trix

e, that was the one I chose. Not "no." N

does

, see you Saturday," he said. He got up, slu

eyes and followed his brother. For tw

stop, and neither did the whispers. So I picked up my

n't stop anywhere or bump into anyone. I kept my

e east side, boys on the west, with a wide lawn be

low me here. Not

than the school liked to admit. Girls slipped across the lawn after curfew to visit

o me. Nobody was sneaki

l. I always made sure to take my bath early, before any of them go

pulled on my pyjamas

ly, and

, earlier than the other two, and for a while it was just us. But once Rin

look at me a

d it embarrassi

elope kept her eyes

esperate for boys' at

girls, and it had been working. Now the bo

ty to protect, so she never took any drastic step. Lily was her minion, a bit brainless if I

p in serious trouble. So nobody did anything terrible, not like in

going to say anyt

anting nothing more than

believe anythin

frown d

what stunt you're trying to pull,

efore bed, it was the same routine: gossip and squeal

Kai was her favorite.

ss, like

om all of them. Und

g wasn't going to

I asked, hoping they'd mov

make me squeeze through. As I did, she knocked her

of them combined. I could h

'd never had the guts. I'

ulled the blanket up to my

lp. Walls don

Rin sighed, like she was describing

is morning," Lily said. "

ways nea

e he's t

t was the same routine as every night, only tonight

's party on Saturday," Rin sai

enti

lanket and checked the date. No, n

. Kai hadn't just invited me to a par

There was no way he meant it like that. He wouldn't rea

she's going?"

ped bre

She'd have to fit through the gate fi

enelope didn't s

nobody could see it, even though the

he way Josh would have. Ju

d. I re

e between my throat and my chest, and all

really

*

e it clear tonight was special. Hair dryers, perfume, girls fighting o

urs since the board, since Kai's invitation, since the whispers sta

said. She hated bein

ing late," Rin replied. I heard the final

ily said, and

Penelope called. "I n

, be q

d away, and the doo

oing?" Pene

ed myself upright anyway. "I don't

ng at me a little too long

n about what people our age did at pa

e anything to

just nodded. "Alright." She walke

door

ry about what to wear. And since I never went out, I'd never bothered buying a

that be em

fro

I scrambled out of

up looking embarrassing e

smi

said slowly. Then,

Thankfully, nobody was l