BooksBarbecue
Back How to Disappear Completely Save as PDF
Chapters (58)
  1. Cover
  2. Dedication
  3. Epigraph
  4. 1
  5. 2
  6. 3
  7. 4
  8. 5
  9. 6
  10. 7
  11. 8
  12. 9
  13. 10
  14. 11
  15. 12
  16. 13
  17. 14
  18. 15
  19. 16
  20. 17
  21. 18
  22. 19
  23. 20
  24. 21
  25. 22
  26. 23
  27. 24
  28. 25
  29. 26
  30. 27
  31. 28
  32. 29
  33. 30
  34. 31
  35. 32
  36. 33
  37. 34
  38. 35
  39. 36
  40. 37
  41. 38
  42. 39
  43. 40
  44. 41
  45. 42
  46. 43
  47. 44
  48. 45
  49. 46
  50. 47
  51. 48
  52. 49
  53. 50
  54. 51
  55. Acknowledgments
  56. About the Author
  57. Back Ad
  58. About the Publisher

“It’s not so terrible,” Fina protests. “I mean, I’m sure it’s really hard getting used to it, but I think it’s kind of cool. Most people just get to be one color, but you get to be two!”

I shoot her a watery smile. Leave it to Fina to think that being one color is boring.

“So it’s not contagious?” Ruby asks.

“Right,” I say.

“Then how’d you get it?”

I shrug. “I don’t know. It just happens to some people. That’s the way autoimmune diseases are.”

I see Ruby shiver a little, and I’m pretty sure she’s worrying about what it would be like if she got it. Which is kind of annoying, actually.

“Don’t worry,” I say to her. “Only like one in a hundred people get it.”

That was something else Dr. Howard told me at our appointment.

“One in a hundred?” Fina echoes, handing me a paper towel to blow my nose on. “I know way more than a hundred people. How come I’ve never heard of it?”

I shrug again. “Maybe because some people get it when they’re older? And not everyone gets it on their face, so some people can cover it up with clothes and stuff. Or they wear makeup.”

“Oooh,” breathes Fina. “Your bangs. Is that because—”

I lift up my bangs so they can see underneath.

Fina’s expression doesn’t change at all. She just looks at my forehead and nods. “And your appointments?”

“Light treatments,” I say. “I stand in this box that fills up with a certain kind of light that’s supposed to help me get color back in my spots.”

“Whoa. Cool,” Fina says, looking genuinely impressed.

“Is it working?” Ruby asks.

“I’m not sure. It takes a while to know.”

“Emma,” Fina says, “this must be really tough for you, but Ruby and I are here for you no matter what. We don’t care what color—or colors—you are. And I will personally kick the sorry butt of anyone who does.”

She pulls me and Ruby into a group hug, embracing us tightly.

“Thanks,” I reply. “That makes me feel a little bit better.”

And I’m not lying, either.

image 21 image

My friends are really good about keeping me busy after school for the next few weeks. Fina invites me and Ruby over a bunch, and Ms. Ramirez takes us to the bakery in town for cake, or if she’s busy, Mr. Ramirez takes us to the movies or bowling.

Fina and Ruby are also really good about not talking about my vitiligo. I mean, I know they would if I wanted, but right now, I kind of want to talk about anything else. Especially since I’ve started thinking about it all the time when I’m at school.