dn

ver the noise in the cafeteria. "Don'

t to look around.

front of me. "I'm not blind, Sydney. And no

t bli

for Mrs. Holloway to c

orner of the room, and my eyes

asketball teammates, jerseys on, waiting f

mirk w

th your sister doesn't give you th

ying to prove a po

and a few sprinkles of fries on my tr

n he's challenged

he court? They get trashed. But in class...t

e my hea

at when someone bumped into me

I blurted. But the boy

y out of school immediately aft

icked up my burger while Maeve was already

-cold and liqu

looked down

N

ed, looking up and notici

st

etchup sachet sl

hi

mach d

y eyes straying acr

as watc

ne la

loo

re I completely grasp

s lips

ed. "Someone get

eteria. Even people who hadn't be

, but I couldn't tear

taring, like he was waitin

y, safe for the extra layers of

yelids and I wishe

ve said over the laughter in the room.

olt

legs could carry me

n!" Tyler called af

to the empty hallway as I w

urned m

heard Mae

with the ketchup smeared on my blac

the entire school laugh-well not everyone, but t

behind me, pressing my hand against the sin

Don't cry. You've

ng to shut out the l

I was back in New

d, and Maeve appeared, her bac

y and rushed to where I was, placing her h

ere's ketchup on my but

is such an ass. Ketchup on your chair? All for what?" She

? Really?"

e away the ketchup. "Well maybe I look like so

't say t

it all the time and everyo

y do I have to be me? Why do I have to be the other g

not true. Tyler is just being mean because he can

you and

that you challenged him in class. That's a good thing, isn't it

forted me. But it di

ng to keep winning unless I woke u

at nerd, and Tyler had proved tha

crying in a

ler will always win. And I'll just be.

shoulders. "No. You are Sydney Walker. A

g open, and w

ked in, pom-

ez. I heard. W

" Maeve's Asian-American ass snapped, bu

fine." I said,

ulted him in class. You

her. "You be

if realizing what

told you to say something back

e snapped again, taking the

oing to sa

war line Sydney." She said quietly. "And I'm not sure I