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talk to my parents about getting your mom a job as our maid. If she could

be trusted not to steal the silverware.”

The other girls glanced at each other nervously, but still laughed on

command when Arabella was done, like trained monkeys. Fairfield had a

strict no bullying policy, but that didn’t mean it didn’t happen. It happened

to June. A lot.

“How very sixteen-hundreds of you.”

What was wrong with her? She knew that despite having everything,

there must be something. People didn’t bully for no reason. There was

obviously something in Arabella’s life that wasn’t right, something she

wasn’t getting that she needed.

Arabella scowled. “What’s that supposed to mean?”

“Oh, just the silverware comment. It’s very old-fashioned.” June knew

she should just shut up and take it and hope Arabella got tired of bullying

her and moved on to someone else. If she didn’t react, there’d be no

satisfaction in it for her tormentor.

So far, two months into the school year, it hadn’t worked.

Arabella scowled, dodged around June’s open locker door, and reached in

for her biology textbook. She tucked it against her chest and leaned back, a

sick smirk on her face. “Thanks for lending it to me. I hope you don’t mind

having to replace it when I accidentally drop it into the garbage chute

tonight. You know, where you sleep.”

The textbooks weren’t assigned. They were purchased. Her scholarship

covered her books too, but not if she had to replace one. June knew the

textbook could easily cost sixty to a hundred dollars. She worked part time

at an ice cream shop and that would easily be two to three shifts to replace

it.

She held out her hand. “Please give me back my textbook.”

“But you were so nice to lend it to me because I forgot mine at home

today.” Arabella blinked innocently.