Page 13 (1/2)

Brittany stared down at her “You aren’t chicken, are you, Lina?”

The other kids closed in around them

Lina bit down on her lower lip to keep it fro, but she never looked away from Brittany’s face “I’m not chicken,” she said “Besides, short hair is way cooler” She turned to Jett, giving hiest, bravest smile “Go ahead”

Jett started snipping Big clumps of jet-black hair slid down her Levi’s jacket She flinched at each snip-snip-snip, and felt as if pieces of her were falling away

Brittany fished a mirror out of her purse and handed it to Lina There was a victorious gleam in her brown eyes Slowly Lina picked up the mirror and stared at her own face For a second she couldn’t breathe, but after a y, hacked-up haircut She was staring at her own reflection

The questions ca back, and this time the booze and pot offered no sanctuary at all Suddenly she was thinking of her father—the mysterious father—who’d marked her face and i right now Was he co so the way, one he’d stayed around to raise?

Everything would be different if I knew you, she thought for the millionth time

“She looks like Mr Sears,” Brittany said, laughing shrilly “Hey, Hillyard, maybe the school janitor is your dad”

Jett picked up a joint and took a hit Smoke poured from his mouth as he said, “I don’t knohy you don’t just ask your old lady My o live with hiood riddance”

Just ask

Lina shivered at the thought Maybe she would this ti up…

The thought coalesced, took shape in herAnticipation blosso presence inside her She knew suddenly what she wanted for her birthday “It’s tis of a smile

“What do you think, Lina?” Brittany’s nasal voice broke into her thoughts

Lina’s gaze jerked up For a split second she couldn’t figure out what they were all waiting for; then she remembered The haircut She looked first at Jett, then at Brittany—as so clueless, she thought a frigging haircut mattered “It’s way cool Thanks, Jett Now, hand me the tequila”

Chapter Three