〃Jess？〃　My　nose　wrinkled　as　I　cringed；　waiting　for　her　to　turn　on　me。
  She　twisted　in　her　seat　to　face　me；　eyeing　me　incredulously。　〃Are　you　talking　to　me；　Bella？〃
  〃Of　course。〃　I　widened　my　eyes　to　suggest　innocence。
  〃What？　Do　you　need　help　with　Calculus？〃　Her　tone　was　a　tad　sour。
  〃No。〃　I　shook　my　head。　〃Actually；　I　wanted　to　know　if　you　would…　go　to　the　movies　with　me　tonight？　I
  really　need　a　girls'　night　out。〃　The　words　sounded　stiff；　like　badly　delivered　lines；　and　she　looked
  suspicious。
  〃Why　are　you　asking　me？〃　she　asked；　still　unfriendly。
  〃You're　the　first　person　I　think　of　when　I　want　girl　time。〃　I　smiled；　and　I　hoped　the　smile　looked　genuine。
  It　was　probably　true。　She　was　at　least　the　first　person　I　thought　of　when　I　wanted　to　avoid　Charlie。　It
  amounted　to　the　same　thing。
  She　seemed　a　little　mollified。　〃Well；　I　don't　know。〃
  〃Do　you　have　plans？〃
  〃No…　I　guess　I　can　go　with　you。　What　do　you　want　to　see？〃
  〃I'm　not　sure　what's　playing；〃　I　hedged。　This　was　the　tricky　part。　I　racked　my　brain　for　a　clue—hadn't　I
  heard　someone　talk　about　a　movie　recently？　Seen　a　poster？　〃How　about　that　one　with　the　female
  president？〃
  She　looked　at　me　oddly。　〃Bella；　that　one's　been　out　of　the　theater　forever。〃
  〃Oh。〃　I　frowned。　〃Is　there　anything　you'd　like　to　see？〃
  Jessica's　natural　bubbliness　started　to　leak　out　in　spite　of　herself　as　she　thought　out　loud。　〃Well；　there's
  that　new　romantic　comedy　that's　getting　great　reviews。　I　want　to　see　that　one。　And　my　dad　just　saw
  Dead　End　and　he　really　liked　it。〃
  I　grasped　at　the　promising　title。　〃What's　that　one　about？〃
  〃Zombies　or　something。　He　said　it　was　the　scariest　thing　he'd　seen　in　years。〃
  〃That　sounds　perfect。〃　I'd　rather　deal　with　real　zombies　than　watch　a　romance。
  〃Okay。〃　She　seemed　surprised　by　my　response。　I　tried　to　remember　if　I　liked　scary　movies；　but　I　wasn't
  sure。　〃Do　you　want　me　to　pick　you　up　after　school？〃　she　offered。
  〃Sure。〃
  Jessica　smiled　at　me　with　tentative　friendliness　before　she　left。　My　answering　smile　was　just　a　little　late；
  but　I　thought　that　she　saw　it。
  The　rest　of　the　day　passed　quickly；　my　thoughts　focused　on　planning　for　tonight。　I　knew　from　experience
  that　once　I　got　Jessica　talking；　I　would　be　able　to　get　away　with　a　few　mumbled　responses　at　the
  appropriate　moments。　Only　minimal　interaction　would　be　required。
  The　thick　haze　that　blurred　my　days　now　was　sometimes　confusing。　I　was　surprised　when　I　found　myself
  in　my　room；　not　clearly　remembering　the　drive　home　from　school　or　even　opening　the　front　door。　But　that
  didn't　matter。　Losing　track　of　time　was　the　most　I　asked　from　life。
  I　didn't　fight　the　haze　as　I　turned　to　my　closet。　The　numbness　was　more　essential　in　some　places　than　in
  others。　I　barely　registered　what　I　was　looking　at　as　I　slid　the　door　aside　to　reveal　the　pile　of　rubbish　on
  the　left　side　of　my　closet；　under　the　clothes　I　never　wore。
  My　eyes　did　not　stray　toward　the　black　garbage　bag　that　held　my　present　from　that　last　birthday；　did　not
