These shoes had lasted her a year, and they’d last her another if they had to. She wasn’t going to add sneakers to her mom’s list of things needed.

Sophie jumped into the shower and stayed there under the hot water until she felt sure every other girl had gone. Then she whipped out her makeup bag, made herself presentable, and swept her wet hair up into a ballerina bun. She headed toward the auditorium, taking the long way. She didn’t want to bump into anybody.

What would all the parents say at the meeting? What would Principal Yu do? What could they do?

When Sophie opened the door to the stairwell, she felt relief at the low lighting and silence. If she’d spoken, her voice would have echoed.

And then Sophie did hear an echo, an airy but grating voice that bounced up the stairwell. And it was talking about her.

12

EVE

Text message, after school, unknown number, obviously Miranda Garland:

u didnt tell me the little hand necklaces are a jewish thing? i just googled it when someone said something (thanks for the rec btw lots of compliments on it today!) wow weird haha no but srsly I had no idea u were jewish cuz your soooo pretty. wanna go to the mall w me and bree this wknd? itll be fun ill text u

Text message, after school, another unknown number:

i gotta be honest youd be a lot cuter if you plucked your eyebrows. ur kinda hairy.

Text message, another unknown number:

how many ppl have u kissed??????

13

SOPHIE

“She’s always been that kind of pretty that’s only pretty because she does everything right, you know?” Hayley Salem rasped.

“Totally,” Liv answered.

“She knows how to ‘look’ pretty,” Hayley said. “Not be pretty. I mean, have you ever seen her without makeup?”

“No. Have you?”

“No.”

“And actually,” another voice said. Amina. Who, all the way back in sixth grade, had sat by Sophie in homeroom, painfully shy but sweet and stunning, and who Sophie had seen potential in. “Eve Hoffman is beautiful in the way Sophie’s not. Like, that natural way. Like, in those pictures of celebrities without makeup, some look disgusting and some look even better? Eve’s the even better.”

“And Sophie’s the disgusting,” Hayley giggled.

“No, no,” Amina defended her. “She’s cute and you know it. She’s just … overrated, I guess? In the school?”

“Agreed,” Liv concurred.

“Agreed,” Hayley parroted.

“And you know who’s also pretty? Rose. I know she’s kind of annoying, but she looks like a mermaid or something,” Liv said.

“Oh my gosh, she totally does! Or, wait, is it just the flowy-red-hair thing?” Hayley continued as they opened the door to the first floor.

Sophie held her breath at the top of the staircase. She waited until the door on the first floor had shut behind them, and she used her runner’s legs to speed down into the emptiest, darkest room in school she could find. And there she hid, like a mouse in the wall.