THE STUDENT COUNCIL

Anger gave way to grief. Her knees weakening, she leaned against the wall and slowly slid to the floor. She had seen the same electrical outlet earlier in the day, glimpsed it when Google opened his top drawer at the work station next to her. She’d thought nothing of it. Screwdrivers, power cords, computer accessories – they were the nuts and bolts of her friend’s existence. Her friend. Her very best friend.

She couldn’t imagine life without Google in it. He had always been her ally, her sounding board, her gofer, and, most of all, her trusted confidant. Among all her friends, he was the one she understood best. Or thought she did.

Grief gave way to confusion. How could she have misjudged him so completely? Wasn’t her ability to assess people her greatest strength? Had there been signals she missed? Signs of his misdirection? What could have motivated Google to do such a thing?

Her practical side stepped into the arena and raised a sword. Why was she sniffling like a baby? She was a warrior and a leader! Google wasn’t an enemy. He was a valuable ally with a chink in his armor. There had to be a way past the problem. She could figure it out.

First she needed a serviceable excuse for his behavior. Was it only natural in a perverted kind of way? How many sixteen-year-old boys didn’t want to see a naked female? Peepholes into girls’ shower rooms had been celebrated in countless high school comedies. Hell, they were glorified! Boys being boys. Ha, ha. Look at Amy’s boobs. Still, Google was no mindless prankster. He was a respected friend.

Maybe his poor judgment pertained to what William and Paul disclosed. Was Google carrying a crush that required an outlet? If Google’s curiosity was limited to her alone, not the others who used the locker room, his transgression might somehow seem more forgivable. She could easily find that out.

Amy stood, slung her bag over her shoulder, and headed for her classroom. The sidewalk and parking lot in front of the school were deserted except for Google’s car. No sign of the security guard. She hadn’t seen Louis Sorvino all day. For all she knew, he may have taken money from Ed Barner and disappeared. Maybe that was for the best.

Five doors down, she found Google at his computer, staring intently at the monitor. Looking over his shoulder, Amy saw a news article on the screen. “You found anything yet?”

“Nothing more than you did,” he answered without turning. “Pittsburgh elected a new mayor. She appointed a new police chief, saying he would restore public trust in the department. Sorvino and two others retired a month later. That’s it.”

“Don’t stop trying. Keep looking at home. Let’s get out of here.”

Google stood and patted the left side of his rump. “I’m missing my wallet. It must have fallen out of my pocket when I used a toilet at the exercise room. I’ll go grab it and be right back.”

Amy had her answer. She was his sole interest. “No need. I picked it up for you.”

“What?” he asked, spinning to face her.

She put the outlet camera in his hand. “Plug it into your computer. Let’s see what you got. I didn’t find it until after my strip show.”

Amy saw his face glow red, then crimson. Was it going to melt and start dripping down his chest? She was tempted to throw the spycam on the floor, stomp on it, and try to move on. But only tempted. “Between us girls, I’m curious to see what I look like in a movie too.”

Google’s head drooped as if he died at the end of a rope. “I’m not a girl,” he gasped.

“Really? What man would hide a camera on a wall like that? Show it to me!”

“I’m going home,” he whispered. “I’ll move to a different classroom tomorrow. Maybe to another city.”

Amy knew he meant it. How could she be feeling like the villain all the sudden? She bit the bullet. “You made a serious mistake, Mister Runsfeld, but it doesn’t have to be the end of the world.”

Her words had the effect of a defibrillator. Google’s eyes sprang wide open. “You’ll accept an apology?”

“You have to understand something. I’ll never be your girlfriend, not like you’re thinking. Girlfriends come and go. You and I are best friends. We’re in this for life.”

His head fell again. “Why can’t we be more? Nobody appreciates you more than I do.”

She asked, “How many girls have you had sex with?”

“Four.”

“How many of them do you even talk to now?”

“None.”

Amy nodded. “My very point. Friends last.”

“But I never really talked to them before we had sex either. With you, it’s totally different. I love you already.”

Amy shook her head. “We’re not that kind of friends. Accept it and move forward. I’m running out of popcorn with all this talk. Start the damn movie!”

“I can’t. That’s too embarrassing.”

“Really? I’m the one that’s bareass naked! Play it now and all’s forgiven.”