  see　the　shape　of　the　stereo　where　it　strained　against　the　black　plastic；　I　didn't　think　of　the　bloody　mess
  my　nails　had　been　when　I'd　finished　clawing　it　out　of　the　dashboard。
  I　yanked　the　old　purse　I　rarely　used　off　the　nail　it　hung　from；　and　shoved　the　door　shut。
  Just　then　I　heard　a　horn　honking。　I　swiftly　traded　my　wallet　from　my　schoolbag　into　the　purse。　I　was　in　a
  hurry；　as　if　rushing　would　somehow　make　the　night　pass　more　quickly。
  I　glanced　at　myself　in　the　hall　mirror　before　I　opened　the　door；　arranging　my　features　carefully　into　a　smile
  and　trying　to　hold　them　there。
  〃Thanks　for　coming　with　me　tonight；〃　I　told　Jess　as　I　climbed　into　the　passenger　seat；　trying　to　infuse　my
  tone　with　gratitude。　It　had　been　a　while　since　I'd　really　thought　about　what　I　was　saying　to　anyone
  besides　Charlie。　Jess　was　harder。　I　wasn't　sure　which　were　the　right　emotions　to　fake。
  〃Sure。　So；　what　brought　this　on？〃　Jess　wondered　as　she　drove　down　my　street。
  〃Brought　what　on？〃
  〃Why　did　you　suddenly　decide…　to　go　out？〃　It　sounded　like　she　changed　her　question　halfway　through。
  I　shrugged。　〃Just　needed　a　change。〃
  I　recognized　the　song　on　the　radio　then；　and　quickly　reached　for　the　dial。　〃Do　you　mind？〃　I　asked。
  〃No；　go　ahead。〃
  I　scanned　through　the　stations　until　I　found　one　that　was　harmless。　I　peeked　at　Jess's　expression　as　the
  new　music　filled　the　car。
  Her　eyes　squinted。　〃Since　when　do　you　listen　to　rap？〃
  〃I　don't　know；〃　I　said。　〃A　while。〃
  〃You　like　this？〃　she　asked　doubtfully。
  〃Sure。〃
  It　would　be　much　too　hard　to　interact　with　Jessica　normally　if　I　had　to　work　to　tune　out　the　music；　too。　I
  nodded　my　head；　hoping　I　was　in　time　with　the　beat。
  〃Okay…〃　She　stared　out　the　windshield　with　wide　eyes。
  〃So　what's　up　with　you　and　Mike　these　days？〃　I　asked　quickly。
  〃You　see　him　more　than　I　do。〃
  The　question　hadn't　started　her　talking　like　I'd　hoped　it　would。
  〃It's　hard　to　talk　at　work；〃　I　mumbled；　and　then　I　tried　again。　〃Have　you　been　out　with　anyone　lately？〃
  〃Not　really。　I　go　out　with　Conner　sometimes。　I　went　out　with　Eric　two　weeks　ago。〃　She　rolled　her　eyes；
  and　I　sensed　a　long　story。　I　clutched　at　the　opportunity。
  〃Eric　Yorkie？　Who　asked　who？〃
  She　groaned；　getting　more　animated。　〃He　did；　of　course！　I　couldn't　think　of　a　nice　way　to　say　no。〃
  〃Where　did　he　take　you？〃　I　demanded；　knowing　she　would　interpret　my　eagerness　as　interest。　〃Tell　me
  all　about　it。〃
  She　launched　into　her　tale；　and　I　settled　into　my　seat；　more　comfortable　now。　I　paid　strict　attention；
  murmuring　in　sympathy　and　gasping　in　horror　as　called　for。　When　she　was　finished　with　her　Eric　story；
  she　continued　into　a　Conner　comparison　without　any　prodding。
  The　movie　was　playing　early；　so　Jess　thought　we　should　hit　the　twilight　showing　and　eat　later。　I　was
  happy　to　go　along　with　whatever　she　wanted；　after　all；　I　was　getting　what　I　wanted—Charlie　off　my
  back。
  I　kept　Jess　talking　through　the　previews；　so　I　could　ignore　them　more　easily。　But　I　got　nervous　when　the
