“You and your sister are always super stylish and cool. I wanted to let you know that.”

“You’re weird.”

Liz had been walking, but now she ran back to the others.

Today sucked. It really, really sucked.

The teacher called for everyone to go in for afternoon classes before Liz made it back to the group. Kenzie joined the crowd that was re-entering the building.

Liz reached the others, and there was a pause.

Then laughs. There were a lot of things Kanzi couldn’t seem to figure out, like making friends, or how to deal with her mom, or even why saying something nice could lead to her being called weird, but she got this, at least. She could tell the difference between people laughing at her, instead of with her.

Her hand went up to her cheekbone, covering the rectangle of bandage there, and she ducked her head down, walking along the wall so nobody was walking to her left.

She’d gone the entire morning without any teachers noticing, but her behavior as she made her way into the classroom had Mrs. Johnson notice. Before she could duck into the classroom, a finger tapped her on the head a few times, before pointing.

She waited in the hall.

“Everyone settle down! I’ll be with you in a moment!” Mrs. Johnson ordered.

The door shut.

“Kanzi, honey,” Mrs. Johnson said. “What happened to your face?”

It was the fourth time she’d been asked. She tried to find the words, like the jokes she’d told the other kids. She tried to find the white lies she’d had to come up with when she’d had the bruises or when she’d been super tired and cranky, or when she’d had homework she hadn’t done despite being a super good student, because she hadn’t had the chance at home.

It didn’t even have to be a convincing lie. She could tell the teacher anything, even the bear story, and because the teachers didn’t care enough to press her, they had other kids to look after. They’d accept it and go on with their day. Then she could go on with her day, and things would keep on being normal.

Even the axe murderer story would work.

She could probably even make up an even sillier story. A silly animal, like an elephant. And a funny weapon, like a… lawn dart. She could tell Mrs. Johnson and laugh, and Mrs. Johnson would roll her eyes and take her back into class with a smile on her face.

All words failed Kanzi, and she broke into tears instead.

⊙