“Hey! Here comes the Wicked Witch!” I heard Darek’s sing-song voice clearly over the chit-chat in the lunchroom. “Nice wart!”
I felt the heat in my face as laughter erupted from other students around the room.
“Just ignore them!” Mira said from beside me. “They’re jealous because they’re stupid and you’re not.”
My embarrassment transformed to rage as I stormed to the lunch counter. Mira hurried to stay with me. Once again, just her presence had something of a calming effect on me. Mira was my foster sister. She was younger by two years. I’d only known her for about a year, but she was the only bright spot in my otherwise detestable life.
That wasn’t fair. My foster parents do try. Jill and Tony were the best I’d had in a long line of disappointment. I’d been able to get closer to them
