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.”

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