n。

My　fourth　hour　class　got　out　late；　and　the　lunch　table　I　always　sat　at　was

full　by　the　time　I　arrived。　Mike

was　there；　Jessica　and　Angela；　Conner；　Tyler；　Eric　and　Lauren。　Katie　Marshall；

the　redheaded　junior

who　lived　around　the　corner　from　me；　was　sitting　with　Eric；　and　Austin　Marks—

older　brother　to　the　boy

with　the　motorcycles—was　next　to　her。　I　wondered　how　long　they'd　been　sitting

here；　unable　to

remember　if　this　was　the　first　day　or　something　that　was　a　regular　habit。

I　was　beginning　to　get　annoyed　with　myself。　I　might　as　well　have　been　packed

in　Styrofoam　peanuts

through　the　last　semester。

No　one　looked　up　when　I　sat　down　next　to　Mike；　even　though　the　chair　squealed

stridently　against　the

linoleum　as　I　dragged　it　back。

I　tried　to　catch　up　with　the　conversation。

Mike　and　Conner　were　talking　sports；　so　I　gave　up　on　that　one　at　once。

〃Where's　Ben　today？〃　Lauren　was　asking　Angela。　I　perked　up；　interested。　I

wondered　if　that　meant

Angela　and　Ben　were　still　together。

I　barely　recognized　Lauren。　She'd　cut　off　all　her　blond；　corn…silk　hair—now

she　had　a　pixie　cut　so　short

that　the　back　was　shaved　like　a　boy。　What　an　odd　thing　for　her　to　do。　I　wished

I　knew　the　reason　behind

it。　Did　she　get　gum　stuck　in　it？　Did　she　sell　it？　Had　all　the　people　she　was

habitually　nasty　to　caught　her

behind　the　gym　and　scalped　her？　I　decided　it　wasn't　fair　for　me　to　judge　her

now　by　my　former　opinion。

For　all　I　knew；　she'd　turned　into　a　ni