Given how unhappy Mom had been over my detention, though, money wouldn’t likely be flowing my way anytime soon. And Gran didn’t approve of students diverting their energies with part-time jobs. We should all be studying all of the time. But Gran was in Arizona and apart from a weekly grilling over the phone, her power was limited since she no longer paid for my education. Here, for me, things were changing, and it felt good.
“Carrie, does your mom need anyone at the salon?” asked Hang, Monday at lunch.
“No.” Carrie shook her head, holding up a slice of pizza to her mouth. “She’s got me and an apprentice right now, sorry.”
“I need a job,” I said.
Hang groaned. “I need one more.”
“I have no allowance.”
“I dropped my cell in the toilet last night.”
“You win.” I winced.
“No wonder you didn’t return my call,” said Carrie. “Dad dropped his in once, ruined a brand-new smartphone.”
“Shitty.” Sophia grinned and bumped Carrie’s elbow with her own. “Get it, get it?”
Face pained, Carrie groaned loudly. “Um, yeah. It wasn’t that subtle.”
“No, it really wasn’t,” confirmed Hang. “I’d only give that like a two out of ten, max.”
“It was a number two!” Sophia thrust her hands in the air.
“No.” Gently, Hang banged her forehead against the table. “My bad. I walked right into that.”
“Shame on you for encouraging her,” said Carrie, laughing and chewing at the same time. “And as for you, you’re terrible, Soph.”
“Aw, I’m sorry.” Sophia laid her head on Carrie’s shoulder and looked up at her. “Do you still love me?”
Sophia’s gaze softened. “I suppose so. Yes.”
God, they were so sweet together it made my heart hurt. Not that there was anything wrong with being alone. Alone was fine and dandy. It lacked the thrill of being with John, though. Together, hanging out with the right person, had benefits too.
“Where are you going to start looking for jobs?” asked Sophia. She had a part-time gig at a clothes store. Futile for me to ask about openings there, however, since they didn’t even stock my size.
Hang shrugged. “Check out the local paper.”
“And we should do up some résumés, start handing them out to businesses,” I said. “Did you try putting your phone in a bag of rice to suck out the moisture?”
Hang nodded. “It’s dead, and my parents won’t get me another until Christmas. I can’t wait that long.”
“It’s definitely job-hunting season.”
“Agreed.”
We bumped fists across the table. Yay, sisterhood. The bell rang and we all gathered our stuff.
“Later,” said Sophia, after a quick kiss from Carrie.
Hang and I made our way together through the crowded halls. At least I didn’t flinch anymore when we passed Isaac’s memorial. I still averted my eyes, however, not that it mattered. All of those dead flowers and photos seem to be imprinted on my memory.
But it wasn’t the deceased making me nervous today.
Those were not butterflies in my stomach. Today’s mystery meat had probably just given me gas. Deep breaths; seeing John in English was no reason to get all giddy. I clutched a textbook to my chest, calmly talking myself down from overexcited heights.
Someone knocked into me and my book went flying. My head shot up, an apology ready on my lips for not watching where I’d been walking. Except, the sneering girl from the skate park with the long, dark hair stood in my way. Not an accident. And I was not doing this; I was not standing silent and scared, playing the part of her victim. Girls like this have so much, yet they always want more. It wouldn’t end here.
“He’s mine,” she hissed, pretty face distorted with hate.
I cocked my head. “He who?”
“Don’t give me that shit. You know who I’m talking about.” Behind her, her girl posse smirked, looking me over with great distaste. “Like I’d just give him up to some fat bitch like you.”
“Okay, have fun with that,” I said, shrugging her off. Presumably this was my new school’s version of Kara. Funny how every school seemed to have one.
Except then she turned to Hang to spew some more of her venom. “And if you think Anders is serious about you, you’re dreaming, you slope-eyed twit.”
“Whoa now,” I said, voice firming. I inserted my hefty self between her and Hang. “None of that racist bullshit, thank you.”
“Shut up, you stupid fu—”
“I mean, why can’t we all just get along? Wouldn’t life be better without this judgmental, small-minded crap?” I asked. My voice was cool, nonchalant even. It was as if Chris’s gun had been able to reach deep inside my mind and trip some crucial circuit-breaker. And just like that came the nightmares, and the insomnia, and the impatience. But that same switch had changed whatever hold people like Kara had ever had over me. I still didn’t like being the center of attention, but I couldn’t remember what if felt like to actually be scared of them. It was just gone. “Right, Hang?”
“Oh, absolutely,” she confirmed.
Bitchy girl just sneered at us.
“And it’s so boring,” I drawled, rolling my fingers into fists. “You’re a slut because you like to wear your skirt high and have sex. While your other friend there must be a frigid bitch because she likes to wear her clothes baggy and I hear she turned some dude down. And on and on it goes, all of it superficial and meaning absolutely nothing. They’re just pointless, insulting labels that don’t even come close to who any of us really are as people!”
“Actually,” said Hang, “that’s a valid point.”
“What the hell are you on about?” asked the bitch queen.
“Everyone should just do their own thing without assholes like you giving them a hard time,” I said. “Would that honestly be so bad?”
“What did you just call m—”
“You’re not even original about it,” I said. “God, the fat thing. Do you have any idea how often I’ve had that flung at me? I mean, what if I only take the word as being a descriptor? Then you’re screwed. But I bet if you tried, you could make up much better insults. Give it a try; I’ll wait because your opinion really, really matters to me. Whoever you are.”
Her mouth opened, anger turned into confusion before morphing into rage.
And there was my moment. Fists made correctly this time, I drew back, ready to swing. A strong hand gripped my arm, halting the whole process.
“No,” he said, forcing my fist back to my side.
“Uh-oh,” said Hang.
“John.” The girl nervously flicked her hair. “Hi.”
“What’s this about?”
I cleared my throat. “I believe your girlfriend was just staking her claim or something.”
“Christ. We screwed a couple of times, Erika. That’s it.” The look he gave her was grim. “Don’t hassle Edie again.”
“But—”
“I might not be around next time to stop her from knocking you on your ass.”
Eyes wide, the girl pulled herself up as tall as can be. Not particularly impressive. I could take her, easy.
John picked up my book, handing it to me with a nod.
“Thanks,” I said.
With a final displeased glance at the girl, he ushered me into class. His fingers brushed against my lower back, something I liked a little too much.
“That was exciting,” said Hang, following behind. “I’ve never nearly been in a fight before.”
I gave her two thumbs up. She’d stayed by my side, right up until John’s intervention. That deserved respect.
“Fighting at school again? Seriously, Edie?” said John.
“She started it.” I slipped into my seat, shoulders rounded. Feeling like the naughty child did not go with my outfit.
“Yeah, and you were about to end it.” He took the desk behind me, face still distinctly unhappy. “The amount of shit that hitting Erika would have landed you in is not worth it. You know that.”