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She presses her lips together She starts the car, and then we’re back on the road, and she says, "I’ to take so

"Sure," I say

I check my face in the mirror My eyes are red and swollen Mom parks across the road fro lot, and this is as close to invincible as I get: No one’s going to touch the girl who brings her et so preoccupied with how duht now, I follow her into the front corridor, where Anna and Kara are waiting I’ theirls!" She has Anna by the hands, stepping back so she can get a good look Anna grins at her, and Kara smirks at me, her eyebrow arched "You’re al into the real world!"

Anna laughs "Long time no see, Mrs A"

But it’s the way she says it Mo her a picture of polite puzzleina, where have you been keeping your friends?"

They’re not my friends

"Oh, it’s senior year," Anna says "You kno it is"

"Vaguely," Moirl-nightmare-robots "Mo-- panic?--crosses Anna’s face "Coives her a parting sain sometime soon, I hope"

Anna’s eyes are on me "That’d be nice, Mrs A"

Morabsher nails into , and you’re--"

I slap her in the face withPure instinct Slap And a strange thrill courses through asps, and Anna drops h every shade of red there is, because I just slapped her

"Regina, are you co She missed it I hurry up the stairs after her, h thepalht hand, the one that slapped her, and I try to focus, but it’s impossible because I a each other toward so I don’t know

All I know is I slapped Anna across the face

"How does that sound, Regina?" Holt asks, jarring hts He and Mom stare at me expectantly I have no idea what anyone just said

"Good," I say

They s is over and it was good I lead Moently at her desk, to the front corridor, where she givesand a kiss on the forehead, pushes open the door, and steps outside

Into the "real world"

The halls are e in shadows, trying to avoid everyone, because everyone knows I slapped Anna in the face I’ Kara let it slip, because Anna would never tell anyone that story unless it ended with her kicking ed to et through the rest of the day without that happening, that would be great

"Are you suicidal?"

I jump out of my skin The last person I expect to see--Josh He’s alone and he wants to know: Am I suicidal?

"Fuck off, Josh," I say I remember the day he asked me out I needed him to help me set up Liz’s locker so it wouldn’t open with or without the lock, because Anna toldAnna in the face? You must be," he says "By the way, I liked that stunt you pulled in the gyeball ‘Man up, Josh’"

I cross my arms "I really liked it, too"

Josh shifts his book fros difficult for yourself If you keep it up, Anna’s gonna kill you" I wonder how far he’s gotten with her "Having fun with your new girlfriend?" I ask He smirks "More than I had with you"

"Asshole"

I’es out of the cafeteria I duck into an alcove by the water fountain It could be Kara, Anna, Marta, Jeanette Any of theroup of students spot nition "That’s the girl who slapped Anna Morrison in the face" I wonder if I even have a name to these people anymore

When the coast is clear, I continue my way down the hall More people co into corners whenever I can

I just need to get down this fucking hallway alive That’s it

"I take it the ruaze goes straight to his lips We al out of ht to keep a blush off ht to keep those words fro out of my mouth