Jen went to the only place she could think of: Blaire’s house.  And by now she’d just about burned a line into her living room carpet with all her furious pacing back and forth.  “Rrrrghhh!!  Freakin’… Ggrraghhh!!”

Leaning against the doorframe, Blaire chuckled and laughed.  “Yeah bitch, let it out!”

“Why are you laughing!?”  Jen’s newly enlarged arms cut through the air.  “This is serious!!”

“Hey, I’ve felt the same anger.  We all have.  And if you ask me: that’s a fuckin’ good thing.”

“Good!?!”  Jen paced faster, wishing she could just … just grab something and throw it!!  Or … Or…

Blaire laughed again.  “I know what you need.  Let’s go.  I’ll call up the crew.”

“Where are we going?”

“Trust me.  Oh, and text me a photo of your dad.”

“Why?”

“You’ll see.”

* * *

Theo strode anxiously down the sidewalk.  Five four and a half.  He’d lost two damned inches, today alone.  That put him at least a half foot shorter than your average woman -- and cripes, you could really tell.  Just about every woman he passed looked down her nose at him.  Especially the ones in heels.  Why in tarnation were so many women wearing heels now?!

Joel’s -- the bar downtown where he and Alice had agreed to meet.  He hesitated outside the door.  Why?  It was just a casual meet-up, right?  And he’d just seen her that morning, so he shouldn’t be nervous.

Oof.  The big, heavy door needed two hands and some gusto for him to pull it open.  The air was cool inside, the atmosphere calm and inviting.  There -- Alice, seated in a booth.  Her leather skirt and tight-fitting sweater were striking.  The woman was just so well put together, so naturally alluring, as she stood to greet him.

His teeth chattered slightly as her supple shoulders eclipsed the top of his head, her round breasts advancing toward his eyes.  Suddenly she crouched down for a quick kiss on each cheek, a greeting that would have been commonplace in Europe but not so much here in the States.  Quite breathless it left him, what with her perfume and the tickle of her lips.

And she’d already ordered them some drinks!  Sitting across from her, he took a swig of liquid courage and leaned in.  “Pleasure seeing you again,” he hummed, letting his eyes boldly roam.  “And I must say, this outfit suits you.”

She gave a flattered sigh.  “Thank you.  But we’ve something to discuss first.”

“Discuss?” he bantered, leaning in.  “Sure, let’s get to know each other better.”

A twinkle flashed in her eyes before she turned serious.  “Theo.  I’m very concerned about your outlook for next Saturday.”

Oh?  He thought for a moment then nodded.  “You know, I am too.  Less than a week away, and our ‘Mighty’ still can’t out-lift her ‘Mouse’!  I agree, she has to shape up fast if we’re--“

“It’s not her I’m worried about.  It’s you.”

“Me?”  He blinked in astonishment.  “Me!?  But I’m--“

“You’re what?  The Incredible Hulk?  Thor??  Planning to single handedly strong-arm your way to victory with brawn and force of will??"

Her tone was surprisingly incisive.  “Umm…”  His brow wrinkled.  “I mean, I’m gonna have to, if Jen can’t--“

"It’s not just about her; it’s about both of you.  You two are supposed to be a team!  Me, I find your tough-guy attitude incredibly endearing, but it’s not going to help you on the show.  It’s time you got serious and started cooperating.”

“Hey, I’m not the one who thought of turning today’s workout into a competition!”

“Jen’s a high schooler, Theo.  It’s a confusing time in her life.  Shouldn’t you have been the voice of reason, rather than accepting her challenge?”

Oh.  Well … “OK,” he conceded, “I guess it wasn’t exactly a Parent-of-the-Year move.”

“Nor a Teammate-of-the-Year either.”

*sigh*  “Fine, I get it.  I’ll be a better team player.  I’ll foster cooperation and yadda yadda.  As long as she remembers I’m the boss, we’re good.”

Oh brother!  Alice pursed her lips.  This little mini-hunk was proving even more stubborn than she’d hoped.  A damned shame, by the way -- oh the fun he and she could have together, if only he could get over his obsession with being in charge.

