The Misfits

Cassidy

Cassidy met Gemma in front of the bus after school. The cheer-losers were huddled in a circle, talking excitedly about something.

Ignoring them, she asked Gem, “So who’s your date to the prom?”

Gemma looked around and cryptically said, “Later.”

She shrugged and spotted Jessie and Robbie walking up.

“Hey,” Robbie said.

Jessie looked away. Cass decided to let it go. While she had a crush on Jessie, it wasn’t going to happen, so she figured why waste more time on it.

“Hey, yourself,” she said to Robbie, and smiled at both of them.

Robbie saw Jessie looking away and elbowed him. “So, do you have any ideas for colors yet?” he asked.

“I don’t know. I was thinking blue. Maybe a light or medium blue. What do you think?” Cass asked.

“Um, I think you’d look good in blue. But then again, I think you’d look good in anything,” he said, then realized what he said, and looked down, blushing. “I mean, uh, well…”

Cass put her hand on his arm. “I think I know what you mean, Robbie. It’s okay.”

There was a hiss and the bus doors opened. The cheer-losers pushed their way to the front to get on first. All of them glared at Cassidy as they went by, and Cass, in a good mood, was going to ignore them until Beryl let out a fake laugh while saying slut as she went by.

Letting her get far enough away so she couldn’t be accused of anything, she pushed one of Beryl’s legs sideways as she was taking a step, causing her to trip and push into the girl in front of her.

Beryl looked back, yelling, “Watch where you’re going,” only to find no one behind her.

Sweetly, Cass said, “Careful with those clown feet Beryl. It’s easy to trip.”

The group around her laughed and someone else commented on having water skis on land.

The four of them waited patiently to get on the bus, and the boys went first since they would be getting off later.

Cass had a feeling that Beryl would try something and sure enough, she tried to trip Cass as she went by, but Cass was ready.

Beryl hooked Cass’s ankle with her foot, and instead of stepping, Cass shuffled forward, pushing Beryl’s leg back. Beryl was bigger, but Cass used her ability just enough to win a battle of strength, causing Beryl’s leg to be pulled back and twist, extending outward.

Beryl howled in pain and Cass stopped, allowing the girl to remove her foot.

The bus driver got up to investigate the girl’s shrieking, accusing Cassidy of breaking her leg.

Calmly, Cass said, “I was simply walking to sit down. I didn’t see her foot out in the aisle and tripped over it. It was an accident.”

“It wasn’t an accident,” Beryl cried.

“I kept walking, so if it wasn’t an accident, how could I have kept going? I would have had to stop to get into the seat area.”

The bus driver looked at Beryl, who realized that she couldn’t win this and was now only whimpering. He called for a school nurse, who came, and along with another girl, and helped Beryl off the bus.

Cass went to sit and found Gemma sitting with Jessie, leaving the seat next to Robbie open. She knew Gemma planned this.

She sat down, and Robbie said, “That was interesting.”

“It was her own fault.”

Robbie must have agreed because he didn’t mention it again. “So, you want a corsage that pins on, or one to wear on your wrist?” he asked.

“Oh, um, I don’t know. Wrist, I guess. And before I forget, I have to ask you something. It’s okay if you change your mind.”

Robbie looked at her, waiting.

“I invited Jaden to go along. Gemma has a date, and Jaden is new, so to not have her feel left out, I thought I’d take my younger, um, sister as well. She’s home schooled and won’t get to go to a prom if not.”

Robbie looked at her, thinking things over. Cass fidgeted in the silence, wondering if he’d back out. Finally, he said, “Let me get this straight, it will be you and I, Gemma and her date, and your new friend. Plus, a sister I didn’t even know you had. Is that right?”

“Step… sister. But yes,” Cass said, thinking the worst.

“As long as you’re okay with Jessie going. And his date.”

“His date?” Cass said, confused.

“Date. I finally convinced him that if you worked up the courage to ask him, and I worked up the courage to ask you, and Gemma, well…” he said, looking over the seat at the girl. “If she could, he could as well. So, it will be eight of us. Is that okay?”

“Sure,” Cass said, shrugging.

“Okay then, it’s settled. So, another stepsister, huh?”

“Yeah, her name is Myra and she’s fourteen. But she’s mature for her age. And smart. She’ll probably graduate at sixteen. But…”

“But what?” Robbie asked.

“She’s… a little different. Myra is mostly ostracized by people. That’s why I thought she’s like to go. And now that Jessie and Jaden will be there, we’ll probably all be. You, me, Gemma and her date, Jessie and… wait. Is Jessie’s date female?”

Robbie shook his head.

“Oh. So that leaves four of us.”

Robbie laughed. “Oh boy, I think you need to talk to Gemma,” he said.

Cassidy looked over the seat at Gem, who was talking quietly to Jessie. “Why?” She asked Robbie, looking back to him.

He put her hand on his arm and said, “Just talk to her.”

