shrug. "I wasn't trying to hide. Sorry you had to Where's Waldo me."
She gives a small smile. "Witty. That will help you in your determination to shun all things popular. Would you like the virtual tour of the school breakdown? We have the classic lunchtime division of students so you won't have to leave the table."
"Sure."
I’m not interested at first, but Lacey adds a funny one liner as she describes each group that has me pausing in my lunch and actually paying attention to where she’s pointing. “That’s your typical Dungeons and Dragons fantasy, middle earth rules group of bookworms over there,” she says, pointing to a table not far from mine. “I take an art class with a lot of them. Pretty cool kids when they lift their heads and look around in reality for a minute . The small timers are over there. They’re going to inherit their daddies’ farms or marry a Shenoah boy and perpetuate this small town. Well, those are the ones that plan to. There are others here who will do the same, they just don’t know it yet.”
She cocks her head at me and I reel back and say, “I just got here. Trust me, this isn’t where I’m setting up camp for the next fifty years.”
She shrugs and wrinkles her nose. It’s dismissive but oddly captivating, a gesture that shouldn’t fit her yet does. “Like I said, they just don’t know it yet. You never know.” She points to a far corner. “That’s my table. Jocks, cheerleaders, High School Gods, the typical popular make up.”
“I think I met the queen this morning.”
“Tall, blonde, impossibly beautiful?”
“That’s the one.”
“Yep, you met her. Rachel Tessman. She’s incredibly nice if you meet her criteria. She pretends to be nice if you don’t. If she feels threatened, watch your back. She comes complete with the second biggest house in town and a counterpart boyfriend.”
“Who wins biggest house in town?”
“The Lotts. Mayor Lott, the wife, and their three boys. The youngest one still goes to this school. He’d be the counterpart boyfriend I told you about.”
“Of course,” I say.
“Of course,” she echoes with a grin. She produces a Baby Ruth candy bar from her back jeans pocket, an odd place I think to carry chocolate. She unwraps it and almost demolishes half in one bite. "So what's your story?" she asks, licking caramel off her thumb in a loud suck. "How'd you end up bunking with the sheriff?" Her eyes shine with curiosity. "Word has it you're the new girlfriend."
I nearly choke on my apple. "Jesus, no. He's my uncle."
"I know. I read your file when I was assigned to you."
"They give guides the files?"
"No, they didn't give it to me. My boyfriend works in the front office. I helped myself." She flicks me on the arm. "I'm nosy."
"Then why the gross older boyfriend angle if you knew he was my uncle?"
"I said that's the word going around. I know better. Everyone else is guessing."
I flick her arm back. "Well, set them straight. Make your nosiness good for something."
She smiles. "I had to talk to you first. Didn't know if you were the rebel type who liked to feed on rumors."
"I'm not. Definitely not. Please kill this one."
The lunch bell rings and Lacey takes me to the green to point out which buildings house the remainder of my classes.
“How are you getting home?” she asks me when she’s finished.
I blow a stray curl off my face. “I don’t know. My uncle dropped me off this morning but he’s already at work by the time school lets out. I guess I have to figure out which bus to take back.”
She pops some gum in her mouth and offers me one to which I shake my head.
“After the final bell, go to the low fence by the parking lot. I’ll meet you there. You can catch a ride with me.”
My surprise is evident on my face. “Okay,” I say. “Thanks.”
She gives a half wave and says, “See you later” before walking away. I stand there a moment, blinking the bright sun out of my eyes. I don’t know what
She gives a small smile. "Witty. That will help you in your determination to shun all things popular. Would you like the virtual tour of the school breakdown? We have the classic lunchtime division of students so you won't have to leave the table."
"Sure."
I’m not interested at first, but Lacey adds a funny one liner as she describes each group that has me pausing in my lunch and actually paying attention to where she’s pointing. “That’s your typical Dungeons and Dragons fantasy, middle earth rules group of bookworms over there,” she says, pointing to a table not far from mine. “I take an art class with a lot of them. Pretty cool kids when they lift their heads and look around in reality for a minute . The small timers are over there. They’re going to inherit their daddies’ farms or marry a Shenoah boy and perpetuate this small town. Well, those are the ones that plan to. There are others here who will do the same, they just don’t know it yet.”
She cocks her head at me and I reel back and say, “I just got here. Trust me, this isn’t where I’m setting up camp for the next fifty years.”
She shrugs and wrinkles her nose. It’s dismissive but oddly captivating, a gesture that shouldn’t fit her yet does. “Like I said, they just don’t know it yet. You never know.” She points to a far corner. “That’s my table. Jocks, cheerleaders, High School Gods, the typical popular make up.”
“I think I met the queen this morning.”
“Tall, blonde, impossibly beautiful?”
“That’s the one.”
“Yep, you met her. Rachel Tessman. She’s incredibly nice if you meet her criteria. She pretends to be nice if you don’t. If she feels threatened, watch your back. She comes complete with the second biggest house in town and a counterpart boyfriend.”
“Who wins biggest house in town?”
“The Lotts. Mayor Lott, the wife, and their three boys. The youngest one still goes to this school. He’d be the counterpart boyfriend I told you about.”
“Of course,” I say.
“Of course,” she echoes with a grin. She produces a Baby Ruth candy bar from her back jeans pocket, an odd place I think to carry chocolate. She unwraps it and almost demolishes half in one bite. "So what's your story?" she asks, licking caramel off her thumb in a loud suck. "How'd you end up bunking with the sheriff?" Her eyes shine with curiosity. "Word has it you're the new girlfriend."
I nearly choke on my apple. "Jesus, no. He's my uncle."
"I know. I read your file when I was assigned to you."
"They give guides the files?"
"No, they didn't give it to me. My boyfriend works in the front office. I helped myself." She flicks me on the arm. "I'm nosy."
"Then why the gross older boyfriend angle if you knew he was my uncle?"
"I said that's the word going around. I know better. Everyone else is guessing."
I flick her arm back. "Well, set them straight. Make your nosiness good for something."
She smiles. "I had to talk to you first. Didn't know if you were the rebel type who liked to feed on rumors."
"I'm not. Definitely not. Please kill this one."
The lunch bell rings and Lacey takes me to the green to point out which buildings house the remainder of my classes.
“How are you getting home?” she asks me when she’s finished.
I blow a stray curl off my face. “I don’t know. My uncle dropped me off this morning but he’s already at work by the time school lets out. I guess I have to figure out which bus to take back.”
She pops some gum in her mouth and offers me one to which I shake my head.
“After the final bell, go to the low fence by the parking lot. I’ll meet you there. You can catch a ride with me.”
My surprise is evident on my face. “Okay,” I say. “Thanks.”
She gives a half wave and says, “See you later” before walking away. I stand there a moment, blinking the bright sun out of my eyes. I don’t know what
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