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."Go back to your lunch,Chris.Forget it."Chris frowned, shrugged,then turned back to Sean."So there's this new group,Cholera, right, and they've got this new album& ""Somebody did move my car," Cassie offered tentatively."He did it,"Laurel said."He just doesn't have a very good memory forPage 65 ABC Amber Palm Converter, http://www.processtext.com/abcpalm.htmlreality.He knows a lot about music, though."Sean, Cassie noticed, was a different boy in here than he'd been by thelockers.He was excessively polite, seeming eager to please, and frequentlyoffering to get things for the girls.They treated him like a slightlyannoying little brother.He and Laurel were the only juniors besides Cassie.They'd been eating just a few minutes when a strawberry-blond head appearedin the doorway.Suzan looked cross."Deborah's got a lunch detention and Faye's off doing something, so I'meating in here," she announced.Diana looked up."Fine," she said evenly,then added, "This is my friendCassie, Suzan.Cassie, this is Suzan Whittier.""Hi," Cassie said, trying to sound casual.There was a moment of tension.Then Suzan rolled her china-blue eyes."Hi,"she said finally, and immediately sat down and began removing things from herlunch sack.Cassie looked at Suzan unloading her lunch,then threw a quick glance overatLaurel.Then she looked at Diana and raised her eyebrows questioningly.She heard the crinkle of plastic as Suzan produced the last item from herbag; then a piercing shriek fromLaurel."Oh, my God you'renot still eating those! Do you know what's in those things,Suzan? Beef fat, lard, palm oil and it's about fifty percent white sugar& "Diana was biting her lip and Cassie was shaking silently, trying to keep astraight face.Finally it was too much, and she had to let the giggles escape.As soon as she did Diana burst into laughter too.Everyone else looked at them, baffled.Cassie smiled down at her tuna sandwich.After so many weeks of loneliness,she had found where she belonged.She was Diana's friend, Diana's adoptedsister.Her place was here beside Diana.TenThat Friday,Kori came to the back room for lunch.She seemed in awe of theolder girls and was even absently respectful of Cassie, which was nice.Certainly Suzan and Deborah had no such respect.The strawberry blond seemedunaware of Cassie's existence unless she wanted something passed to her orpicked up, and the biker fixed Cassie with a surly glare whenever they passedin the hall.Deborah and Doug the other Henderson brother had appeared in theback room only once since Cassie started eating there, and they had spent theentire time arguing furiously about some heavy-metal band.Neither Faye nor Nick, the dark, coldly handsome boy who'd rescued Cassie'sbackpack, showed up at all that week.ButKori Henderson was nice.Now that Cassie knew, she could see theresemblance to Chris and Doug the blond hair and the blue-green eyes thatKoriemphasized by wearing a turquoise necklace and ring all the time.Kori wasn'tas wild as her brothers, though.She seemed just an ordinary, friendly,going-on-fifteen girl.Page 66 ABC Amber Palm Converter, http://www.processtext.com/abcpalm.html"I've been waiting so long for it, I can't believe it's finally here," shewas saying at the end of lunch."I mean, just think, next Tuesday's the day!And Dad says we can have the party down on the beach or at least he didn't saywecouldn't and I want to make it really special, because of it being aholiday, too& " She trailed off suddenly.Cassie, following her gaze, saw thatDiana had her lip caught between her teeth and was almost imperceptiblyshaking her head.What wasKori saying wrong? Cassie wondered.And then it struck her: this wasthe first she'd heard about a party, although it clearly wasn't news to theothers.Was she not invited?"So, uh, do you think Adam will be back in time for- for I mean, when do youthink Adam will be back?"Kori stuttered."I don't really know.I hope it's soon, but& " Diana gave a little shrug."Whocan tell? Who can ever tell?""Who's Adam?" Cassie said, determined to show she didn't care about theparty."You mean she hasn't told you about Adam yet? Diana, there's such a thing ascarrying modesty too far," Melanie said, her cool gray eyes disbelieving.The color had come to Diana's cheeks."There just hasn't been time " shebegan, and Laurel and Melanie hooted.Cassie was surprised.She'd never seen Diana react this way."No, butreally," she said."Who is he? Is he your boyfriend?""Only since childhood,"Laurel said."They've been together forever.""Butwhere is he? Is he in college? What's he like?""No, he's just visiting some people," Diana said."He's a senior, but he'sbeen away so far this year.And as for what he's like& well, he's nice.Ithink you'll like him." She smiled.Cassie looked towardLaurel for more information.Laurel waved a zucchini stickin the air."Adam's& "Korisaid, "Yes, he's& "Even Melanie couldn't seem to find the right words."You'll have to meethim," she said.Cassie was intrigued."Do you have a picture of him?" she asked Diana."As a matter of fact, I don't," Diana said.Seeing Cassie's disappointment,she went on, "You see, around here people have a sort of silly superstitionabout photographs they don't like them.So lots of us don't get picturestaken."Cassie tried to pretend this wasn't as bizarre as she thought it was.Likeaboriginals, she thought in amazement.Thinking the camera will steal theirsouls.How can anybody in the twentieth century think that?"He's cute, though,"Kori was saying fervently.Page 67 ABC Amber Palm Converter, http://www.processtext.com/abcpalm.htmlSuzan, who had been absorbed in eating, looked up from her lunch to proclaimin feeling tones: "Thatbod.""Thoseeyes ,"Laurel said."You'd better go easy," Melanie said, smiling."You're going to drive Dianacrazy before he gets back.""Crazy enough to give somebody else a chance, maybe?"Sean piped up.Looks offorbearance passed between the girls
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