WunderBoy -7- by Shauna Rousseau (Patreon)

WunderBoy

Chapter Seven

~ Day 54 ~

* * * * *

Julia

* * * * *

I wake up around seven o’clock and stretch. I’m not sure what woke me up…but I hear sounds downstairs. No one is usually up this early on a Saturday. I quietly get out of bed…I don’t want to wake Gary up…and put on my robe. I pad down the stairs barefooted and notice that the patio door is slightly ajar. I walk over, peek through the glass, and see Samantha standing out on the patio…with her back to me.

I open the door wider. “Good morning, Hon! What are you doing up so early…and out here?”

She jumps and spins around. “Momma! You scared me!” She’s holding an unlit cigarette and a lighter.

I see red. “Just what do you think you’re doing, Young Lady? Where did you get that? Did you take it from my purse?”

She blushes. “No! I don’t get in your purse without permission! You know that! Ummmm…Dharma…put them in my clutch…for…for…for last night.”

“Is that why you came home from your date smelling like cigarettes? I just thought you were around others who were smoking. I had no idea that you were actually doing it, yourself. And…just why did Dharma give you a pack of cigarettes? Why should she even contemplate doing such a thing?”

“I…I…I…. Well…I might have smoked some at work, yesterday…to calm down. I really didn’t want to go out with Gerome!” She starts crying and the whole story of her smoking at WG yesterday comes out.

I see even more red. “I will be talking to Joyce, Greta, and Dharma. You’re underage and they should not be encouraging you to smoke! As a matter of fact…you won’t smoke…period! I forbid it! Give me that!”

“Why not?” She pulls back. "You do! Daddy does! What’s the big deal?”

“What’s the big deal? Listen to you! A few days ago, you were admonishing your father and me for smoking! Why the interest now? Look at you…sneaking out here to do it. You’re becoming addicted! You don’t want that, Hon!”

She breaks down and cries. “It was just to calm me…at first. Then…I found them in my clutch…and Gerome freaked out about them…so I used them as a weapon…to spite him.”

I sigh. “And how did that work out?”

She shakes her head. “It didn’t…not really. It slowed his ‘kissing’ advances down…but it didn’t stop them….”

“And…?” I don’t let up…I think we may be getting somewhere.

She actually shivers…and it’s not cold. “And…I…liked it….” It comes out in a very timid voice.

I sigh and sit down on the glider…then pat the seat next to me. “Come here, Hon. Sit down…and give me that cigarette. It’s not the solution.”

She slowly comes and sits…and reluctantly hands me the cigarette.

“I’ll make you a deal. This…” I indicate the cigarette. “…is not the solution. I get how it seems like it is…. I promise, I do. But…it’s not. I wish my Momma had been more convincing when I was your age…but back then…it was ‘cool’ to smoke. Anyway…if you promise me…and I will trust that you honor your promise…that you will abstain from smoking for thirty days…and find other ways of dealing with your stress…including Gerome…then I’ll let you start drinking coffee...like you’ve been begging to do. Of course…as a model…no calorie-laden cream or sugar. Deal? If you still want to smoke after that…well…then we’ll discuss it. OK?”

She sits next to me…deathly quiet…for a few minutes…then fiercely hugs me. “Yes, Momma. I don’t really want to smoke…it just seemed like a way out…. I’m not sure it is…. But…I…I…kind of really…want one…right now….”

I hug her back. “That’s the lure of the Dark Side, Hon. You’re feeling the first signs of nicotine’s addictive qualities. I don’t think you’re physically addicted yet…but you’re certainly on your way. But…you’ve…at the very least…started to become mentally addicted. That’s why I want you to promise me that you’ll abstain for a month…. If you still wantit then…then we need to talk…. You may be more physically addicted than I hope…. I quit for fifteen years…but the minute I lit up that first one at WG…it was like it was only a few minutes. Don’t go there, Hon! Please!”

She sighs. “OK…how do I make coffee…?”

I smile. “Black as a hole in space, Hon…. If you’re going to drink it…then you’re going to drink it the way it was meant to be consumed…strong enough to hold up a spoon…and with nothing messing it up!” I tousle her…red…hair…. I’m still getting used to that…. “Come on, Hon…. Oh…Claire said something about you and Faith going to the mall today?”

She nods. “Yeah…can you drive us? Claire is busy….”

* * * * *

Gary

* * * * *

I wake up to the smell of coffee. I look at the clock and am amazed! It’s just 07:35! And Jules is not in bed…on a Saturday. I shake my head to clear out the cobwebs…and get up.