Better to let that simmer for now and try a new tact.  “Well, I’m glad you and Elaine have broken things off,” she said with a slight lilt.

“I … what??  How’d you know?”

“Seemed like a lot of her things were missing from your house this morning, for her to be simply ‘out of town’.  That, and… I could just tell.”

Theo felt his cheeks reddening.  “Yeah, well, she doesn’t know what she’s missing,” he fumed.

“No, she certainly does not.”  The chesty blonde leaned forward.  “If I may: breaking up was a good thing, Theo.  She wasn’t right for you.”

OK, now he was flustered.  “Hey, you hardly even knew her!”

“Theo, in my line of work I’ve met many different kinds of women.  And Elaine was one of those women stuck in the past, clinging to their old notions of how men ought to be.  Unwilling or unable to accept that, in today’s world, some men change.  That’s just how it is.  And if she can’t adapt to that, then sometimes the only thing to do is move on and find someone who can.”

There was that word again.  “Why does everyone keep telling me I’ve changed!?  I haven’t!  I’m smaller, but on the inside I’m exactly the same!”

Alice bit her lip.  There was nothing Alice enjoyed better than a man who hadn’t yet found his new nature.  With luck, she’d soon help him find it, in a very hands-on way…

She started to lean in but stopped herself just in time, before doing something very brash.  He’d had a rough day.  Too much at once, and he might get overwhelmed.  “Tomorrow,” she hummed.

“Tomorrow, what?”

With a smirk, she rose to her feet.  The nicely slimmed man followed suit.  How delightfully skinny he’d gotten.  How deliciously short.  And see?--his eyes widened instantly, electrified, as if the height difference itself had struck a thrill.  Yes, maybe she was right about him.

She just couldn’t resist.  Crouching, resting a hand on his soft chest, she brought her lips to his ear.  “Tomorrow evening,” she clarified.  “Seven o’clock.  I’ll pick you up.”

The look in his eyes was precious.  “What?  As in …?”

“Oh yes.”  She silenced him very effectively with a lingering kiss on his cheek.  “See you then,” she purred, raking her fingernails across his chest as she gathered her purse and left.

* * *

“Ayyyiiee!!” *WHAM*

Jen stared, bewildered, as the normally chill Maggie proceeded to punch, karate chop, and spin-kick the clothing store mannequin into oblivion.  *POW!  KABLAM!*  “Take that, muthafucka!!  Who’s a wimp now!?”  A picture of some guy’s face had been printed out and taped to the head, and Maggie’s next swipe ripped it in two.

Ella, next to Jen, took a swig from her bottle and thrust it toward Jen.  “Hold my beer.”  With her hands free, she picked up a piece of driftwood from the sand at her feet then charged at the next mannequin in line.  Jen recognized the face taped to this one: the dean of their high school, with his patented scowl.   “Give ME a referral, huh?!”  Wood crashed against fiberglass under Ella’s savage attack.  “I’ll show YOU a dress code violation, bitch!”  On her next swing, the plastic arm came off with a loud *smack* and landed on the beach three yards away.

Blaire gave a loud “Whooop!”, tossed a newly-emptied beer bottle into the sand, then nudged Jen.  “This one’s for you.”  She strode forth with another piece of paper in hand and taped it to the third mannequin of three.  Perhaps Jen oughtn’t have been surprised when it turned out to be her own dad’s face staring back at her, as Blaire stepped aside.

“This is weird,” Jen objected.

“No, it’s therapeutic,” Maggie opined.

Ella rolled her eyes at Jen then swapped the beer in Jen’s hand for a fresh one.  “Chug,” she commanded.  “Then stare at his stupid face and tell me you don’t want to punch it.”

Maggie moved to stand behind the mannequin, waving its arms.  “’Look at me, I’m so tough!’” she mimed, mocking Jen’s father.  “’If you’re not in bed by nine, I’ll kick your ass!’”

“’No daughter of mine gets to dress like that!’” Ella jeered, joining in at Maggie’s side.

Jen’s grip tightened around the beer bottle, her anger rising.

“’You’re eighteen years old, but I’m gonna treat you like you’re twelve, Missy!’”

