Forevermore Read Free

you’re too young to know the difference. I know you understand that what you said was hurtful, and still you said it. That’s not just a mean thing to say. It’s a mean thing to do. I don’t like mean girls.”
    “We’re not mean,” Kortney screeched. “We’re the most popular girls in school.”
    “Popularity has nothing to do with being nice. You guys are done here.”
    “No, we’re not,” Krystal talked back. “We’re only on level four, and it’s the first day.”
    “I don’t hire mean girls,” Willa told them.
    “Yeah, but, but,” Kortney stuttered.
    “Come on, Kort. Dad will do something about this,” Krystal said in that annoying know-it-all voice she had. “I thought you were cool, Willa.”
    “Krystal, look at me,” Willa paused and waited for Krystal to follow her order. “Your dad works for me. I pay his salary. If you want to whine to him about this, he’s going to hear what I have to say and he’ll believe me. If you don’t want that to happen, head on back and tell him you’re bored and don’t want to do this anymore.”
    “Whatevs!” Krystal said.
    I backtracked to the bathroom, sick to my stomach that Willa had to hear that the girls in my class thought I was dumb. I didn’t want her to have to deal with them. Maybe I could get their jobs back. It was going to be awful going back out there. Willa was going to lie to make me believe that they left on their own. Adults usually tried to soften things for kids.
    The bathroom door opened to show Willa’s face. “Liv, come to my office for a sec.”
    I followed her back to her office and heard the girls pass behind us with their dads. At least I wouldn’t be in the reception area when they left. It sounded like they were giving them the “bored” story. I didn’t blame them. I’d barf up my lunch if Briony or M heard something bad about me from Willa.
    Willa tried to look happy, but I could tell she wasn’t. Like the time her friend Des kept asking me about my mom in front of all of their friends. That was so embarrassing. M got me out of there, but not before I saw Willa’s face go red and her eyes glare at Des.
    I waited for her lie. I guess I should be thankful that there were adults in my life that would think a lie would be better than the truth if it hurt, but I didn’t like lies.
    “If someone is purposefully mean to you, you can call them on it, you know?”
    I looked up from my lap. She wasn’t sugarcoating it for me?
    “I try not to sink to their level, but I call them on it.” She looked at me, but I didn’t know what to say. “I guess that might not always work with kids, though, right?” She waited for my nod. “And I might have just made things worse for you at school, too, huh?”
    I couldn’t nod at that one. She meant well, but she just made sure I’d be cornered at school tomorrow. It was pretty cool that Willa took my side, though.
    “Well, crap.” Willa sat back, thinking.
    “It’s fine,” I tried to reassure her.
    “It’s not, but I couldn’t let those little brats stay here. Krystal’s been driving me nuts for two years ever since I hired her dad.”
    I laughed. Adults never spoke this way around me.
    “Hey, what’s going on in here?” Caleb showed up in the doorway wearing his trademark big smile. “Aren’t you supposed to be working?”
    “Is someone speaking, Liv?” Willa asked me, not even looking at Caleb. “I distinctly remember saying that I don’t talk to thirteen-year-olds who are taller than I am.”
    I giggled at Willa’s comment. They were always kidding each other.
    “Aww, Willa, you love talking to me,” he replied easily.
    “Correction, I used to love talking to you until you outgrew me, punk!”
    “I can still hear you from up here,” he taunted, coming over to stand next to her. He was barely half an inch taller than Willa at a few inches over five feet. He had big feet, though, so he was probably going to grow a lot more. “Come on, Livy, Hank and