
“That’s me.” He gives a chuckle while reading over my chart. “Precautionary.” He nods. “Usually girls wait until they’ve had many sexual encounters under their belt before wising up and taking it upon themselves to get on the pill.” He looks up and blinks a smile. “They’re not smart like you.” A goth-looking nursing assistant pops into the room and gives a little sneer. “We can start now,” he says, motioning for me to lie down. “Go ahead and slide to the end of the table, put your feet in the stirrups.”
“What? Where’s the doctor?” I cinch up my legs until my knees meld together.
His features smooth out. “I’m the doctor, Kendall.” He taps his nametag, which proudly boasts, Dr. Gaines.
“I want another one!” I sit up in a panic. “I usually have a woman.” I’ve only had a woman gynecologist. In fact, I didn’t even know it was legal not to. What the hell kind of health care practices do they have in Massachusetts anyway?
“I’m the only one on staff today,” he says with a peaceable smile.
Shit! What have I done to Molly? Hopefully, she ran screaming and didn’t let some body builder parading around as a doctor “examine” her. God, Cruise is going to hate me after this and most likely have me arrested.
“We’re really busy today.” He gives a little wink. “I promise to be gentle.”
A wink? Really? Is that what they teach male doctors in med school? Or maybe it was the wrestling ring. He snaps on a pair of rubber gloves, and I slip my feet into the frozen stirrups, dying to get this over with.
Think of Cruise, I tell myself. Think how amazing it will be to finally have his one-balled, half-penised body inside me.
I let out a string of involuntary giggles no thanks to Molly and the exceptional bullshit she tried feeding me. Forget Cruise, I’m going to kill Molly for planting such phenomenal crap in my mind. Of course, she was lying. Right?
Afterward, I get dressed, and Sally from The Nightmare Before I Lose My Virginity leads me to a room down the hall.
“We’re briefing all the first-timers,” she gravels it out like a threat. This will take about twenty seconds.”
The small office is crammed with six other girls, and holy shit—one of them happens to be Molly.
I speed on over.
“I thought you said this was a refill,” I hiss.
“I never said those words. I said, I ‘ran out.’” She pinches a smile, and her dark brows peak in a malevolent manner.
“Ran out of what?”
“Patience.” She spits it in my face.
I take in a breath, shaking at the thought of being tricked into getting her on the pill of all things.
“Patience? I’ve run out of exactly that.” I warn her.
We sit through a quick debriefing, but I’m so hopped up on my newfound insanity I don’t hear a word they say. Afterward, I practically drag her out into the blizzard-like conditions, so I can drill her a new one in peace.
“What the hell was that about?” I ask as she makes her way to the passenger’s side of the car.
I unlock it, and we get in.
She dusts the snow off her sleeves before answering. “Look, I owe you one. Okay?” She shakes her head as though I should be grateful for her divisive services.
We drive home through stunted silence. I’m sure Molly is secretly doing the happy dance at what a live idiot I am—and I can’t think straight to formulate two words because she happens to be right.
I drop her off at the entrance to the bed and breakfast.
“Molly?” I call to her just as she’s ready to slam the door.
“Yes?” She gives a sweet smile, looking all of twelve in the process.
“Do yourself a favor—wait for someone special. Trust me, he’s not roaming the halls of your high school. And if he were, he wouldn’t be sleeping with some girl named Tracy, or Stacy, or anybody else. He’d only have eyes for you. Don’t give away something you can never get back, save it for someone you love and who really loves you, too.”
Molly sighs, expelling an entire plume of smoke from her lips.
“Yeah, whatever.” She slams the door with a marked finality and runs toward the glorified hotel.
If I didn’t know better, I’d swear I was starting to believe in something that just a month ago I would have bet was nothing but a myth.
Love.
I guess it really does exist.
Yeah, whatever.
Cruise
The snow bears down on us as we make our way into the Cineplex 10 where our respective dates are waiting. Kenny looks hotter than hell in her denim jacket, skinny jeans, and heels, but unfortunately, judging by her blue limbs and purple lips, she’s about to turn into the world’s cutest Popsicle. I did happen to notice she’s lacking in the winter coat department. If I didn’t need every dime to eat I’d help her out. Might just do that anyway.