Free With Malice by Eileen Cook Page B

someone who is reasonably attractive and popular to be shy, so I got labeled a bitch. Simone was the one who could talk to anyone and in five minutes convince them she was their best friend.
    â€œIs that possible?”
    I shrugged. “We fought sometimes, but it was never anything—” My brain stuttered to a stop. “Big.”
    â€œWhat’s the last thing you remember fighting about?”
    â€œSimone was mad at me because I was considering going to Michigan State.” I could tell she was confused. “I also got into Yale, which was my top choice. My dad went there.” I wasn’t sure why I felt like I had to add that, but I did it every time where I was going to college came up. “How could people think I could kill Simone when I was thinking about giving up going to the Ivy League just so we could still be near each other?”
    â€œBut Simone didn’t want you to do that?” Dr. Weeks’s tiny mouth pursed tighter, almost disappearing into her face.
    I sighed. “No. She said even thinking about it was stupid. That if I wanted to go to law school, I needed to go to the best. It wasn’t that I didn’t know Yale’s a better school, but we’ve been best friends since forever. The idea of her not being in my life seemed wrong.”
    â€œYou could have stayed friends, even if you went to different schools.”
    I fought the urge to roll my eyes. This was exactly what my mom kept saying. “Sure, but it wouldn’t be the same. I wouldn’t be around. Simone would make new friends, people she could hang out with.”
    â€œAnd you would have made new friends too,” Dr. Weeks pointed out.
    â€œYeah.” I knew she was right. It wasn’t like I thought I was going to be some loser who only had meaningful conversations with my stuffed animals. Even with me being shy, I would find someone. It was just hard to imagine I’d ever find a friend like Simone. She was special. She
had been
special. “Some guy named Brad told a reporter he thought we were fighting over a guy, but that wouldn’t happen.”
    â€œWhy not?”
    â€œI’m not really interested in guys.” I looked up quickly. “I don’t mean I’m interested in girls, just that I’m not the kind to have huge crushes. I’m more focused on school.”
    â€œBut Simone did?” Dr. Weeks played absently with one of the puzzle blocks in her hand.
    â€œSort of. Simone liked the game. Getting someone to be crazy for her. In ninth grade there was this exchange student from Germany, Mathias. He was really shy. I swear he looked like he would explode if anyone spoke to him. Simone didn’t even like him, but Tara bet her that she couldn’t get him to ask her out, so she went after him until he did. She liked the challenge. She hooked up with him once and told everyone he was a terrible kisser. Maybe it was having a front row to my parents’ marriage, but I’m not a huge fan of the happy-ever-after concept,” I admitted.
    â€œThese articles and their accusations really upset you.”
    Duh.
“Did you see any of the comments?”
    â€œPeople often lose their inhibitions online. They say and do things they would never do if they were face-to-face.”
    I gave a cynical laugh. “Trust me, I’m very familiar with Internet trolls. I used to have a website.” A sick sensation rolled through my stomach, as it did every time I thought about it. When people asked me about the blog, I always shrugged like it was no big deal, but it still ate away at me. “I’m into a bunch of social justice issues. I plan to go into law. I used to write a blog about that stuff, feminism and things from a teen perspective. Trying to get other people my age interested. It started so I’d have a project to put on my college apps, but it was more than that.” I glanced over to see if I could tell what she was