The Female of the Species by Mindy McGinnis Read Free Book Online Page B

until we figured out why he looked familiar anyway. Over in the right wing Marilee buries her face in her hands, which I totally get because I feel the same way every graduation when my dad blesses the senior class.
    â€œI graduated from here eight years ago,” he says. “Back then the rough kids smoked pot and the National Honor Society kids drank. Now the NHS kids are smoking pot and the rough kids are on heroin.”
    There are a couple of giggles. Sara leans over to whisper in my ear, “And the preacher’s kid drinks,” to which I say “Damn straight” and give her a fist bump.
    â€œHere’s the thing, guys,” Nolan goes on. “I’msupposed to come in here and talk to you about drugs, but I’m guessing most of you already know plenty.”
    It’s really quiet in the auditorium. Nolan doesn’t have notes; the big screen is pulled down and there’s a laptop on the podium, but he’s not showing us pictures of meth teeth or heroin sores like we expected. He’s just talking to us. And we’re listening.
    â€œI know a lot of you drink,” he says, and Marilee’s head goes a little farther down into her hands. My cheeks are burning for her because this is way worse than Dad saying a prayer over a bunch of teenagers. “I know because I did it and I know because I find all the Natty Light cans out on 27.”
    There are more than a few concerned glances shared at that point. Drinking out on County Road 27 was definitely something we thought flew under the radar.
    â€œSo you’re drinking, no big deal,” Nolan says. “Except maybe it is, not because you’re under twenty-one and it’s illegal, but because of what happens next.”
    I expect the slides to start up then. Pictures of ruined kidneys or maybe a car crash where someone went through a windshield. But the screen stays blank and Nolan’s eyes land on the front row instead.
    â€œWhat happens next is you’re more likely to be a victim of sexual assault,” he says, and I feel Alex tense beside me. “Girls, one in three of you.” He points rightat me, Alex, Sara, Branley, and Lila. “There are five right here, so let’s be generous and say it’s just one. Which one of you will it be?”
    From the left a boy yells, “Please say it’s Branley,” followed by a chorus of laughter.
    â€œLet me guess, she’s the hot one, right?” Nolan says, smiling along with them. “Guess what—one of you is the one who’s going to do it.”
    That shuts it down, fast.
    â€œIt’s a small town,” he goes on. “Ninety percent of rapes are acquaintance rapes—that means you know your attacker, girls. And guys, that means you know the girl you damaged physically, emotionally, and mentally. One in six of you boys is going to be sexually assaulted too, by the way.”
    And that really kills the room.
    â€œBoys are also more likely to OD than girls,” Nolan says, his eyes off us and narrowing in on Jack Fisher and his friends. “You’re also twice as likely to die in a car crash, a full quarter of which was your own damn fault because you were drinking at the time.”
    The principal clears his throat at the use of the word damn , which I think is kind of ridiculous considering it’s the least alarming thing we’ve heard since Nolan opened his mouth.
    â€œAnd here’s the thing,” he says. “We can’t do anythingabout that unless you report it. We can’t stop your friends from driving drunk and killing themselves or someone else unless we know they’re behind that wheel ahead of time. Girls, we can’t prosecute that guy who spiked your drink unless you tell us it happened.
    â€œAnd you don’t want to, I get it. It’s a small town. The person behind the wheel is your buddy. The person who touched you is your best friend’s cousin, is your