squeezed my eyes shut. I could feel the bruise already blooming on my hipbone as I waited for what would inevitably come next. Laughter. Whispers. Name-calling. I’d tripped enough times by now to know the routine.
“Molly!” Marcia exclaimed. And with that one word, the silence was broken and everyone sprang back into action.
“Oh my God,” I heard someone whisper. “Did you see that?”
Marcia crouched down next to me. “Are you okay?”
“I’m not hurt if that’s what you mean,” I groaned. As I pulled myself up, several guys dashed over to help me.
“Do you want help to the nurse?” one of them asked. I was pretty sure his name was Fred and even more sure he’d never spoken to me before in my life.
“I can grab an ice pack for you from the locker room,” the other guy added quickly. I squinted my eyes at him, trying to decide if we’d ever even met before, but after a few seconds I gave up. “There’re always a couple in there,” he explained.
“No, that’s okay,” I said quickly. “I’m fine, really.” I kept waiting for it to start—the cacophony of laughter and snorts and jabs—but people just kept gathering round, asking if I needed any help.
“Let’s fix this,” Marcia fussed, smoothing out my hair. “You look so pretty today, Molly. I just can’t get over it.”
“Yo.” Andrew Ross butted in, pushing his way through the crowd to get to me. Immediately, my whole body tensed up. Andrew Ross was one of the toughest guys in school. The last time I’d fallen in the hallway, it had been right before my freshman year English final. Only a couple of people had been in the hall at the time—including Andrew Ross. He’d taken one look at me, all sprawled out on the ground, and suddenly he was “accidentally” tripping over me, soaking me with his very full cup of orange soda. I’d had to take my English final looking like an Oompa Loompa and smelling like a soda factory.
“I saw that trip from all the way down the hall,” Andrew went on. “Looked nasty.” I could feel his eyes running up and down me as he said it, and slowly, an appreciative grin spread across his lips. “Come on, I’ll help you to your next class. Wouldn’t want you falling again and messing up that pretty face.” He shoved Fred out of the way and slid his arm around my waist, nudging me forward.
Marcia winked at me. “What a white knight,” she whispered in my ear. But I was too dumbfounded to respond. Andrew Ross—cruel, orange-soda-spilling Andrew Ross—wanted to help me. Andrew Ross might even be flirting with me.
“Just lean on me,” Andrew said. Squeezing my waist, he led me away from the group, several people calling out behind me to let them I know if I needed help later.
“Have a good day, Molly!” Marcia yelled after me. I looked over my shoulder, and she gave me a friendly wave. As if nothing out of the ordinary had just happened. As if I hadn’t just fallen flat on my face in front of everyone. As if she—perfect senior, Marcia Davids—yelled bye to me every day of my life.
“Bye,” I called back faintly.
“Hey, look.” Andrew nodded toward a poster on the wall as he led me toward the gym. PROM, SATURDAY MAY 11! it read in big, bright letters. “Only two weeks away,” he added slyly, smiling down at me.
I smiled back at him, too dazed to eke out even one word. There was no doubt left in my mind: Andrew Ross was flirting with me.
It really was the twilight zone.
A Little Birdie Told Me
Hudson Taylor Is H.O.T.
“WE’RE STARTING OUR badminton section today, class!” Mr. Templeton announced as the bell rang to signal the start of gym class. Several people groaned. “All right, all right,” Mr. Templeton said. “Don’t worry, we’ll start out slow. Why doesn’t everyone partner up? We’ll just practice our shots today.”
I swallowed back a groan of my own at that. Mr. Templeton was always making us partner up in gym class. I used to partner with Sarah
“Molly!” Marcia exclaimed. And with that one word, the silence was broken and everyone sprang back into action.
“Oh my God,” I heard someone whisper. “Did you see that?”
Marcia crouched down next to me. “Are you okay?”
“I’m not hurt if that’s what you mean,” I groaned. As I pulled myself up, several guys dashed over to help me.
“Do you want help to the nurse?” one of them asked. I was pretty sure his name was Fred and even more sure he’d never spoken to me before in my life.
“I can grab an ice pack for you from the locker room,” the other guy added quickly. I squinted my eyes at him, trying to decide if we’d ever even met before, but after a few seconds I gave up. “There’re always a couple in there,” he explained.
“No, that’s okay,” I said quickly. “I’m fine, really.” I kept waiting for it to start—the cacophony of laughter and snorts and jabs—but people just kept gathering round, asking if I needed any help.
“Let’s fix this,” Marcia fussed, smoothing out my hair. “You look so pretty today, Molly. I just can’t get over it.”
“Yo.” Andrew Ross butted in, pushing his way through the crowd to get to me. Immediately, my whole body tensed up. Andrew Ross was one of the toughest guys in school. The last time I’d fallen in the hallway, it had been right before my freshman year English final. Only a couple of people had been in the hall at the time—including Andrew Ross. He’d taken one look at me, all sprawled out on the ground, and suddenly he was “accidentally” tripping over me, soaking me with his very full cup of orange soda. I’d had to take my English final looking like an Oompa Loompa and smelling like a soda factory.
“I saw that trip from all the way down the hall,” Andrew went on. “Looked nasty.” I could feel his eyes running up and down me as he said it, and slowly, an appreciative grin spread across his lips. “Come on, I’ll help you to your next class. Wouldn’t want you falling again and messing up that pretty face.” He shoved Fred out of the way and slid his arm around my waist, nudging me forward.
Marcia winked at me. “What a white knight,” she whispered in my ear. But I was too dumbfounded to respond. Andrew Ross—cruel, orange-soda-spilling Andrew Ross—wanted to help me. Andrew Ross might even be flirting with me.
“Just lean on me,” Andrew said. Squeezing my waist, he led me away from the group, several people calling out behind me to let them I know if I needed help later.
“Have a good day, Molly!” Marcia yelled after me. I looked over my shoulder, and she gave me a friendly wave. As if nothing out of the ordinary had just happened. As if I hadn’t just fallen flat on my face in front of everyone. As if she—perfect senior, Marcia Davids—yelled bye to me every day of my life.
“Bye,” I called back faintly.
“Hey, look.” Andrew nodded toward a poster on the wall as he led me toward the gym. PROM, SATURDAY MAY 11! it read in big, bright letters. “Only two weeks away,” he added slyly, smiling down at me.
I smiled back at him, too dazed to eke out even one word. There was no doubt left in my mind: Andrew Ross was flirting with me.
It really was the twilight zone.
A Little Birdie Told Me
Hudson Taylor Is H.O.T.
“WE’RE STARTING OUR badminton section today, class!” Mr. Templeton announced as the bell rang to signal the start of gym class. Several people groaned. “All right, all right,” Mr. Templeton said. “Don’t worry, we’ll start out slow. Why doesn’t everyone partner up? We’ll just practice our shots today.”
I swallowed back a groan of my own at that. Mr. Templeton was always making us partner up in gym class. I used to partner with Sarah
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