Read Online How It Ends by Catherine Lo - Free Book Online

to—”
    â€œCome on, Jess! You’re judging people by things they did back in
middle
school. That’s not fair!”
    I wanted to tell her that what’s not fair is being mocked every day. What’s not fair is girls writing nasty things in your notebook when the teacher isn’t looking and crank calling your house after school. What’s not fair is being laughed at for everything from your weight to the clothes you wear. But Annie was looking at me like I was a stubborn child, and I could sense the futility of trying to make her understand. Annie has never been bullied. She has always belonged.
    â€œI just think you’re going to be disappointed when you find out the truth about them.”
    â€œThen let me be disappointed. But don’t be mad at me for making friends with people.”
    â€œI’m not mad, Annie. I just don’t want to go to the party.”
    â€œAnd that’s fine. But I
do.
Will you be upset if I go without you?”
    â€œI guess not,” I mumbled, blinking back tears.
    She grabbed my hands, her voice pleading. “We’re two separate people, Jessie. It’s okay that we don’t do
everything
together.”
    Her words were knives raked along my skin. I could hear the goodbye in every syllable. I knew the day would come when Annie would ditch me for more popular girls. It was Larissa all over again.
    I pasted a smile on my face. “You’re right, Annie. I’m wrong.”
    She let out a yelp, her arms spread and her eyes to the sky, as though looking for divine guidance on how to deal with me. “I’m not being
mean
here, Jess. Normal people have lots of friends. They hang out with all sorts of people. You can be my
best
friend without being my
only
friend.”
    I know she’s right. I know I shouldn’t feel threatened just because she wants other friends. But I can’t help myself. I’ve known all along that Annie could be doing cool things with cool people instead of wasting her time with me. I can’t shake the terrible feeling that this is how it will end.

Annie
    I turn to the side and check out my reflection.
Disaster.
    I’ve always had a love-hate relationship with clothes. I can’t seem to find a style that’s all my own, and I hate the feeling of pretending to be someone I’m not. The best I’ve done here is my all-black angry-teenager look—a look that pretty much summed up how I felt at the beginning of the year, when I was mourning my old life. But those clothes feel wrong now. Like they’re not a reflection of
me
anymore.
    Which is why I’m standing here in the only nonblack outfit I own that still fits—a rather tragic floral skirt and matching sweater. I look like something out of the preteen fashion section of a Target flyer.
    I’m fighting back tears and contemplating skipping Larissa’s party when Sophie materializes in my doorway. “Martin says be ready in twenty minutes.” Her eyes barely touch on me as she delivers the message.
    The minute she steps out of the doorway, I realize that I need her. “Sophie?”
    There’s a long pause before her face reappears, her eyes narrowed in suspicion. “Ye-es?”
    â€œCan you . . . help me?”
    â€œHelp you do what, exactly?”
    I almost tell her to forget it. Sophie and I will never be friends, and asking her for help is downright painful. But I have to admit that Sophie has
style.
    â€œI’m going to a party tonight, and I have no idea what to wear,” I blurt out, gesturing at my outfit and gritting my teeth against her slow smile.
    â€œSo you’re finally ready to abandon your doom-and-gloom angsty look, are you? This will be fun, giving you a makeover.” She crosses her arms over her chest and cocks her head to the side. “A few questions first.”
    â€œOkay.”
    â€œHouse party or other?”
    â€œHouse.”
    â€œGrade