Compulsively, she began to chug.  And chug.  Until the beer was empty.

“’…Aww, what’s the matter, little girl?  Too wimpy?’”

Her arm was shaking now with rage, her eye twitching.  Blaire snatched the bottle from her grip -- and replaced it with solid driftwood.

“’You’re just not good enough, Jen.  You’ll never--”

“AAAAGHHHHH!!”  She felt her feet driving into sand, then suddenly her arms were swinging like Babe Ruth’s.  And with a loud *THWACK!*, the mannequin’s head went flying, and that stupid face with it!

The silence lasted only a moment.  “… Whoa.”

“BOOM, baby!!  That’s how you freakin’ do it!”

Jen was stunned.  Did I really just do that?  She hesitated; but her friends didn’t give her time to think.  “Never hide your anger,” Blaire coached, slinging her arm around Jen.  “Channel it.  USE it.  Turn it against him and any other jerk-wad that stands in your way!”

A twinkle of doubt crossed Jen’s face -- but Maggie, laughing, coaxed Jen’s beer bottle to her lips.  Cheered, when she began to chug.

“Screw them!”

“Eff them!”

Chanting and alcohol combined to whip Jen into an unexpected furor as she hurled the bottle and threw back her head.  “I’ll make them pay!!”

“Howww-uuuu!!” Maggie belted, like a wolf howl.

Jen swigged another beer and -- screw it -- she howled too.  And you know what?  She didn’t even feel embarrassed when, who should get out of his car just then and overhear her howl, but Kyler.  Her hot, blue-eyed boy-toy, who’d just arrived at the beach house with a keg and another group of friends.  Damnnn.  After where things left off last night with him, who knows where things might end up.

* * *

Amir lay on his bed, glumly picking at a loose thread on his baggy sleeve.  But it wasn’t his ill-fitting clothes that had gotten him down.  It was Jen.  His best friend, whom he couldn’t even get a hold of anymore.  At least on Thursday she’d replied to a text with: >.  But his chat history now showed three texts from him since then -- one per day -- asking if they could meet up somewhere.  All three texts had gone unanswered.

Yeah, he understood that her new so-called ‘friends’ occupied much of her time now.  But all he needed was a few minutes, anywhere, to tell her his big news.  It was important enough that she deserved to hear it from him in person!  But today was the last day he could.  After today, it’d be too late.

With a sigh, he decided to call her this time.  Maybe that would work.

*Bbbbrrriing! …. Bbbbrrriiing! … Bbbbrrriiing!...*

Just before it went to voicemail, she picked up!  But the background noise was deafening.  Loud voices?  Music?  Both?

“Yo-o-o-o-o!” her familiar but unusual voice shouted into the speaker.  “Wazzuuuup??”

“Jen?”  Was that really her?

“Who this???”

“Jen, it’s Amir.”

“Who?”

He said it louder -- and Jen’s subtly deeper, clearly slurred voice belted out: “AMIIIIR!!!  … Hey guys, it’s Amir!!”

“Look, I--“

“Hey, where are you??”

“I’m at home.”

“Whaaat?  No -- come over!!”  Someone called out nearby.  “What?” Jen rebutted.  “‘Course he can, Blaire -- he’s Amir!  … Pfff, he’s cool, you’ll see!”

“It’s OK, Jen, I’ll--“

“Awww, please please please!?!?  We’re at Carly Myers’ beach house -- you know, on Oak Avenue?”

“Jen--“

“Gotta go, bud -- see ya soooon!!”

She hung up.  He put a hand to his forehead.  Oh geez.  Carly Myers, Blaire Davis … the tallest, meanest girls in school, and who knows who else too?  No way.  You wouldn’t catch him dead, there.

And yet… this was his last day in town.  His absolute last chance to see Jen.  Maybe he could pull her aside and actually talk a bit of sense into her, for once.  He decided he was just too worried about her.  He had to at least try.  They might laugh at his outfit, but it was the best he had anyway.  Grabbing a jacket and keys, he called to his mom on his way out.

