folded in front of me, battling the impulse to curl up in my chair. Mex advised me that, wi

e I entered the diner fifteen minutes ago, my stomach was churning quickly enough to produce butt

tion, so it doesn't help that countless pairs of eyes may look

ees? Or is it merely a curiosity about me, the hig

that I'm not sure if she's just reporting a fact or highligh

ut I pick thi

rself, "Aren't they all."

ow." On the day of my seventeenth birthday, my mother could no longer coerce me into staying in my parents' home, so I moved

t going?"Lo

ghtmare in the morning when I prefer to have my coffee in peace and quiet and she is bouncy. She gave me a place to live, a

her face. Though she hasn't fired her and has complied with her

year until March, you worked as

accurate. for

transp

money and advise me that it would be best if I stopped coming in because of the circumstances in my personal life. This, after giving m

However, companies could prefer desperate workers because we'll put up with almost anything. And I am willing to put up with almost anything. Mex earns

o get here? Do yo

oute 33 from Balsam, which is too far to get by bicycle. I reaso

my studies. She grimaces. You have

nse is "N

rt around her face. It's difficult to say, but if I had to estimate, I'd say she's in

idered lying on my resume about taking a year off, but Mex fore

ves to refer to it. Everyone in this area is aware of it. Since Sam was arre

asks the question, but I have the impressi

no

om it. that seems like I've heard that a lot and from everyone, especially after the charges against him were dropped and I changed my story ten days later after learning that no DA would force a seventeen-year-old "victim" to testify. At the store