Maing the Grade

"Twenty-two months is a long course of treatment, Cal. I'm guessing you're more than ready to get these things off."

"I am," I told Dr. Sears truthfully.

"I have to tell you this is the most rewarding part of my job. All that time in college and medical school plus orthodontics training is worth it every time I remove a set of braces. That's especially true with someone like you, Cal, who had such a severe challenge. Do you remember the name for it?"

"A class-three malocclusion," I replied. I may have been held back a year and turned 18 as a junior in high school a few months ago, I might never have even been on a date let alone kissed a girl, and I might have had just about the worst grill ever, but I was pretty good in school and remembering something like this was easy for me.

"Very good!" Dr. Sears said as he continued removing the pieces of metal from my mouth. "You had multiple issues going on like overcrowding and a lot of protrusion. The key word there is 'had' as in not any more.

I laughed and said, "Protrusion. Right! That's the politically correct term for bucked teeth, isn't it?" Dr. Sears just chuckled. "I have to say no one's called me 'Bucky' for at least six months now so that's a good thing, right?" That name had stuck since the elementary school and it, more than anything else, had shaped my self-image in the intervening years, and that image wasn't good. In fact, it was something I didn't like to think about. If not for the teeth, I'd been at least an average looking kid. Sure, I was soft and had a round face, but I didn't have Dumbo ears or a third eye and I wasn't morbidly obese or anything. But those 10-15 pounds of extra weight and that "bucked-tooth" grin had taken their toll on how I felt about myself.

"Looks like you've done a little self-improvement beyond your smile, Cal. Have you lost weight?" Dr. Sears asked as he pulled another wire loose.

It was typically the people who didn't see me regularly who noticed. Those who did couldn't really tell that my body was undergoing a change of its own while the braces were doing their thing upstairs. "I've been lifting weights for the last six months or so, Dr. Sears. My dad talked me into taking the class and I guess it's working okay."

My favorite hygienist, Marie, chimed in. "I thought that was the case," she said playfully. "I can really see it in your face most of all but it's also obvious from your chest and arms that you've been doing something in the gym."

I cut my eyes toward her as Dr. Sears was removing the last of the anchors and I noticed the way Marie was smiling at me. In the past, she'd been friendly but I chalked that up to professionalism and her just doing her job. This smile said something new and different. In fact, it was so new I wasn't sure whether to thank her or feel offended. I mean, no one ever complimented me on anything except my grades or video game skills. All I'd ever experienced was a steady stream of jokes, sarcasm, and taunting for as long as I could remember so I had nothing with which I could compare her comment. Even so, telling her "thanks" intuitively seemed like the right thing to do and I told her just that.

"I think you're going to have to start carrying around the proverbial stick from now on, Cal." Marie smiled that smile again even as Dr. Sears chimed in.

"Okay. That's it. Let's polish these up and see if we've got a spare stick to lend you!"

I hated being naïve but I knew I had to ask. "Stick? Am I missing something?"

Both of them laughed. "You know," Dr. Sears explained, "the stick to beat back all the girls that are gonna be chasing you. I gotta admit, we did a pretty bang up job here, my friend."

Marie handed me a mirror and I was so shocked by the image looking back at me that I found myself at a loss for words. I finally mumbled, "Holy cow. Is that really me?"

They both chuckled again as Dr. Sears slapped me on the arm and said, "Yes, indeed. That's you. The guy with the perfect smile!"

"And the big pecs!" Marie said in a feigned whisper as she put the mirror back down on the counter.

I nearly ran off the road on the way home from smiling and looking in the damn mirror so many times. I just couldn't believe that was me. My mom had wanted to take me but I insisted she let me do this alone. Not surprisingly, she was standing on the porch waiting for me when I got home. What was surprising was that my Aunt Holly, my mom's younger sister, was standing there with her. She was what my mom referred to as "well connected" and her husband "well heeled." She was married to a wealthy man and it seemed as if she knew everyone no matter where we went. And she was giving to a fault. I have to add she was also very attractive for a woman of 40. I felt my heartbeat quicken as soon as I saw her running toward the car.

Aunt Holly arrived first and grabbed me just as I opened the car door. "OH MY GOD! He's absolutely gorgeous, Wendy! Come look!"

