Chapter 42

Maggie

When Maggie sees the girls at their lockers on Thursday morning, she behaves as she normally does, and is met with silence. They talk to each other as if she isn’t there. And while they don’t mention last night’s text-versation, Maggie knows it is why they are ignoring her. Imagining the things that were said behind her back gives her a stomachache. Three has never been a good number—too many sharp corners, and now Maggie is the odd one out.

She grits her teeth all morning, but by lunch can’t take it anymore. She considers calling her mom to ask if she can go home, but then she won’t be allowed to go to Brayside. So she seeks refuge in the school library, sneaking bites of her sandwich at the computer station. At locker breaks, she times her steps carefully and manages to continue evading the girls.

On a whim, she checks the website for the shelter where Austin took the puppy. There are lots of adoptable dogs, mostly large ones. The puppy isn’t listed. Is it because it’s still too young, or, and Maggie hates to think this, did it not survive? The puppy had the odds stacked against it. Maybe that was why Harvey was so protective? He knew it didn’t have long to live?

At the end of the day, Maggie grabs her backpack and leaves, anxious to get to Brayside. At least there, she always feels welcome.