White Teeth Teens

9. Girl Code

In school the next day, I avoid everyone. Even Ben, though he seems focused on the game this afternoon and not on drawing negative space. At lunch, I pick an empty table to eat at. Logan stares at me from across the room. The other students don't seem to notice.

Before I even bite into my sandwich, there's a tap on my shoulder and Ashley, the sophomore from PAWS is smiling at me.

"Are you eating alone?" she asks.

I look around my empty table to answer her question.

"Wanna sit with us?"

I grab my tray and follow her to a nearby table that's occupied by three other girls.

"Guys, this is Rory. She does PAWS with me," says Ashley.

"Hi!" they all say in unison.

Ashley points to the golden haired girl closest to us, "This is Casey. She's also a sophomore. And this is Val and Allison," she points to the short brunette with funky glasses and the taller, boney girl with green eyes. "They're juniors, like you."

"Thanks for letting me sit with you guys," I say, taking a seat beside Casey. "How do you all know each other?"

Allison says, "Val and I have been friends for awhile and then we meet Case and Ash in gym class last year."

"Hey guys," says a familiar voice passing by. The girls at my table nod at him. I turn to see that it's Ben walking by wearing a hoodie. His face brightens when he sees me and he stops short. "Rory! Didn't know you guys were all friends." He makes a circle with his finger. I press my lips together and shrug.

"Nice!" He motions to his lunch. "Well, see ya!"

"You know Ben?" Allison asks once Ben walks away. She scoops up her frizzy brown hair and ties it in a ponytail.

"He's a friend of my brother's."

"He's a cool dude," says Val. Her violet colored glasses make her blue eyes glisten when she speaks. "We should go to the game tomorrow."

"Yes!" Ashley exclaims. "You're going, right Rory?"

I shake my head. "I can't," I say, hoping they won't ask follow up questions. Ashley pouts but is quickly distracted by the sound of clunking boots behind me.

I turn around to see Kayla #1 standing there with her eyebrows lifted as if she's expecting me to say something. I lift my eyebrows right back.

"Um, Rory?" Kayla #1 scans the rest of my table, holding eye contact with Val for a few extra seconds before shooting her attention back at me. "Listen, Dean told me the truth about how he slept with your friend. Guess my cousin had it wrong, you know how rumors go." She places a hand on my shoulder for added effect and leans forward. "But you tried to seduce my boyfriend. Friends don't do that. We're not friends. Got it?"

I want to tell her we were never friends to begin with, but she's already strutting back to her table before I can even open my mouth. I turn to the girls, my cheeks hot. Ashley and Casey have their face scrunched in confusion but Allison and Val are shooting daggers into Kayla #1's back with their eyes.

"I'm sorry, I—" I start.

"You don't have to explain yourself," Val cuts me off. "She's pathetic and can go snort all the coke she wants off that scumbag's hairy back."

Allison snickers. I finish my lunch, feeling as though I've just made an enemy. But I can stomach it, because I've just made a few new friends.