What's a Girl Gotta Do? by Holly Bourne Read Free Book Online Page A

of…er…dominating conversation when I get overexcited.
    â€œWhat is it, Amber?”
    â€œWhy?”
    I pointed at her. “Yes, ten points to Gryffindor. Why would I do such a thing? Why indeed?”
    I pulled her out of her chair to dance with me. She was pretty wedged in but got up reluctantly and let me spin her under my arm.
    â€œI decided after yesterday’s horribleness that it wasn’t so much all the sexual harassment that bothered me. It was the fact I didn’t stand up for myself.”
    â€œBut those men could’ve been dangerous,” Evie pipped in.
    â€œThey weren’t,” I said. “I took them on this morning and reported them to their boss.” I spun Amber harder but she broke free and dizzily turned to face me.
    â€œYou did what?”
    They all stared at me like I was a teeny bit mad.
    â€œI told you, I reported them. I even deliberately lured them in.” I pointed to my goose-pimpled body.
    â€œAnd that explains why she’s dressed like a child prostitute,” Oli whispered loudly to Evie, who giggled.
    â€œHush!” I called. “I can dress HOWEVER I like, thank you very much. Yes, I may have frostbite of the entire thigh and stomach area, but that is MY CHOICE.”
    â€œLeave Oli alone.” Evie gave him a small look then instantly turned red. God, those two were hopeless. “There’s having your choices and then there’s choosing to dress as BAIT.”
    â€œEvie’s right,” Amber said. “I mean, A, it sounds like you didn’t need to dress as bait anyway, they harassed you yesterday when you were all covered up in a winter coat. And, B, Lottie, that was dangerous! There’s a difference between finding trouble and trouble finding you.”
    I pulled a face. “But you know I have a flair for dramatics.”
    â€œOh, we know,” Evie said pointedly, with a smile.
    â€œAs I was saying,” I continued. “I felt bad because I let it slide yesterday. And then I thought of all the other small things I let slide. Then I realized… What if it’s all connected?”
    â€œWhat if all of what is connected?” Jane asked. Wow, I even had Jane’s attention. Probably because Joel was still totally entranced by his burger.
    â€œSexism. Well, all just general badness, but I’m focusing mainly on sexism. What if all the tiny shitty sexism things build up to allow the smaller shitty sexism things, and then what if all the small shitty things build up to allow the medium, and what if the medium things build up—”
    â€œWe got it,” Amber said, smiling. She loved to deliberately interrupt me when I was in full flow.
    â€œYes, well.” I pulled down my shorts again. Why were they so determined to be up my bumhole? I was being sexually assaulted by my own item of clothing. “That’s why I’ve decided that, for a month, I’m not going to let anything slide. You never know – I might even change the world!”
    There was silence. Well, apart from Joel’s chomping noises.
    Evie was the first to speak. “I like it, Lottie. I think you’re totally nuts, as always, but I like it.”
    Amber nodded her freckly face. “I like it too. Though I think you need to think some stuff through.”
    â€œLike what?”
    â€œLike the rules. What does ‘calling out’ sexism mean? How will you identify if something is sexist?” She listed her points on her fingers.
    I nodded. “This is useful.”
    â€œWe could help you,” Evie offered. “Maybe make this the FemSoc campaign like you said? See if the other members agree?”
    I nodded even more furiously. “Yes, yes, yes, yes, YES!” I punched the air. Then, suddenly exhausted, I flopped down on the chair. “Meeting at mine tonight then?”
    Both Evie and Amber nodded. “Though I don’t have any cheese left to bring,” Evie said.