"Let me see your smile!" my mom hollered as she pushed her way in between me and her sister. I obliged. "Oh my heavenly days! She's right! You ARE gorgeous! I am so proud of you, honey!" I wanted to say she and dad did all the work and paid all the money while the only thing I did was agree to get the braces. Still, it was nice to hear another compliment even it was from my mother—and my hot aunt.

Both of them took an arm as we walked up the steps. I can't remember exactly what they were saying but it was all about me and my new look. I remember "new look" because that's when Aunt Holly said, "Okay. Speaking of 'new look' put your stuff down and let's go!"

"Go? Go where?" I asked as she and my mom hurried me back out the door. Two hours at the mall few by and suddenly I was sporting a new wardrobe of jeans, shirts, and a leather jacket. Nothing earth shattering but the kind of things the cool kids wore but we couldn't afford. Besides, why would I bother wearing something trendy when the only thing anyone ever saw in me was my teeth? The biggest surprise was a stop at a hair salon—not a barber shop but a place that actually had the word 'salon' in it—where the owner personally met us as soon as we walked inside.

"Holly! This must be your nephew. Jesus, Joseph, and Mary! You weren't kidding. He really IS handsome! I thought you were exaggerating because he's family. Hah! When Simone finishes with him, there's gonna be a hot time in the old town tonight!"

Sheesh. Another outdated saying. This time, I didn't bother asking. I'd heard my grandpa say that a time or two so I knew what it meant but I had no idea why she said it until Simone finished with the cutting, the blow drying, and the combing. Finally, she turned me around in the chair. "Voile, Monsieur Cal. You look just like that movie star on..."

"YES!" squealed my Aunt Holly. "That is exactly the look I had in mind. Honey, we better stop and buy you a stick because..."

"Because I'm gonna need it to fend off all the girls," I said finishing her sentence. As I looked at the way my thick, black hair fell over my forehead in a shock, I smiled. Then out of nowhere, I burst out laughing.

"What's wrong, sweetheart? You don't like it?" Mom asked with genuine worry in her voice.

"No. No, it's not that at all. It's just that this is so much change so fast, I can't believe what I'm seeing. This makes no sense. This morning I had a tin grin, my normal clothes, and a mop of unruly hair on my head. Now I have all...this."

The ladies both laughed and made some more small talk on the way out. Aunt Holly continued to prattle on about me and "all the hearts I was going to break" until we got home and I managed to escape to the solace of my bedroom and my X-Box. I spent the rest of my weekend playing video games the way I always did. I tried not to go downstairs because every time I did, I was met with a flurry of compliments and comments about "the poor girls at school who wouldn't know what hit 'em" or words to that effect. A part of me wanted to believe that might be true but the rest of me was a little bit afraid. After all those years of put downs and being the butt of so many bad jokes, I couldn't even imagine any of that even being possible, let alone reality. But on Monday, I began to think they might just be right.

Registration for seniors started at 10am. I'd already had breakfast, been to the gym and finished a chest and triceps workout, showered, and changed clothes. Growing up near Seattle meant it was chilly nine months out the year and early September was always iffy. Once every few years we got an Indian summer and the best weather of the year extended through August for a couple more weeks into September. This was one of those years. I threw on a new blue T-shirt and a pair of the new jeans and headed for the high school.

I instinctively parked my car away from anyone else's because I knew there'd be someone ready to do something to it or to me. I was only halfway across the parking lot when I thought it was beginning again. As soon as I heard my name, I put my head down and headed straight for the gym doors. Then I realized it was a girl's voice. That never happened unless they were joining in with the guys to give me shit about my teeth or my clothes or God only knew what.

"Hi, Calvin! How was your summer?" I hadn't been called Calvin since junior high but the voice sounded vaguely familiar. I looked over near the covered walkway and saw Heather Mansfield, who was without a doubt, the most attractive girl in school. I couldn't process the playful tone in her voice with her saying that to me so I didn't initially answer. As I got closer she said, "Calvin. Are you really ignoring me? I don't like being ignored, you know. Especially by cute guys." I felt my face "flame on" as she fell in step alongside me. I'd never spoken to a cute girl let alone have one talk to me unless, of course, it was to say something about me needing to scratch the back of her throat with my teeth.

Heather wouldn't let up. "I heard about your 'transformation' but I didn't like believe it because Amanda was the one who told me and she's usually like all completely FULL of bullshit, right? But my God, she was right! You're hot! You got like your braces off, your body is smokin' hot and your hair is all like freakin' gorgeous! Did you go on like some reality show or something? I can't believe how much you've like changed and everything. It's like way awesome!"

