on the table. Jeri wished Rosa was home. She’d eat a brownie—or several. Fuming, Jeri ran up the stairs behind Abby. She started to follow her, but Abby shook her head and disappeared into her room. She shut the door firmly. Jeri stood in the hallway, finished the third brownie, and then headed to her own room.
This was going too far. It was bad enough that Abby felt guilty about serving some spoiled food last weekend.
Now
the girls acted like she was doing something to their food on purpose! What were they thinking?
I have to get to the bottom of this now.
At this rate, Abby wouldn’t want to come back next year. And to Jeri, Abby was the best thing about the Landmark School for Girls.
By the time Rosa got back at 9:30, Jeri was ready for bed. Rosa dropped a neon pink shopping bag on her bed. Jeri started telling her about the girls’ reactions to Abby’s brownies—but her voice drifted off when she realized Rosa wasn’t listening.
Jeri studied her friend’s serious expression. “Anything the matter?”
“No.” Rosa sniffed. “What stinks in here?”
“Ant spray. I got some from Ms. Carter.” Jeri peered closer. “What’s wrong? Did something happen?”
Rosa shook her head and went to stand before the mirror. Jeri studied her friend’s reflection. Her tan legs and bare arms showed no signs of injury that Jeri could see.
“Did you and Shauna have a fight?” Jeri finally asked.
“No.” Rosa gulped. “Shauna wasn’t even there when it happened.”
“When
what
happened?”
Rosa wrapped her arms around herself. “It was at the pizzeria. Shauna went to the restroom to wash sauce off her shorts, and I was by myself eating breadsticks.” She paused and a shudder passed through her. “Then these two guys — high school, I guess — came over to our booth. One sat real close beside me and the other one across from me.”
Jeri held her breath for a moment, bracing herself. “Then what?”
“They called me
babe
and said there was a party they wanted to take me to. I told them no, and they just laughed. The one beside me scooted so close I could smell his stinky breath.” She glanced at Jeri in alarm. “I was smashed against the wall and couldn’t get away from him.”
Jeri’s stomach knotted in fear as she imagined the scene. If she’d been trapped by two high school creeps, she’d have been too paralyzed to even scream. “What’d you do?”
“I told them to leave me alone!” Her eyes flashed with anger then. “You know what they said? They told me to stop playing innocent. Then that creep put his hand on my leg!”
Jeri’s heart hammered. “Did he hurt you?”
“No. Shauna came back then and told them to get lost or she’d call mall security. They said they’d be looking for me later, but they left.” She sighed. “I don’t know why they bothered
me.”
Jeri hugged Rosa and said, “I’m so sorry that happened. I’m so glad Shauna came back to help you get rid of those creeps. Are you okay?” She could feel Rosa relax as Jeri held her a moment longer.
Rosa nodded. “I’m gonna take a quick shower.”
Jeri crawled in bed and snuggled down into her pillow when Rosa left the room. Lying there, she imagined what Rosa had gone through with those boys and thanked Godthat she was only frightened. If Shauna hadn’t shown up when she did, it could have turned out much worse. Rosa might be interested in attracting boys, but she didn’t deserve that kind of attention! Jeri already knew what kind of guy she wanted someday. The
Dallas
kind.
Whenever Jeri brought up the subject of boys at home, her mom usually reminded her of a verse in 1 Peter. Your beauty “should be that of your inner self, the unfading beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is of great worth in God’s sight.” Would a gentle and quiet spirit really be enough though? It was kinda hard for Jeri to believe. Sure, God thought those traits were worth a lot, but would some boy?
As she lay there, her
This was going too far. It was bad enough that Abby felt guilty about serving some spoiled food last weekend.
Now
the girls acted like she was doing something to their food on purpose! What were they thinking?
I have to get to the bottom of this now.
At this rate, Abby wouldn’t want to come back next year. And to Jeri, Abby was the best thing about the Landmark School for Girls.
By the time Rosa got back at 9:30, Jeri was ready for bed. Rosa dropped a neon pink shopping bag on her bed. Jeri started telling her about the girls’ reactions to Abby’s brownies—but her voice drifted off when she realized Rosa wasn’t listening.
Jeri studied her friend’s serious expression. “Anything the matter?”
“No.” Rosa sniffed. “What stinks in here?”
“Ant spray. I got some from Ms. Carter.” Jeri peered closer. “What’s wrong? Did something happen?”
Rosa shook her head and went to stand before the mirror. Jeri studied her friend’s reflection. Her tan legs and bare arms showed no signs of injury that Jeri could see.
“Did you and Shauna have a fight?” Jeri finally asked.
“No.” Rosa gulped. “Shauna wasn’t even there when it happened.”
“When
what
happened?”
Rosa wrapped her arms around herself. “It was at the pizzeria. Shauna went to the restroom to wash sauce off her shorts, and I was by myself eating breadsticks.” She paused and a shudder passed through her. “Then these two guys — high school, I guess — came over to our booth. One sat real close beside me and the other one across from me.”
Jeri held her breath for a moment, bracing herself. “Then what?”
“They called me
babe
and said there was a party they wanted to take me to. I told them no, and they just laughed. The one beside me scooted so close I could smell his stinky breath.” She glanced at Jeri in alarm. “I was smashed against the wall and couldn’t get away from him.”
Jeri’s stomach knotted in fear as she imagined the scene. If she’d been trapped by two high school creeps, she’d have been too paralyzed to even scream. “What’d you do?”
“I told them to leave me alone!” Her eyes flashed with anger then. “You know what they said? They told me to stop playing innocent. Then that creep put his hand on my leg!”
Jeri’s heart hammered. “Did he hurt you?”
“No. Shauna came back then and told them to get lost or she’d call mall security. They said they’d be looking for me later, but they left.” She sighed. “I don’t know why they bothered
me.”
Jeri hugged Rosa and said, “I’m so sorry that happened. I’m so glad Shauna came back to help you get rid of those creeps. Are you okay?” She could feel Rosa relax as Jeri held her a moment longer.
Rosa nodded. “I’m gonna take a quick shower.”
Jeri crawled in bed and snuggled down into her pillow when Rosa left the room. Lying there, she imagined what Rosa had gone through with those boys and thanked Godthat she was only frightened. If Shauna hadn’t shown up when she did, it could have turned out much worse. Rosa might be interested in attracting boys, but she didn’t deserve that kind of attention! Jeri already knew what kind of guy she wanted someday. The
Dallas
kind.
Whenever Jeri brought up the subject of boys at home, her mom usually reminded her of a verse in 1 Peter. Your beauty “should be that of your inner self, the unfading beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is of great worth in God’s sight.” Would a gentle and quiet spirit really be enough though? It was kinda hard for Jeri to believe. Sure, God thought those traits were worth a lot, but would some boy?
As she lay there, her
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