The Edge of Nowhere by Elizabeth George

through.
    “Unusual,” was Ms. Primavera’s reaction, and she handed the AUD box back to Becca. She made a note, shoved it into the file, and swung her chair around to face her computer. She said, “Let’s get you set up, then.”
    There wasn’t much to do. Since Becca was a freshman, she got one elective and the rest were classes she had to take. As her elective, she chose Yearbook. It seemed like a safe bet.
    Ms. Primavera banged away and finished up by hitting print. She’d get the schedule from the printer, she told them, and in the meantime . . . She opened her lowest desk drawer and brought out a jar of jelly beans. She said, “Welcome to South Whidbey High, Becca. Help yourself,” and she disappeared out the door of her office.
    Becca took a handful of the candy and shoved the beans into her jacket pocket. She put one in her mouth.
    Tatiana Primavera returned. She had the schedule in hand along with a slip of paper with a locker number on it. She said to Debbie, “You c’n leave her with me now. I’ll see to it she gets where she needs to go.”
    Debbie told Becca she’d pick her up after school but not in the parking lot. After today, she’d have to ride her bike because the hours were different to get Josh and Chloe to and from school. Today, however, she’d come for her and she’d wait across the road where the water treatment plant was.
    Becca could tell that being in the building was difficult for Debbie now. The power she’d felt was diminished.
    Before Debbie left, Tatiana said to her, “See you next week. I think,” and Debbie seemed to know what this meant. She didn’t appear to like it, though, because she shrugged and said, “Whatever, girl. I hope you know what you’re doing.” There was something left unsaid between them, but hints as to what it might be were blocked by the AUD box.
    When Debbie was gone, Tatiana said, “Let’s get you going.” She looked at a wall clock, said, “Eastern Civilization,” and headed out of the office.
    At the front desk, she stopped to speak with the girl Hayley, motioning Becca over to join them. “New student,” she said to Hayley. “Becca King, this is Hayley Cartwright.”
    Hayley smiled. She was pretty in an old-fashioned way, with straw-colored hair cut in a neat bob. She had ruler-straight bangs, frameless glasses, and large blue eyes. When she stood up to grab something from the top of a cabinet, Becca could see that she was tall.
    She handed over a calendar of sorts and told Becca it was the athletic schedule. “Welcome to the home of the Falcons, Becca.” She said this in a friendly enough way, but sadness came off her, then faded quickly, like something she knew she had to hide.
    Tatiana said, “Nice girl,” as she shooed Becca out of the office. “Let’s get you to class.”
    Tatiana hummed as she walked. She wore stiletto heels, which made her taller and made her ample breasts bounce. They also made her the first person Becca had seen on Whidbey Island who wasn’t wearing sensible shoes.
    They went across a large room that Tatiana said was the “old commons.” It had a bank of windows on one side and a wall of bulletin boards on the other, and in between was a scattering of tables. At one side of this room they climbed a stairway, and at the top the classrooms began. Tatiana ushered Becca to one of the doors and flung it open. She tilted her head, meaning Becca was supposed to go in first.
    Becca did so, acutely aware of all eyes turning in her direction. At once, she dropped her gaze to the floor so she wouldn’t have to meet the stares because she knew exactly how she looked, which was bad, very bad, extra bad from the top of her dyed head to the tip of her tennis-shoed toes. She had an enormous urge to look up and say to the class, “I’m prettier than this. Really.”
    Becca felt the other students’ interest like mice scurrying around her ankles. They were extremely happy to have the diversion. She glanced