Page 39 of Eye of the Beholder
How did I ever date her? She just seemed different when we were together. Until I really started paying attention to how she treated other people, I guess. She was always nice to me. But we weren’t together for long.
“I don’t know,” says Felicity, who’s nice enough that I hope Virginia doesn’t taint her. “I think she looks pretty.”
“She’s trying too hard,” Virginia says with a sniff. “Wet Willy is just trying to fit in. It’s pathetic. Clothes and hair can’t do anything about her being a loser. And hereyes.” Virginia pretends to shudder, smoothing her hair in a way that’s almost self-conscious.
I swallow my retort and turn to Marcus, who I sat next to on purpose today. I nudge him with my elbow and nod discreetly at Mina. “What do you think about Wet Willy?”
I offer up a prayer of repentance for calling her that.
“What?” he says, looking over at me, his mouth full of food.
“Mina.” I nod at her again. “What do you think of her?”
I watch Marcus as he locates Mina. I watch him look at her. And then I listen to him say something so horrible that I will not repeat it. I actually feel unclean just for hearing it.
I only barely stop my jaw from dropping. “What?”
“Oh, yeah,” he says with a leer on his face; apparently he thinks I was carrying on the conversation. “I always saw potential in her.” Then he starts shoveling food in his mouth again, and I look away. Hearing him say that about Mina makes me feel faintly ill. Imagining him saying something like that about Lydia makes me want to hit him.
“You’re disgusting, man,” I say.
Marcus’s eyes darken and narrow as he looks at me. “Shut up, ugly.”
I get up instead of answering. I don’t want to do or say anything stupid.
Our cafeteria is large, with white cinder-block walls and scuff-marked white-and-red floors. Even though I could use the huge trash can a few feet away from my table, I walk all the way to the other side of the cafeteria and use that one instead, throwing away my half-eaten lunch. Talking to Marcus has robbed me of my appetite. I’ll probably regret not finishing it later at football practice, but right now I don’t care.
I pass Lydia and Mina at their table, and I nod to them, but Mina’s not paying attention. She’s looking at my table instead—at Jack, who’s smiling at her.
Operation Jack looks to be going well, then. I feel a weird twinge in the pit of my stomach—maybe I should eat after all.
I keep walking, making my way to the water fountain just to have something to do, when my phone buzzes. It’s a text from Mina.
Am I allowed to be seen talking to you at school, oh popular one?it says.
I smile.I’m at the water fountain by the elevator.
By the time I’ve finished getting a drink, Mina shows up, looking nervous.
“So?” she says. “Are people saying anything? Or is everyone ignoring me?” Her voice sounds hopeful.
“Not ignoring you,” I say, my hands in my pockets. “Sorry.”
She crosses her arms and bites her lower lip. “What are they saying? Are they being mean?”
I hesitate. “I talked to Marcus.”
“Ew,” she says. “I don’t want to know. Anyone else?”
I shrug. “Just what you’d expect from other people. Virginia says you’re trying too hard—” I stop. “Do you really want to know this stuff?”
She sighs, running her fingers through her hair. “Probably not,” she says finally. “Sorry I asked.”
“Felicity thinks you look pretty,” I say with another shrug. “And what Marcus said was technically positive? I guess? Just…very crude.”
“Ew,” she says again.
I grin. “That about sums Marcus up.”
