Burn Girl by Mandy Mikulencak

noticed the pink Uggs standing in front of me.
    â€œCody only talks to you because he can’t see how hideous you look.”
    There was no mistaking that voice. Brittany . Still on her personal crusade to make me feel like I didn’t belong, although I don’t know why she wasted the effort. I was more and more comfortable at school, so it was easier to ignore her and her friends now that I was making my own.
    â€œIs there something you want?” I scanned the back cover of a book in hopes she’d leave me alone.
    â€œYou’re pathetic to think you have a chance with him.”
    Mo had been right. Brittany was in some imaginary competition with me for Cody’s attention. I ignored her and kept my head low.
    â€œI bet you’re a drug addict like your dead mom. Why don’t you take her lead and put us out of our misery?” She toed my leg.
    I exploded from the floor, knocking her against a bookshelf. In a flash, she scrambled to her knees and slapped viciously at my face. I covered my head to block her blows. When I managed to shove my knee into her stomach, she grunted and fell to her side, giving me a clear shot at her ribs.
    James and another bookseller reached us within seconds and pulled me off.
    â€œWhat’s going on here?” James asked, holding my arm.
    â€œBitch!” Brittany struggled against the other bookseller, who wasn’t about to let go. “I’m going to call the police.”
    â€œYou started it!” I shouted.
    â€œArlie, why don’t you leave. Now, please.” James pointed toward the door of the shop.
    I bolted, dodging a handful of startled customers and the looming shelves in my path. My lungs burned as I took off down Main, first one block and then another. I slowed to catch my breath, looking behind me to make sure Brittany hadn’t followed … and hoping that James had. That’s when I noticed the blue Mustang again.
    It crept along so slowly that cars had to go around it. I quickened my steps and the car seemed to match my stride. I turned to get a look at the driver, but the windows were too dark. I could only make out that the driver was male and wore a ball cap.
    When he revved the engine, I broke into a run and cut across the street, ducking into the alley that ran parallel to Main Avenue. The Mustang pulled a U-turn to follow me. Even though my legs felt like jelly, I kept running until I saw the entrance to the downtown parking garage. I climbed the stairs two at a time and hid near the railing.
    From that vantage point, I saw the Mustang enter the alley, but it kept going, eventually turning back onto Main and heading south. The back license plate was partially caked in mud, but I could tell it was from New Mexico. I waited until the car was out of sight before leaving the garage.
    Deep breathing couldn’t stave off the panic attack coming on. Get a grip, Arlie. It was just some jerk . I turned north onto Main and began running again. I had to get home. It can’t be Lloyd. There’s no reason for him to be in Durango. Don’t be stupid .
    I slowed to a walk. It was hard to run and breathe and cry at the same time. I neared Buckley Park, jogging the last few steps to the trolley shelter.
    Sitting alone on the bench, just a few feet in front of me, was Cody. He held two plastic cups filled with something pink like smoothies or maybe shakes.
    Not this . I willed myself to back up slowly and run the other way. Yet my legs wouldn’t cooperate. All energy had been expended on my escape from Brittany and then the Mustang.
    â€œArlie? Is that you?” He scanned my general direction.
    â€œHow’d you know it was me?” I wiped my tears and straightened my shirt.
    â€œI recognized your perfume,” he said.
    â€œI don’t wear any.”
    â€œWell, you don’t have to wear perfume to have a certain smell,” he said.
    â€œI smell?”
    â€œThat’s not what