  movie　started。　A　young　couple　was　walking　along　a　beach；　swinging　hands　and　discussing　their　mutual
  affection　with　gooey　falseness。　I　resisted　the　urge　to　cover　my　ears　and　start　humming。　I　had　not
  bargained　for　a　romance。
  〃I　thought　we　picked　the　zombie　movie；〃　I　hissed　to　Jessica。
  〃This　is　the　zombie　movie。〃
  〃Then　why　isn't　anyone　getting　eaten？〃　I　asked　desperately。
  She　looked　at　me　with　wide　eyes　that　were　almost　alarmed。　〃I'm　sure　that　part's　coming；〃　she　whispered。
  〃I'm　getting　popcorn。　Do　you　want　any？〃
  〃No；　thanks。〃
  Someone　shushed　us　from　behind。
  I　took　my　time　at　the　concession　counter；　watching　the　clock　and　debating　what　percentage　of　a
  ninety…minute　movie　could　be　spent　on　romantic　exposition。　I　decided　ten　minutes　was　more　than　enough；
  but　I　paused　just　inside　the　theater　doors　to　be　sure。　I　could　hear　horrified　screams　blaring　from　the
  speakers；　so　I　knew　I'd　waited　long　enough。
  〃You　missed　everything；〃　Jess　murmured　when　I　slid　back　into　my　seat。　〃Almost　everyone　is　a　zombie
  now。〃
  〃Long　line。〃　I　offered　her　some　popcorn。　She　took　a　handful。
  The　rest　of　the　movie　was　comprised　of　gruesome　zombie　attacks　and　endless　screaming　from　the
  handful　of　people　left　alive；　their　numbers　dwindling　quickly。　I　would　have　thought　there　was　nothing　in
  that　to　disturb　me。　But　I　felt　uneasy；　and　I　wasn't　sure　why　at　first。
  It　wasn't　until　almost　the　very　end；　as　I　watched　a　haggard　zombie　shambling　after　the　last　shrieking
  survivor；　that　I　realized　what　the　problem　was。　The　scene　kept　cutting　between　the　horrified　face　of　the
  heroine；　and　the　dead；　emotionless　face　of　her　pursuer；　back　and　forth　as　it　closed　the　distance。
  And　I　realized　which　one　resembled　me　the　most。
  I　stood　up。
  〃Where　are　you　going？　There's；　like；　two　minutes　left；〃　Jess　hissed。
  〃I　need　a　drink；〃　I　muttered　as　I　raced　for　the　exit。
  I　sat　down　on　the　bench　outside　the　theater　door　and　tried　very　hard　not　to　think　of　the　irony。　But　it　was
  ironic；　all　things　considered；　that；　in　the　end；　I　would　wind　up　as　a　zombie。　I　hadn't　seen　that　one　coming。
  Not　that　I　hadn't　dreamed　of　becoming　a　mythical　monster　once—just　never　a　grotesque；　animated
  corpse。　I　shook　my　head　to　dislodge　that　train　of　thought；　feeling　panicky。　I　couldn't　afford　to　think　about
  what　I'd　once　dreamed　of。
  It　was　depressing　to　realize　that　I　wasn't　the　heroine　anymore；　that　my　story　was　over。
  Jessica　came　out　of　the　theater　doors　and　hesitated；　probably　wondering　where　the　best　place　was　to
  search　for　me。　When　she　saw　me；　she　looked　relieved；　but　only　for　a　moment。　Then　she　looked　irritated。
  〃Was　the　movie　too　scary　for　you？〃　she　wondered。
  〃Yeah；〃　I　agreed。　〃I　guess　I'm　just　a　coward。〃
  〃That's　funny。〃　She　frowned。　〃I　didn't　think　you　were　scared—I　was　screaming　all　the　time；　but　I　didn't
  hear　you　scream　once。　So　I　didn't　know　why　you　left。〃
  I　shrugged。　〃Just　scared。〃
  She　relaxed　a　little。　〃That　was　the　scariest　movie　I　think　I've　ever　seen。　I'll　bet　we're　going　to　have
  nightmares　tonight。〃
  〃No　doubt　about　that；