sister had had an argument — some people said over a boyfriend, some said over dolls — then Jessica got mad and set the dolls on fire. Her sister didn’t make it out of the house (neither did the dog), and Jessica was saved only because the firemen chopped through the walls to get to her.
Which they probably shouldn’t have, someone said.
And now her family had to keep moving because she was running from the police, who suspected the real story and were close to proving it.
“That’s why she cut herself out of the photo,” said Eric LoBianco in the lavatory before health class. “So the police couldn’t use it to identify her.”
I sighed. “That’s the dumbest thing I ever heard. Jessica’s at our school because she has to go where the good burn hospitals are.”
“That’s what she says—”
“Like New Haven,” I said. “And how is she running from the police if she’s in school where everybody can see her?”
Ignoring that, Eric said, “Feeney sort of sounds like a made-up name, doesn’t it? Jessica Feeney? Jessica Phony, more like it.”
The sound of Rich’s laughter came from inside a stall just before the toilet flushed. “Jessica Phony Baloney!”
“No, wait, you guys,” I said, my throat suddenly hot. “Nobody knows —” I wanted to say that nobody even knew what happened. It was just a picture of her sister that started all the rumors. But I wasn’t sure what I was trying to say and I couldn’t seem to get it out right.
“Maybe we should call the police,” said Joey Sisman, back in the classroom, where we set up the AV equipment for health. “Tell them that she’s right here in our school. She left today because we found out her secret, but maybe they can send cars and catch her before she moves.”
“We should at least tell Mrs. Tracy that we’re afraid,” Kayla suggested. “I mean, I guess we’re scared, right?”
“Scared?” I said. “You’re scared?”
“I’m not scared,” said Eric.
“Me, either,” Rich added, puffing himself up. “I can handle killers okay. Except don’t make me touch them.”
The afternoon just dragged on and on. The worst of it came when someone said that Jessica should be the dead one, and not her innocent, kind, TV-beautiful, tennis-playing genius of a sister.
I felt so mad. I was really mad. What people were saying was all so idiotic and pointless and hurtful that it made me sick. I tried lots of times to say something, but it sounded just as lame as the things they were saying. “Nobody knows what happened! It’s just a picture!” I finally nearly asked to go to the nurse.
I only stayed because the day was almost over anyway, and I didn’t want to miss any work. And it wasn’t everybody. It was actually just a few kids, and some of them, like Kayla, didn’t think anything was real. They just wondered if this was true or that was true. I must have said it was dumb to Joey and Ryan and Rich about a thousand times before the end of the day. Finally, I just stopped. I didn’t like the feeling of being the only one and alone, like she was alone. That wasn’t fair, either. By last period, it had almost died down anyway.
Jeff had been pretty quiet the whole afternoon. The Cobra thing was supposed to happen the next day, but he hadn’t said a word about it all week, so I wasn’t sure his uncle was even coming. Then, while we were packing up our books to go home, but before the buses were called, he turned to me.
“Maybe I should go to public school,” he said.
I wondered if he was doing that thing again. “What do you mean?” I asked.
“My father would sure be happy,” he said. “And my mom would probably get off my case about grades.” He looked right at me with a face that seemed cold. “Besides, if I did go to public school, I wouldn’t have to be here and see her and all this —”
He swore under his breath.
Even though he didn’t mention the fire or the supposed murder, a spike of something jolted
Which they probably shouldn’t have, someone said.
And now her family had to keep moving because she was running from the police, who suspected the real story and were close to proving it.
“That’s why she cut herself out of the photo,” said Eric LoBianco in the lavatory before health class. “So the police couldn’t use it to identify her.”
I sighed. “That’s the dumbest thing I ever heard. Jessica’s at our school because she has to go where the good burn hospitals are.”
“That’s what she says—”
“Like New Haven,” I said. “And how is she running from the police if she’s in school where everybody can see her?”
Ignoring that, Eric said, “Feeney sort of sounds like a made-up name, doesn’t it? Jessica Feeney? Jessica Phony, more like it.”
The sound of Rich’s laughter came from inside a stall just before the toilet flushed. “Jessica Phony Baloney!”
“No, wait, you guys,” I said, my throat suddenly hot. “Nobody knows —” I wanted to say that nobody even knew what happened. It was just a picture of her sister that started all the rumors. But I wasn’t sure what I was trying to say and I couldn’t seem to get it out right.
“Maybe we should call the police,” said Joey Sisman, back in the classroom, where we set up the AV equipment for health. “Tell them that she’s right here in our school. She left today because we found out her secret, but maybe they can send cars and catch her before she moves.”
“We should at least tell Mrs. Tracy that we’re afraid,” Kayla suggested. “I mean, I guess we’re scared, right?”
“Scared?” I said. “You’re scared?”
“I’m not scared,” said Eric.
“Me, either,” Rich added, puffing himself up. “I can handle killers okay. Except don’t make me touch them.”
The afternoon just dragged on and on. The worst of it came when someone said that Jessica should be the dead one, and not her innocent, kind, TV-beautiful, tennis-playing genius of a sister.
I felt so mad. I was really mad. What people were saying was all so idiotic and pointless and hurtful that it made me sick. I tried lots of times to say something, but it sounded just as lame as the things they were saying. “Nobody knows what happened! It’s just a picture!” I finally nearly asked to go to the nurse.
I only stayed because the day was almost over anyway, and I didn’t want to miss any work. And it wasn’t everybody. It was actually just a few kids, and some of them, like Kayla, didn’t think anything was real. They just wondered if this was true or that was true. I must have said it was dumb to Joey and Ryan and Rich about a thousand times before the end of the day. Finally, I just stopped. I didn’t like the feeling of being the only one and alone, like she was alone. That wasn’t fair, either. By last period, it had almost died down anyway.
Jeff had been pretty quiet the whole afternoon. The Cobra thing was supposed to happen the next day, but he hadn’t said a word about it all week, so I wasn’t sure his uncle was even coming. Then, while we were packing up our books to go home, but before the buses were called, he turned to me.
“Maybe I should go to public school,” he said.
I wondered if he was doing that thing again. “What do you mean?” I asked.
“My father would sure be happy,” he said. “And my mom would probably get off my case about grades.” He looked right at me with a face that seemed cold. “Besides, if I did go to public school, I wouldn’t have to be here and see her and all this —”
He swore under his breath.
Even though he didn’t mention the fire or the supposed murder, a spike of something jolted
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