I stumble down the stairs and find Jules and Sam in the kitchen…giggling…as a fresh pot of coffee drips…black as the ace of spades…like Jules likes it. “Good morning…girls…what’s going on?” I’m still getting used to calling Sam…antha…a “girl.” Not that I have…much…doubt…anymore.

“Oh! Good morning, Love! Sam and I are just making coffee! We didn’t mean to wake you up!” Jules smiles at me. We had a “small” fight last night about Sam…antha…but…”made up”…appropriately.

Samantha just grins.

“Well…I smelled the coffee. Why are we up at the crack of dawn on a Saturday? Well…close enough…. You know what I mean!”

“Momma promised to let me drink coffee…if I give up smoking. Nothing to worry about, Daddy!” Sam…antha smiles “sweetly” at me.

I choke. “Wha…? Wait a minute! What?” I know I’m not quite fully awake, yet…but what did I miss? When did Sam…antha even begin smoking…enough to have to give it up? I’m completely lost in this conversation.

Jules comes over and gives me a kiss…then pats me on the cheek. “Don’t worry, Love. I’ve got it handled. Oh…by the way…I’m giving up smoking…again. If Samantha can…so can I. I think you should, too…to present a proper influence. We almost caused our daughter to start up with a filthy habit!” And she moves on to fixing…something…for breakfast.

I stand there…stunned. Again…what just happened? Wait! Give up my cigars? Again…? I look at Sam…antha…and think about Chad and Gem…. Do I really want them addicted like…I…Jules and I…are? Samantha must be close. I mean…I don’t want to give them up…I like them! But…. Oh, what the Hell!

“OK…. If you put it that way…. When will the coffee be ready?” I don’t make any promises…but I know that doesn’t really meananything! My cigar days are coming to a close…again…! When Jules sets her mind to something…there’s nothing I can do to change it. If she really goes through with quitting, I won’t have any footing to keep on. To be honest, I shouldn’t have started back…it was stupid.

Oh well. At least I still have my whiskey! I just have to make sure Sam…antha stays away from that! I don’t want to give Jules any more excuses to make me quit things!

* * * * *

Gemma

* * * * *

I wake up to talking downstairs…and the strong smell of coffee. I look at the clock in annoyance and groan. It’s only 7:48…on a Saturday. I roll over and pull the covers over my head….then my pillow on top of that. Fifteen minutes later, I groan again and give up…and get up. What the Hell?

I go into the bathroom and startle when I see my pink hair glaring at me from the mirror. I shake my head in chagrin and turn on the shower. I get out after a leisurely soaking in the steam and then sit down to do my makeup. I smile when the effects of my makeup prime me for the day...both from the physical feeling it gives me…and from my pride that I’m allowed to wear it.

I take one more look at myself in the mirror and wonder if the price of the “tingle” really is worth looking like a Caucasian version of a Japanese Anime superhero? I fake a squeaky Asian accent and play my part. “’Bubblegum Girl’ at your service, Sir! The WunderTeens are here to save the day!” I shake my head…but can’t help but giggle at my own joke.

Then my joviality is quickly dampened when I notice the subtle change in my eyes…the blue is turning…purplish…closer to the center of my iris…. I look closer and see that it kind of fades into pink as it radiates outward to the perimeter. You have to look hard to see it…at least for now. I shudder and close my eyes…in a vain attempt to hide it. I shudder and hurry downstairs to see what the commotion is all about…and to get my mind off of it.

Daddy almost spews his coffee when he sees me. “Sorry! I’m still not…used to all of…what’s going on around here!” Red-faced, he starts mopping up the coffee from his newspaper…we actually still get one…and he religiously reads it every morning.

“Get used to it, Hon.” Momma giggles as she hands me a plate with scrambled eggs, bacon, and toast. “I don’t think anything is going back to the way it was, anytime soon…and maybe it never completely will. Good morning, Gem! Speaking of changes…have you been talking to your friends? Are there any bites on joining the WunderTeen campaign? Of course, you need to come clean with them…that it comes with a…a…a…color change…. And make sure their parents are completely onboard with that. We won’t pull a ‘Lissa’ on them!”

I take a bite of eggs and nod as I savor the cheesy goodness. “Lilly is interested in the ‘Blueberry’ package.” I shrug. “I’ll make sure she understands what the…full…‘package’ includes. But she was excited about my…pinkness. Her parents are pretty cool…so they will probably be OK with it. No one else has shown much interest…yet.”

