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"I didn't put it in my locker," I said. "I told you

I wanted to take it home with me so I hid it under my

skirt and no one dared look there. They just thought

someone had come into the locker room and robbed it.

Things like that had happened before. Charlene had to

wear her gym uniform top for the rest of the day. "About a month or so afterward, I brought it

back and left it on the bench near her locker.

Everyone thought it was weird. It was weird," I

admitted.

"No it wasn't," Cat piped up. Everyone looked

at her. She didn't hide her face this time.

"Why not?"

"I don't just want to be in someone else's

clothes; I want to be in their bodies," she confessed. Everyone was quiet. The air felt so heavy and

even with the lights, a thick shadow seemed to hang

over the ceiling and walls.

"Well," Doctor Marlowe said. "Why don't I go

check on the pizza for us? It's getting close to that

time."

She rose and looked at me.

"I guess you'll continue after lunch, right?" I nodded and she left us. As soon as she had,

Jade turned to me.

"I'm sorry I was nasty to you before," she said

and then quickly added, "and I'm not trying to show

you any pity so don't get mad at me."

"It's all right," I said. "About now, I could use

some, I suppose."

"I suppose we all can," Misty said.

"As long as we don't depend on it," I said. "It's

a little scarce outside this place. My granny says if