Masks Chapter 3

Chapter 3

We went home and I actually spent a lot of the time that week helping out with things around the house.

Getting pumpkins and hay bales and all those electric lights for things and Dad does go all out for things like this and stuff.

And getting the boat garage cleaned up for my friends to come over and the kids that’ll be there because they’re friends of my folks or Aunt Els. They’ll want to have their adult fun and stuff and we get to have our stuff.

I’ll admit that I’m kind of a full on geek with some stuff too.

Dad ponied up extra money for decorations and it’s mostly dollar store stuff but…I convinced him that those neon chem light stuff would be cool and he one upped me by getting a couple of black light bulbs.

Anyways I’m in the boat garage in the office cubby wearing one of the wigs and putting together the play list for the tunes for the night…actually I’m making a couple of music files for my old x-box. It can store a lot of stuff on it and we can use it for games and we can watch movies on it and we had this old but really big TV in the regular garage that we kept because we got newer ones and the old big set actually just never died.

“Nice hair.”

I jump and I squeak and spin all in the same second.

There’s this girl there that’s thin, kinda of skinny actually and she has this red, red hair that’s pretty well styled and she’s wearing what looks like a dancer’s leotard under a leather jacket that’s way too big for her and yet it really makes her have this look.

I pull the wig off. “Uhm I was just messing around.”

“Hey whatever.” She shrugs “I’m Mary Jane.” She offers her hand.

“Uhm…okay…I’m Steven.”

She actually smiles and comes into the office and leans on the little desk and does the hands in the pocket thing.

“Thanks for not doing the Spiderman thing.”

“What? Oh uhm okay I guess.” It takes me a bit to process stuff. “Oh…wait yeah the name and the hair.”

“Yeah, I’ve thought about dying it.”

“No, don’t you have killer hair just don’t pay attention to stuff like that.”

She’s looking at me funny. “So mom said you have a whole bunch of stuff for like costume stuff and all of that?”

“Oh yeah, wait you’re my cousin?”

“Yep. So whatcha got?”

I look at her and it takes me a minute to actually get some saliva back in my mouth. Okay she’s my cousin but M.J. is still a girl and really I have no social experience with girls.

“Uhm…right here.” I gesture to one of the folding tables where I’d been sorting things.

She walks over and while she’s not older than me I don’t think she’s a girl and starting to become more than that because she’s definitely starting to get curves.

I’m so jealous it makes my stupid non boobs ache.

“Wow mom was right you guys really go all out.”

“Yeah dad loves every single holiday but I think this one’s his second favorite.”

“Second…oh right Christmas.”

“Yeah Christmas for sure.”

She’s looking through things. “Wow you’ve got some quality things here.”

“Well dad had no clue.”

She looks at me again and takes the wig from me and puts it back on my head.

Swallow, swallow, swallow.

She has this look on her face.

“What?”

“Are you sure you’re named Steven?”

“What, Why! And the instant defense goes up. “Hey I’m a hockey player y’know!”

I snatch off the wig fast and was going to give her my best boyhole glare.

But she looks sad.

“I…Uhm M.J.?”

“Sorry, sorry, sorry shit I’m such a spaz.” She steps back and she’s waving her hands in front of her face which is making the sleeves of her leather jacket flap.

I take her wrists and lead her to my chair and sit her down.

“It’s okay, it’s okay chill before you take flight.”

(Sniffle.) “Okay.”

“I’m sorry I didn’t mean to freak it’s just that…”

She interrupts me. “It’s just that you looked Amanda!”

“Okay…?” And in my head I’m wondering…Okay……..?

(Sniffle.) “She was my best friend before…before we had to move…and move…and…thanks.” I passed her a tissue.

She’s wiping her eyes and I get the wig and put it on again. Go and grab another chair and check my hair in the mirror and I don’t look that bad with shoulder length blonde hair…I’m still in sweats and a trans-am logo t-shirt. (It’s guyoflauge.) I get some make up wipes and go over and sit with her.

“It’s okay, it’s okay you just really freaked me out. No harm not foul see?”

I take my wipes and start to clean off her mascara and eye shadow.

(Sniffle.) “You really didn’t have to do this.”

“Yeah well I’m a nice girl.” I really try to make light of the way I’m actually feeing in my voice. “Here look up.” I go really carefully but I get a bit that got water clumped.

“Thanks…and sorry about that I mean it’s just.”

“Being the new kid sucks?”

“Yeah…and teenaged girls aren’t exactly the most welcoming of people.”

“With your body yeah the bitchy one’s would hate you on sight.”

“Yeah…” She takes my hand and she’s looking at me really intensely before looking down. “I still shouldn’t have called you a girl though. You don’t have to wear the wig now.”

“Hey, no big. There’s nothing wrong with being a girl.”

She nods sniffling.

“Yeah you’re right…you’re really good at…thanks for trying to be the worried GF Steven.”

“Yeah, not a big deal.”

“Kinda is and now I feel bad.”

“Still?” I roll my eyes just like I see the girls do at school.

She laughs and she has a laugh that matches the rest of her, she’s like Aunt Els…or learned it from her. Cool chick right down to the laugh.

“Yeah I heard thirteen and hockey player and I was expecting an asshole.”

“Well I’m glad to disappoint then.”

She smiles at me.

“You want to be a girl this Halloween?”

Gulp…oh…uhm… I bite my lip oh man I’m so scared right now.

“Please…I mean…I don’t know anyone and you look so much like Amanda used to and…and I just don’t want to be alone until I meet some people.”

I look at her.

“Okay…okay as long as when you start making friends you don’t eave me hanging all alone with wind blowing up my skirt.”

She nods and has what is only a watery smile. (Sniffle) “Deal.”

I offer her my hand but folded up and pinky extended.

She takes my pinky in hers and she shakes. “I swear.”

I try a brave girl smile at her…yes girls can smile differently, they have this who range of stuff that’s guyboden for me to do.

I’m scared actually but I say it anyway. “Girlfriends.”

Mary Jane shakes pinkies with me again. “Girlfriends.”

I really wish I could happy cry right now. It almost feels like my heart’s beating for the first time all over again.