She was super aware that his hand slid down her arm and took her hand. Cass wasn’t sure how she felt about Robbie. She didn’t dislike him, and he wasn’t bad looking.

He was a running back on the football team, so she knew he was fit. She had just liked Jessie, so was this her reaction to being rejected?

Robbie said he liked her, so it wasn’t a pity date or anything. And it seemed like he truly did like her. He’d aways been nice to her, so it was probably true.

Since she couldn’t really figure out her feelings right then, she didn’t pull away.

Cass wasn’t sure what else to say, so they sat in silence, and as time went by, she at least began to like the feeling of holding Robbie’s hand.

Arriving at their stop, Gemma and Cass stood up, but Robbie kept ahold of her hand. Gemma clicked her tongue and walked off.

Robbie said, “See you tomorrow?”

Cass smiled and said, “Of course,” and Robbie let go of her hand.

She followed Gemma off the bus and once they crossed the street, a yellow blur came streaking out of the trees, knocking into Cassidy’s knees.

“Harley,” she said, scratching behind his ears.

“I still say Lyle is and that Harley stayed,” Gemma said.

“Naw, I think Lyle is happy as long as Harley is happy,” she said, rubbing his fur and patting his side. “And you are happy aren’t you boy?”

His tail wagged and he barked once, running off.

Gemma and Cass started walking again and Harley returned with a tennis ball in his mouth, dropping it in front of Cass.

“Eww, drool ball,” Gem said.

Cass laughed and picked it up, throwing it, careful not to throw it off the road. They had lost several balls in the bushes and plants around them.

“Well, you seem happy,” Gemma said to her.

“Huh?”

“You’re humming. I can’t remember when I’ve ever heard you do that.”

“Oh,” Cass said, not realizing she had even been doing it.

“Just thinking about how weird today turned out. It didn’t go as planned, but I still got a date, met a new friend, and Myra will be happy. Oh, and you got a date too, and so did Jessie, I guess,” Cass said.

“Yeah, this ought to be a prom to remember,” Gem said.

Harley brought back the ball and Cass threw it again. The two girls walked back to the house in silence, with Cass throwing the ball when Harley brought it back.

The rest of the afternoon the girls studied, then helped with dinner. After dinner, Cass asked her mom if she could talk to her in private.

She told her mom about her and Gemma’s dates for the prom, leaving out the whole Jessie story, as well as her new friend Jaden, also leaving out her dual sexuality.

Then she explained her idea about taking Myra.

“Do you really think that’s a good idea honey?” her mom asked.

“Myra will like it, I know. Jaden will have another friend, and that will give us eight, so, worst case, we hang out in our own group.”

Gwynne Gray looked at her daughter. “If Myra agrees, I’ll allow it, but any issues fall back on you. You take responsibility. And I’ll pay for all three of you.”

“Thank you, mom,” Cass said hugging her mom.

Cass went back to her room where Gemma was waiting for her. Cass closed her door and said, “It’s all good. And mom will pay for it all. And now, what’s up with not telling me about your date?”

Gemma looked down at her hands. “I asked Frankie,” she said.

“Frankie,” Cass repeated, thinking. “I don’t think I know and Frankie’s. Where would I know him from?”

“Frankie Wynette.”

Cass looked at her blankly.

“Francine. Tall girl on the volleyball team. Short, dark curly hair,” Gemma said.

“Wait. Francine. A gir… Gemma, are you…” She didn’t finish.

“No. Yes. I don’t know. Cassidy, I like boys. But I also am attracted to girls. Well, some girls,” she said looking at Cass.

“Me?” Cass asked, surprised.

Gemma shook her head forcefully. “No, sorry.”

“What, am I not good enough for you? Too… White?”

“Cassidy, Frankie’s white. But no. You’re my closest friend and sister. At this point, let’s just say I’m curious. So, I figured, why not.”

“Gemma likes girls?!” Myra said, coming out of Cassidy’s bathroom.

“Why you little snoop,” Gemma said angerly. She stood up and Myra growled at her.

“Gem, it would have come out at some point. Calm down. Sit.”

Gemma sighed and sat back down, then laid back on Cass’s bed putting an arm over her eyes.

Cass pointed to her chair, and said, “Myra, sit.”

Myra looked at Cass, both abashed and defiant, while she sat.

“First, I shouldn’t have to say this, but you should respect people’s privacy. Not only my room and bathroom, but Gemma’s personal life.”

“But I wasn’t sneaking. I – I just didn’t want to interrupt.”

“That’s not completely true, now, is it? Gemma didn’t know you were here, so that means you were here before she was. Which means you were still in my room, in my bathroom. “

“Yeah, but you said I could use your make-up if I wanted. There were no conditions set on that.”

“Okay, point taken, and we will get back to why you’re into make-up all of a sudden at a later time. But you still hid and eavesdropped on something that didn’t concern you. That’s not right. How would you feel if Gemma did that you to when we talk?”

Myra looked down at her hands that were clasped together. “Sorry Gemma. It wasn’t right of me to do that. It won’t happen again,” Myra said, looking up at Gemma, who was still hiding under her arm.

