Breath of Scandal(39)

Seven

"Say, Jade."

Jade turned away from her locker, clutching her textbooks to her chest. So few of her classmates spoke to her anymore that she was surprised and pleased that someone-anyone -had approached her.

The facts were murky, but the scuttlebutt around Palmetto High School was that Jade had been unfaithful to Gary Parker with Neal Patchett. It was said that as a result of jade,s two-timing, Gary had dumped her. In two and a half months, she had gone from being the most sought-after girl in the senior class to a social leper. While her classmates were caught up in the festive whirl preceding graduation, Jade was shunned.

The gossip wasn't contained within the walls of the high school. It had filtered into the community at large. When it reached Pete Jones's ears, he fired her from her part-time job with the thin excuse that he would prefer to have a young man working for him.

Things were no better at home. Velta complained that she was getting the cold shoulder at work. "I heard my coworkers whispering about you. Didn't I tell you that you'd be blamed for what happened? You should have had that colored man bring you straight home. it was a big mistake to go to the hospital. Once you did that, you sealed your fate and mine."

Jade had no one to take her problems to. She would never forgive Donna Dee for betraying her. Apparently Donna



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Dee hadn't forgiven her, either, for inciting Hutch's libido. The chasm between them could never be bridged, but since there wasn't anyone to replace Donna Dee, losing her best friend and confidante was like losing a limb.

But it was for losing Gary that Jade wept bitterly every night. It was obvious from his attitude that he believed the lies being circulated about her. His anger and confusion were a fertile ground for ugly suspicions, which Neal Patchett had sown and cultivated. Working as subtly as the serpent in the Garden of Eden, Neal continued to torment Gary with innuendos. He tracked Jade like a bloodhound, his smoldering looks conveying that they shared a naughty secret. His suggesti,eness made her sick to her stomach. But she hated Neal's gloating worse for Gary's sake. His self-confidence and pride had taken as brutal a beating as her body had.

"Hi, Patrice she said to the girl who had the courage to buck the trend and speak to her.

Patrice Watley was plump, bleached, and wild. Jade didn't recall having a conversation with her since junior high, when the line between the good girls and the bad girls was distinctly drawn. Until recently, they had been on opposite sides of that line.

Patrice's mother had recently obtained her fourth divorce and was in hot pursuit of husband number five. Her active love life had always kept her so busy that Patrice had been left to her own devices. As a result, she had packed a lot of living into eighteen years.

"I don't mean nothing by this, you understand, " she whispered, moving closer to Jade. "But are you knocked up?"

Jade's knuckles turned white against the spines of her schoolbooks. "Of course not. What makes you ask a thing like that?"

Patrice smacked her lips with impatience and a trace of sympathy. "Say, look Jade, I said I don't mean nothing by asking, but I know e signs, okay? I've been there twice myself.



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sandra Bro"

Breath of Scandal



Jade bowed her bead, mindlessly poking her thumb into the silver coil of her spiral notebook - "I haven't been feeling well, that's all."

"How late are you?"

Jade felt herself crumbling on the inside. "Two months." ,I je-sus! And you're supposed to be smart - You ain't got much time7 girl- you've got to do something fast."

refused to acknowledge what her late periods Jade had 't even considered what she would might signify. She hadn ality



do if the worst possibility became an actuT, ,,you, re gonna get rid of it, aren't you. ,,I. I hadn't thought-"

"Well, if you decide to, I can help," Patrice offered



6'Why woul you ')"

,,Is it Neat PatcheItt 's kid9"

rumors. Jade shrugged, indicating Patrice had heard the she might be carrying. that she couldn't be sure whose child I want to help "Well, on the chance that it's Neal's,

YOU." Patrice took out a pack of cigarettes and lit one, , wasn't permitted in the school building. although smoking



back her head and sent a plume of smoke ceilShe tilted



ingward. "'Me son of a bitch did the same thing to me the summer after eighth graded That was my first. My mama went positively apeshit- My stepdaddy at the time refused to pay for the abortion, so Mama went to Neal's old man for the money. Say, you want a cig? You're lookin' a little green around the gills - " smoke away from her face. "No, Jade waved the cigarette



thanks. I I



I "Mere was I? Oh, yeah. So anyway, old Ivan gave us five hundred dollars . I went to Georgie over in nigger town. , so we made money on the deal -

She only charges fifty irritation plain, "My Wouldn't you know it " she said, her



old lady kept every igging cent. Anyway, I'd be glad to speak to Georgie about you. She's kinda particular and ybody who ain't referred, you know?

doesn't Re to take an' other Ive 'cause she doesn't want her