RUTHIE TURNED AWAY FROM Val. "Tru!" She clapped her hands together before hugging me. Three hugs in less than thirty minutes. Ruthie would say it was a sign, that three was a magical number, that there was a message in it for me, like the world was sending me love, blah, blah, blah. Instead, I felt like someone had stuck an ice pick through my back.
"How are you feeling?" she said sarcastically.
I grimaced. Yep. She hadn't believed my sick lie.
But on closer inspection, she changed her mind. "Wow," she gasped. "You really are pale!" With a look of chagrin, she made "tsk tsk" sounds as she buzzed around me with fresh concern.
"I'm fine," I whined, brushing her hands away. "Just one of those overnight bugs, I guess."
The lie sent an arrow through my chest, but when it seemed to appea