I was annoyed at her shallow command of the English language and also so flustered all I could manage to get out was, "Uh, yeah, I gotta make sure I'm not late so I can get signed up for the AP classes before they're all full." Except that AP classes never filled up but how would Heather Mansfield know that? You had to test to get into them and it was normal to have less than 15 kids in a class. But Heather, who barely kept a 2.0 GPA so she could cheerlead, wouldn't have a clue about such things.

"Oh, okay. Sure. So you wanna like hang out after or whatever? Maybe you know, like go do something together? I've got the whole day free to spend with you, Calvin." That was the voice girls like her used to talk to guys like Jason Wilson who'd started at quarterback since his sophomore year but never to me. This was just way too weird. My face felt like I'd been in a tanning booth too long and I couldn't get away from her fast enough. "Uh, sure. I guess. Maybe. We'll see, okay?"

"Okay! It's a date. And no one stands me up for a date, Calvin," she teased. Or at least it sounded like teasing. Since this form of teasing was something I'd never experienced, I really couldn't be sure. "I'll be waiting for you right here, okay, Calvin?"

I wanted to scream, "My name is CAL, you stupid bitch!" but I just kept walking and headed for the gym. Heather might be a bitch but for the umpteenth time, she'd made my dick hard. Thank God for jeans, new or otherwise.

As soon as I walked in, I spotted the AP advisor's table. Mr. Winthrop was the AP advisor but I didn't see him anywhere around. Instead, I saw Mrs. Bentley sitting at the table and I stopped dead in my tracks. She was without the doubt the best looking teacher I'd ever seen and maybe the best looking woman in general. I'd had a crush on her since the first time I saw her as did half the guys in school. But she was married, had a kid about my age, and she had no idea I was alive even though I'd taken an AP class from her last year. Well, maybe she knew I was alive. She was always friendly to me and it didn't seem to matter what someone looked like. She was just a really nice lady. The word "classy" came to mind and it seemed to fit as nicely as the knit top she was wearing.

I had to get someone to sign off on all AP classes, so I took a deep breath and headed toward the table where she was sitting. Her blonde hair was pulled back in a ponytail and she was wearing a sleeveless, white knit top that showed off her perfectly-sized breasts, thin arms, and petite neck in the best way imaginable. She had high cheekbones, full lips, and a smile that could make a guy weak in the knees. I still hadn't managed to turn off the furnace glowing in my face from my encounter with Heather when I realized just looking at Mrs. Bentley was having the same effect on me. I felt my sweat on the palms of my hands and self-conscious about the huge bulge in my pants as I stepped up to the table. I prayed she wasn't aware of either.

Mrs. Bentley looked right at me and said, "Hi. I'm Mrs. Bentley, the AP advisor. Do you need someone to sign your class list?"

I stood there staring for a moment before I managed to say, "Hi, Mrs. Bentley. It's me, Cal. You know, from your chemistry class last year?" I was trying not to stutter or stammer but she was SO attractive I felt like I might get my tongue wrapped around my eye teeth and go blind at any moment. The jeans were restraining my huge woody but I knew it had to be visible. I just hoped she wouldn't look, you know, down there.

She blinked a couple of times and then her jaw dropped. "Cal? Is that really you? Oh my God! I can't believe how you've changed." As she looked me up and down, I felt my face go from light red to a deep shade of crimson in a heartbeat. "Wow! I've seen some pretty amazing transformations in my life but this is truly amazing. I'm not sure what all you've done but whatever it is, it's working. You look great, Cal!"

I had no idea what to say. I was trying so hard not to look at her boobs while assuming she'd seen my chubby that I couldn't even remember why I was there. "Cal?" I heard her say. "Are you okay? Do you need me to approve your AP classes or something?"

Finally, I came back to reality and said, "Yes. Exactly. I want to take all AP classes this year, but I thought Mr. Winthrop would be here."

Mrs. Bentley informed me he was now our new assistant principal and that she was the school's AP advisor. "Looks like we'll be working closely together this year, Cal. I see you're taking AP chemistry and AP organic chemistry. No problem. You're such a smart guy you won't have any problem with either but if you do, just let me know. I'm always happy to help. And for the record, you've always been the nicest person, Cal. I hope that doesn't change now that you're well, you know, officially hot. It would be a real shame to see such an amazing change on the outside affect what's on the inside—a really sweet, adorable young man." The way she smiled at me was almost more than I could handle. First Marie, then Aunt Holly, then Heather Mansfield, and now Laura Bentley.