With the enthusiasm of a robot, Google removed a card from the back of the outlet and plugged it into his computer. Amy’s first view of herself was the back of her legs. She proceeded to a bench, took off her shoes and the red suit Trisha gave her, and there she stood.

“Stop it right there,” she instructed. “Move in for a close-up.” The robot performed as asked. “Print that! It can be your souvenir.”

He didn’t move, so she took over his keyboard. She walked to the printer to collect the photo. “Do you want me to sign it?”

Google slumped even more. “Are you going to tease me about this forever?”

“Only for a few more minutes.” She placed the full-frontal photo in front of him. “Some girls shave off all their pubic hair. Others leave a strip in the center, kind of like a Mohawk. As you can see, I leave my stuff pretty much alone. Which look do you prefer?”

Google removed the camera card from his computer. “We’re done with this, Amy. You’ve made your point.”

“And what was that point?”

“Honestly?”

“Of course.”

Google looked at the floor. “If you mess with Amy Westin, she’ll cut off your balls and hand them to you.”

“Total over-reaction,” she chuckled. “That was a kick in the balls, nothing more. You’ll heal and we’ll both be stronger. Googs, I love you too, but you screwed up big time.” Amy put the spycam in her bag so she could watch the video at home. She folded the photo and locked it in her bottom drawer.

Leaving the classroom, she patted Google’s back. “It’s over. We’ll both laugh about this some day.”

He nodded. “I’ll answer your question then. I like the thin strip of hair down the center.”

“How about this idea?” she asked, laughing. “Two vertical strips connected by a horizontal one! Just like a goalpost.”

The football joke evoked his first smile. As Google made sure the door was locked behind them, the security guard appeared. Amy wondered if he’d been waiting.

“Good evening,” she nodded.

“Miss Westin, I wondered if you might have a few minutes to talk.” He glanced at her companion. “In private.”

“What’s wrong? I’m allowed to be in the school.”

Google tossed back his narrow shoulders. “You have no reason to speak to her. If it’s about school, I’m on the student council.”

Sorvino glared at Amy’s friend. She decided that if looks could kill, Google would be lying on the pavement. The former detective turned back to her. “You’ll be very interested in what I have to say.”

“Sorry, I don’t have the time. I’m getting a ride home with my friend and it’s late.”

“It’s only nine-fifteen. I’ll be happy to give you a lift home after ...”

Amy cut him off. “You aren’t giving me a lift anywhere. I don’t ride with strangers.”

Amy grabbed Google’s right arm with both hands and tugged. She wanted time to think. “Maybe tomorrow,” she said. “Here at the school.”

“Right now would be better.”

Not at all would be best, Amy thought. “Eight o’clock tomorrow night. I’ll make time.” Walking toward the car with Google, she felt Sorvino’s eyes on her back, like spiders crawling up her spine.

When Google dropped into the driver’s seat, he was shivering too. “That guy totally creeps me out. Why does he want to talk to you?”

She was asking herself the same question, over and over.

Back at home, Amy found her parents snuggled on the couch in the den, watching a movie together. Her world was in order, except for the presence of one Louis Sorvino. She gave them a quick wave and announced she was headed to bed.

In her room, she touched a number on her phone’s index. “I was just goin’ to bed,” Paul answered.

“This is important. I need another favor from your father. You know that security guard at the school?”

“I thought he just got canned.”

“He got two weeks’ notice. He’s been harassing me and I’m worried.”

“Harassing you how?”

“Staring at me all the time. Trying to talk to me.”

“Well, that’s bullshit! I’ll have a talk with him. He’ll never bother you again!”

Amy shook her head. Intimidation wasn’t the answer. She needed to understand the enemy first. Knowledge was the higher power. “Paul, that’s not what I want. I just want to know more about him, his personal history. Your father knows people who can get answers.”

Paul knew not to argue. Amy had her own way of looking at things. “I don’t need my father to help you. Bonzi Kraft, that’s his attorney, told me I could call him if I ever needed anything. That’s who dad would ask anyway.”

“That’s awesome. I’m going send you an email with the exact questions to ask. Don’t forward it or mention my name. Copy the message and send it yourself ... or just read it to him, word for word. Okay?”

“I’ll do it in the morning.”

“If he asks why you want the information, say it’s for the student council.”

He yawned loudly. “Council, right.”

“And again, you don’t mention me. Is that clear?”

“Clear. Never mention Amy’s name to anyone ever. Good night.”