Page 27 (2/2)

THE PRIMARY ADJECTIVE people use to describe me has always been "nerdy" Despite this, there’s been a surprising lack of mortification in my life so far I avoid it at all costs because ether I blush at the drop of the hat, and it’s rarely the pretty kind of blush that makes you look as if you went just a little heavy on your makeup No, for me, it’s the full-bodied, so-red-it’s-almost-purple kind of blush And it always takes forever to fade

I’ve always gone out of ht stir up that kind of reaction When I was getting picked on into lether off period I didn’t really do h school, because the few ti ould happen next The h to make me run in the other direction I didn’t take any chances Not that kind at least And now it seems as ifcatch-up

Welcome to Humiliation Population: Me

Thankfully, I’m so miserable that the next few minutes only occur in bursts and patches for me When I next lift my eyes, Dylan is there, and we’re inside the apartment I blink, and I’ht, and she’s dabbing at my forehead with a daroan "Why does anyone do this?"

She doesn’t laugh, though I can tell she wants to

"Hindsight is twenty-twenty"

"I hate that saying"

"But it’s the truth"

"I hate the truth"

She does laugh then

"Why did you do it?" she asks "I tried to ask Matt, but he sounds like a yeti when he’s this drunk I couldn’the said"

"I hate yetis," I mumble

"Yes, well, before you say you hate water, drink this"

She tiltsdownI don’t hate is sleep Sleep will take away the churning in my stomach, and the awful taste inmy skin