“Hey, Drea,” she said with a half smile. Her dark eyes focused on the box swinging in my hand.
I muttered hi under my breath. A flutter of laughter followed me down the hallway.
“She looks like Raggedy Ann,” one of the girls hissed. Another voice shushed her, and they went silent. I pictured their eyes on my back, analyzing everything from the way I walked to the size of my butt. Mom always did that. Compared herself to other women or criticized their outfits. When I’d hide in a bathroom stall, girls would stand in front of the mirror complimenting each other and insulting their absent friends. Always with lowered voices and soft giggles. Hatred and friendship seemed to go hand in hand.
The bell signifying the end of lunch break rang about five minutes later. My shoulders sagged as soon as I glanced at my schedule—PE. I’d purposely
I scanned the crowd for Naomi as I neared the brick gym building but found Kari instead. She had her hand on Justin’s arm, and he was leaning toward her and laughing. I’d once read some lame magazine in a doctor’s office that said casual touches and leaning toward each other were signs of romantic interest.
Kari’s voice rose as she backed away from him. “See you in the parking lot, then?”
Justin gave her another dimpled smile. “You got Mrs. Baker for sixth period, right?”
She nodded, looking over at me. I realized I was gaping at them like an idiot.
“I’ll meet you there after class.” Justin turned and glanced at me. I opened my mouth to say hi, but he’d looked away and brushed past me before a sound escaped my lips. Nice.
“How’s it going, Drea?” Kari asked, still staring at me from the entrance of the gym.
“Fine,” I muttered to the ground.
“What?”
“It’s fine,” I said as I walked toward her. Where the hell was Naomi?
“Come on. I’ll show you where the locker room is,” she said, opening the graffiti-covered door.
Great—just what I needed. A guided tour of the locker room by a girl who hated my only friend here. “Thanks.”
She led me down a hallway with a shiny wood floor and walls lined with trophy cases. “Did Naomi tell you we used to be best friends?” she asked.
“No.”
“Didn’t think so.”
The smell of sweat and cheap perfume emanated from a blue set of double doors ahead, making me queasy.
“You’ll have to see Mrs. Kessler to get your uniform first.” She yanked open the heavy door.
Perfect, I thought.
The locker room was like every other I’d endured. Stained cement floors with matching walls, long skinny benches, and girls in various stages of undress. Some were hunched over, quickly yanking shirts over their heads. Others paraded around in nothing but fancy bras and underwear. The muggy air and high-pitched chatter made me dizzy.
Kari brought me to an office where a brunette woman sat. She looked nearly as small as I was—definitely not the norm for PE teachers.
“Newbie here, Mrs. Kessler.” She jabbed her thumb at me.
“Thanks, Kari.”
Kari shot me a quick grin and left me alone. Mrs. Kessler handed me a uniform, went over the usual rules, and sent me on my way. She didn’t even ask if I had questions.
Naomi stood outside the office, biting her lower lip. Her eyes looked glazed and sleepy. “Let’s go find lockers.” She grabbed my elbow and led me toward the back row. We scanned for a pair without locks and found a couple at the very top.
Naomi ripped off her black T-shirt and nodded at me. “Kessler is loads of fun, isn’t she?”
“Sure…” I folded my arms over my stomach. I’d changed in the bathroom stalls at every other school. The other girls would smirk when I’d come out clutching my clothes. But it was better than standing around a bunch of half- naked strangers.
Naomi crinkled her brow at me. “Better get changed. Kessler is a real hard-ass about tardiness.”
“Right.” I stood up and backed away, pressing the clothing against my chest.
“Where you going?”
“Bathroom.”
She unzipped her baggy jeans and let them fall to the floor. “Are you changing in the stall?” Her half smile told me she found that amusing. After all, she thought I’d had my share of boyfriends—surely it wasn’t the first time anyone saw me undressed.
“I have to pee. But I guess I can change first.”
“Whatever.” She grinned and folded her jeans.
I glanced at the blue underwear riding low across her hips. The material was silky and thin. Nothing like the white pair that went up to my waist.
