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I turn away froy at the bruise on e the ball, huh?" I nod Mo in already?" she asks I nod again because I can’t speak She gives ood day, honey"

I count steps on the way to school--283 School is 283 steps froh coain It’s the first day of school and I’ lot Anna bounds over to me and she’s excited It’s the first day of school and she’s a lowly frosh, but she’s ready to take this whole place on She claiave it to her because she was the only one who looked like she knehat she was doing, and I just went along with it because I didn’t know

I spot her Benz at the front of the school They’re here I stalk across the pavement to the front doors My pulse thrurip the door handle and pull it open It’s like er and--

Bang

The school is quiet Distant ghost-footsteps reachup the stairs to the lockers, and there’s nothing I expect journal pages taped to the walls, shoved in lockers, everywhere But the school looks like it always does

I don’t believe it It’s an illusion of peace I hurry to my locker and spin the dial Here It has to be here It’s not just his torture; it’s ht nuet it and I pull the lock off and open

But she’s here I saw the Benz They’re here and they’re early and they’re ruining lives because that’s what they’d do That’s what she toldto do

I check the washroo room The entire school isHow many ways can they do this?

I’ iins to fill up I listen to snatches of conversations, hoping for so it first, but there’s nothing I wander the halls It gets busier, busier, busier The busier it gets, the limpse Michael at his locker and he’s okay

I hide while he opens it up and wait for it-- this, is it, this has to he it --but nothing Nothing happens He just stands there, and this is any day A nor watched He does He looks around I back into the alcove and count to ninety, and when I look again, he’s gone

The bell rings I stay in the alcove while theannouncements start If it hasn’t happened by now, this is a slow build, a painfully slow build to it Girl-boo off and leave us all in pieces I irls’ washroo at her reflection in theShe’s just staring at herself

I back into the door, the handle ja into purple-yellon skin all overthe door open so I can leave

"Corasp, but I keepblue paint on the door, chipping around the edges

Coloat?

I don’t understand what thatabout?"

She turns her head and takes me in Checks me, I know, for re she can see fro to show her Her eyes search hs, softly

"You don’t know?"

What don’t I know She went straight to Holt Michael will leave quietly and without a fight That’s not like her Public hue of heart? I shakeand ru loss usually, but now it feels like she’s just looking for so to do with her hands

"I’m done with you I’hs and shakes her head "She threatened to go to Holt about what I did to you Hilarious"

The words settle in sloistingto for comes out I don’t--I don’t believe it

"But the photocopies--"

"Liz has theloss "Go"

"Just because -Liz won’t go to Holt now doesn’t o to Holt Show hi and I notice she’s treo to Holt and I’d have her I would have her

But I want so better

"You’re scared," I tell her Anna Scared She gives me a look that could kill "You always said none of this matters, and you’re scared"

"It doesn’t ood practice" I have never hated anyone so ain

I pull the door open and step out into the hall