"I CANT BELIEVE WE'RE GONNA BE SENIORS" Tara pouted, shutting the car trunk. It was 1:05 PM and they were getting ready for the hazing ritual. They were preparing supplies and carrying them elsewhere. Jodi joined her with her bags and they walked toward where the others were supposed to be.

"It feels surreal" Jodi sighed, hoisting the back over her shoulder. Dropping it off, they retreated to grab the cooler.

"No! Jodi stop with those Bambi eyes" Tara attempted to nudge her but was hindered by the weight of the cooler.

"I know but I'm still sad because imagine this time, next year" she explained.

They walked toward the school's front entrance, unloading their supplies onto one truck along with other girls. Darla, with a theatrical cackle, declared, "Oh, Simone, we're showing them no mercy." Shavonne engaged in conversation with the evil twins, and Kaye and Jodi entered the school, followed by Shavonne.

Tara waited, anticipating Michelle's and Pickford's arrival. Leaning against the wall, she greeted them with a smile. Pink, Michelle, and Kevin joined her, sharing friendly smiles. Despite Pink being the popular, good-looking quarterback, and Tara being part of various social circles, both made an effort to include everyone.

"Let the torture begin!" Tara said, grinning, surprising Pink, Michele, and Kevin. Pink greeted her with a nice smile, which she returned.

"Houston!" Pickford called, poking her with a hazy smile. Michelle squeezed her shoulder.

"Is the party still on?" Tara inquired, and Pickford confirmed. As the stoned couple led the way, Pink and Tara followed, playfully jostling each other. Pink, known as the only sane boy in school, garnered admiration from many girls, including Tara. It was no secret that Pink was the only sane boy in that school, a lot of girls had a crush on him. A lot of girls also had low standards. Common courtesy was it. But I guess we could say Pink was different from other boys.

They walked up the staircase and were just about to pass a smoked Slater, at the water fountain.

"Slater son!" Pickford taunted, doing a handshake, showing his pearly whites.

"Hey man," Slater exchanged a high-five with Pink and Tara. He was, you could say, floating through life. High on life and high as a kite. Low grades, but not low enough that he couldn't pass.

"How's it goin'?" Pink put his hands in his pockets, leaning to stand behind Tara.

"Fixing to be a lot better man" Slater laughed goofily.

"What time is your party tonight man?" Slater slapped Pickford on the shoulder. Tara was observing Slater's upbringing emotions. He was so intriguingly fun.

"Nine thirty man" Pickford slapped back, grinning like a Grinch.

"Nine thirty. Okay. Erm... I'll be there man" he walked backward, confirming he would attend.

"See you Slater, alligator" Slater turned around and took two steps toward them.

"Wait, wait. I gotta cruise by this afternoon and run a little business if you know what I'm talking about, so..." he called after them. Kevin and Slater discussed the details, as the rest ventured on.

Slater exited the corridor. Pickford was scraping his hand up and down along lockers until they arrived at the door of the common room where Cynthia, Mike, and Tony were residing. Pickford slipped a bag into Pink's front pocket.

"So was that there a smoked or a liquid lunch?" Mike asked, looking from Tara to Floyd.

"Top secret" Tara winked.

"So, guys are we going to play poker tonight?" Cynthia leaned on the door, greeting Tara.

"Mmm, count me out I'll probably be going to Pickford's party later, okay?"

"Me too." Tara scrunched her face in apology.

"No, we should do something like that. Goodwin's off on a senior trip, we can play poker any time." Mike reasoned. Tony and Cynthia gave an unsure murmur of agreement in return.

"Wait. Doesn't your brother have a game tonight?" Cynthia asked Tara.

"Right! I forgot. Just great" Tara huffed, realizing she had overlooked her brother's game. Mike, Cynthia, and Tony debated whether a party was their scene.

"Hey. No worries, I'll be there," Pink put his arm around her shoulder. She thanked him.

Mike, Cynthia, and Tony talked amongst themselves, contemplating if a party was really their scene. Tara and Randy walked into the classroom. Shavonne, Kaye, and Jodi walked in behind them mere seconds later as did Mike without Tony. They all sat at a table and a long conversation led to rating Gilligan's Island episodes. They were now on a thirtieth rank.

