up.
âWhere the Popsicles did this slut come from?â I asked everyone in the kitchen.
âLanguage, missy.â Bart winked at me. I stuck my tongue out at him and listened to the othersâ responses.
âI donât know, but what I do know is that sheâs up to something no good,â Alec said.
âThat dog needs to stay away from you girls. If she says anything, tell us,â Jonah said, wrapping a protective arm around Abbie.
âYeah!â chorused all the other guys, even Hayes.
âAnd what would you do, Hayes?â I asked playfully.
âStick up for my girlfriend, duhh,â he said, like it was the most obvious thing in the world. I smiled at him, and he smiled back and kissed my cheek.
âWhy canât she be like the rest of yâall?â Nash asked. We all laughed while the other guys nodded their heads in agreement.
ââCause sheâs trash with no cause,â Bailey mumbled under her breath just as she and Carter walked back in. We all couldnât hold it in and started laughing uncontrollably.
âWhatâs so funny, guys?â Carter asked. I gave everyone a warning look.
âNothing, Carter, just an old Vine of Nashâs that Shaelyn brought up,â I said sweetly, as if nothing was wrong.
Shaelyn glared at me, and I smiled at her. I picked her and Nash only âcause she knew, like, every single one of Nashâs Vines.
âAnd which one would that be?â Ashley asked in her stuck-up voice.
When did the witch pop in?
âWell, itâs the one where he goes up the stairs really weird, like you did when you were little,â Shae said nervously.
âAnd I said that I still do that, âcause I do,â I said, and everyone started laughing while Ashley stood there with a confused look on her face.
âI donât know what you guys are talking about.â She rolled her eyes.
âNo surprise there,â I mumbled.
She gave me a dirty look, and I just glared at her.
âOkay, Iâm hungry, whereâs the food?â I asked.
âUm, how about we go out to eat. I didnât really get to make any pancakes,â Cameron said uneasily.
âOkay, thatâs good with me. Letâs go to IHOP!â I rolled to the front door, hoping no one would start asking questions about what had happened upstairs. I really didnât want them all to know about it yet.
âNo wonder youâre so fatâyou eat like a pig, probably âcause you are a pig,â I heard someone whisper behind me, and guess who it was: Ashley.
I just stayed quiet and put my head down. Was I really fat? I mean, Iâve been doing cheerleading for eight years and have been a flyer the entire time, but was I really fat?
âI swear, once you get out of that wheelchair, you will get the worst of me,â she seethed.
She then walked away, just as everyone reached the front door.
âWait! I need to change! Ella, can you help me pick out my outfit, and Cam, can you take me upstairs?â I asked.
âSure, little sis!â Ellie said.
âAnything for you, Auts!â They walked toward my wheelchair and Cameron picked me up and carried me up the stairs. Once we got to Hayesâs room, he sat me down on the bed and walked out while Ella went to pick out an outfit for me.
âHow about this? Even though itâs summer, itâs gonna be cold and rainy all day.â
She held up a black-and-white sweater, hot-pink leggings, a pink beanie with a pom-pom at the end, and black Ray-Bans.
âI love it! Oh, and hand me my black high-top Chucks, please!â I said.
âKay.â She threw them to me, and I put them on.
âGracias!â
âNo problem! Now letâs go. Cameron!â
âIâm coming, Iâm coming! Gosh, who knew you could be as loud as you used to be?â he said, smiling at her. She smiled back and blushed.
âCome on, lovebirds, Iâm
Hafsah Laziaf
V. K. Powell
Diane Duane
Kit Tunstall
Selena Kitt
William Goldman
Sheri Anderson
César Aira
Shannon McKenna
Megan Abbott