Nana gives me a ride to school the next morning because I accidentally miss the bus. I consider accidentally falling out of the car, but that would probably hurt. When I get to school, I practically run inside. I don’t want to see Windy. I don’t want to talk to her. I don’t want to pretend that we are friends. Or that we were ever friends.
I throw my coat and my lunch in my locker and go right to room 213. The door’s closed. I’m in such a hurry I open it without using a Clorox wipe. However, I do cover my hand with my sleeve. Once in my seat, I start working on the homework that’s listed on the whiteboard. I keep my head down and let my hair hide my face. I wish the lightning strike had given me the superpower of invisibility. Sometimes, disappearing is the best solution.
“Lucy!” Windy shrieks when she walks in. “You’re back.” She makes it sound like I’ve been gone for weeks.
I don’t look up from the math problems.
“You didn’t text me back.”
I shrug.
“You didn’t have fun at my birthday party,” she says. “Did you?”
Levi groans and slams down his books in the seat next to me. “God! If I have to hear any more about that stupid birthday party…”
“Don’t be jealous.”
“I’m not,” he says. “Not at all. It’s actually the number 1 thing I’m thankful for, that I did not have to live through your party.”
Windy ignores him. “Lucy, do you want to come over after school?”
“No,” I say.
The 1st bell rings, and Windy finally makes her way to her seat. She doesn’t say hi to Maddie, and Maddie doesn’t even look at Windy.
Mr. Stoker starts class with a review of the homework. He asks for someone to give the answer to the 2nd question, and Maddie raises her hand.
“I don’t have the answer,” she says. “I just want to say that Lucy Callahan should not be in this class. It’s not fair to the rest of us. She has already taken this class. She’s taken high school classes. Why is she here?”
“That’s not appropriate,” Mr. Stoker warns. “Keep those opinions to yourself.”
Maddie makes pouty duck lips and rolls her eyes, basically sharing her opinion without talking. And for the 1st time, I realize that I don’t care what she thinks.
“Well, I agree with Maddie,” Jennifer says. “It’s not fair.” She smiles at Maddie, who nods.
“This is a class for 7th graders. You all belong here.” Mr. Stoker speaks slowly in his deepest voice.
“I’m uncomfortable working in front of her,” Maddie calls out.
“You’ll have to get over that,” Mr. Stoker says. He taps the marker against his palm.
“She messes up the class curve.”
“I don’t grade on a curve.”
“She makes fun of me for not understanding this ‘baby class’ math,” Maddie continues. “She makes fun of all of us.”
I do not. I’ve never said anything.
“Leave her alone,” Windy says. “She doesn’t make fun of you.”
“Excuse me! If anyone interrupts me again,” Mr. Stoker snaps, “we will be having this conversation after school. Thank you.” He turns back to the homework problem, and the class is finally quiet.
I ignore the lesson and Mr. Stoker. Maddie has successfully ruined my favorite class. Instead, I doodle in my notebook. I write the word freak and trace an outline around it over and over until I hit the edge of the paper. For someone who is supposed to be smart, I can’t figure out how to get Pi adopted, and I can’t figure out Windy. Why did she tell my secret to someone who is always mean to her? She chose Maddie over me. Maddie.
I put my arms across my desk and lay my head down. I’m useless.
Then I hear Maddie say my name with her usual disgust.
I look up.
“Enough, Madison,” Mr. Stoker says. “I’ve warned you. You’re staying after school to discuss this.”
But Maddie keeps talking. “I find it very insulting when Lucy acts like this class is beneath her. She doesn’t belong here.”
“Shut up, Maddie,” Levi says.
“Levi. None of that.” Mr. Stoker points at him like he’s accusing someone in court.
“Just stop,” Windy says. “Please.”
“I will not stop.” Maddie sits up straighter. “She thinks she’s better than us. I can’t believe—”
“What do you want from me?” I shout. And the entire class freezes. Even Windy and Levi. Even Mr. Stoker. “I’m good at math. But what does that matter?” I point toward the whiteboard, at the problems that Mr. Stoker was in the middle of explaining. “Number 7, x equals 11. Number 8, x equals -1. Number 9, x equals 5.” I give all the answers.
Mr. Stoker doesn’t look surprised. “Lucy, you don’t have to—”
“Yes, I do.” I shove my chair back and get up. In 3 steps, I’m standing in front of Maddie. She shrinks into her chair. I’ve never scared anyone in my life. Not until now.
“What’s your phone number?”
She tilts her head like Pi does. But it’s not cute on her.
“What is your phone number?” I scream.
“555-993-9225.”
“The sum is 54. The product is 5,467,500. The square root of 5,559,939,225 is 74,565.”
I look around the room. Now Mr. Stoker does look surprised, like most of the class. Maybe even horrified. Only Levi smiles.
“I’m good at math. I’m great with numbers. But I don’t know why this bothers you, Maddie. That is something I can’t figure out.”
She scowls.
“You try to put me down and make me feel bad. But there’s nothing you can do that feels worse than having a sick dog and having a friend who…having someone you thought you could trust turn on you. Losing that person is what stinks.” My nose starts running. I take a gulp of air like I’m drowning. “You don’t matter to me.”
Maddie stares at me. Her eyes fill with tears.
“You don’t matter to me,” I say again. Then I point to Levi. “He matters.” Then Windy. “She matters. Or she used to. Until…”
Windy blinks hard, but I turn back to Maddie.
“You are nothing to me. You’re just nothing. A big fat 0.” I swallow hard and take a breath. “So stop trying so hard to ruin my life.”
I need to get out of here. Away from Mr. Stoker and Windy and even Levi, who doesn’t get it. Without taking any of my stuff, I run to the door. As it closes behind me, I think I hear someone call my name. I think it’s Windy.