Too Big to Fit.

dn

Walker had ne

tle. Not now, as y

nd in class even when she knew an answer, who never looked anyone in the

st me. No one ever k

itch seats in class, or when the principal needed my a

ble to the e

n, and puberty grabbed the

ke up and suddenly I needed bigger cloth

for me. Every cloth I wore felt like I

arrying something I hadn't signed up for. And I co

one s

y, girls giggled and

ed pictures of me in a bikini, I prayed I'd wake up one da

iny evening when my dad was fo

d to

e. Maybe moving in with my wealthy mother and my ha

from that trashy school where the kids dre

High with Brooklyn, and she excitedly pulled me to

lyn yelled in her c

oy tu

Sydney, m

est f

up as our eyes met. And for a reckless second, I

to me, skillfully spinning a basketball on his fin

ved over me slowly. He snickered.

d been holding it in. Each one of their voices b

stood there in my green hoodie that suddenly

Brooklyn's hand and

aring at him. "Cut it out, Tyle

ll smiling. "I'm just ap

eciation" had

ike Lakevi

rning while trying to subtly push me into

ul. You look li

nothing like me-sa

at school agr

t across her thighs, she didn't have to hide behind hood

arefully, or she'd have to live with

girl tried to compete with-wealthy mother, perfectly

verything

school reminde

Tyler. Tyle

subject of every joke th

ings I did. And even worse, he was friends with Brook

t rush to class. People will think it's a stampede." I felt like screaming, pulling

suggested at the dining table one morning. "I m

ought about it. But what could I possibly say

e boy whose mom practica

t to know what s

ait

d I finally got the chance one day

I wish

us solve this?" Mrs Holloway

ss fell

ne?" The woma

hen copied it into my notebook, tr

ook back up, a penci

urn

ight at me with that smile tha

inclair. Come

way from me and walk

d shoulders moved, the way his brows drew tog

on

making their way to

oking down at

ere di

my formula, then the step

was

I'd thought-if only I

p myself, somethin

ned. The room

foot and forced a a smile. "Yes

ut some kind of audacity had climbed int

s on my skin, every breath. Bu

ed where he sto

y voice thinner than I wanted. "

le

e just

my spine, but I kept

ect. I kn

scraped, voices rose, and

t in the next class." The teacher

, my head unable to proce

ust ignored me instead of making a f

n to pinch Tyler back,

ted t

ked out of the class. He wasn

s smi

yes of his, I could tell