OCTAVIAN COUNTRY DAY SCHOOL
NURSE ADELE'S OFFICE
8:42 AM
October 31st
Claire burst through the door of Nurse Adele's office. She turned to her whenever she needed a sympathetic ear at school.
“Claire, is someone after you?” Adele asked.
Claire wanted to laugh, but she was too distraught.
“You know how you told me to stand up to Massie?” Claire said. “Well, I did.”
“And?” Adele said.
“Let's just say she was taller,” Claire said.
“What happened?” Adele asked.
“It's nothing. Just a little confusion over a costume. I really just came to say hi and wish you a happy Halloween.” Claire knew she had started this fight with Massie by giving her phone number to the LBRs, but she was too ashamed to admit it to Adele.
Claire took a handful of candy corn from the glass dish on Adele's desk and dropped them into her mouth. The taste reminded her of her friends back home in Orlando, and she wondered what they would be dressing up as this year.
“I thought I'd find you here,” Layne said as she entered the office. “Are you okay? I could tell by the way you bolted out of the Café that things didn't go so well with Massie. Did you ask Adele if you could look through the rack of clothes in the lost and found? You know, maybe you can actually go as ‘lost 'n' found’ or something.”
“Do you still need a costume, Claire?” Adele asked. “Because you're more than welcome to take—”
“No, that's okay.” Claire didn't want Adele to think the only reason she came to visit was to look for clothes. “I still have the Powerpuff Girls costume I wore last year. I'll just be Blossom again.”
Claire hated the way Layne was looking at her. Tilted head, wide eyes, crossed arms, and a do-you-want-to-talk-about-the-pain look on her face. Claire knew her friend was only trying to help, but she needed to get her confidence back, and a good cry wasn't part of that process. A few minutes alone in her bedroom with a mirror and a few nobody-can-bring-me-down songs and she'd be better than ever. Now if only Layne would stop staring at her… .
The next girl to throw open the door was Amber Ryan. She was hunched over and holding her side as if she'd just crawled off the front lines of a battlefield.
“Nurse!” she cried. “Call 411.”
“Why? Do you need a local listing?” Layne asked.
Claire covered her mouth in a desperate attempt not to crack up.
“Amber, do you mind if I take a look?” Adele said.
Amber shook her head, then wiped her tears away with the back of her hand. She lifted the side of her sweater slowly, bracing the nurse for a hideous sight.
Claire and Layne leaned down to peek at the wound just when Adele did and they all bumped heads. Claire burst out laughing, which made Amber start to cry all over again.
“Shhh, it's okay,” Adele said. “It's only a scrape. A little disinfectant and you'll be just fine.”
Amber's sobs were reduced to light tears, which gradually became sniffles.
“What happened?” Adele asked.
“I tried to cut my sweater with scissors and I slipped,” Amber said, as if that was as common as dropping her books on the way to class. She must have noticed Nurse Adele's puzzled look, because she continued explaining without even being asked.
“Massie and her friends came to school today in these really amazing super-skimpy ripped tops and everyone's been trying to do the same thing to their clothes,” Amber said. “I feel like such an idiot.”
“For trying to follow them?” Layne said. “Well, you should.”
“NO, for cutting myself,” Amber said. “Shari, Mel, Trina, and Shannyn cut their shirts, no problem.”
Nurse Adele frowned.
“You mean other girls are doing this?”
“Everyone is,” Amber said. “You would too if you saw how good it looked.”
Claire could tell Adele was fuming because her nostrils were flared. She didn't even offer Amber a giant Hershey's Kiss from the Feel Better Closet when she was done. Instead she stormed out of her office.
“Where are you going?” Claire shouted after her.
“To speak to Principal Burns,” Adele called back. She marched down the hall toward the administrative offices. “This is a school. NOT a runway.”
“Looks like Massie's in for a pretty scary Halloween,” Layne said with a smile.
“I love this holiday.” Claire reached for one more handful of candy corn before heading off to her next class.