* * *

Jen coughed in surprise as, a short ways down the beach, a mannequin was doused in lighter fluid and lit up in flame.  “Whoaaaa… Did you see that!?”  She reached over her beach chair to Maggie’s and prodded her arm.

“Huh?”  Maggie stopped making out with the guy on top of her for a second to look.  “Badass.”  Then went right back to smoochin’.

It was almost sunset.  They must’ve been here at least two hours already.  The crowd of high schoolers had grown pretty huge, filling the beach house, spilling into the porch and balcony, and spreading across the beach in raucous pockets of carousing girls and guys.  But things were starting to get … crazy.  The tenor of the crowd around the mannequins had risen to a fever pitch as a second mannequin went ablaze.  The face of Jen’s dad and the mannequin that held it had long since been taped over and graffitied and battered to near-unrecognizability.  And now it stood as a burning effigy lighting up the gleeful faces of the drunken revelers crowding around.

Two more guys went streaking past Jen’s beach chair in just their underwear.  Like the other guys before them, they ran with wild looks on their faces as they fled from the catcalling girls chasing hot on their tails.  It’d looked like a lighthearted game at first; but as the girls tackled both guys to the sand, slung them over their shoulders, and carried them back to the party, laughing as the guys tried to worm their way free … Jen began to wonder if the guys were really enjoying it after all.

Maybe it was ‘cuz she’d slowed down on the beers, but Jen was starting to get anxious.  “Were those boys trying to leave?” Jen asked her friend.

Maggie grunted, unhappy to be interrupted from making out.  “I dunno.  They’re just screwin’ around.”  *smooch smooch smooch…*

“You sure??”  The guys were still kicking.  Geez -- one of the girls slapped his butt, like a spank!  Jen thought she heard the guy yelp…

“Yes, geez.  Hey, focus on what’s important.”  Her meaningful nod directed Jen’s eyes toward Kyler, who just then was returning from the beach house with four solo cups in his hands, filled to the brim.

“What a gentleman,” Maggie lilted, giving Jen’s man a sly once-over as she took two of the cups from his hands.  But she went right back to holding her own guy’s chin and sliding her tongue into his mouth.

“Shit’s getting’ nuts in there,” mentioned Kyler as he dropped down onto Jen’s lap.

As much as she loved this position, and as well as she could handle his weight now … and as tempting as it was to pull him in too and slip him a tongue of her own … his words gave Jen pause.  “What kind of shit?”

Kyler shrugged.  “Girls are roundin’ up any guys they can find; messin’ around with them.  Y’know, just for fun.”

“Fun for who?  The guys, or just the girls?”

Kyler looked at her strangely.  “I mean, that’s just how it goes, right?  Everyone’s drinking.  Sometimes girls get a little carried away.  But hey, nothin’ to worry about -- no one’s messin’ with me.  They know I’m with you.”

Jen’s brow furrowed.  “You’re not the only one I’m worried ab--“

A loud commotion brewed in the house, as if to prove Jen’s point.  Blaire, of all people, stepped onto the porch and waved eagerly to Tess and Ella, who rushed inside.

“Alright, babe, how ‘bout some sugar.”

Any other time, Jen would melt under Kyler’s blue-eyed stare.  But not now.  There was something about Blaire’s expression …

“Hey,” Kyler protested, as Jen rolled him off of her and got to her feet.  “Hey, where you goin’?”

She hastened forward, with a reluctant Maggie trailing after her.  The music and voices grew deafening as Jen stepped into the beach house -- but Blaire’s voice jumped out at her, above the rest: “You’ll do what? … HA!  My ass!”

Now Tess, from the same side room: “Speak up, dweeb, we can’t heaaaar you!”

“I said let me go, and take me to Jen!”

Jen gasped.  She’d know that voice anywhere.  She’d known it since she was ten.

“Awww, what?  A little tool-bag like you, giving us orders?  I don’t think so!”

By the time Jen snapped into action, it was too late.  She burst into the room just in time to see Tess pour a full cup of beer right onto the head of her childhood friend. 

“AMIR!!” Jen bellowed, seeing her cornered friend get drenched once, then again.  Alerted by the yell, Blaire turned in time to stop Jen in her tracks as she tried to charge past.

