The Downside of Being Charlie by Jenny Torres Sanchez Page B

actually fell for it! I’m flooded with relief, kind of.
    â€œHey, Chunks!” Mark’s loud voice calls out. Instantly, my back gets hot and prickly and my face flushes.
    â€œWhat’s up?” I say, still preparing myself in case this is a joke. I feel like punching Mark every time he calls me that in front of Charlotte.
    â€œWhat the hell are you doing?” he asks. “We’ve been
waiting in the parking lot for the last fifteen minutes for your sorry ass.”
    Immediately I realize my mistake. Of course they would be waiting for me in the parking lot—the student parking lot. Because they (or at least Mark) have cars, but I, the formerly fat but ever constant loser, did not have a car.
    â€œJust thought I’d check the place out,” I tell them, feigning a coolness I definitely did not feel. I look at Charlotte. She looks great. She smiles at me, whispers a soft hey, and waves as the light from the moon catches her eyes at just the right angle, making them look extra sparkly. She stands next to me. Mark watches her and slips his arm around Diana.
    â€œSo, listen, I know you share a locker with Tanya Bate,” he says, “so sorry about the stink bombs.” He gives me a hard look. I know he’s really not because then he looks at Charlotte for approval. “Anyway, we’re going to lay off the locker,” he says and looks over at her again. Diana watches the exchange, and her eyes narrow.
    â€œBut,” Mark continues, “you know, we have to do something else and coming up with just the right thing has really tested my creativity. I mean most things just seem, so . . . so . . .” He thinks a moment. “Typical,” he says finally. “But fear not, Mark Delancey does not back down from a challenge.” Diana looks up at him a little too adoringly. Danny’s face is bright with anticipation. And I feel like telling him to just lay off Tanya altogether. It really pisses me off that Mark feels it’s his duty to torment people. Why can’t he just leave her alone?

    â€œIt took some time, but I think I’ve come up with a golden plan. However, it’s up to you to execute.” Damn. Whatever is coming is not good. Whatever is coming is bigger than the time they sprinkled itching powder on her head, and five minutes into class she was scratching like crazy and the teacher had to send her to the clinic. It’s bigger than the time they grabbed the sports bottle she used to carry to every class and spit in it so that when she took a drink and it was clogged, she tried harder. This apparently forced the slimy loogie through the nozzle and into her mouth, at which point she spit the water out all over herself and everyone laughed.
    They look at me expectantly. I don’t want any part of what he’s about to tell me. Observing Tanya’s fucked-up life is one thing, but actually fucking it up is completely different. Something in my gut tells me, don’t do it . But I also know I can’t tell him no.
    â€œHow?” I ask as regret and concession hit me as soon as the word leaves my mouth.
    Mark narrows his eyes and sizes me up, “I don’t know . . . think you can handle it?”
    I shrug and look over at Charlotte. She looks over at Mark. Diana looks over at Mark. Mark looks back at me and takes something out of his pocket. “With a little of this,” he says, holding out a small baggie with what looks like dried-up sticks and leaves.
    â€œWhat?” I ask.
    â€œWhaddya mean what? Grisner . . . where have you been living, in a freakin’ hobbit hole with Tanya Bate? It’s weed, dumbass.”
    I can feel my face get hot.

    â€œOh . . .” Stupid, stupid. “I couldn’t see it,” I say. I wasn’t fooling Mark.
    â€œRight.” He snickers. “Whatever. Anyway, the plan is to get that dweeb freakin’ stoned off her ass during school, so we can all see her