The Implosion of Aggie Winchester by Lara Zielin Read Free Book Online

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    Sylvia came in late and wasn’t in her gym clothes. I hadn’t heard from her since the party, even though I’d texted a few times. But that was Sylvia. Some days, she said, people just had to take her when they could get her. Whatever that meant.
    “Hydration break!” Ms. Rhone announced to the class as Sylvia handed her a piece of paper.
    “What’s going on?” I asked, approaching them. Sylvia’s hair spiked out in all directions. Her dark lipstick was cracked and faded.
    “My mom took me to the doctor this morning,” Sylvia whispered. “I’m excused from gym for a while.”
    After a long moment, Ms. Rhone handed the note back to Sylvia. “Participate when you can,” she said, her neck cords strained at the base of her ringer tee. “Get exercise regularly. Don’t stop moving.”
    It wasn’t hard to figure out what Sylvia’s note said.
    “Okay, time for partners,” Ms. Rhone said. “Everyone grab a neighbor. Winchester, you can partner with Jess.”
    I looked over at Jess—or J. rex as she was known in school, on account of how her left hand was missing its index and middle fingers and looked like a tiny claw.
    “You owe me,” I growled at Sylvia. She winked and smiled.
    “This is payback for last week when you ate my Smarties.”
    “Whatever,” I said, walking over to Jess, who seemed as happy about the arrangement as I was. Her sky blue eyes were narrowed as she watched me approach. She was all of fivetwo, with twigs for bones, but she still had the compact energy of a pit bull. She pushed a piece of her blond bob out of her face and tilted her chin up at me. I clutched my fencing sword and scowled.
    “Try an attack using the lunge and recover technique,” Ms. Rhone called out to the class. “ En garde —and go!”
    Jess and I pulled the fencing masks back down over our faces and assumed positions. I figured we would just wave our swords at each other half-heartedly, so I was surprised when the tip of her blade jabbed the dumpy vest around my middle. “Ow!” I cried.
    “Nice job, Kline,” Ms. Rhone said to Jess before moving on to observe another pair. I tried not to notice the way Sylvia was laughing and covering her mouth in the corner of the gym.
    “So that’s how you want to play?” I asked.
    “I’m just following the rules,” Jess said through the mesh of her mask.
    Smartass , I thought, bounding forward to thrust the tip of my flimsy sword into the space where her vest met her neck. Jess blocked it and counterattacked, this time poking me in the arm.
    “Dammit,” I cursed, wishing suddenly that the school could afford all the required fencing gear, instead of just bits and pieces we threw on over our shorts and T-shirts. It would at least keep Jess’s jabs away from my skin.
    I heard Sylvia cackle and tried to ignore it.
    “You’re not very graceful,” Jess pointed out.
    “That’s not helping,” I said, rubbing my arm.
    Jess lifted her fencing mask off her face. Her eyes had lost their hard edge. She was almost laughing.
    “You’re trying to win by being powerful, but that’s not what fencing is about.”
    I pulled the mask off my own face and stared at her. “What, do I look like I give a crap?”
    Jess shrugged and pulled her mask back down. “Just trying to help,” she said. Before I was ready, she made some kind of little hop and poked my leg.
    “Excellent footwork, Kline,” Ms. Rhone called from across the room.
    “If you poke me again, I swear to God I’ll kick your ass,” I said, humiliated beyond belief. First, I was paired with a freak, and now she was beating me at fencing. Fabulous . I just hoped no one besides Sylvia was watching.
    “You touch me, I’ll tell what was in that note your friend handed to the teacher,” Jess said.
    “You have no idea what that note said,” I replied.
    “Try me.” Jess’s sword was raised in her right hand. Her left hand, with its curled deformity, was hidden behind her. She’s in the attack position ,