YOU BELONG WITH ME , Ben Plunkett

mandy's plan

My mom had driven me to school, and I immediately ran over to Ben's car, where Mandy lay in the front seat in fetal position.

"Mandy, honey—it's just the waitlist," I told her. "You didn't get rejected,"

"Thank you," Ben said, agreeing with me.

"It's over. Harvard, Dr. Downs, saving the world, my life. It's all over," Mandy said, dramatically. I frowned.

"Stop." Ben said. "It's like Jasmine said. You've been waitlisted, okay? You haven't been rejected," he told her, handing me the phone to look at.

"It's the same thing," she said. "Harvard was supposed to be the place. My place. And they don't want me either."

We were silent for a moment, until I furrowed my eyebrows, about to hype up my girl—but Ben stole my thunder. "What am I looking at?" he asked. "Who is this sad, little person? This is not the Mandy I know. The Mandy I know would get up, and march into school in her 'Future is Female' t-shirt, and she would figure out a way to get into Harvard!"

"Yeah!" I added. "I mean, I couldn't have said it better if I tried, so.."

"I'll let you say the rest, Jaz," Ben told me.

"So...be that Mandy!" I suggested.

"Yeah!" he agreed.

Mandy reached out and patted Ben on his
cheek. She squeezed my hand out the window. "Thank you," she said.

  Mandy got out of the car, and I grinned at Ben when he did too.

"You are a really great friend, you know that?" I told him.

"Eh, I try," he shrugged. "You're not too shabby yourself,"

"All in a days work," I said, linking my arm with his.

*

"Hold on. So Ms. Chen told you to become BFFs with Graham Lansing so you can ask his senator father for a letter of recommendation?" Ben asked Mandy,
confused.

"Uh, not in so many words," she said.

"Mandy, you know I know Graham's dad, right?" I asked my friend as she, Ben and I walked through the hall.

"Yes! Exactly. This is where you come in," she said. I hesitated. "What's with the pushback, you guys? I thought you wanted a banal, party-filled high school experience. Hanging out with Graham Lansing can give you that,"

Ben rolled his eyes. "Yeah, I also said I want arm muscles, but have you seen me sign up for a gym,"

I chuckled, but then got serious. "This is manipulation, Mandy,"

"Yeah. It's unethical. Are you really willing to compromise your values for some letter of rec?" Ben asked.

"Okay, this is not some letter of rec! This is my life's ambition," Mandy told us.

"My life's ambition is just making it through the day without totally embarrassing myself," I said, as we walked down the stairs.

Mandy shook her head. "There is a long history of men taking advantage of women for things far less important than Harvard." she said.

"I don't know, Mandy," Ben hesitated.

"Me either," I shrugged. "Look, Mandy, I know that Harvard is your dream, but it's just not—"

Ben cut me off, as he looked down the steps, at LaToya Reynolds being carried around. She squealed.

"Put me down!"