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CLOSING HER JOURNAL, Penny settles her books on the table in front of her, waiting for Kennedy to arrive. Resting her head on her arms, she sucks in a deep sob. She never should have gone to that stupid meet. She could have waited outside the library doors until it was over. Had she not seen Luke or his family, she might have had a peaceful night of studying.
Now my evening is all screwed up.
It was inevitable that Captain Donovan would be there. He obviously wasn’t happy to see her. Worse, the man had accused her of coming to watch Luke swim, hoping to see him afterward. Like she was a stalker waiting to seduce him or something stupid like that.
Does everyone think I’m Luke Donovan’s little shadow?
Captain Donovan had all but warned Penny to stay the hell away from his son, that Luke is too good for her. If the man knew that Luke seeks her out every day, and not vice versa, he’d probably flip.
Unfortunately, Captain Donovan’s little talk wasn’t the worst of it. After Christy cornered Penny and accused her of stalking Luke—not to mention outing her as a complete wallflower—Mrs. Donovan issued her own ultimatum. Either Penny makes an effort to join the school’s Homecoming festivities, or Mrs. Donovan will have to call Miranda. Again.
Rubbing the bruises on the back of her arm, Penny soughs. She can’t handle this. Everyone expects things from her, and it’s overwhelming. She couldn’t even give Luke a hug tonight or tell him what a fantastic job he did because his girlfriend is constantly looking over her shoulder, waiting to call Penny out for being Luke’s friend.
I have to play it cool. If not, I’ll never make it out of high school alive.
She arranges her pens at the side of her binder and sighs. “This blows.”
“What do you expect from the school’s resident whale?”
Pushing her journal aside, Penny jumps as Hannah plops down in the chair beside her. Penny shies away from her. “What do you want?”
Crossing her arms, Hannah snorts. “If it were up to me, I wouldn’t give you the time of day, Ramsay. But like you, I don’t have a choice.”
Penny frowns. Interesting. Did Hannah Sparks actually admit she’s being forced to bully Penny? “I just want everyone to leave me alone.”
Hannah dramatically flicks a piece of invisible lint from her cheer skirt. “No can do. I thought I told you to stay away from Donovan.”
Penny’s eyes widen. “I am! I haven’t called him. I haven’t ridden to school with him. I hardly talk to him!”
“Then why’d you go to his meet?”
Penny scowls. “I didn’t. Not on purpose. My lab partner told me she couldn’t meet until after swimming. The library was closed, so I went.”
“Not buyin’ it, Ramsay. Sounds like an excuse to me. And it doesn’t explain why the guy’s at your house every night.”
Great. Now everyone’s a stalker.
Clutching her journal, Penny bites out, “What am I supposed to do? I can’t help it if he comes over all the time. I’m not encouraging him. I’ve told him I don’t want his help, but he won’t listen.”
“Maybe you should try harder.” Hannah darts a glance at Penny’s journal. “What’s that?”
Penny’s heart thrums against her sternum like a drum corps solo. “Nothing. Just notes I’m keeping about colleges and stuff.”
Hannah’s eyebrow arches. “Sure, it is.” She pushes out of the chair. “You’d better be careful, Dotty. Chris isn’t a person you want to cross.”
“I told you—”
Slamming her fist on the table, Hannah sneers. “Then tell your friend you can’t tutor her anymore. Anyone that has anything to do with Donovan is off-limits to you. Period.”
Penny grunts. “That’s the whole school.”
A sinister grin spreads across Hannah’s face. “Yeah? So?” She seizes Penny’s phone sitting next to her books. “I’ll make it easy for you.”
Penny tries to grab her device, but Hannah is too quick and agile. Sending a message, she throws Penny’s phone across the table. “Done. Now you don’t have any friends.” Leaning forward, she whispers, “You don’t deserve them.”
As Hannah flounces away, her cheer skirt flaring high, Penny looks at the message. Tears stream down her cheeks. “Sorry, Harper, but I can’t stay after and wait for some dumb swim meet to finish. I’ll C U in class.”
The answer is almost instantaneous.
Kennedy—Whatever, Ramsay. Screw off.
*****
This is the private journal of Penny Elaine Ramsay. Do not read!!
OCTOBER 16, 2007
Now it’s getting real. I’m so tired of this crap with Donovan. His little posse—and his parents—have made it clear that I’m just a flea that no host dog will ever want. I’ve spent the last two months trying to stay out of their way.
But for some reason, the dogs keep seeking me out.
I tried to talk to my mother about homeschooling again. First, she asked why. I told her the mean girls won’t leave me alone. That it’s gotten worse since grade school. Of course, she went into lecture #563 about how I’m the problem, that if I lost weight and cared more about my appearance, I’d actually have friends.
Believe it or not, that doesn’t hurt as much as it used to.
But her answer was no because she doesn’t want me hanging around the house all day. I told her I could go to the library, but she still said no. She doesn’t have time to drive me around.
So basically, I’m not worth her time or effort, and she doesn’t care that these girls have ramped up their bullying to new levels. Worse, Principal Donovan has made me her pet project, forcing me to interact with my bullies daily.
I should make it easy on all of them and off myself, just like Barron Killian suggested a year ago.
Then maybe I’ll be free.