Page 172 - My FlipBook

L IS A J. L A W R E N C E

they regret, but it’s wrong to blame someone else. I don’t
want to hear any more.” She walked away, her hair swishing
at her waist.
Greta’s whole body fell out of alignment, wrong to her
core. A mannequin hammered together with mismatched
parts. She fought the urge to hurl a book at Rachel’s retreating
head. Retreating for the second time. Shame leaked from
her bones again. Drama queen. Liar. She wrestled with the

feeling and nearly convinced herself that Rachel was wrong.
Then she stood, staring vacantly at the other students
in the library. It was busier now. Some people talked low
in groups. A startling burst of laughter came from a few
shelves over. Greta turned to face the door, which swung
open and closed as bodies came and went. Out that door,
up a flight of stairs, her social studies class would begin ADVANCE READING COPY

any minute, Angus pretending not to notice her as she
slid into her seat. Or slut-shaming her for not choosing
him. Dodging that tiger in the hallways between classes.
Slouching with Nate behind the ficus tree. A target on her
back for being Ash’s sister.
She shifted to face the library window. Outside that
window, Ash. Elgin. Alice. A warm home bursting with green
leaves. Somewhere, her dad and Patty. The rest of the world.
People going to work. Cars. Buses. Planes. A big, big sky. All

of them teeming on an engorged anthill. She swayed in a
circle between the library door and the window.

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