I had to leave, seeing those bruises on her and the casual way she dismissed them started to make me sad. ‘Thanks again for the advice and the flowe.... Although I noticed that Cheryl seemed to have got the better end of the flower deal. She kept them until they died. You have a fan for life with that girl.’ I shrugged my shoulders. She was married, and I’m not a home wrecker. I liked Cheryl and her smile sure made my day. ‘Advice is cheap, it’s what we do with it that counts.’ I knew I should. I go into the kitchen in my peasant blouseand retro pleated skirt but I can't eat. Theprotest sign is so bulky that Mom drives me to DarwinHigh. I put it up near the main entrance, next to theclothes lockers. The other seven girls join me and wehuddle behind it. Soon other students begin to arrive.Those that are already naked go directly into theschool. The rest disrobe and lock their clothes up first. Thereare a lot of nude couples, mostly upperclassmen. As onepair goes by they are talking. There was no message for about 10-15 min. I was sleepy and thought of saying sorry once again and sleep.V: Mrudula, I am so sorry if I hurt you. Really sorry,M: Tell me what you are thinking about me?V: Nothing Mrudula.M: I am asking that what you are thinking about me?V: You are so beautiful. So I hope you are not a virgin.M: Hmm, yeah. I am not a virgin.V: With whom did you lose it?M: To my boyfriend and a friend.V: Oh you had sex with two people.M: Hmm it happened. What about you? With how. Poe, Mrs Beale and Pamela would take themselves to the front room every morning until lunch time, and always locked the door. When they emerged, Mrs Beale took Dee to her room, Poe took Madeleine, and Pamela took Penn.This existence could have been stultifyingly boring, but the daily breastfeed did far more than keep hunger at bay. Penn's life was suffused with a sense of mystery, of unreality. Along with the milk came half-remembered dreams, strange personal connections.Today, Penn was soaking.