I don’t respond. I should probably save all my convincing for the phone call with my mom, the person who really needs to hear my side.
“You can go and wait in the lobby for your escort,” Director Brewster says, dismissing me. She pulls a new folder out of her cabinet, and I only catch the first part of the name,Ama.
I stuff my letter in my sweatshirt pocket and drag myself to the lobby. Mr. Rick looks at me with so much pity that it embarrasses me. He says someone will be here in a few minutes and hands me a small bottle of water, but I decline it just because his kindness feels undeserved right now. I sit in the seat farthest from the glass doors and put my head in my lap.
20
I let the front door slam behind me and kick off my shoes. Kayla is arguing with someone on her phone and runs past me up the stairs. She slams her door. My mom calls out our names from the kitchen, but I don’t respond, retreating to my room instead. A few minutes later, my door flies open.
“You’ve actually been hanging out with that Amari girl, Jasmine?” Kayla asks.
“No! We met up once for—” I start, but she doesn’t let me finish.
“She told Deanna twice. So who’s lying? Wait—the girl from the movies?!”
“It wasn’t like that, I promise! I didn’t even know she was going to be at the carnival,” I say.
Kayla types something into her phone and walks back to her room. I hear her tell someone that she’s not sure what to believe. I grab my phone and storm down the hall.
“You don’t even know her! Why wouldn’t you believe me?” I yell.
“Whoa, whoa, Jasmine. First of all, calm down,” she says, reaching behind me to close her door. “Second of all, everyone knows who she is.” She leans on her desk with her arms across her chest.
I start crying again, and the anger on Kayla’s face turns into concern. “I stuck my neck out for you. I vouched for you, and now my friends are mad at me. All because you’re sneaking around.”
“I wasn’t! I didn’t even want to meet with her. I told her to leave me alone!” I insist.
I need her to believe me. I need Kayla on my side.
“Then why didn’t you tell someone? I’m your sister, hello!!” she yells back.
“I didn’t tell you because I was worried you’d judge me, just like you’re judging me now!”
“Judging you?! You hurt Deanna because you lied about Amari. Don’t blame this on anyone else!” Kayla goes silent and I feel myself getting frustrated enough to scream even louder.
I turn to leave when the door opens. My mom stands in the doorway with wide eyes.
“Give me your phone, Jasmine,” she says, her hand out.
I push it into her palm.
“Password.”
“North,” I say, and she puts it in.
“One of you tell me what’s going on.”
I sniffle, fighting back another wave of tears. Kayla groans.
“Start speaking,” my mom commands, scrolling through my phone.
Neither of us says anything. Then Kayla looks at me and exhales loudly. “Someone told Deanna where Jasmine really was,” she says.
“Excuse me?”
“They know,” I say. I take a deep breath; she’s going to find out sooner or later. “Amari told them.”
“Amari? How are you even in contact with her?” She looks up, surprised.