Momma sighs. “I may want to talk to them…just in case…. If she decides she wants to do it. I just don’t anymore surprises.”

Daddy chokes and Momma slaps him on the back. He gasps for air…then finally clears his throat…and speaks in a raspy voice. “I’ll drink to no more surprises! I’m waiting for Chad and me to start sprouting horns or some crap…any minute!”

I giggle and quickly finish my breakfast. Then I put my plate in the dishwasher. “Do we have any plans for this weekend? Aside from Daddy sprouting horns, that is?”

Momma laughs. “Well…we’re all going to the Country Club tomorrow…with Claire and Faith. Your father is going to play a round of golf with Adam Ansel…and us girls are going to get dressed up and socialize…and take in what the club has to offer. I’m not sure what Chad will do.”

Samantha sort of gurgles. “We’re going to the Country Club? Why?”

Daddy smiles. “Well…we are members, now! So, why wouldn’t we?”

Samantha shakes her head and mumbles something about “Loki…” I think that’s what she said, anyway. But I’m not sure what Norse Gods or the Avengers have to do with the Country Club.

Momma just gives her a dark look and she shuts up.

I shrug. “Sounds like fun!” Then I go up to brush my teeth and pop a piece of gum in my mouth, when I’m done. Like Samantha…I don’t care what kind it is, anymore…the WG stuff doesn’t do what it used to…but I’m just in the total habit of chewing it. Suddenly, it hits me…and I succumb to a fit of giggles. “What’s your superpower, Madam?” I say it in a low voice. “Why…chewing bubblegum, of course! Why else would I be ‘Bubblegum Girl?’” I respond in my “Bubblegum Girl” voice…and giggle some more.

* * * * *

Faith

* * * * *

“Good morning, Julia! Thank you for taking Sam and me to the mall. Mumma couldn’t take us…but she said she would pick us up when we’re ready. We’re just going to peruse the clothing stores for a few hours!” I can’t help but giggle.

Julia smiles. “It’s no problem, at all. I gave Samantha some money…to buy you both lunch. Don’t forget to eat, though!”

“Us? Forget to eat? Ha!” Sam giggles.

Fifteen minutes later, Sam and I get out at the mall and hurry in…Sam’s ever-present stilettos clicking loudly on the concrete sidewalk. As usual, she’s dressed to kill…in a designer dress and heels.

I’m dressed more comfortably…in leggings and flats. “I don’t know how you dress like that all of the time, Sam! It hurts my feet just lookingat those towering heels. What are they? Five inches?”

“Yeah.” She shrugs. “So? Welcome to the life of a WunderGirl…I don’t have a choice. But…I’ve gotten used to it. I feel kind of funny in anything less than four inches, now!”

I shake my head. “Speaking of WG…dish girl! How did the date go, last night?”

She sighs. “Not as planned…I tried to fend off Gerome’s advances by smoking…. It didn’t work.”

“What? Girl! You’re going the whole distance with this smoking thing! Are you hooked?” I give her an envious look…I so want to give it a try! I mean I know it’s bad for you…and all…but….

“I don’t know…. I mean…they certainly…lure me…now. But I don’t think I’m fully addicted. It doesn’t matter. Momma caught me this morning…before I could light one…and we had a ‘talk.’ I promised to not smoke for a month…and if I still want to after that…she said we would talk, again. I get to drink coffee…for not smoking.” She shrugs. “It tastes terrible…when it’s strong and black…with no sugar…like Momma’s making me drink it. Another…modeling thing….”

I feel my eyes bugging out. I so want to be Julia’s daughter, right now. She lets her smoke…and now she’s letting her drink coffee! “You’re so lucky, Sam!”

She gives me a sour look. “Lucky? You really think so? Careful what you wish for, Faith! I’ve learned that the hard way. I just wanted to get out of a stupid summer job at the lumberyard…and look how thatwish turned out!”

I sigh. “Yeah…I know…. But wait! You said the smoking didn’t work?”

She shakes her head. “I really didn’t intend to use it as a weapon…the women at WG sort of…let me smoke to calm my nerves…. I smoked a couple over the course of the day…then Dharma snuck a pack in my clutch…. I didn’t know it until Gerome was driving me to the restaurant. When he saw me with them…he freaked! And…so…the idea was born. I know the women at work weren’t really encouraging me to smoke…they just don’t see it as a big deal. Anyway…I smoked every chance I got last night…to discourage Gerome. At first…it sort of worked. But…by the end of the night…not so much, anymore. He still wanted to kiss…a lot….”

