Page 16 of Take Care, Taylor

Did you really think you’d get away with forging my handwriting on death threats — to yourself?

I hate that she didn’t force you to transfer to alternative school because that’s honestly where you BELONG.

Alas, please don’t take her compliment about “such a shame to see your writing talent wasted.”

She’s just amazed your work isn’t littered with typos since you get sacked on the field every week.

Enjoy the rest of the semester AT HOME doing your work online.

Take Care (NOT),

Audrey

P.S.Since you can’t come back to campus, I took the liberty of pulling a few things from your locker.

BULLY YEARS: NINTH GRADE

AUDREY

A year later

Potential Spam

Heard that you got grounded for using your cell phone on the first day of school. Such a shame you can’t come to the fair anymore. Don’t cry. You’re ugly af when you cry.

Who is this? And FUCK YOU.

Your favorite person on the planet.

Julia Roberts isn’t an asshole. She also doesn’t have my phone number…

I’ll be sure to send you pictures of everything you missed. Take Care, Taylor.

“UGHHHHH!” I tossed my phone across the room.

“Stop that yelling up there, Audrey!” my mom shouted up the steps. “Focus on finishing your homework!”

I rolled my eyes; I was six weeks ahead on my homework, and I had no interest in going any further. Especially not today.

My door creaked open and I braced myself for an unwanted lecture, but it was my cousin, Cecelia. Even though she was a couple years younger than me, she was my only friend.

“Mind if I come in?” she asked, holding up a foil-wrapped bowl. “I snuck some stuff in from the fair.”

“I never mind when it comes to you.” I smiled and patted a spot on my bed.

“Thanks,” she said. “Boys are so stupid, Audrey.”

“They really are.”

“I got suspended for stabbing one today.”

“What?”

“Yeah.” She handed me a corndog. “He called me fat, so I took out my pocket knife and stabbed him.”

For a full second I forgot how to breathe. “Please tell me you’re joking, Cece…”

“I’m not.” She smiled. “He deserved it, and I bet he’ll never speak a mean word in my direction again. Brilliant move, huh?”