“Whoa -- chill,” Blaire laughed.

“Let me go!!”  Jen tried in vain to break free.  “Let him go!!”

Ella took hold of Jen’s other arm.  “Geez, redhead, be cool!”

Jen watched Tess grab the tiny-looking Amir.  He didn’t have a chance.  “Take your hands off him!!”

Her so-called friends’ laughter turned into frowns.  “Yo, I thought you were with us,” Blaire growled.  “Not him.”  She pointed in disdain.  “He’s nothing.  A friggin’ peon.”

How could they say that!?!  Ella, Tess … even Maggie: they all chimed in agreement!  Jen’s head swam.  She fought, struggled -- then belted, at the top of her voice: “HE’S NOT A PEON, HE’S MY BEST FRIEND!  NOW LET HIM GO!!!”

Time seemed to freeze as the others exchanged glances; scoffed.  “Then you two lovebirds can get the hell out of here,” huffed Blaire.  At the same time, she and Ella heaved and watched Jen tumble to the ground.  Jen bumped into Maggie, who just looked at Jen with a disappointed frown.  Scowls and jeers from the others -- but Jen didn’t care.  All that mattered was that Amir was released, allowing the two of them to scramble out the door.

 “And don’t show your friggin’ face in here ever again!” Blaire called.

Not that Jen ever would.  She followed Amir through the parking lot and down the street at a dead run, leaving her phony friends behind.  Regretting ever meeting them at all.

An exhausted, beer-soaked Amir finally petered out, slowed, then sat on the curb.  Jen stopped in front of him, not panting as hard as her friend but still winded too.

“God,” she lamented.  “Oh, god, they’re horrible!”

“I… I told you… so,” Amir dejectedly wheezed.

“You were right.”  Jen cringed.  “I couldn’t see it.  I got so caught up in … in …”

“I know.”  He shook his sopping wet head; waved a dismissal.

Realization struck Jen: “The phone call!  I told you to come!  I was drunk.  Ack!  It’s all my fault!!”  She dropped down and squeezed his hands, sticky with libations.  “Amir, I’m so so sorry!!”

He looked into her eyes for just a second… then his head drooped.

“Amir??”

He sighed and wiped the trickle of beer from his brow.  “It’s not that big a deal.  You didn’t mean for it to happen.  I’ll take a shower, and I’ll be fine.”

“But what if I hadn’t found you in time?  Who knows what they would’ve--“

“Doesn’t matter now.  All that matters is … is…”

“Amir?”

His shoulders slumped.  “I’ve been trying to tell you for days, Jen.  Since Thursday!  It’s just, I wanted to tell you in person, but you kept being busy, and not answering my texts.”

Jen’s face tightened.  “Tell me what?”

“I’m moving to Springfield.”

“I know.  At the end of summer.”

“No.  This week.  Mom got reassigned early.” 

The earth shifted.  “This week?!”

“Tomorrow.”

“TOMORROW!?!”  Jen recoiled, her hands covering her mouth.  The world crashed in on her.  “Ack!!  I … but … you … I-I don’t know what to say!”

“Not much to say, at this point.”

Her vision swayed.  “Wh-What time tomorrow?!  I’ll come over and--?”

“No.  We’re leaving before dawn.”

“Can we at least hang out tonight?!”

His pained look said it all.  “It’s … Look, I don’t know what to make of you anymore!  Right now you’re Jen; but other times … I don’t know.  I think it’s better if we say goodbye now.”

“Now?”  Jen gasped.  “But when will I see you again??”

Amir shrugged.  “It’s just a few hours away.  Maybe … soon.  A few weeks.  I don’t know.  Maybe when you’ve figured things out.”

The words struck Jen like a heavy blow.  They made it back to their cars, said their fraught goodbyes.  Jen panicked and gave him a hug, realizing afterward she might have squeezed him too hard.  “I’ll see you soon,” she promised; but it sounded hollow, even to her.  The truth was: he was right.  She didn’t know what to make of herself right now, either.  Her life was a total mess.