Free The Rites and Wrongs of Janice Wills by Joanna Pearson

sense to me. The Hip-Hoppers had impromptu freestyle rap battles in the hallways during class changes. The Pretties and Beautiful Rich Girls switched to evening makeup after lunch-time. The Jocks and Jockettes gnashed their teeth and slapped one another more, ever battle-ready. Even the Bleakest Geeks shouted to one another their plans for weekend evenings of pizza and online gaming. Everyone spoke like his or her mouth had become a megaphone.
    ANTHROPOLOGIST’S NOTE:
In the American high school, one must look his or her best on Friday. This is when all plans of any importance are finalized.
    I met up with Margo in the hallway, and we picked our way through the stream of students to our final classes of the day.
    “So, we’re definitely going tonight, right?” Margo asked me, ducking out of the way of Nicole Petty, who was belting out a country power-ballad as she traipsed down the hall. I knew Margo was referring to Jimmy Denton’s party. My heart quickened a little at the thought. Before I could respond, though, we were interrupted.
    TR stood directly in front of us, blocking our path. She twirled a honey-colored strand of hair, blinking her large, teal blue eyes. She was a manga geek’s fantasy brought to life.
    “So are you going to Jimmy’s party tonight?” she asked. Was I hallucinating, or was she smiling sweetly at Margo? Had her tone once again moved from Mocking to somewhere between Sassy and Charmingly Coy? It almost seemed like she was trying to be nice — like she was trying to win Margo over.
    “Yeah, Janice and I were planning on it,” Margo answered.
    “Oh, cool!” TR brightened. “Well, I wanted to see if you needed a ride. There’s room for one more with Tabitha and Casey and me.”
    Margo hesitated. I watched her jaw twitch. A frown flickered over TR’s face.
    “Oh, yeah,” TR added. “And my older brother works at Michelangelo’s. He said he’d totally hook us up with a fancy meal beforehand, maybe even a little wine! Girls’ night out. I keep saying to Tabitha and Casey that I really want you to start hanging out with us.”
    Michelangelo’s was the most pretentious and delicious restaurant in Melva. I figured that “Michelangelo’s” was the only Italian name they could come up with since “Bella Roma” was already taken by a greasy pizza buffet. There were tiny, expensive, unpronounceable Italian dishes — a complete anomaly in Melva. And tiramisu for dessert. I loved tiramisu. I knew that Margo did too.
    “Wow,” Margo said, “that does sound good. Let me talk with Janice, though. See what our plans are. Maybe we could just meet y’all or something.”
    “Cool. Let me know.” And with that, TR turned in a shimmer of golden hair and good clothes, slipping down the hallway.
    Something in TR’s voice — a pleading quality, a desperation to make Margo like her — made me wonder if she were not lonely too. A bitchy, beautiful, “popular” girl who occasionally needed to win a pretty new friend for her collection? Just to reassure herself that she could make people like her when she set her mind to it?
    We picked up our pace, opening the side door leading out toward the vocational and arts buildings. I stole glances atMargo’s perfectly styled head. Was she seriously considering this invitation? Would she do that to me?
    “Ha. As if you’d go with them! Ha!” I said, forcing hilarity in my voice. Margo just looked at me.
    Maybe TR wasn’t looking for reassurance. Maybe she was just a Friend Fadder. Like ducklings to bread crumbs, Friend Fadders were drawn to who- or whatever was momentarily attracting the most attention.
    “Ha!” I said again. “Ha! Like you’d suddenly become all best-friendy with TR!”
    Picking at a loose thread, Margo shook her head as if this were the most improbable idea in the world.
    “Janice,” she said, “you’re my best friend. Just because TR is being nice all of a sudden …”
    “I know, I know,” I said, giving Margo a