My curves, especially up top, made finding clothes that actually fit a challenge. I usually opted for looser, oversized shirts to make sure everything fit comfortably and didn’t draw too much attention, but that was part of my bucket list.
I wanted to feel more comfortable in my body and love it for the way it was.
“Thanks,” I giggled as I grabbed my lunch.
Jennie threw her hands up in surprise and shrieked. “The bell is going to ring in ten minutes, and I have the best idea ever.”
“What?” Sara said, stuffing her face with her sandwich.
Momentarily, I felt bad for talking for most of our break, realizing that maybe she didn’t have enough time to finish.
“Let’s go to the front. Lynn will know who Hot Brother is and can get his number.”
Maura chimed in. “It’ll be on the emergency contact form.”
“Bingo.” Jennie pointed at her. “This is good shit, new girl. Bravo.”
“Welcome to the club,” Sara said as she threw out her trash and gave me a pat on the shoulder.
We hustled to the front office, where Lynn was talking with one of the parents.
The office was small, with light blue walls decorated with motivational posters and student artwork. A few chairs lined the walls, and the front desk was cluttered with folders, school forms, and a few sticky notes.
The four of us stood there, bouncing awkwardly on our feet and glancing up at the clock every few seconds. Lynn kept holding up her finger, mouthing, “One minute,” as she wrapped up her conversation with a parent. We all exchanged looks, waiting impatiently for the moment to jump in.
Finally, the parent walked out, and we swarmed Lynn’s desk all at once.
“Whoa, slow down, everyone,” she said, holding up her hands with a laugh.
Jennie was the first to speak. “Can you check who Evie Cole’s emergency contact is?”
There was a long pause as Lynn glanced between us, then she let out a sigh. “This week is shaping up to be a good happy hour, huh?”
Sara smirked. “Oh yeah, new girl dropped a bombshell.”
Lynn gave us a mock-serious look, narrowing her eyes. “You know, I really shouldn’t be doing this...”
Maura leaned in. “Come on, Lynn. The brother saw hernakedwhile she was illegally swimming in the lake. We need this information. It’s for a good cause.”
Lynn’s expression shifted from fake seriousness to one of pure delight. She threw her head back, letting out a laugh that filled the small office. “Oh, well, why didn’t you say so?Definitelya good cause.” She cracked her knuckles and started typing like a woman on a mission, her fingers moving faster than I’d ever seen. She was clearly loving every second of this.
After a few moments, she paused dramatically, looking up with a huge smirk plastered on her face. “Alright, here we go. Evie Cole’s emergency contacts are... Ledger Cole, Auburn Cole, and Austin Hart.”
“That’s him,” I shouted and pointed to the screen.
As soon as the words left my mouth, the entire office turned to stare at me.
My face turned crimson, and I wished I could disappear. Jennie clutched her sides, barely holding back her laughter, while Maura gave me a thumbs-up, clearly enjoying my embarrassment.
“Subtle, new girl,reallysubtle.” Jennie snorted, wiping tears from her eyes.
Even Lynn was grinning as she leaned back in her chair.
The girls exchanged excited looks, and Jennie leaned in with a mischievous grin. “You know what you should do? You should take door duty after school and see what happens when he shows up to pick up his sister.”
I laughed, shaking my head. “You guys are relentless.”
“While you’re at it,” Jennie continued, “you should totally stalk him on social media. See what you can find.”
