Page 163

Claudine peeked in. "How are you doing?"

"Okay. This is going to be big on me."

"My grandmother was a big lady. Oh, you can't wear your bra and panties under a bathing suit. They didn't do that," she said. "Hurry up. Take everything off, get into the suit, and come downstairs."

"But

. . ."

She closed the door again. I shrugged to my image in the mirror and unfastened my bra. Then I lowered my panties. Just as they were down to my knees, I heard muffled laughter. A flutter of panic made my heart skip. I spun around to see the sliding closet door thrown open behind me and three boys emerge, laughing hysterically, Billy, Edward, and Charles. I screamed and scrambled for my garments just as a flashbulb went off. Then I charged out the door, another flash following.

Gisselle, Antoinette, and Claudine emerged from her parents' suite, and Deborah and Theresa came up the stairway, big smiles on all their faces.

"What's going on?" Claudine asked, pretending innocence.

"How could you do this?" I cried. The boys followed me to the doorway of Claudine's room and stared out at me, laughing. They were about to take another picture. Panicking, I gazed around for another place to hide and charged through an opened doorway into another room, slamming the door behind me and shutting away their laughter. As quickly as I could, I put on my clothing. The tears of anger and

embarrassment streamed down my cheeks and fell off my chin.

Still trembling, but awash in a terrible anger, I took a deep breath and came out to find no one. I took another deep breath and then walked down the stairs. Voices and laughter came from the family room. I paused at the doorway and looked in to see the boys spread out on the floor, drinking the vodka and cranberry juice and the girls around them on the sofas and chairs. I fixed my gaze on Gisselle hatefully.

"How could you let them do this to me?" I demanded.

"Oh, stop being a spoilsport," she said. "It was just a prank."

"Was it?" I cried. "Then let me see you get up and take off your clothes in front of them while they snap pictures. Go on, do it," I challenged. The boys looked up at her expectantly.

"I'm not that stupid," she said, and everyone laughed.

"No, you're not," I admitted. "Because you're not as trusting. Thanks for the lesson, dear sister," I fumed. Then I pivoted and marched to the front door.

"Where are you going? You can't go home now," she cried, charging after me. I turned at the door.

"I'm not staying here," I said. "Not after this."

"Oh, stop acting so babyish. I'm sure you let boys see you naked in the bayou."

"No, I did not. The truth is people have more morals there than you do here," I spit out. She stopped smiling.

"You going to tell?" she asked.

I just shook my head. ''What good would it do?" I replied, and walked out.

I hurried over the cobblestone streets and walks, my heart pounding as I practically jogged through the pools of yellow light cast by the street lanterns. I never noticed another pedestrian; I didn't even notice passing cars. I couldn't wait to get home and march up the stairway.

The first thing I was going to do was lock the door again between Gisselle's room and mine.

17

A Formal

Dinner Date

.

Edgar greeted me at the door, a look of concern

on his face when he took one look at mine. I quickly brushed away any lingering tears, but unlike my alligator skinned twin sister, I had a face as thin as cotton. Any mask of deception I tried to wear might as well be made of glass.