7. Jackmormons

 Orange and Alison walked the hot afternoon sidewalk, their flip-flops barely protecting their feet. They took a detour past Heather Wald's house, and just for grins they invited her to the store with them.

It was half a mile to the gas station, and they talked about their day and about things they wanted to do. Heather was getting ready for pep club tryouts that were coming up, and Alison was going to try out as well. Orange didn't have the confidence. She talked about art class, and they all liked their English teacher.

At the gas station, they went past the racks of candy and the chips and pretzels in bright colored bags, agreeing that they'd get fat if they ate those things. Pop could be fattening too, but why be deprived?

Orange reached for a Fanta. "This one's got my name on it, see? Orange Fanta." Alison rolled her eyes. "You always say that." 

"It's always true," Orange said, and stepped out of the way so Heather and Alison could pick theirs. Alison went for a Pepsi, but Heather said, "Are you drinking Caffeinated soda? Not me--I'm trying to follow the Word of Wisdom now." 

Alison said, "Caffeinated soda is no big deal. Is it?"

Heather chose water. The other two girls didn't say anything but it looked like Heather was being a little too "righteous," and they smirked behind Heather's back, just the subtle way girls do, as Heather paid for hers and then the other two took turns paying at the cash register. Then they headed back, ambling and bumping elbows.

Orange took a sip of her orange soda and then said, "We're the Jackmormon kids. We can go either way."

Alison said, "I never understood where that word came from. What the heck is a Jackmormon, anyway?"

Heather shook her head and said, "Just because our parents don't go to church, doesn't mean we're any less worthy." 

Orange said, "Well, my dad smokes, and so I smell like that. Sometimes I feel like it makes me lesser than other people. And my mom really wants us to stay in the church, but I don't know--I try. Jody really is the one who believes in it." 

Heather's eyes lit up. "Jody's cool," she said. 

Alison wondered aloud, "When we grow up, the three of us, don't you think we oughta try to be, like real Mormons?"

"Probably," Orange said, "But I'm like a jack-rabbit. I don't want to be caged."

"You better watch out the things you say to yourself," Heather warned, "What you think is how you'll act. And that will lead to how close you are to Heavenly Father."

Orange and Alison walked Heather home and pretended they were going home as well, but they hung out some more on the trampoline, suntanning, listening to Orange's boom box, until suppertime.