"Did we already say the one where that big game hunter arrives on the island and decides to hunt Gilligan?"

"No... That's 27..." Jodi sighed.

"What about the time that rock group, "The Mosquito's" visits the one island and Ginger and Mari Ann form their own group?" Tara questions.

"That's 28" Pink reminded, with an arm around her chair. Don walked to the classroom door and gestured for Pink to join him. He stood up and rushed to him.

"That's got to be about all of them..." Kaye grins, grabbing a sponge to erase all of Shavonne's hard work on the board.

"We're going to go to the bathroom could you guys let Miss Wilks know?" Jodi put her palm on Tara's shoulder. "I'll come in a sec."

Pink returned a bit pissed, with a piece of sheet in his hand. He handed it to Mike.

"What's that about?" Tara asked, nudging him with her knee.

"Just a stupid thing Coach wants us to sign" he shook his head. Cynthia sat down at the next table, Tony leaned against one in the back. Mike was done analyzing it and returned.

"I voluntarily agree to not indulge in any alcohol, drugs, or engage in any other illegal activity that may jeopardize the years of hard work we have committed to a championship season in '76 " Mike laughed as he read it out loud.

"For real?" Tara laughed, not surprised.

"Bullshit," Pink grunted

"You guys signing?" she asked. He looked at her and muttered "Apparently."

She understood. He was going to be a senior next year and had been on the football team since his freshman year. He was a quarterback for god's sake! He couldn't just quit. Well, he could. But he clearly didn't feel like that was an option for him. With Benny pressuring him and Don trying to keep Benny happy and at bay. He had kinda been the golden boy of this school for a long time.

"What's next? Urine test?" Cynthia scoffed. Tara stood up and collected her things.

"I didn't know drugs are such a problem they had to resort to neo-McCarthyism!"

"They're just afraid we'll end up like Morrison" At that all of them chuckled.

"No one could end up like him even if we were trying our best" Pink clapped. Tara patted him on the shoulder and slowly exited the room.

Around the corner, she entered the bathroom. She was engulfed with a cloud of smoke. Thankfully the smoke detectors were broken, the school didn't necessarily have to know that. Shavonne and Kaye were smoking a cigarette. Tara gestured for them to give her one as Jodi moved to open the window. Shavonne sat on a closed toilet in a stall.

"...Yeah, he acts all cocky now but did you notice when he poked his head in the room a little while ago, he didn't even look at me?" Shavonne ranted, which Tara could only guess was about Don.

"Forget him." Tara deadpanned, inhaling. Shavonne chuckled.

"Is Pink with Simone or not?" Jodi grinned.

"Well, I don't know. Miss Houston was getting quite cozy out there." Shavonne gestured making Tara roll her eyes and laugh in reply. Kaye caught her up on Giligans Island and she continued her preaching.

"Think about it. You're basically alone on a deserted island with two readily available women. One, a seductive sex goddess type. The other, a healthy girl next door type with a nice butt. So guys have it all. The madonna and the whore. Women get nothing. We get a geek. An overweight middle-aged guy. Some nerdy scientific type I mean..." she said, making a lot of sense. Tara was humming the Giligans Island theme song.

"The professor is sexy" Jodi concluded.

"Those are all types that your typical male feels least threatened by. So in the male viewer's mind, he puts himself on the island and he can have it all. A woman puts herself on the island and she's bored shitless," Kaye continued.

"You're really full of it" Shavonne laughed, not believing what was coming out of her friend's mouth. Tara and Jodi were incredulously absorbing the situation and loving the arguments.

"First off, you forgot Mr. and Mrs.Howell, and second, the audience is probably half women, anyway" Shavonne justified.

"My point exactly! Women are taught to not mind being bored as long as they are occasionally acknowledged. And being stranded on an island awaiting rescue is a total metaphor for the position in which most women are put in this society today" Kaye finished her cig.

"Yeah, verdicts in. You indeed do have a point, Kaye" Tara declared, hopping up on the sink.

- ramona speaks !

another short chapter. but i wanted to end it like this. more updates are coming soon :)