All I could think of to say was, "Don't worry, Mrs. Bentley, I won't," as I clumsily stuck my schedule in her face which she politely took, signed, and dated.

"See you in class, Cal, okay?" she said as she returned my paperwork. All I had to do now was drop it off at the office and go home.

Just then I heard Heather's voice again along with that of Amanda (the Panda—the only name I could think of to call her when she referred to me as "Bucky" the first time.) "You see! I told you it was true, didn't I? And you wouldn't believe me. Such a Doubting Thomas! Was I right or what?" Amanda bubbled as Heather sidled up to me and grabbed my arm. "Oh, hi Mrs. Bentley. Nice to see you. Cute top! Calvin and I are going out now, right Calvin?"

I was now clearly flustered and unsure what to so or do. I mumbled, "Uh, well, I you did say something about getting together to do something later, right?"

Heather grinned wickedly and said, "Oh, we're gonna do something together. That's for sure, Calvin!"

Mrs. Bentley just laughed and gave me that, "See, you're in for it!" kind of look as Heather started to pull me away. Just as we turned around, my best friend, Glen Hairston, was standing there right in front of us.

"Cal! Is that you? I go away for the summer and you go through some kind of metamorphosis from caterpillar to butterfly. Kinda like a Human Transformer, right Dude?" Glen laughed his goofy, genuine laugh and Heather stepped between us and said, "Get lost, loser. Calvin's with me. Go find another nerd to hang out with. Bye-eee!"

I let go of Heather's hand and said, "That's okay, Heather. Glen and I have a lot of catching up to do. He was gone all summer and we haven't even talked. Maybe we can get together some other time, okay?"

The look on her face was timeless. It was the classic "if looks could kill" face and it was scary as hell. Her voice was icy cold as she said, "If you choose him over me, you won't be seeing me later or EH-ver." Her voice rose on the first syllable of "ever" in a way that let me know no one says "no" to Heather Mansfield and gets away with it. I had no idea whether or not I was making the biggest mistake of my life, but no amount of physical beauty could make that girl attractive to me.

"I'm sorry you feel that way, Heather" I said quietly. "But Glen is my best friend so if I have to choose, this is a no-brainer."

Heather spun on her heels and stomped off. Amanda stood there and said, "Guess you can take the ugly out of the stupid boy but you can't take the stupid out of the ugly boy. You'll regret this, Calvin."

I didn't know what else to do so I just shrugged my shoulders as I replied, "Maybe so."

As we turned to walk away, I heard someone clapping softly. I turned back toward the AP table and saw it was Mrs. Bentley. Very quietly she said to me, "Bravo, Cal! Very nicely done. That was impressive." She was smiling broadly. "Looks like you haven't changed the best part about you, Cal. You can be with any girl you want now. I know that may sound superficial but it's just the way the world works. You're in a new world now and that can be a little intimidating. Don't let that go to your head and above all else, don't settle for someone whose beauty is literally only skin deep. I just can't see you as a player. You're better than that. See, I told you you were special and you just validated my hypothesis! Chalk one up for the good guys! I know people, Cal. You're one of those good guys. Stay that way, okay?"

"Sure. Uh, thank you, Mrs. Bentley. I will. I promise." And then she smiled that smile of hers at me. As I turned to leave, I looked back one more time and asked, "When you said any girl, did you really mean that?"

"Of course I did. All you have to do is be yourself and ask." Again, that smile. I thought I might cream my jeans right then and there as I reminded myself that she was married, probably 20 years older than me, and my teacher. Any girl couldn't literally mean any girl, could it? You know, as in any woman? I dismissed the thought as Glen and I made our way outside. I realized she'd obviously meant any high school girl. By the time we got to the parking lot, several other girls to whom I'd previously been invisible went out of their way to say "hi" to me. The verbal greetings were all accompanied with smiles and giggles from their friends. I realized then and there that I wasn't at all prepared internally for the attention coming my way due to a few simple cosmetic changes that had taken place externally. I'd wanted and imagined this kind of attention all my life and now that it was coming my way, I had no idea how to deal with it. I resolved that I would figure it out and that I would not become like Heather Mansfield.