“OK kids, put away your Math books and take out your sketch pads. It’s time for Art. We’re going to be doing self portraits today!”

The students groaned as they pulled out their sketch pads, but not Julia. She liked Tuesdays best precisely for these 45 minutes in which she was free from the boredom of History or the rigors of Mathematics, the latter of which she alternately feared and abhorred.

Julia neatly arranged her coloring pencils on her desk.

“Hey, those are cool!” Claire the girl next to Julia exclaimed. She was a demi-goddess whose popularity was such that all Julia could do was smile and try to hide her surprise at being addressed by the most popular girl in 7th grade.

Claire’s flawlessly mascaraed eyes flicked over Julia’s disheveled hair (still messy from P.E.) and mismatched clothes (hand-me downs) and dismissed her, turning to speak to the boy on her left.

Julia didn’t mind. In fact she preferred remaining anonymous. The only company she needed was a blank canvas and her coloring pencils.