I nod my head. “Yeah?”
“You’re that foster care girl from the ghetto, right?”
My stomach drops, and I know I’m not in friendly territory here. I roll my eyes and just stare at her, but don’t answer.
“You forgot how to speak?”
I hate girls like this. I want to both punch her and run away from her at the same time.
“I just don’t answer stupid questions,” I tell her.
“Whatever,” she says with this ugly facial expression. “So, you’re like what…dating Eli or something now?”
I knew that’s what this had to be about. I’m sure they all saw us kissing in the hallway.
“Yeah, I am.”
A girl beside her laughs, and it makes me recoil. I know she’s laughingatme, at the idea of him liking me…at him wanting to date me.
“What’s funny?” I ask her.
“Nothing,” she answers nonchalantly. “Just weird that he would like someone likeyou.”
Ihatefeeling like this, having my insecurities confirmed. But I’m also so tired of mean girls like her.
“Someone like me…meaning?”
They both look around, like it’s obvious, and I’m the only one missing it here.
“Meaning…you’re kindadifferent…and you look so…grungy. Like…I guess you’re not ugly or anything, but you’re kinda weird. Nobody else here dresses like you do; you don’t talk to a lot of people…and Eli is like, cool and popular.” She shrugs. “So y’all are just a weird couple.”
What do I say to that? I have the exact same thoughts about myself. Why wouldn’t they think it too? It still hurts to hear, though. I just want to get to my seat, get through this class, and get out of here. I feel embarrassed, and the self-deprecating thoughts are getting loud again. I need to get out of this situation.
“Yeah, well, you’ll have to ask him, I guess,” I say back to her as I make my way to my seat, trying to end this conversation.
But even after I sit down and try to focus on the worksheet in front of me, I can still hear the small talk—the giggles, the jokes, the name-calling. I see kids pointing at me and whispering, and even nudging other kids to get their attention to talk about me some more. I don’t know if they’re that oblivious to how obvious they are or if they just don’t care that I know they’re talking about me.
I’m ready for this day to be over and to go hang out with my actual friends. Even though I hate shopping normally, I’ll gladly take the distraction right about now.
8
Lydia
“I can’t believe they said that to you,” Simone says, searching through the dress rack in the mall. “Ihatemean girls. I wish I could be there to show them what happens when they talk shit aboutmybest friend.”
“It’s okay, Simone, really. I’m honestly just trying not to care. I knew people would probably talk. I just didn’t expect them to be so bold about it to my face.”
“Yeah, well, that’s why I hate stuck-up schools like that, full of stuck-up people who need to be humbled. I mean, I’m glad you found Eli, and you met Katie and Harper there or whatever, but I selfishly wish you were still on my side of town, going to school with me.”
“Me too, but yeah, I’m glad I met Eli. So I guess it’s kind of worth all the baggage that comes with it, huh?”
She looks at me and grins. “So…howisthat going by the way?”
I instantly blush thinking about him. “It’s going good.” I grab her arm and lean in. “Me? With a boyfriend? I mean, this is crazy, right?”
“I know!” she whispers-shouts. “Now we can finally double date!”
“Oh my gosh!I didn’t even think about that! We should definitely plan something soon. I think Eli and Tyler would really get along.”
