The summer in eighth grade, Lily was talking to
someone at another school online.
When school started, a bunch of girls trapped
me in the bathroom
<
12:11
me in the bathroom.
It was his girlfriend.
She called me a homewrecker.
Lily used my name for her online romance.
Everyone thought I was the cheater.
“She looks so nice. But is a real jerk.”
“She’s such a predator.”
“Ew, she’s a good student, who cares, her
personality is gross.”
I tried to explain but it didn’t work.
I was accused of framing my sister.
My mom said I was a slut.
80+
Lily was standing at my door, smiling.
“They don’t like you anyway, it’s better if you
دو
just stay away.”
“What’s the big deal?”
In tenth grade, we were in the same class
again.
I made a couple friends.
Sometimes they’d come for help.
Lily didn’t like it.
She said I hated anyone who wasn’t smart.
It was a joke, but people stopped asking me for
help.
They mostly pretended I wasn’t there.
<
The next morning, Josh gave me a milk.
“Thanks for saving me yesterday.”
I glanced at the list. “No problem. Good luck
with the high jump today.”
“Excuse me.”
Jake walked past me.
“Call Lily, ask when she’s coming home.”
Mom was in a face mask.
“Okay.”
I cleaned the dishes and grabbed my phone.
Lily was out for a party.
<
The call was picked up on the second ring.
“Mom asked when you’re coming home.”
It was loud.
“I’ll be home soon. Don’t call me.”
“Lily, gonna drink that toast with Jake?”
A guy’s voice.
Lily hissed. “Who would drink with that loser?”
She hung up.
I stared at the phone.
Jake? Was it Jake?
“Did you hear about Jake? He was fighting
yesterday. The principal called him in.”
<
12:11
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2002
“Yeah, he was fighting over that girl in tenth
grade.”
“Jake is a player.”
That was Lily.
“Those beautiful women are always with pigs. I
don’t know why my sister is into him.”
“Don’t worry. He wouldn’t look at your sister.”
They were talking about me.
After classes, I took the tests to the office.
A pretty girl was standing at the door, looking upset. She was probably the tenth grade girl.
She had a box of cookies.
I walked in.
12:11
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804
The teacher wasn’t there. Jake was leaning by
the wall.
He had a time out, but he looked chill, hands in
his pockets.
He wasn’t wearing his school jacket.
His black windbreaker had the zipper up to his
chin, showing his face and tattoo.
When he saw me, he tilted his head.
“Why didn’t you sell hot dogs last night?”
I put the tests on the table and looked at him.
His eyebrow was bleeding, there was a bandage.
“I’m not doing that anymore.”
