Coach Bayles finally called her out of the water. Coach Bayles was a young man, of about twenty, and he had dark, curly hair and sparkling white teeth. She felt dumb every time she got around him.

"Fine today, Marilyn," Coach Bayles said. "I wish the rest could swim as well as you."

"They've got their minds on other things," Marilyn said.

Leslie Drew came over to Marilyn's side as Marilyn dried herself off.

"I wish I could swim like that," Leslie said. "You're like a fish in the water."

Marilyn wondered what was coming. She knew that Leslie hated her.

"I've got a date with Brian Edwards," Leslie said suddenly.

So that was it. Marilyn felt a hot flush of anger on the back of her neck. Brian. Marilyn had wanted a date with him for as long as she could remember. He was the best-looking boy in school as well as the smartest and the best athlete. Everyone knew that Marilyn wanted a date with him. That was why Leslie was rubbing it in.

"So," Marilyn said.

"I just thought you might want to know," Leslie said.

"Well, I couldn't care less," Marilyn lied.

"I just bet you couldn't," Leslie said.

Leslie started giggling as she walked away. Marilyn could have strangled her. Marilyn knew it wasn't anything that Leslie had. Leslie was a dark haired girl whose figure was mostly made of plastic. Marilyn had seen her naked a few times and she knew Leslie had nothing but skin and bones.

So why did Brian take her out? Marilyn thought she knew the reason. Leslie was so innocent looking and she had such a sweet way of talking to boys that they seldom realized that she had such a hard heart.

Marilyn decided not to ride the bus back home. She knew she would only have to listen to Leslie gloat about her date with Brian.

She lived close to the school and it was no problem walking.