Free Trading Faces by Julia DeVillers

told you guys to blow me off?’ ”
    Oh, I understood. She’d seen Emma in the hall, and of course Emma hadn’t said hi because she didn’t know her.
    â€œThat wasn’t me before; that was my twin—,” I started to explain, but she was heading off to her next class.
    I grabbed my stuff for lunch. A bunch of people said hi to me. Everyone noticed Sydney, of course, and thanks to her, now people were noticing me. In my old school, everyone knew me. But they had known me and Emma—the twins. This school was so huge—not everyone even knew I had a twin!
    Oh! My twin! I’d forgotten to text Emma back. I pulled out my phone and started to, but another text came in—
    P! we r waiting at lunch 4 u!
    It was Sydney. I’d better hurry.
    I walked into the cafeteria, waving at a couple of people as I went by. Then I headed straight for our lunch table. I’d learned to pack lunch—never buy except on pizza-delivered-in day. And never bring in a thermos of soup, either. I’d had to deal with Sydney and Cashmere making fun of my slurping.
    â€œOh, good, you’re here,” Sydney said. “We’re planning when to go shopping.”
    â€œYay, shopping,” I said, sitting down. Just then my phone rang. It was Emma.
    â€œThat’s your ringtone, Payton?” Sydney said. “That song is so over.”
    â€œUm, yeah, I know,” I said. “I was planning to change it, but I’ve been so busy—”
    â€œI’ll download you something that’s more you,” Sydney said, taking my phone and hitting Off. Guess I wasn’t taking that call.
    â€œPayton, I love your headband,” Quinn said. “It looks really pretty with your hair.”
    â€œThanks,” I said, and smiled at her.
    â€œI just love that store,” Sydney said.
    â€œOh, me too,” I said knowingly. “Like when you walk in, it’s so . . . you know.”
    â€œExactly,” Sydney said. “Totally.”
    Whew. I had no clue where Ashlynn had gotten this headband.
    â€œSydney, I love your shoes,” I said. “So cute.”
    â€œI know, right?” Sydney said. “I’m thinking about getting them in silver, too, and—hey!”
    A balled-up napkin landed right in front of her.
    â€œYou guys!” Sydney turned around and gave a dirty look to the guys at the table behind us who threw it at her. “They are so immature. Those are the football players, Payton.”
    â€œBut so hot,” Cashmere sighed. “I mean, look at Ox’s muscles. We are so going to win the football game next week with him as quarterback.”
    â€œHe’s hot.” I nodded with everyone and looked at the guy with the biggest muscles; I assumed he was the guy you’d call Ox. He looked back at me, so I gave him a flirty smile. He frowned and turned his back to me.
    Ooookay. That was mildly embarrassing. I hadn’t really gotten the flirty-smile-to-the-guys thing down yet. I had gotten the smiling-and-nodding-with-the-girls thing down, though, and I contributed smiling and nodding to my table’s debate about what to wear the next day. Coordinating outfits with friends? So kewl.
    I unwrapped my turkey wrap and pulled out the lettuce before I ate it. Cashmere had been eating a salad the day before, and Sydney had made her laugh three times so we could all see the lettuce stuck in her teeth before she clued her in. I was taking no chances.
    â€œI need new shoes,” Sydney said. “Payton can help me pick them out. Doesn’t Payton have the best shoes?”
    â€œI guess,” Cashmere said. Then her eyes narrowed as she looked at me. “How come you always buy your shoes too big on you, though, Payton?”
    Uh. I didn’t really have an answer to that, since I’d never actually bought any of my shoes. Cashmere was looking at me expectantly. Er. Uh.
    My cell went off.
    â€œI gotta