“And did you? Kiss I mean?”

She sighs and nods.

“And…?”

She blushes. “I don’t know….” She shrugs. “I…kind of…likedit….”

“I knew it! You go, girl!” I give her a hug…and notice the smell of the cigarette smoke still on her. That…and the fact that she seems to be getting more comfortable with guys bums me out, even more. But I still have to put on a supportive face.

She shakes her head. “I…still don’t want to date Gerome, though…. I don’t like being…pressured into it.”

I nod. “I get that. Just give him a chance. Sometimes arranged marriages work out, too?” I want to jump in joy! Maybe she’s still going to fight it!

She pushes me away and laughs. “Ewwww!”

I laugh back. “Come on! Let’s shop!” Some girl time will do her good….

* * * * *

Samantha

* * * * *

Telling Faith about last night only dredges up all of the feelings that I tried to bury. The very confusing feelings. First…the feelings about smoking. I can’t lie…at least not to myself…that cigarettes now have a certain allure to them. So much so…that I really wanted to smoke one this morning. It wasn’t so strong that it genuinely bothered me that Momma stopped me…but it would be really easy for me to pick one up right now and…enjoy it. It’s not that I need it…I just enjoy it. So…I don’t think I’m really addicted. But…I know I’m close. If I keep on…I will needthem. I don’t want that! So…it was easy to make the promise to Momma.

Then…there are the feelings about Gerome…and the date. If I hadn’t tried so hard to sabotage it…I think I would have enjoyed it. That scares me! Even now, thinking of being in Gerome’s strong arms as he danced with me…his musky scent…his…soft lips kissing me…and his tongue….

I shake my head hard. “Yes! Let’s shop!” I have no need to shop. I already have more clothes than I realistically need. But…I have to admit…walking around the shops and looking with Faith is fun! But…that scares me, too! That’s not something that a “boy” usually likes…not something that “guy” Sam was ever into. Of course, “guy” Sam never really tried it out…with Faith…or anyone else…. But…that’s beside the point. And I hated clothes shopping with Momma…and now…I think it would be kind of…fun. I groan.

Faith gives me a funny look. “What’s up? Something’s bothering you…and not just Luki!”

“Luki?” I give her a funny look…I thought I just made that up this morning as a dig when we were talking about the Country Club. I only kind of muttered it, but Momma still caught it and gave me a dark look.

She shrugs. “That’s what the kids at school call him…just not around his dad.” She giggles. “But stop changing the subject!”

Interesting! It’s his actual nickname! Who knew? I sigh. Faith is obviously still waiting on an answer. “It’s…well…. I shouldn’t be enjoying this….” I bite my lower lip.

She gives me a sour look. “What? Hanging with your BFF?”

“No…not that!” I shake my head. “Shopping…for clothes…doing ‘girly’ stuff. I…I…I like doing this with you…and as furious as Momma makes me lately…I could see myself doing this with her. Not even to buy anything…I don’t need any clothes…but just to goof around and try things on…and look. Of course, it does let me fantasize what being a ‘normal’ girl would be like…without the ‘designer’ restrictions of being a WunderGirl.”

Faith giggles. “Fantasize what being a ‘normal’ girl would be like? So…you admit that you’re fantasizing as a girl…that you are a girl!”

I blush as it hits me…what I just said. I shake my head. “I just don’t know, Faith…. Let’s stop talking about it! I think you would look awesome in that top! Go try it on!” I point at a top that would look awesome on her…just to change the subject. I just don’t want to think about it!

She gives me a knowing look. “Only if you try this one on…with these jeans!” She pulls out some very…normal-looking teenage girl clothes and hands them to me.

I laugh. “Deal! But here…this, too! And this!” I hand her two more tops.

She piles more on my arms…to even it out…and we disappear into the changing rooms.

* * * * *

Rhonda

* * * * *

I sigh and pop another piece of gum into my mouth. I literally can’t be without it anymore…and this lipstick…. Wow! It gives me this…rush…but if I don’t refresh the gloss very frequently…like at leastevery half hour…it drives me crazy. It’s almost like I’m addicted to the stuff.

And Jimmy certainly got into my kisses even more last night…after I started wearing this lipstick. I sigh and pop my gum. I’m getting more used to…being…with Jimmy. He certainly is scratching a new-found, and very pervasive itch…. But seeing Alice the other night…just forcefully reminded me of my old crush on her. And seeing that cute Kim at Jackson’s again….

I shake my head. I’m certainly not over girls…by a long shot.

