with Lola that of course Roxanne was talking about her.
Lola frowned. I didn’t put eye shadow on any eye shadow .
“Maybe I should give her some makeup pointers.” More laughter a nd a couple girls chimed in they would help.
She sucked in a breath and quickly blanketed her face with her hair, wanting to disappear. The bruise. She had to be talking about the small purple bruise above her right eye.
Lola kept her face forward and hoped Roxanne would lose interest in her if she didn’t respond.
“Shut up, Roxanne. Like anyone would want makeup tips from you .” There was stunned silence after that because no one said things like that to Roxanne Zanders.
Lola looked behind her and caught Rachel’s eye. Rachel smiled. Gratitude washed over Lola and she turned back to her art project .
As she stared at it, Lola chewed on her lip; an emotion washing over her. She let it encompass her and t he outline of a butterfly turned into four black bold letters. Slashes of color made up the background and became interwoven with the letters. Lola set the paintbrush done, breathing heavy and shaking.
When the bell rang, Roxanne sprang to her feet and strode from the room with her posse in tow, but not before giving Rachel and Lola her signature glare.
“You just got an enemy,” Lola said as they walked down the hallway. Kids bustled past on either side of them, loud and full of energy.
Lola’s eyes searched the crowded hallway for a distinct form. She told herself it wasn’t disappointment she felt when she didn’t find him. One or two conversations and a similar home life did not make them anything.
Rachel shrugged. “I’d rather have her for an enemy than a friend. Can you imagine? Dressing and talking like that to fit in , not having a mind of my own, no thank you .
“Besides, I’m sick of her picking on you. You should be too. She only does i t because she’s jealous of you.”
“Right.” Why would Roxanne have any reason to be envious of Lola ? She was pretty, popular, had a good body, and all the boys drooled after her. No, that wasn’t it. Roxanne was just mean .
As Lola watched, Roxanne stopped at Sebastian’s locker. He had on a dark blue shirt and faded jeans. Roxanne tapped him on the shoulder. Seba stian looked up and gave a half smile , his face lighting up at the sight of her .
Lola’s stomach knotted and she looked away. She didn’t understand why it was still hard to see him, but it was. Probably because she didn’t know what had happened between them that had made them the way they were . And of course part of her missed him.
Rachel pointed at Sebastian. “ That , right there, is why she doesn’t like you.”
Lola hurried past them with her head down. Rachel kept up. “That doesn’t make any sense. We don’t even talk anymore.”
“Yeah. What’s that all about anyway?” Rachel leaned against the lockers as Lola unlocked hers and grabbed books for her next class.
Lola slammed her locker door shut. “Nothing.”
Rachel put a hand on her arm when Lola tried to turn away. Lola was forced to look at her. Concern furrowed Rachel’s brows. “Us too. We barely talk anymore. What happened?”
“I’m just…busy .”
The grip tightened on her arm. “And your face?”
Lola glanced at her friend’s determined features. “What about my face?”
“Pretty sure that isn’t purple makeup. Who did that to you? Was it your mom’s husband? ”
Lola swallowed. She desperately wanted to tell someone, to tell Rachel. But what would happen then? Rachel would look at her in horror; probably never speak to her again. Or she’d tell a teacher and Lola would have to talk to them, maybe someone would even call the authorities.
Then what? Then nothing would happen. Or maybe she’d be taken from her mother. But most likely it would do no good and she’d be
Lola frowned. I didn’t put eye shadow on any eye shadow .
“Maybe I should give her some makeup pointers.” More laughter a nd a couple girls chimed in they would help.
She sucked in a breath and quickly blanketed her face with her hair, wanting to disappear. The bruise. She had to be talking about the small purple bruise above her right eye.
Lola kept her face forward and hoped Roxanne would lose interest in her if she didn’t respond.
“Shut up, Roxanne. Like anyone would want makeup tips from you .” There was stunned silence after that because no one said things like that to Roxanne Zanders.
Lola looked behind her and caught Rachel’s eye. Rachel smiled. Gratitude washed over Lola and she turned back to her art project .
As she stared at it, Lola chewed on her lip; an emotion washing over her. She let it encompass her and t he outline of a butterfly turned into four black bold letters. Slashes of color made up the background and became interwoven with the letters. Lola set the paintbrush done, breathing heavy and shaking.
When the bell rang, Roxanne sprang to her feet and strode from the room with her posse in tow, but not before giving Rachel and Lola her signature glare.
“You just got an enemy,” Lola said as they walked down the hallway. Kids bustled past on either side of them, loud and full of energy.
Lola’s eyes searched the crowded hallway for a distinct form. She told herself it wasn’t disappointment she felt when she didn’t find him. One or two conversations and a similar home life did not make them anything.
Rachel shrugged. “I’d rather have her for an enemy than a friend. Can you imagine? Dressing and talking like that to fit in , not having a mind of my own, no thank you .
“Besides, I’m sick of her picking on you. You should be too. She only does i t because she’s jealous of you.”
“Right.” Why would Roxanne have any reason to be envious of Lola ? She was pretty, popular, had a good body, and all the boys drooled after her. No, that wasn’t it. Roxanne was just mean .
As Lola watched, Roxanne stopped at Sebastian’s locker. He had on a dark blue shirt and faded jeans. Roxanne tapped him on the shoulder. Seba stian looked up and gave a half smile , his face lighting up at the sight of her .
Lola’s stomach knotted and she looked away. She didn’t understand why it was still hard to see him, but it was. Probably because she didn’t know what had happened between them that had made them the way they were . And of course part of her missed him.
Rachel pointed at Sebastian. “ That , right there, is why she doesn’t like you.”
Lola hurried past them with her head down. Rachel kept up. “That doesn’t make any sense. We don’t even talk anymore.”
“Yeah. What’s that all about anyway?” Rachel leaned against the lockers as Lola unlocked hers and grabbed books for her next class.
Lola slammed her locker door shut. “Nothing.”
Rachel put a hand on her arm when Lola tried to turn away. Lola was forced to look at her. Concern furrowed Rachel’s brows. “Us too. We barely talk anymore. What happened?”
“I’m just…busy .”
The grip tightened on her arm. “And your face?”
Lola glanced at her friend’s determined features. “What about my face?”
“Pretty sure that isn’t purple makeup. Who did that to you? Was it your mom’s husband? ”
Lola swallowed. She desperately wanted to tell someone, to tell Rachel. But what would happen then? Rachel would look at her in horror; probably never speak to her again. Or she’d tell a teacher and Lola would have to talk to them, maybe someone would even call the authorities.
Then what? Then nothing would happen. Or maybe she’d be taken from her mother. But most likely it would do no good and she’d be
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