The Journey Prize Stories 21 by Various Read Free Book Online Page A

her away. “Enough,” I heard Sayuri mutter under her breath. Suzuki sensei’s face turned as dark as red bean paste, but she didn’t say anything.
    Needless to say, we didn’t win, and in the locker room afterwards, hardly anyone said a word. Suzuki sensei came inbriefly and said the usual. How we’d done our best, how it was just a game.
    We showered quickly and changed in silence. “Good try!” Tomoko shouted with fake cheeriness when she left. The other girls didn’t say anything, though, not even goodbye. I had almost finished changing when I realized that I hadn’t seen Sayuri. I paused and heard the sound of falling water; someone was still in the shower. To save money, our school had very small hot water tanks, so by now I was sure there was no warm water left at all.
    I went back into the shower area and found Sayuri in the last stall, crouched on her haunches in the corner. Her head was between her knees, her thin shoulders shaking. Whether she was shivering or crying, I wasn’t sure. I reached over and turned off the water. It was cold as ice.
    â€œHey,” I said. “What’s wrong?”
    Sayuri didn’t look up. She made a faint squeaking sound like a mouse.
    â€œYou’re not thinking about the game, are you?” She continued looking down.
    â€œIt was just a stupid game. It doesn’t even count for that much.” I tried again. “It’s not Suzuki sensei, is it?” She shook her head violently.
    â€œHonest?” I looked at Sayuri’s spine, its small pointy knobs, a delicate track from her neck down to her bum.
    â€œYou’d better get up,” I finally said. I moved directly in front of her and reached down to grab her left arm. It felt soft and slippery. That was when I noticed the blood. There was a thin pink trickle that slithered down her thigh, across her feetand into the drain. At first I thought it was her period, then I realized that the blood was coming from her hand – she had torn the nail right off her middle finger. The spongy tissue at the tip looked like a squashed tomato.
    â€œYou should go to a doctor,” I said. “Does it hurt much? Did you show Suzuki sensei?”
    â€œIt’s my punishment,” she mumbled, “my shame.”
    â€œGet up,” I said. “You’re going to make yourself sick.”
    I put my hands in her armpits and pulled. Sayuri was as limp as a wet noodle and it took quite a bit of work to get her to her feet. As soon as I did, she refused to stand up straight and toppled toward me.
    â€œWhoa, stand up, would you.”
    Sayuri was a full head and a half taller, so when she flopped against me it was all I could do to keep from falling backwards. We stood in this awkward embrace for a couple of minutes, and I held my hand on her back to steady her. I could feel her soft, wet, barely-risen breasts through my blouse. Her shoulder was against my face and I could see little goosebumps on her pale flesh.
    â€œI’ll help you,” I murmured, “I’ll bandage your finger.” To my own surprise, I then pressed my lips against her shoulder and flicked the tip of my tongue over her skin. She tasted of soap.
    Sayuri pulled back. She looked me straight in the eye, a dark searching stare that might have been asking if I was making fun of her. Then she scrunched her eyes shut, bent forward, and pushed her lips against mine. I think I was supposed to shut my eyes, too, but I didn’t have time to react. Her lips were very cold and a bit rubbery.
    â€œLet’s get out of here,” Sayuri said abruptly. “I’m freezing.”
    Before she turned her face away, I thought I saw a faint smile on her lips. It pleased me, but it also confused me.
    I wanted to explain to Sayuri that what I’d done to her was not a kiss. Not a real kiss, not like the way people were supposed to kiss. What had happened between us was too fast, too