Busted Read Online Free PDF

course,” says Morgan Giddes cheerily. “It’s where the boys write graffiti in the girls’ bathroom stalls, and where the girls get to tell the boys their measurements. Stuff like that.”
    Most of the class is nodding in agreement, as though this is as obvious and well-known as school being boring and teachers being uncool.
    â€œAnd how does that make you feel?” continues Ms. K.
    â€œIt makes me feel good,” shouts Ryan Morton from the back row. “I mean, real good—”
    â€œYes, I’m sure it does, Ryan, but there’s really no need to shout in class.”
    â€œWas I?” Ryan furrows his unibrow, then studies his lap. “Oh crap, I forgot to turn my iPod down. Sorry.”
    Ms. K shifts her weight back and forth. I imagine she’s wondering if the pleasure of disciplining Ryan is adequate compensation for sacrificing an entire class period; she obviously decides that it’s not. “What about you, girls? How do these Graduation Rituals make you feel?”
    Paige Tramell raises her hand daintily. “I guess it kind of depends on whether you’re pretty and popular. Like, what are they going to write about me on the stalls, right? And why would I care about revealing photographs?”
    Ms. K is getting depressed—I know the signs.
    â€œI mean, like, I’m comfortable with how I look,” Paige continues earnestly. “I exfoliate and moisturize twice a day, so I guess I’m going to be okay no matter what kind of photos they take, you know?”
    Ms. K blinks slowly, like she’s half-expecting that someone as shallow as Paige might not really exist. But when she opens her eyes, Paige is still there, patiently awaiting a response. Ms. K swallows hard. “Doesn’t it bother any of you to see women—because that’s what you are now— objectified like that?”
    I look around and quickly work out that no one but me knows what she means. Ms. K has worked it out too.
    â€œWhat I’m trying to say is, aren’t you offended by the idea of judging women only according to their looks?”
    Morgan sighs and turns in her seat so that she’s addressing the whole class. “I think what Ms. Kowalski is trying to say is, doesn’t it upset you all to be misrepresented?”
    Ms. K nods enthusiastically. She smiles beatifically at her kindred spirit, and Morgan smiles back, adding, “’Cause I know I’d be pissed as hell if they said I was anything less than a C cup.”
    Ms. Kowalski is still smiling, but then her face catches up with her brain and she shakes her head violently from side to side.
    â€œNo, no, no. You’ve totally misunderstood me. It’s not about cup size, and it shouldn’t be about looks, either.”
    Paige reenters the fray. “Guys, what she’s saying is that the whole system’s unfair.” Ms. K sighs in relief. “Like, it’s all fine and dandy for those of us who are cute and popular and all, but what about ugly girls? It must completely suck for them.”
    Ms. K wrings her hands, but she has evidently given up trying to make her point. In a way, I feel bad for her. She’s not even thirty yet, but I can see the idealism that drove her into teaching trickling away every time one of us opens our mouths.
    As a last resort, Ms. K glances my way, which is what she does whenever she needs me to explain what she’s talking about. But just as quickly, she shakes her head and looks away. I shouldn’t be surprised, but I am. I can’t help feeling kind of hurt. Because in spite of what she thinks, belonging to Brandon’s cohort does not suddenly make me a bad person.
    Besides, if the Book of Busts is so offensive, then how come it doesn’t bother Paige and Morgan? They seem keen to contribute in any way they can, and I can think of lots of ways they can help me out, both theoretically and practically.
    Ms. K shakes her