Page 8 of Dirty Liars
Ms. Mason throws back her head and laughs. When she looks back, she has to wipe a tear from the corner of her eye.
“That’s a good one,” she says, patting me on the arm. She shakes her head and starts to waddle away. She returns in a minute with several full sets. She also brings a bill for me to sign—but it’s all been charged to an account with Sadie’s parent’s names on it.
Good thing too. The uniforms are worth more than everything I’ve ever owned.
I take one more look down at myself. A couple uniforms will only get me so far, but I can’t take the risk of charging too much to the account. It’s tempting to see what else this account can buy, but that’s a slippery slope.
I know that the Whites are filthy rich … but that doesn’t mean I should take advantage of them. I’ve always made a point not to steal from the people who are taking care of me … and in a way, that’s them now.
But there’s also some things that a girl can’t live without. I promise myself right here and now that I won’t use it again unless it’s an emergency.
This is the beginning of my new life; of a new me. No more stealing, no more bad choices. It’s all about my future and making a clean go of it. I want to be the best person I can be, which I certainly haven’t been up until now.
If I can make it through all of this without getting caught I might actually have a chance at a good future, and I want that more than anything. I cannot screw this up. It’s the most important thing I’ve ever done.
Ms. Mason hands me a few last forms to fill out. It’s easy to fake until I get to the phone number. I’m halfway through writing ‘867-5309’ when she stops me.
“No, no … real one please.” She hands me an eraser and stands over my shoulder, waiting for me to fill it out properly. I hesitate as long as I dare with the secretary staring me down before I finally jot down the only number I know. It’s the only true thing on the form. It pains me to list Ms. Martin as my emergency contact, but they’ll never call her. I’ll make sure.
She looks over the page and then smiles at me.
“Welcome to Hawthorne Academy. Here’s your schedule.”
She slides the paper across the desktop to me, but doesn’t take her hand off it when I try to pick it up. She meets my eyes with a suddenly more serious look on her face.
“Now, we’re glad to have you here, but it’s important for us to note that you will need to work hard to bring your grades up. This is the most prestigious school in the state of New York, and we have a proud reputation to uphold. We expect you to uphold that legacy and our high bar of expectations. Do you understand?” She eyes me like she expects only one answer.
I nod and flash her an eager smile. Man, how badwere Sadie’s grades?
She gives me a nod of approval. “Good. I’ll call your roommate to the office so she can show you around. She’ll be your guide as you’re learning your way around here.”
Ms. Mason picks up the phone and I look down at my schedule, expecting the worst. It’s not as bad as I thought. I’d be in most of the same classes at my old school. She’s behind me a year in French, and I’m going to absolutely kill it in remedial algebra … but otherwise, the schedule isn’t as bad as I expected. Except for one thing.
“Uh … Ms. Mason?” I ask, looking up at her as she hangs up the phone. “I wonder if there’s any way I could opt out of sailing for phys ed.”
Sadie might be a little sailor, but I’ve never so much as stepped foot in a boat in my life.
She frowns a little and reaches towards the phone again. “Last-minute changes are highly discouraged so we’ll need parental consent. But if you’re set on changing it …”
A flash flood of panic washes through me.
“No, no that’s okay. Don’t worry about it. Thanks.”
The corner of Ms. Mason’s mouth lifts into a half smile. I imagine she’s probably used to a bunch of spoiled brats insisting on getting what they want. I just want to stay out of the way.
For once, I feel like things are really beginning to work out for me. It’s strange and amazing. I might actually let myself get excited about this opportunity. I never let myself get excited about anything that seems too good to be true. The bottom always drops out and things go wrong, but I feel different here.
Even though it’s the very beginning, I feel like this time it might just actually work out, and I am going to do everything I can to make sure that happens.
I wait in awkward silence for a few minutes, trying to avoid any small talk with the secretary until the office door opens, and I look over my shoulder to see a girl just a little younger than me standing there. The first word that comes to my mind is mousey. She has long, straight, brown hair and big brown eyes. I know right away that she’s the quiet type.
She spots me too and tilts her head a little as if she’s figuring out a puzzle.
Ms. Mason looks up at her and waves her over to the counter between us. “Dana Rutherford, this is your new roommate, Sadie White. Sadie, this is Dana. She’s going to be your ambassador for the week, to show you around and get you settled in.”
She glances at my baggy, black, itchy dress, and I find myself wishing that I had already changed into my school uniform.
I stick out my hand to her.
