Wide Awake by Shelly Crane Page B

lined the walls with people standing all around them, getting things out, chatting, and putting on make-up.
    I gulped when I saw Andy leading us to a gaggle of girls and guys who all seemed to be the pretty people. They all stopped and stared. In fact, the entire hall stopped and stared. I hated to feel so weak, but I still found myself cringing into Andy's side. He tightened his grip on my shoulder and I felt him jerk as he yelled, "Got a problem?"
    People slowly turned back to their own groups and I actually felt pretty darn grateful to him, but then I was faced with the people who were supposed to be my friends. Three of the girls came forward while the other hung back. They practically tackled me, taking me from Andy, and all three hugged me at the same time. Over the shoulder of one of the girls, I saw Andy smirk before shaking his head at them and making his way to the group. He bumped fists with a couple of the guys and stood back, watching me.
    "Emmie!" one of the girls said. "We've missed you so much."
    "Yeah," another one said. "My goodness. Everyone's been talking nonstop about you coming back to school! You are so it again. It's so sickening." She smirked. "You don't even have to try!"
    They giggled, but I was so confused that I just stood there.
    "Emmie, you ok? You look pale. Or…maybe it's just your lack of make-up." She grimaced. "Did you not have time to get ready this morning?" She eyed me up and down. Her grimace grew.
    "I, uh... Who are you?"
    She scoffed. "Really?"
    The redhead came to my rescue. "We knew she had amnesia. Don't get your Victoria Secrets in a twist, Cookie."
    Cookie? The redhead looked back at me with sympathy. "I'm Kali." I remember her name from my mother earlier. "And this is Cookie and Tonya."
    I licked my lips. "Hi."
    Cookie shook her head. "It's just too weird."
    "Cookie," Kali hissed.
    "It is! She's so…docile!"
    "I'm sorry," I said. "I'm still adjusting. I really just want to get through the rest of the year and graduate."
    "Andy told us you were doing your schoolwork in the hospital." She scoffed. "You had a perfectly good excuse to get out of schoolwork and you asked them to bring it to you?"
    I bristled a little. "I was already six months behind, remember? I want to graduate and not be stuck here another year."
    She grimaced. "Oh, yeah. You're right. Can you imagine being stuck here next year with juniors?" She made a gagging noise.
    I tried not to roll my eyes. Then Andy came back to us and wrapped his arms around me from behind. I pulled his hands away and gave him a look. He winked. Winked.
    Suddenly, I felt him tense up and followed his gaze to a girl. She looked stricken, but the second her eyes met mine, she turned away guiltily and practically ran the other way. I looked at Andy with question, but I understood everything with his silence. This was the girl he'd been dating. This was the girl he'd dumped for me. I felt awful because she felt so guilty. How would she have known I would wake up?
    "Seriously, skank. She had him first," Cookie sneered at the girl who was already gone and chuckled. Andy just worked his jaw.
    They all seemed nice enough, be it a ton shallow. Andy took my hand to take me to the office. Mason flashed through my head and I took my hand from his quickly. He looked horribly dejected. "Friends, remember?"
    He nodded, but didn't look happy about it. When we reached the office, he let me go in and said he'd see me later. I knew I'd upset him, but having Mason's trust was more important to me. I turned to the secretary at the desk and went to tell her my name and why I was there, but she beat me to it. "Emma Walker! Oh, so glad that you're back. How are you?" she said and dragged it out for emphasis.
    "I'm…OK."
    She smiled wryly. "You don't remember me, do you?"
Wow, really? "No ma'am."
    "I'm Mrs. Schuller!" she said excitedly. "Come on. Let's get you to your first class."
    I followed her to a classroom and she opened the door, peeking her head