said.
âNothing.â Fex went on combing. He wouldâve used the bathroom but Pete was monopolizing it, as usual.
âYou never comb your hair at night,â Jerry said accusingly.
âIâm going to a party.â
Jerry sat up. âWith girls. A boy-girl party. If you comb your hair, it must be a boy-girl party.â
âYeah,â Fex drawled, acting as if he went to one of those every day.
âDo you kiss girls when you go to those parties?â Jerry asked.
âHow do I know? The last time I went to a boy-girl party I was only a little kid. All we did was eat and throw stuff around the dining room,â Fex said, pulling on his sweater.
âDid you ever kiss a girl, Fex?â Jerry asked.
Under his sweater Fex felt himself blush.
âNo,â he said, coming up for air. âWhy?â
âI just wondered when you were supposed to start, thatâs all.â Jerry rested his chin in his hands and stared down at Fex, his eyes bright, his face very curious. âI figure Iâve got lots of time but not you. Next year youâre in junior high. Thatâs when all that junk starts.â
âAll what junk?â After-shave lotion or no after-shave lotion? Fex debated. He settled for slapping his cheeks vigorously, the way they did on TV commercials. That ought to do it.
âAll that sexy junk. Junior high is when it starts,â Jerry said, very knowing.
âWho told you?â
âI just know. I listen a lot. Even if you donât feel like it, you have to do that stuff in junior high. Kiss girls, take off your clothes, all that.â
Fexâs palms became clammy. âListen,â he said, âIâm having a hard enough time already without you giving me advice. O.K.â He gave himself a final check in the mirror. âReady or not, here I come.â
He pushed everything heâd left on the floor underneath his bunk. âDonât wait up for me, son,â he said. âIâll probably be late, very late.â
âHey, Fex.â When he turned, Jerry was crouched on the edge of his bunk, hanging a moon down at him. His skinny little behind glowed pale in the light.
âYou look like a honeydew melon,â Fex told him. âTwo honeydew melons.â
âDonât do anything I wouldnât do!â Jerry crowed.
âGet outa here.â Fex reached up and pulled Jerry down to the floor. They wrestled there for a couple of minutes, laughing so hard Pete came out of the bathroom to see what was going on.
âWhatâs the big joke?â he demanded.
Both boys lay on the floor looking up at their older brother. âWhoooeee!â they cried, holding their noses. âYou smell!â
Pete snapped his wet towel at them, but his heart wasnât in it. He looked down at Jerry. âWhatâs he doing flashing his bare butt around?â he asked crossly.
âTelling me the facts of life,â Fex said. He and Jerry rolled around a little while longer. Then Fex got up and pulled himself together. âI have to go,â he said. âThe chicks are waiting.â Jerry jumped up, pulling on his pants. He did a little dance.
âYou guys are a couple of nerds,â Pete said. âWhen I have the time, I might sit you down and give you the benefit of my experience. Let you have the straight scoop, about sex and â¦â
âAnd what?â Mr. OâToole stood in the doorway.
âOh, hi, Dad,â Pete said. âWhatâs up?â
âI was just going to ask you that. From the noise up here, I thought the ceiling might be coming down.â
âIt was them,â Pete said. âThey were horsing around. I didnât do anything.â
Mr. OâToole looked at Fex. âI thought you were going to Barneyâs party,â he said. âI was going to ask you what time Iâm supposed to pick you up.â
âPick me up?â Fex tugged at his
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