All Night Long by Francine Pascal

Author:Francine Pascal
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: St. Martin's Press

Eight

“Maybe it’s not as bad as you think,” Enid offered sympathetically.

Elizabeth dabbed at her swollen, red eyes with a wet paper towel. “It’s worse! I was so upset I could hardly think straight. I just know I flunked.”

The second version of the test had probably been no harder than the one she’d taken earlier, even though the questions were worded differently. But as far as Elizabeth was concerned, it might have been written in Greek. The words swam about on the paper, blurred by her tears. No matter how hard she tried to concentrate, all she could think about was Todd and the closed expression on his face before he’d walked away.

She’d been the last one to hand her answers in. She vaguely remembered Mr. Sandalow, the second-period test monitor, calling out Jessica’s name as she scurried from the classroom in tearful disgrace. Elizabeth had pretended not to hear so she wouldn’t have to stop and explain. It was all so complicated by now that she wasn’t sure she understood it herself.

“I’ve ruined everything!” she wailed.

“I’d say you had a little help,” Enid noted. She didn’t mention any names, but her meaning was clear.

They were in the girls’ room, where Enid had found her after the test, crying her eyes out. Elizabeth stared with disgust at her ravaged reflection in the mirror. Her face was a funny blotchy pink, her eye makeup ran in muddy rivers down her cheeks.

“Look at me,” she said sniffling. “I’m a mess.”

Enid nodded gravely, handing her a fresh paper towel. “I won’t argue with that.”

“Thanks a lot!”

“Don’t worry, you’re still gorgeous. Just a little on the messy side right now. Rinse your face, and here”—she dug into her oversize canvas purse—“put on some lipstick and brush your hair. You’ll feel better.” She handed Elizabeth a comb and a small pot of strawberry lip gloss. “It’s not the end of the world, you know.”

“Maybe not, but it’s the end of Todd and me. It’s the end of my summer, too. If Jessica doesn’t pass, it’ll spoil everything.”

“Seems like she should have been the one to think of that before she got you mixed up in all this. At least this way there’s a chance she passed the test. She would’ve flunked for sure if you hadn’t taken it for her.”

“Somehow knowing that doesn’t make me feel any better.”

“Look,” Enid said, “I was reading this article the other day where it said if you’re depressed you should try to think about something really awful, like starving people in India or something, and then your own problem won’t seem so humungous.”

Elizabeth shot her friend a disgusted look. “Thanks a lot. Now I’m really miserable.”

“Sorry. I was only trying to help.”

“That’s what Todd said.” Her lips were quivering as she applied a thin coating of gloss.

“What did you do? Bite his head off?”

“Practically. Oh, Enid,” she choked, “I really blew it! He’ll never speak to me again. I just know it!”

“I wouldn’t be too sure of that if I were you.

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