The phone rings and Danny answers. "Hello?"
"Hey, Danny. Is Michelle there?"
"Yes, she is. Hold on a second." "Michelle?" He calls.
"What?"
"Telephone."
"Hello?"
"Hey, it's me. You wanna come over Friday?"
"Sure."
"Guess what we're doing!"
Michelle laughs. "Yeah, and I got some more ideas. You can pierce my belly button for me."
"Oh, yeah."
"Great. Just let me ask my dad first, all right?"
"Okay."
She goes downstairs. Danny hesitates.
"Dad, can I go over to Denise's on Friday?"
"I don't know. It depends on your attitude, young lady. You gonna be nice to us until then?"
"Yes, sir."
"All right. I guess."
"Okay. Thanks." She goes upstairs.
"Yeah, I can go. It all depends on my attitude."
"Man, I don't wanna do I-STEP tomorrow."
"Believe me, neither do I. Be stuck in a room segregated for slower than normal people? I don't think so."
"That's gotta suck."
"Yeah, no kidding. I'm not finishing it if I don't finish in the scheduled time. I don't give a shit what anybody fucking says."
"Right on. Well, have a cigarette at my house and a drink. It'll make you feel better." They both laugh. "Well, I guess I'll talk to you tomorrow at school. Good luck."
"See ya. Good luck to you too." The next day at school was really rough for Michelle. "God, I don't want to be here. I don't belong here." The teacher in charge in the room was telling the people that were in there that it was okay to be in there and everyone just works at their own pace." One of the kids could see Michelle was almost crying. She went up to her and gave her a hug.
"What's wrong, Michelle?"
"I don't wanna be here. I'm not like the rest of you. This is so unfair."
"Not like the rest of us? Michelle, that's not fair."
"You're right. I'm sorry. I'm just so pissed off right now about everything."
"Take your seats, please," the teacher said. "Remember to take your time."
"Yeah, right," Michelle smarted off.
"Michelle-'' the teacher warned.
"All right." The week drags on for Michelle, but it's finally Friday. Denise drives her to her house after school. This makes Michelle upset because she doesn't have her license yet. She sighs.
"What's wrong?" Denise asks. "Michelle, I'm worried about you. What's going on? There's something else. What is it?"
"All right, I'll tell you. You can't freak out okay?"
"Okay. What's up?"
"Okay, remember that show on Lifetime? About the girl who was bulimic?"
"Oh, Michelle. Please, stop while you still can."
"I can't, Denise. It's made me feel so much better."
"Michelle, have a drink. Have a cigarette. But don't do that."
"Like that's much better for you?"
"Well, you're not gonna do it at my house. I would have your ass if I found out you did it."
"Okay."
"Something else?"
"Yeah. I've been cutting."
"I want to see them. When we get to my house, show me." They get to Denise's and go to her room. Michelle had cuts on her leg.
"They were worse before, but I had to get rid of the scabs. I was going swimming."
Denise sighs. "Michelle, try to stop, okay? You don't want to get into that."
"I don't know, Denise. It's hard not to. And you know I have every reason in the world to do it. Just don't tell anybody okay?"
"All right. How long have you been doing this?"
"I started this week. On Tuesday."
"You have to stop."