and the freak knew it.
It was still raining out, so she had to get a ride with Claire and
her mother. Helen put a hand over her tummy, afraid of a cramp
before she even got out of the car. She had never really understood
why she got cramps; she just knew that sometimes when she did
something that made people stare at her she was seized with a
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crippling spasm in her stomach that was so intense it made her
stop whatever it was that she was doing.
?Relax,? Claire said as they opened their doors to get out. ?All you
have to do is make it through today and then you have the whole
weekend to . . .? she trailed off, thinking. ?Nope. Sorry, Len, I tried
to be optimistic, but this?ll still suck on Monday.? Claire started
laughing, and the sound cheered Helen up a bit?until they got inside
the school.
It was worse than she?d imagined. A group of underclassman
girls literally gasped and huddled up to gossip as soon as they saw
Helen come through the front doors. A senior boy with a leather
fetish leered at Helen and called her ?hellcat? just as he was
passing by. When she turned to stare back at him in astonishment
he mouthed the words ?call me? before continuing on.
?I don?t think I can do this,? Helen whispered. Claire put a hand
on her back and pushed her forward.
Every time someone?s eyes landed on her and widened with recognition
she got closer and closer to a panic attack. Was she going
to have to suffer through the rest of junior year like this? Helen
tried to melt into Claire?s shadow and realized that if it was cover
she was after, she was going to have to find some bigger friends.
?Quit stepping on the backs of my feet!? Claire complained. ?Why
don?t you just go hide out with Hergie while I get your stuff out of