“ Alice. Alice!”

She looked up and saw Mrs. Meriweather’s hand held out.

“Didn’t you hear me? Time to turn in your test.”

“But I-”

“No excuses. You’ve got to start listening, Alice.” Mrs. Meriweather snatched up Alice ’s exam and moved on down the aisle. Though Alice could barely hear their murmurs, she knew the girls right behind her were gossiping about her. She turned and saw their heads bent together, their hands shielding their mouths, muffling giggles. Alice can read lips, so don’t let her see we’re talking about her.

Now some of the boys were laughing, too, pointing at her. What was so funny?

Alice glanced down. To her horror she saw that the top button had fallen off her blouse, which was now gaping open.

The school bell rang, announcing dismissal.

Alice snatched up her book bag and hugged it to her chest as she fled the classroom. She didn’t dare look anyone in the eye, just kept walking, head down, tears building in her throat. She dashed into the restroom and locked herself in a stall. As other girls came in and stood laughing, primping in front of the mirrors, Alice hid behind the latched door. She could smell all their different perfumes, could feel the whoosh of air each time the door swung open. Those golden girls, with their brand-new sweater sets. They never lost buttons; they never came to school wearing hand-me-down skirts and shoes with cardboard soles.

Go away. Everyone please just go away.

The door finally stopped whooshing open.

Pressed up against the stall door, Alice strained to hear if anyone was still in the room. Peeking out through the crack, she saw no one standing in front of the mirror. Only then did she creep out of the bathroom.

The hallway was deserted as well, everyone gone for the day. There was no one to torment her. She walked, shoulders hunched self-protectively, down the long corridor with its battered lockers and wall posters announcing the Halloween dance in two weeks.