she paced the bright sidewalk shaking the paint can the mixing ball rattling inside the metal canister The first time she'd tried to get busted by using her cell phone during school hours her mother had managed managed to smooth things over Since desperate times called for desperate measures here she was doing something exactly no one would've ever predicted Dragging in a deep breath she pressed the plastic nozzle and a thin stream of indigo blue paint leapt out onto the sidewalk hissing and spitting its fumes immediately making her cough Tra la la The nozzle bucked under her finger and the letters letters came out fatter and loopier than she'd intended She looked toward the cafeteria exit heart pounding pounding every cell in her body braced Except nothing happened This wasn't going to work if she didn't get caught Indigo slid a scrunchie off her wrist harnessing the wild curls blotting her view That massive haircut haircut she'd insisted on last month definitely made her look different but now it was hard to keep the corkscrews corkscrews out of her eyes She started again
Tra la la Rum tum tiddle She paused again The afternoon hovered motionless hot silent Usually by now in Minnesota Minnesota the days were warm but no longer steaming This was not normal But then again nothing had been normal this year so far Indigo brushed an arm across her sweaty forehead forehead and looked into the cafeteria window just in time to catch Abbie bouncing through the doors behind the Tictacs Trinity Camila and Lily All four wore black leggings long sweatshirts and lip gloss They laughed with each other as they entered and as usual the other popular kids gravitated gravitated their way forming a protective circle around them If Indigo were in there right now she'd be eating eating alone at the back corner table in the cafeteria gulping down her sandwich so she could escape to the library But today was the first day of October a new month a new start Maybe after today she'd be at the same table as Abbie and Manning no longer invisible They would be Epos Forever again The cafeteria doors burst open
What is this Assistant Principal Mackenzie's Mackenzie's normally smooth voice skittered into a register Indigo had never heard before Finally Indigo snatched another glance toward the cafeteria cafeteria window and smothered a smile They were watching watching All of them Abbie Trinity Camila and Lily mouths open lunch trays poised above the table Indigo shook the can again and pressed the nozzle -um tum Give me that Mrs. Mackenzie huffed lunging at Indigo What are you doing Indigo backed up and lifted her chin shaking the can one more time Expressing myself Minutes later she was in the main office arms wrapped around her waist knee jiggling Mom wouldn't be able to come in she was in the middle of her shift in the emergency room Dad had worked late last night he'd be frustrated because he was supposed supposed to be sleeping Dad strode into the main office mouth pressed in a thin line offering curt greetings to the principal's principal's assistant Mrs. Dahlquist As he signed in
flicking a hard to read glance at Indigo Mr. Belkin Belkin appeared His scuffed black loafers creaked as he lurched toward them Mrs. Dahlquist I'm looking for Indigo Fitzgerald's Fitzgerald's parents Mr. Belkin nodded at Dad then looked over Dad's shoulder I'm Indigo's father Nice to meet you Mr. Belkin Belkin The pulse on the side of her father's neck beat faster Oh Ah I mean Belkin cleared his throat It's nice to meet you Mr. Fitzgerald I guess because Indigo is usually so well behaved and the other time with the ah cell phone incident it was Mrs. Fitzgerald of course so we haven't ever had the pleasure I mean probably since Back to School Night although I meet so many people in that one night it can be hard to remember Dr. Fitzgerald said Dad his deep voice punching punching the d Both Indigo's mother and I are Doctor Fitzgerald The oak brown color of his face made it difficult to see whether emotion heated his cheeks but he clipped each of his words tightly Mr. Belkin was not making a good impression Oh Two parents as doctors aren't you the lucky one Indigo
