“I can’t get in trouble unless I get caught,” she says, flipping her curls over her shoulder. “And I won’t.” She points to theshower. The steam is starting to come up. “See you when you get out,” she says, bouncing out of the doorway and disappearing down the hall.
I hang my towel on a hook and step into the shower. As usual, the pressure is light—almost a trickle—but I’m glad to be alone with my thoughts. Samantha’s plan to run away has my head spinning. I try to swallow the lump in my throat, but it’s no use. I let the tears fall, hoping she changes her mind.
“Wrap it up now, Jasmine,” Ms. Pat calls out just as the water starts to get lukewarm.
I turn the shower off and wrap myself in my towel. When I get back to the room, I don’t see Samantha. I open her closet to make sure her things are still there, and thankfully they are.
I can hear Ms. Kim yelling at the other girls to quiet down as they head down the hall from the gym. I rush back to the rec area to claim my spot. The girls are loud as usual when they make it inside and start taking their seats. Lisa and Jamie, who are in a couple of my classes, plop down next to me. Ms. Pat is in the office going over the clipboard that they tally points on. I realize I haven’t seen Ms. Bree all day.
“I heard we’re having pizza,” Lisa says.
“Yeah, the cafeteria is shut down,” Jamie adds.
“Thank freaking goodness,” Tanya says, clapping and looking directly at me.
I look away, my gaze moving to the door. I see Amari heading toward us. She knocks on the office window and motions for someone to come out.
“Can I request Jasmine to help me set up?” she asks Ms. Kim.
Ms. Kim looks over at me and then back at Amari. “Sure,” she says. “But remember, Amari, you’re already on thin ice.”
Amari gives her a thumbs-up and waves me over. I do mybest not to smile until I’m closer so Tanya doesn’t have anything smart to say.
“Losers,” she says anyway, laughing with Jamie.
Our dining room isn’t even half the size of the cafeteria. There are a handful of tables with connected benches, just enough seats for each girl on our unit. A stack of plates and napkins has been left on the first table.
“I’m not doing your chore for you,” I say, “so hopefully that’s not why you asked.”
Amari sighs. “I was just trying to give you a change of scenery.”
“Why thank you, this view is immaculate.” I snicker.
She laughs and hits my arm. I look at her and then the door. We aren’t supposed to be touching, even though I don’t mind. I move slightly just in case she tries it again and someone actually does see. She doesn’t seem to notice.
“So how was your day?” Amari asks, handing me the napkins.
I let out the deepest sigh.
“Like that, huh?” she asks. “What happened?” She puts down a plate and I follow her with a napkin.
“For starters, I had another call with my mom and she brought up the girl,” I say.
Amari knows about Travis and Kayla and how complicated it all is. We’ve had a chance to talk more, sometimes at breakfast over watery hot chocolate and mushy oatmeal, sometimes in a corner of the rec room while the other girls are busy listening to music or gossiping about the other units. It’s been helpful to talk to her. It seems like she can relate to having family issues, like having a mom who is always too busy for her. But I haven’t gotten many details about that yet.
“I don’t know, it just feels messed up that I’m in here andshe’s like, replaced me?” I don’t know how to take Amari’s silence and immediately get embarrassed for being so emotional.
She looks up at me from across the table. “Well, forget her then,” she says with a soft smile. “If she’s going to treat you that way, forget her.”
I let out a laugh. “Yeah, forget her,” I agree, even though it’s not that simple at all. “How was your day?”
She chuckles. “I definitely didn’t get a new family.”
I roll my eyes at her joke. “Ha ha ha.”
“I also didn’t get a love note from you,” she continues, “so it was pretty bad.”
“Oh my god, Amari, can you be serious?”
