underwear drawer while she goes off to brush her teeth, but Mom and Liz are buzzing around the house and I know I’d get caught.
I need the necklace to illustrate that I’m standing up for myself, finally setting my boundaries.
Cherish hogs the bathroom so long that I don’t have a chance to brush my teeth before school. Lovely.
I leave without her and walk to the bus stop on the next block so we don’t have to wait together. The confrontation this morning was enough. I wish I had time to walk to Delia’s stop, but the bus will be here in a moment.
When the bus does arrive, Torey’s sitting in my spot next to Delia. “I think I still have sand between my toes,” she says and then adds something cutesy about pearls forming underneath her toenails.
Delia giggles. Torey’s joke isn’t funny.
“Morning,” I say, taking a seat in the row in front of them.
“Hey,” Delia says flatly, like she couldn’t care less I’m here. She doesn’t even ask why I wasn’t waiting at my usual spot. She goes right back to talking with Torey.
Asking for a piece of gum will give me an excuse to make conversation with her. Besides, I really need a
piece so I won’t have shredded-wheat-and-orange-juice morning breath. I rinsed my mouth with water, but it didn’t get rid of the flavors and the chunks stuck in my teeth. I turn around. “You have a stick of gum you could spare?”
She halfheartedly digs through her bag. “Nope. I’m out.”
Delia’s lying. She always has gum. My eyes burn when I sit back in place. I keep my “bus allergies” in check by finishing my note to Dub. For how long it’s taken me to write, there isn’t much.
Dear Dub,
Did the note you gave me have anything to do with
Cherish? I hope not. This whole situation is killing
me too. I haven’t forgotten our anniversary.
~Calli
I draw a tiny flower over the “i” in my name like usual. I fold the recycled sheet of paper. Un, deux, trois, quatre.
Mom says kids should come with instructions, but I think she has it wrong. Boys should be the ones to come with instructions. Friends too.
When the bus stops at my normal spot, Cherish saunters down the aisle, swinging her backpack like she wants to smash me with it, but I move out of the way. Too bad she doesn’t accidentally hit Torey. Cherish surprises me when she sits next to me instead of in the back of the bus. I put the note away.
“Act like they don’t bother you at all,” Cherish whispers, discreetly pointing behind us at Delia and Torey.
I hug her like we’re the chummiest sisters ever and
then laugh like she told me a hilarious joke. Cherish gives me the evil eye for overdoing it. I play it off with another laugh.
Cherish leans her head back against the seat and closes her eyes the rest of the ride. She really is all right.
I sigh. Today’s going to be a long day. I just know it. At least our Mardi Gras Buffet family night got canceled. I have an orthodontist appointment after school and Mom hasn’t been feeling well. She thinks it might have to do with her new medicine and promised me it wasn’t from the fried chicken. Liz will pick me up so I don’t have to ride the bus in the afternoon.
When the bus pulls to a stop at Calcasieu High, Cherish pushes her way off without saying good-bye. I follow her lead.
Before I lose my nerve, I run to Dub’s locker and slip the note inside before going to French.
“ Bonjour! ” Madame Mahoney says. “ Comment ça va ?”
How’s it going? “ Ça va. ” Fine. I should say mal. Bad.
I hand her the receipt from the museum and a short essay I wrote about the trip detailing the history of the early French settlers and how French, especially the Cajun dialect, is one of the official state languages.
“Did you study for your quiz?” she asks the class as soon as the bell rings.
Mal. Mal. Mal.
After school Liz is waiting for me in her ratty white station wagon. Before climbing in I scan the campus for Dub. Has he read my note
I need the necklace to illustrate that I’m standing up for myself, finally setting my boundaries.
Cherish hogs the bathroom so long that I don’t have a chance to brush my teeth before school. Lovely.
I leave without her and walk to the bus stop on the next block so we don’t have to wait together. The confrontation this morning was enough. I wish I had time to walk to Delia’s stop, but the bus will be here in a moment.
When the bus does arrive, Torey’s sitting in my spot next to Delia. “I think I still have sand between my toes,” she says and then adds something cutesy about pearls forming underneath her toenails.
Delia giggles. Torey’s joke isn’t funny.
“Morning,” I say, taking a seat in the row in front of them.
“Hey,” Delia says flatly, like she couldn’t care less I’m here. She doesn’t even ask why I wasn’t waiting at my usual spot. She goes right back to talking with Torey.
Asking for a piece of gum will give me an excuse to make conversation with her. Besides, I really need a
piece so I won’t have shredded-wheat-and-orange-juice morning breath. I rinsed my mouth with water, but it didn’t get rid of the flavors and the chunks stuck in my teeth. I turn around. “You have a stick of gum you could spare?”
She halfheartedly digs through her bag. “Nope. I’m out.”
Delia’s lying. She always has gum. My eyes burn when I sit back in place. I keep my “bus allergies” in check by finishing my note to Dub. For how long it’s taken me to write, there isn’t much.
Dear Dub,
Did the note you gave me have anything to do with
Cherish? I hope not. This whole situation is killing
me too. I haven’t forgotten our anniversary.
~Calli
I draw a tiny flower over the “i” in my name like usual. I fold the recycled sheet of paper. Un, deux, trois, quatre.
Mom says kids should come with instructions, but I think she has it wrong. Boys should be the ones to come with instructions. Friends too.
When the bus stops at my normal spot, Cherish saunters down the aisle, swinging her backpack like she wants to smash me with it, but I move out of the way. Too bad she doesn’t accidentally hit Torey. Cherish surprises me when she sits next to me instead of in the back of the bus. I put the note away.
“Act like they don’t bother you at all,” Cherish whispers, discreetly pointing behind us at Delia and Torey.
I hug her like we’re the chummiest sisters ever and
then laugh like she told me a hilarious joke. Cherish gives me the evil eye for overdoing it. I play it off with another laugh.
Cherish leans her head back against the seat and closes her eyes the rest of the ride. She really is all right.
I sigh. Today’s going to be a long day. I just know it. At least our Mardi Gras Buffet family night got canceled. I have an orthodontist appointment after school and Mom hasn’t been feeling well. She thinks it might have to do with her new medicine and promised me it wasn’t from the fried chicken. Liz will pick me up so I don’t have to ride the bus in the afternoon.
When the bus pulls to a stop at Calcasieu High, Cherish pushes her way off without saying good-bye. I follow her lead.
Before I lose my nerve, I run to Dub’s locker and slip the note inside before going to French.
“ Bonjour! ” Madame Mahoney says. “ Comment ça va ?”
How’s it going? “ Ça va. ” Fine. I should say mal. Bad.
I hand her the receipt from the museum and a short essay I wrote about the trip detailing the history of the early French settlers and how French, especially the Cajun dialect, is one of the official state languages.
“Did you study for your quiz?” she asks the class as soon as the bell rings.
Mal. Mal. Mal.
After school Liz is waiting for me in her ratty white station wagon. Before climbing in I scan the campus for Dub. Has he read my note
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