Free Evil Returns by Caroline B. Cooney

hasn’t really been in town that long,” said Victoria. “I mean, it hasn’t been easy for Devnee, Mrs. Cort, getting into the rhythm of things.”
    “It’s all right, Devnee,” said the teacher understandingly. “These things happen.”
    The class divided, into those who thought it very fair that a beautiful girl should be allowed an extra day, and those who thought it very cruel that rules were bent for beauty.
    They will never bend the rules for Aryssa again, thought Devnee suddenly. Aryssa will have to get her papers in on time and pass her tests and do her lab sheets. Nobody will make excuses for her and nobody will forgive her.
    She felt afraid for Aryssa. How would Aryssa stand up to it—she who had always been protected by her looks?
    Devnee’s heart hardened. Her arteries and veins changed, too, becoming metallic and sterile.
    She remembered Aryssa that day. Telling Trey she’d been nice only to get a lab partner to do the scut work for her. Telling Trey the trouble with being nice was that people expected you to go on being nice, even when you were bored to death with it and them. She remembered Trey and Aryssa laughing.
    The hardness in her did not quite feel human, it was so steely.
    But then, I’m not quite human, she thought. I’m a makeover from a vampire.
    The room whirled and spun, as if gravity were letting go of her, as her shadow had let go of her. She would go into some sick horrible orbit occupied by vampires and dark paths, she would—
    How silly, she said to herself. Silly, silly dreams. I’m beautiful because I’m growing up at last. Blossoming. New shampoo. Vampires, indeed. What nonsense.
    She tossed her hair and felt the beautiful thick curls of it settle on her lovely slim shoulders, felt the eyes of her class turning toward her. She gripped the desk to steady herself, and returned the steady gazes of her classmates. They were surveying her. Admiring. Enjoying. Feasting their eyes on her beauty.
    Feasting, thought Devnee, and she gagged.
    How did it happen? What did he do, exactly? Is Aryssa all right?
    How much red there suddenly seemed to be in the room. Red fingernails, red jewelry, red skirts, and somewhere, red blood.
    I want to be beautiful, but I don’t want—
    Well, it probably wasn’t really like that. He probably didn’t really —
    English ended.
    Her silly twisted daydream and dark fantasies ended.
    Victoria and William smiled at her. She basked in it. She had never had a day in which the world came to her rescue and smiled back. Never a day in which there was such pleasure just to be alive.
    She stood up gracefully, smoothing her pretty skirt, readying herself to join them.
    Victoria and William leaned against each other, laughed together, wrapped arms around each other, and headed in tandem for their next class. She had not seen them as a pair, was certainly not expecting the jolt of jealousy that ran through her.
    She gritted her teeth but stopped that immediately, knowing it could not be a beautiful expression. She whirled to find Trey. Trey would be alone now that there was no Aryssa here.
    But Trey had caught up to Victoria and William. He bounced alongside them, a jock puppy tagging along.
    Devnee never forced herself on people, but she knew her beauty did no good unless people were looking at it. She rushed after them, speeding past, and then slowing herself, lingering like the end of a dance. And sure enough, their haste ended, the twosome softened, self-interest dwindled. They feasted their eyes on Devnee.
    “What’s everybody doing after school?” said William.
    “Guess I’d better check on Aryssa,” said Trey, running up the wall to leave his shoe prints.
    “Is she sick, do you think?” said Victoria worriedly.
    Trey admired his shoe prints. “Nah. She had an English paper, too, you know. She’s always sick the day a paper is due.” Trey laughed. William and Victoria laughed.
    They still think Aryssa is beautiful, thought Devnee, so they still