morning, but somehow it looks different. Brighter. And the faces going by don’t look nearly as threatening because already something has changed. Already I’m starting over and this time whatever I become here it will be because of things I choose to do instead of stories made up about me.
I’m so lost in my thoughts that I don’t notice the person hurrying behind me. Not until she grabs the strap of my backpack. The surprise of it makes me gasp and stumble until I see it’s only Diana.
“I saw you talking to Mrs. Donner,” she says. She looks as excited about it as I do. Maybe even more excited.“Does that mean you’re thinking about joining the squad?” she asks.
“Yeah, I’m supposed to try out after school today,” I tell her and my new identity is secured by the expression on her face. I’m no longer the strange girl with rumors swirling over my head. I’m now someone who might actually be somebody and I can’t help but smile at her.
“Wow! I can’t believe she’s really letting you try out,” Diana says, matching my pace as we walk to our next class together. “She doesn’t usually let anyone try out after the first two weeks of school.”
“I guess I’m lucky,” I say, shrugging my shoulders, wondering why Mrs. Donner would break her own rules for me. Feeling slightly proud about it. About being an exception. Being special in the eyes of someone who values perfection.
“You’re gonna make it, I just know it,” Diana says.
“Thanks,” I say, wishing I were as confident as she is. I put my head down as we walk to hide how unsure I am. I don’t know why, but I feel like it would let her down if she saw.
Diana stops me again right before we’re about to go in. She waits until I’m looking at her, until she knows I’m paying attention. “One last thing,” she says, glancing around as the hallways clear out and making sure no one is listening. “Don’t worry if the other girls give you a hard time. It’s just a test to see if you’re really cut out for it. It’s the way it always happens—you’ll do fine,” she tells me.
A laundry list of nasty lies about me scrolls across her eyes and it’s my turn to blush a little knowing she’s heard every one of the things Morgan has said about me. But they don’tmean anything to her. I can tell by the way she smiles at me.
I want to ask her if she knows anything else, any tricks that might help me during my trial, but our teacher steps out into the hallway and clears her throat.
“Diana, you’re late,” she says with a hatred that seems too strong for the situation. The kind that teachers reserve for students that they’ve built up a dislike for over a period of time. Even having just met her, I’m not so surprised. I’ve already gathered that Diana likes to talk a lot, a habit that probably doesn’t stop just because class starts.
“I’m sorry,” Diana says softly and lowers her head as she walks past the slouching figure in the doorway. Once she’s inside, she glances over her shoulder and gives me a little wink. The kind that friends give each other.
“You’re late, too,” our teacher says, looking at me for the first time. Her voice not nearly as angry, but not exactly pleasant, either. I apologize and explain that I had to see Mrs. Donner about something.
My teacher’s sour expression changes at the mention of Mrs. Donner’s name. She’s tells me not to worry about it, to consider it a warning. It’s my first taste of the privileges granted to all The Blondes of Maplecrest High and I have to admit I could get used to it, no matter how strange the whole thing is.
SEVEN
It happened when my dad and I were still living in the city. When I was in third grade and my dad was still a cop. Jason, a boy in my class with one lazy eye and no friends at all, sat behind me. He always had a runny nose that he wiped on his sleeve instead of using a tissue. I can remember being terrified every time I heard him
I’m so lost in my thoughts that I don’t notice the person hurrying behind me. Not until she grabs the strap of my backpack. The surprise of it makes me gasp and stumble until I see it’s only Diana.
“I saw you talking to Mrs. Donner,” she says. She looks as excited about it as I do. Maybe even more excited.“Does that mean you’re thinking about joining the squad?” she asks.
“Yeah, I’m supposed to try out after school today,” I tell her and my new identity is secured by the expression on her face. I’m no longer the strange girl with rumors swirling over my head. I’m now someone who might actually be somebody and I can’t help but smile at her.
“Wow! I can’t believe she’s really letting you try out,” Diana says, matching my pace as we walk to our next class together. “She doesn’t usually let anyone try out after the first two weeks of school.”
“I guess I’m lucky,” I say, shrugging my shoulders, wondering why Mrs. Donner would break her own rules for me. Feeling slightly proud about it. About being an exception. Being special in the eyes of someone who values perfection.
“You’re gonna make it, I just know it,” Diana says.
“Thanks,” I say, wishing I were as confident as she is. I put my head down as we walk to hide how unsure I am. I don’t know why, but I feel like it would let her down if she saw.
Diana stops me again right before we’re about to go in. She waits until I’m looking at her, until she knows I’m paying attention. “One last thing,” she says, glancing around as the hallways clear out and making sure no one is listening. “Don’t worry if the other girls give you a hard time. It’s just a test to see if you’re really cut out for it. It’s the way it always happens—you’ll do fine,” she tells me.
A laundry list of nasty lies about me scrolls across her eyes and it’s my turn to blush a little knowing she’s heard every one of the things Morgan has said about me. But they don’tmean anything to her. I can tell by the way she smiles at me.
I want to ask her if she knows anything else, any tricks that might help me during my trial, but our teacher steps out into the hallway and clears her throat.
“Diana, you’re late,” she says with a hatred that seems too strong for the situation. The kind that teachers reserve for students that they’ve built up a dislike for over a period of time. Even having just met her, I’m not so surprised. I’ve already gathered that Diana likes to talk a lot, a habit that probably doesn’t stop just because class starts.
“I’m sorry,” Diana says softly and lowers her head as she walks past the slouching figure in the doorway. Once she’s inside, she glances over her shoulder and gives me a little wink. The kind that friends give each other.
“You’re late, too,” our teacher says, looking at me for the first time. Her voice not nearly as angry, but not exactly pleasant, either. I apologize and explain that I had to see Mrs. Donner about something.
My teacher’s sour expression changes at the mention of Mrs. Donner’s name. She’s tells me not to worry about it, to consider it a warning. It’s my first taste of the privileges granted to all The Blondes of Maplecrest High and I have to admit I could get used to it, no matter how strange the whole thing is.
SEVEN
It happened when my dad and I were still living in the city. When I was in third grade and my dad was still a cop. Jason, a boy in my class with one lazy eye and no friends at all, sat behind me. He always had a runny nose that he wiped on his sleeve instead of using a tissue. I can remember being terrified every time I heard him
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