Popularity Plus    by Denise Cassino

	The tall, dark-haired twenty-something guy leaned with his back against the wall, sighing, moaning almost. 
With his head tilted back, his eyes closed, he seemed to be in a state of euphoria. The camera panned downward and 
showed his unzipped pants and a girl with long dark hair kneeling between his legs . . .
	"Beth! I told you I will not allow you to watch that filth! Now, turn it off!" The fourteen-year old cast disdainful 
eyes at her mother, who stood in the bedroom doorway, hands on her hips. "Now! I mean it!" 
	A sneer crossed the girl’s lips as she clicked the remote to another station and turned back toward the screen.
	"Off, I said, off." 
	"Oh, Mother, I can’t believe you’re for real. Everyone watches ‘Sex in the City’" said Beth, clicking the remote 
off and flopping down on her bed, hands behind her head, staring at the ceiling.
	Katherine walked tentatively toward her daughter’s bed and sat on the edge. She reached out and touched her 
daughter’s leg which Beth jerked away from her touch. 
	Katherine sighed. "Beth, I know you think I’m an old fuddy-duddy, totally out of it, completely unhip, but I was 
your age once, too. I know how tempting the boys were then, but some things never change. If you approach dating the 
way these programs indicate is normal, you will be a very unhappy girl with a bad reputation. No matter how "normal" 
these shows make sex look, the boys will take advantage of you, spread the word and you will be popular only until 
they’ve all had you kneeling on the floor in front of them."
	"Oh, Mother! It’s not such a big deal! Lots of girls do it with their boyfriends, and they don’t have bad reputations! 
Besides, it isn’t really sex anyway – the President said so."
	Katherine cringed. "EX-president, you mean."  She thought of the damage that man had done to the morals and values 
of the country he claimed to so love and cherish. It was bad enough enduring eight long years with him in office, but now his 
degrading lifestyle had become "hip."
	"Beth, anytime you touch the genitals of a man, there is sex involved, believe me, or he wouldn’t ask you to do it."
	Beth rolled her eyes and turned away. Her mother stood up and turned toward the door. "Don’t forget to finish 
your homework. I’ll help you with your report if you’d like."
	"Thanks anyway, it’s all done."

       A week later, Beth turned fifteen. The air smelled of daffodils and new mown grass, and spring was in the air. Only sixteen days of school left! Now, if only that totally cute guy, Jason would just notice her, everything would be perfect. As she walked down the hall at school that morning, she could hear the familiar giggles long before she even saw Tiffany, the biggest "hottie" in school, surrounded by a crowd of boys, as usual. As she approached, she could see the girl’s long blonde hair draped over her breasts, cleavage prominently displayed from the low-cut, strappy tank top she wore. A jewel sparkled from her pierced navel and her jeans rode low on her hips. She sported a bronze tan and her lip gloss twinkled seductively. Beth looked down at her own dowdy T-shirt and pale arms, her happiness fading. As she passed, she saw Jason was one of the boys around Tiffany. He glanced her way as she passed, nodding slightly. She almost thought he blushed. She smiled, pretending to be as confident as Tiffany, but inside she was shriveling. He was probably embarrassed to acknowledge her existence.
    The following Saturday, one of the girl’s in Beth’s class threw a boy-girl party, and Beth was invited. Her mother took her shopping for a new outfit and insisted it actually cover Beth’s body.
    "I’ll look like a total dork in this, Mother! No one will even talk to me, I know it!"
    Katherine shook her head and smiled. Beth looked adorable in the soft, light blue, short-sleeved sweater and stone-washed jeans. "Beth, I know you think I’m an idiot, but, I promise, you’ll thank me one day!"
    Beth pressed her lips together, folded her arms and looked skyward.

    When the big night arrived, Katherine drove Beth and three other girls to the party with promises to pick them up at Midnight sharp. Excited laughter filled the car and Katherine couldn’t help but notice that the other three girls were dressed much more provocatively than Beth.
    Once inside the finished basement of Jennifer’s house, the girls gravitated to one side of the room and the boys to the other. Jennifer’s mother broke the tension for a few minutes with sloppy Joe’s and chips, but soon enough it returned – until Jeremy dimmed the lights and announced, "Okay, spin the bottle, here we go!"
    Amidst giggles and jostling, they jockeyed for position and knelt on the floor, Jeremy offering to go first. He spun the bottle on the soft carpet and it rotated slowly until it pointed at Amy, who pressed her hands to her mouth, partially concealing her braces.
    "Just don’t hurt me, Tinsel Teeth!" Jeremy chortled. Amy’s smile faded, and she turned her closed lips toward him coolly, bestowing a brief kiss before she turned a cold shoulder toward him.
    "Gee, that was boring!" Jeremy whined, selfishly.
    "God, you’re a jerk, Jeremy!" said Angela, shaking her head.
    "What? What’d I do now?"
    "You next, Joe!" Jeremy elbowed his best friend. Joe clownishly spun the bottle, and it pointed to Tiffany.
    "Lucky guy!"
    "Go get her, Joe!"
    Tiffany stood up, running her hands slowly down her sides, tossing her blond hair and licking her lips. Then she placed her hands on either side of Joe’s face, pulling it toward her. Parting her lips, she slipped her tongue deep into his mouth and kissed him lasciviously. Slipping her arms around his shoulders, she rubbed her breasts seductively against his chest.
    "Ye-owww! Now, that’s what I call a kiss, baby!"
    "Can I get some of that action?" taunted Josh.
    "Me, too, seven minutes in heaven will work."
    "Okay, come with me. You, you and you," offered Tiffany, pointing with her red acrylic nail to Joe, Jeremy and Josh. They jumped up and followed her into the bathroom, their jeans bulging with the anticipation.
    Fifteen minutes later, they all emerged, elbowing one another and talking behind their hands. Tiffany walked out alone, behind them. Beth watched it all with a combination of envy and horror. She couldn’t imagine doing what she believed Tiffany must have done, but she knew she’d never be as popular as her, either.
    Suddenly, Jason flopped down next to her on the couch. "I’m sorry you had to see that – she’s disgusting. I know you’re not that kind of girl – that’s why I like you." Jason reached over and softly took Beth’s hand in his own. Her heart pounded, and she could barely speak. She stole a sideways glance at him and said, "You like me?"
    "Now, more than ever. No guy really likes a girl like Tiffany, except for one night. You’re a keeper." He squeezed her hand, and she squeezed back.
    Katherine agreed to give Jason a ride home that night, too, and noticed he and Beth holding hands in the seat next to her. She made a point of dropping him off last. When she pulled up in front of his house, he said, "Thanks Mrs. Ralston, I really appreciate the ride. I’ll call you tomorrow, Beth." He waved and was gone.
    "Well, I guess this party turned out a little better than you thought it would. What happened?"
    "I’m not sure, but I’m crazy about him and he said he likes me! And I’m really glad you’re my mom. I’m sorry I’ve been such a brat lately. You’re the best."
    "Well, I’m not sure what brought all that on, but I’ll take it! I’m sure you know, Beth, I always have your best interest at heart. I love you more than anything and anyone. I hope you realize that."
    "I do, Mom. Thanks for being strict with me. I hate it, but I know you’re right." Beth turned and gave Katherine a funny look and Katherine laughed out loud.
    "You’ll probably live to regret that statement!" They looked at each other suddenly and both burst out laughing. Beth reached over and turned the radio up.
    "I love this song!"
    "I love you, sweetie."
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