After school, Eve tossed all the clothes Sophie had picked for her into the back of her closet in a pile.
It was time to make a change. Not just for her friends, but for herself. For everybody. Just because something was normal didn’t mean it was okay.
Eve remembered Winston’s words at the Halloween dance as he’d put a mask over her eyes: Even if they stare, with this on they won’t be able to really see you.
Eve didn’t want to hide anymore. Not inside her brother’s big shirts. Not in the nurse’s office. But she also didn’t want to allow anyone to stare at her like her face and body were open for judgment.
When people looked her way, she’d give them something to think about. She’d be the one in charge. She’d send them all a message: Back. Off.
Hey, Eve texted Winston, whose number she’d grabbed from the Shieldmaidens chat, Thank you for earlier.
After a moment he responded, pls dont mention it.
How’d you get out of class? she asked.
Ha. Science class. All I’m doing is extra credit stuff, anyway. Not trying to brag. Just really easy for me. So Miss Melvin didn’t mind if I left.
She had something important to ask him, and she got right to it. Hey, so…, she wrote, do you still have that Green Hornet mask? Could I borrow it?