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And despite classes occurring all over campus, there was a beautiful steady stream.

Why won’t you?—

I hate you?—

Fuck that!

Hey can u?—

blow me

Mrs Halloway sucks

this test OMG?—

what’s for lunch?

please?????

The net—my mind—billowed full almost to the point of tearing, messages overflowing, faster than I could read them, voicemail full. I blinked and found myself curled over, chest on knees inside the bathroom, gasping for air, like I’d been netted myself and been dragged ashore.

I was at toilet paper level, and I could tell it was ten-forty-five without looking at my phone. How fast a test-taker was Mason’s accomplice? Did someone who was barely passing take their time to try to pass? Or just guess as quickly as possible, all the better to goof off? My headache made me see stars, brighter than the other-world, and they danced like uncaught fireflies, mocking me.

Behind them, though, were the same notes on the wall that I’d seen yesterday. And one new written much more faintly beneath the others in pencil.

He is. My sister warned me.

My hands clawed at my calves as they turned into fists. I sprung back into action, unfurling anew.

Tomorrow?

Who else is going?

That is an ugly dress.

Your mom is such a bitch.

They’re my favorite band

how do you know

whatshisnumber

i’mgonnafail

iwishiwere

they’llneverfindoutifwedon’ttellthem

Everything was jumbled and blurred into one giant seething undifferentiated mass of high schoolosity and I was drowning in it then:

1 A 2 C 3 A 4 D 5 B 6 D 7 C 8 D 9 A 10 B 11 C 12 A 13 D 14 C 15 A?—

came through, a string of numbers and letters, like the nucleotides of an alien DNA. I caught it, all of it, kept it for myself and resurfaced into the bathroom with a gasp.

Oh my GOD.

My head felt like it was on fire and I wasn’t done yet—I leaned sideways against the cool steel metal stall, not caring how gross it was from probable flush-spray—I just had to make some changes and?—