HOW TO DISAPPEAR

Chapter 2

I WAKE UP THE NEXT morning to a cheesy, two-thumbs-up grin on Jenna's Instagram, which I take as a personal pep talk. She tagged it #sayhi #beawesome #yougotthis. I click the little heart icon (first like!) and head to the kitchen for breakfast. Mom has left a plate of fresh croissants. It's Wednesday, her early morning workout day. My father doesn't leave for his office for another hour, so he shuffles out to join me. He pours us both a cup of coffee and sits next to me and we eat and drink in silence. He never forces me to chat, and doesn't even notice what I'm wearing. Today's brown hooded sweatshirt with the pocket in front does not inspire a mention of the marsupial exhibit at the zoo, like it did with mom the last time I wore it. If he thinks I resemble a kangaroo, he doesn't let on. I like Wednesdays. My father's calm stays with me on the bus and all the way to my locker. I'm feeling pretty good, having managed to avoid both Hallie and Adrian in the hall, but the bottom drops out of my stomach when I walk into world history. There's a substitute teacher, which means an attendance roll call. Add it to the Terror List. Even if it only requires me to bark out a single word, I can never decide whether it should be "here!" or "present!" I'm pondering that decision when I notice the guy seated next to me sort of leaning toward my desk. I'm pretty sure he's the one who knocked into Adrian yesterday, causing the whole drumstick incident. His name is Lipton Gregory. I've heard him explaining that it's a family name on his mother's side, not related to the tea company. But kids still call him "Tea Bag" sometimes.