I pull on my running shoes and go out for my early morning run…I’m going for a long one, this morning…ten miles. Just before I start out…I change course and go back up to my room. I pack some extra gum in my fanny pack…and put on my new lipstick. I put the gloss in my pack, with the gum…after applying a liberal coat to my lips.

I take off at an easy pace and soon get into a steady rhythm. Thankfully, I’m no longer sore from my…evenings…with Jimmy. Some tenderness from…overuse…but otherwise everything is fine. And I still don’t know what to do about my entire situation.

Lissa is not letting up on me staying together with Jimmy. I just don’t know why. He’s signed up for her trial…like she wanted…so I don’t get why I need to stay in that picture…or Jimmy in mine. There’s no apparent reason…which means that Lissa is up to something…and I’m sure it’s no good. Whatever it is! I just can’t think of any reason it benefits her for me to stay with Jimmy…or him with me, for that matter.

I plod on…just getting warmed up. I almost trip in a hole, I’m so distracted. I resolve to pay better attention and turn back to my thoughts.

Aside from the Jimmy quandary, there is the whole issue of my other “status” with Lissa. Being her P.A. is boring. No surprise there…I’m basically a secretary…but at a cost to me. This entire “Goth” thing has gotten out of hand. I can’t even go running without an “exercise” corset. My piercings are well on their way to healing…and becoming permanent holes in my body…along with my supposedly eternally amethyst-colored eyes. The dark “Goth” makeup that I’m wearing is from WG’s “extended wear” lineup and only has to be “refreshed” once a week. My hair is black as a raven…and growing that color…instead of my normal auburn brown. Supposedly…it will go back to normal if…when…I quit using the product. But the real kicker is my skin color. The bodywash and other skin care products have completely bleached me out…I look like a vampire…. Supposedly…that’s temporary, too. I can only pray it’s true.

I shake my head…as the gravity of my dilemma sets in…I have this “appointment” with Joyce on Monday. I don’t trust it. I shake my head again and reach into my fanny pack for a fresh piece of gum. I pop it in…and pick up my pace…chewing furiously. Maybe if I run fast enough, I can outrun this really bad feeling I’m getting.

* * * * *

Jimmy

* * * * *

I rough-saw another log into boards and grimace. I shake my head and pop a bubble, as I furiously chew on a piece of the gum that Ronni gave me last night. She gave me a small bag full…she has a large sack of it…and is constantly chewing it. I gave her a hard time about it…and she got mad. To settle the whole thing…and her fury…I took a piece and started chewing it. To my surprise…I really liked it…it gave me…a funny…but really nice feeling. She just laughed and loaded me up before I left.

I struggle a little to load another log onto the saw and try and concentrate on what I’m doing. I just feel really funny today…I can’t explain it. I shake my head…I really want to kiss Ronni, right now. It’s not just because it’s her…but her kisses have just become so…addictive. I can’t explain it…but I couldn’t get enough of them last night…and I’m fairly shaking just thinking about them. I don’t know what was different last night…but…. Fuck! They were good! At first…they were dizzying…literally! They took my breath away…and made my head swim. Then…they just got…good…somehow…extra-special. I almost didn’t want to move on to…other things.

But it’s not just that…. I feel…strange…overall. I just can’t explain it. The stupid stuff I’m having to use from WunderGirlis messing with me somehow. Sure…the tingling is nice…but there’s something weird about it. Not to mention the fucking stupid lilac stench it gives me! And my hair…what the fuck’s up with that? Not only is it turning purple…or pink…whatever…it’s growing like crazy! My scalp is all…itchy, too. Not like…dry scalp…itchy. Like something fucking crawling in it itchy.

I chew furiously on the gum.

And now…I feel…off…weird…. Like that last log…why did I have to struggle that much? I’ve never had to struggle that much—not this early in the day. Sure…at the end of the day, it can get tough. But…that was just my third log of the day. Fuck! I can’t explain this weird feeling…or the sudden…weakness!

I open a fresh piece of gum and pop it in my mouth. I hope Ronni can get more of this stuff…it really is good. I think about our…fight…about it last night. It was stupid…another thing I can’t explain. I just couldn’t seem to help myself… It was almost like when the girls at school get all bitchy…and blame it on their hormones. It was our first fight…come to think of it…Ronni has never pulled the hormone excuse on me…. She hasn’t used her period as an excuse, either…yet.

I shake my head and curse as I struggle to load another log on the saw. It’s going to be a long day. I don’t know what’s going on with me…but I don’t like it. I chew frantically as I start the saw through the log….