Double-Dare O’Toole by Constance C. Greene

said.
    â€œNothing.” Fex went on combing. He would’ve used the bathroom but Pete was monopolizing it, as usual.
    â€œYou never comb your hair at night,” Jerry said accusingly.
    â€œI’m going to a party.”
    Jerry sat up. “With girls. A boy-girl party. If you comb your hair, it must be a boy-girl party.”
    â€œYeah,” Fex drawled, acting as if he went to one of those every day.
    â€œDo you kiss girls when you go to those parties?” Jerry asked.
    â€œHow 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,” Fex said, pulling on his sweater.
    â€œDid you ever kiss a girl, Fex?” Jerry asked.
    Under his sweater Fex felt himself blush.
    â€œNo,” he said, coming up for air. “Why?”
    â€œI just wondered when you were supposed to start, that’s all.” Jerry rested his chin in his hands and stared down at Fex, his eyes bright, his face very curious. “I figure I’ve got lots of time but not you. Next year you’re in junior high. That’s when all that junk starts.”
    â€œAll what junk?” 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.
    â€œAll that sexy junk. Junior high is when it starts,” Jerry said, very knowing.
    â€œWho told you?”
    â€œI just know. I listen a lot. Even if you don’t feel like it, you have to do that stuff in junior high. Kiss girls, take off your clothes, all that.”
    Fex’s palms became clammy. “Listen,” he said, “I’m having a hard enough time already without you giving me advice. O.K.” He gave himself a final check in the mirror. “Ready or not, here I come.”
    He pushed everything he’d left on the floor underneath his bunk. “Don’t wait up for me, son,” he said. “I’ll probably be late, very late.”
    â€œHey, Fex.” 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.
    â€œYou look like a honeydew melon,” Fex told him. “Two honeydew melons.”
    â€œDon’t do anything I wouldn’t do!” Jerry crowed.
    â€œGet outa here.” 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.
    â€œWhat’s the big joke?” he demanded.
    Both boys lay on the floor looking up at their older brother. “Whoooeee!” they cried, holding their noses. “You smell!”
    Pete snapped his wet towel at them, but his heart wasn’t in it. He looked down at Jerry. “What’s he doing flashing his bare butt around?” he asked crossly.
    â€œTelling me the facts of life,” Fex said. He and Jerry rolled around a little while longer. Then Fex got up and pulled himself together. “I have to go,” he said. “The chicks are waiting.” Jerry jumped up, pulling on his pants. He did a little dance.
    â€œYou guys are a couple of nerds,” Pete said. “When 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€œAnd what?” Mr. O’Toole stood in the doorway.
    â€œOh, hi, Dad,” Pete said. “What’s up?”
    â€œI was just going to ask you that. From the noise up here, I thought the ceiling might be coming down.”
    â€œIt was them,” Pete said. “They were horsing around. I didn’t do anything.”
    Mr. O’Toole looked at Fex. “I thought you were going to Barney’s party,” he said. “I was going to ask you what time I’m supposed to pick you up.”
    â€œPick me up?” Fex tugged at his