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I thought I was unsociable in years past, but for the first feeeks of this year I was a recluse I kept ht ho at Jay’s house And definitely no parties or clubs

But despite how hard I tried to be invisible, all eyes were on me Only one person was able to shake irl orked hard and didn’t go out of her way to impress others--traits I appreciated She usually hid her face behind a headful of shiny black curls and kept to herself

Lena ca Afterward I realized she had followedinto themy eye We both messed with our hair, and then she bent down to see whether there were any feet in the stalls before speaking

"I" She bit down as if e "I heard about what Scott McCallister did to you"

"Oh?" I continued to dig around for soh to care about such gossip, and hoping she would drop it I almost missed her next words, spoken softly

"He did it to me, too"

I tensed and looked up at her "He did?"

"Well, kind of" She shuffled her stance, eyeing the cracked wall tiles "Last year at a party over Christht It hadn’t been a solitary incident Lena’s light gray nervousness darkened with apprehension when I didn’t respond right away

"I believe you, Lena"

With that reassurance, her gray worries cleared into the sky blue of relief

"Did he--" She stopped herself, but I knehat she wanted to ask

"No," I told her "We were interrupted"

She continued avoidingstrap on her shoulder "That’s good Unfortunately eren’t He didn’t drugit, but afterward he told , and he didn’t like osh, Lena That’s" I didn’t knohat to say She looked at me now

"You’re the only person I’ve ever told I just wanted you to know you’re not alone"

"Thank you," I said

She nodded and rushed out the door I stood there thinking for twowhen he sat down next to me at the lunch table Band and drama kids sat at the other end

"Where’s your lunch?" I asked

"I’lared around the cafeteria

"What happened?" I pushed"No, tell et suspended"

"Why? What did you do?" I asked