Free Revenge of the Girl With the Great Personality by Elizabeth Eulberg Page B

a smile as she leaves hand in hand with Logan.
    “Well, well …” Benny reappears with a mischievous smirk on his face. “Is it me, or did you make Logan speechless?”
    I hook my arm around Benny’s as we head to class, and a surge of confidence overcomes me.
    “You know, Benny, I think this is going to be a very good week.”

    Now I know what it must feel like to be an animal in a zoo. All day people have been studying me in my artificially natural habitat.
    I can feel Brooke’s eyes burning into the back of my head during trig. I’m trying to write down an equation on the board, but feel like I need to look glamorous doing it. I think back to another pageant tip Mom always gives Mac: You’re always being judged . I don’t know why, but I find myself puckering my lips a bit. What scares me the most is that it’s almost an automatic reflex.
    The bell rings and I decide not to get up right away, but to wait to see if she’ll say something.
    She stops in front of me and gives me a little scowl. “Special occasion?”
    “Excuse me?” I tilt my head and open my eyes wide to display innocence.
    “Why are you dressed … up?”
    “Just thought I’d try something different.” And then to get a sarcastic remark from her, I do a little twirl. “Do you like it?”
    She shrugs. “Better than you usually look.”
    And that, ladies and gentlemen, is probably the best compliment you could hope to receive from Brooke Hanley.
    I try to wipe the smile off my face as I walk down the hallway. I see Grant up ahead staring at my legs. I resist the urge to look down and make sure I haven’t gotten any dirt on them, although I’m not sure how that would’ve happened.
    By the time Grant’s gaze gets up to my face, it’s clear there’s a bit of confusion as he’s trying to place me. He obviously knows who I am, but he isn’t sure how. He hits Josh’s shoulder to get his attention and pointsat me. Like, totally pointing at me in the middle of the hallway. Does he not think that I can see him? Does he want me to see him?
    I do my best not to stare as Josh and Grant exchange a few words.
    Gee, wonder who they’re talking about?
    Grant’s eyes get wide as the realization that the girl he was disgusted to even consider going to Homecoming with is the same person whose legs he was just checking out.
    I slow my pace slightly as I walk by. I decide to throw him a quick glance over my shoulder, like the ones I’ve seen flirty girls do on TV. Of course, those girls have extras around them who watch where they’re going. I’m not as fortunate and run into someone and nearly fall over in these deathly high heels. I’m sure some people wouldn’t consider three-inch heels deathly, but they might as well be ten feet high with my coordination skills.
    I steady myself and walk to my next class. Being careful not to let my legs (or imagination) get ahead of me.

    My day of feeling overly paranoid increases as Benny and Cam stop what appears to be a heated conversation as soon I sit down for lunch. My stomach has been in constant knots all day. As soon as I get comfortable in class, the bell rings and I have to go back to parading in the hallway.
    “What?” I skip pleasantries and get down to business.
    Benny shakes his head a little too forcefully. “Nothing. Just talking about English homework.”
    “It’s so obvious when you lie.”
    He throws his apple down. “Nothing. It’s just that I overhead some stuff.”
    “About me?”
    They both stay silent.
    “Come on, Benny, you’re responsible for all of this.” It’s clear they’re trying to protect me from something, and I want to know what’s going on. I figure guilt will work. “You know, it’s really great that you’re talking to Chris. I don’t really see why it’s still required for me to be completely humiliated.” What’s weird is that I haven’t really been humiliated today. There’s been lots of talk, but nothing bad, that I’m aware of .
    Cam gives