“You know it doesn’t matter to me if you like girls or boys. Or if you like girls and boys. You’re still my sister.”

Gemma groaned.

“Gemma, she’s trying. So should you. So, I’ll leave the decision up to you. Does this breach of trust warrant calling off our plans for her? Or do we still go ahead?”

Myra wanted to ask about these plans, Cass could tell, but she controlled herself and kept quiet.

Gemma sat up and looked at looked at Myra, who looked properly contrite. “On one condition,” Gemma said to Myra.

“What?”

“That you keep this to yourself and don’t go talking about it to anyone. If you have questions, ask me.” She looked at Cass and added, “Unless they are general questions. Birds and the bees go to Cassidy. Don’t ask me.”

“But what if -”

“Myra! Don’t push your luck,” Cass interrupted.

“So unless you have questions,” Gem said to Cass, “I’ll be going – to sulk.”

“But I –” Myra started, but Cass took ahold of her shoulder and squeezed, quieting the girl as Gem got up and left, closing the door behind her.

Cass went over and laid on the bed, and Myra followed her.

“I think with as lax as mom is and your unfettered access to the internet, you can’t have too many questions about sex,” Cass stated.

“About sex? No. Well, maybe some, but not now. But how does Gemma like girls?”

“Why should people be forced to choose only from the opposite sex? Do you really think it matters if you like a boy or a girl, as long as it’s what is right for you? People judge you for unfair reasons, do you think it’s any different, or even right to judge someone based on who they love?”

“No,” Myra said from beside her.

“Good, because I have something to tell you, and if you aren’t telling me the truth, you might miss out.”

“What? What is it?” Myra pleaded.

“Gemma and I have dates for the prom. A new student at the school was invited to go with us by me today. There are seven of us, and Jaden is the only one without a date. I asked everyone, including mom, and everyone said it was okay for you to go. Mom said she’d pay for your dress and stuff. All of ours really.”

Myra squealed, which sounded strange with her deeper, gravelly voice. Cass had helped her work out the gravelly sounds, but the lack of talking and the wet, damp environment she grew up in left its mark.

Myra rolled onto her side, and looked at Cass, who continued. “So, Jaden is alone, and I figured you would make it eight. We’ll be a bunch of misfits, so we’ll probably be left alone.”

“So, Jaden’s my date? Tell me about him.”

“Well, that’s the thing. You need to be truthful now. Jaden is… well, what is called gender fluid. From day to day, Jaden might feel like he’s a boy, or she’s a girl. So, it depends. Today was she. Tomorrow it could still be she, or maybe he.”

“So, how does that work?” Myra asked.

“To be honest, I’m not really sure. Maybe it’s like you. You’re a girl, but most days you act like a tomboy. Just more extreme.”

“Cass!” Myra said, smacking her.

“Okay, maybe like the opposite of Gemma. Gemma doesn’t know for sure who she likes. Or even maybe both. Jaden sometimes feels like a girl, sometimes a boy. Why not? And who are we to judge? I don’t love Gemma any less if she likes girls, do you?”

“No,” Myra said, shaking her head.

“I knew you were smart. So, I can’t say if Jaden will like a boy that day and kinda be your date, or if she will be a girl, and there just to keep you company.”

“My… my date?”

“Well, not really. Just a part of our group, like you.”

“Oh. But Cass, what if no one likes me? Or are afraid of me?” Myra asked, flopping down on the bed.

“We’ll invite Jaden over before the prom. The rest, if they have a problem, to hell with them. Family is more important,” Cass said, taking her hand. “So, now that that is all settled, tell me why you are so interested in make-up all of a sudden.”

“Oh, no reason,” Myra replied.

“Bull,” Cass said, rolling over onto Myra, sitting on her thighs and grabbing both wrists. “Tell me,” she said.

“No,” Myra said, laughing.

“Fine,” Cass said, bending down, grabbing Myra’s shirt with her teeth, and raising it. She let go mid-way up the girl’s body and proceeded to blow raspberries on Myra’s stomach until they were both laughing uncontrollably.

Cass laid on top of her and the laughter subsided. “Okay, spill,” Cass finally said.

Myra sighed. “It’s probably nothing, but I met a boy online.”

Cass groaned. “Myra… it’s probably it’s probably some old pervert trying to get you to send nude photos or something.”

“No. He’s home schooled like me. He’s actually enrolled in my school. So, I know that part is legit.”

“Okay, well, don’t do anything stupid. Check with me or mom before giving out anything really personal. I just don’t want you to get hurt,” Cass told her, looking into her eyes after brushing some hair out of her face. People aren’t always nice.”

“I promise,” Myra told her.

“Good. Get ready for bed.”

“TV?”

“You only want to watch TV when you want to fall asleep in my bed,” Cass said.

“Um, so, TV?” Myra said, not denying it.

“Go on. And wear socks, your feet as always cold,” Cass told her.