There was more laughter.
My face turned white before it turned scarlet. I
glanced back at Chandler. He was looking my way
now, an expression of concern and disgust on his face. "Come on," Susie said in a mock-friendly tone
of voice. "tell us about it. You can trust us. We're all
your friends."
"Some friends," I said. I glared at Karen. "Are
you satisfied? Think they like you any more than they
did before school started today?"
I rose, picked up my fray, and left the table,
their laughter roaring like a waterfall behind me. I sat
out the remainder of my lunch hour in a stall in the
girls' room. Two of the girls who had been at the table
came in. and I heard them talking and laughing about
me and Chandler. What interested me was their
conclusion that he and I were made for each other.
Somehow, because I was unable to participate in
after-school activities and did so little with them and
the others, they interpreted it to mean I was just as
snobby.
As I was entering Spanish class. Chandler
caught up with me.
"Don't take the school bus home," he said. "I'll
take you. Just wait at your locker."
He spoke quickly, like someone giving very
secret information about an impending rebellion, and
then took his seat and ignored me the rest of the
period. Every once in a while. I saw some of my
classmates looking my way, whispering and then
laughing to themselves.