Antisocial

1

 

 

If I seem a little wired or high strung or just plain off, don t worry. I m not nuts. I just have a tendency to overthink every single thing that comes my way, ever. I suffer from what s known as social anxiety disorder, sometimes called social phobia. Big deal. So do fifteen million other people in America, or at least they will at some point in their lives, according to the Anxiety and Depression Association of America. I ll spare you the psychobabble. Basically, a good number of my social interactions, both online and IRL, do bad, bad things to my nerves.

 

So you can probably guess how I m feeling right now, in the dining hall at Alexandria Preparatory Academy, less than two weeks after my boyfriend dumped me and the whole world remembered that I m socially irrelevant. That I m not even close to being the cool, collected girl I ve been passing for over the last three months.

 

My palms are so slippery that the tray I m clutching like a religious offering may pop right out of my hands and fly across the room, trailing lunch behind it. I can hear the screams of laughter already. I close my eyes for a second and inhale through my nose.

 

Go somewhere calming in your mind, my therapist, Dr. Bechdel, would say in her soothing voice. I picture the volcanic black-and-snowy-white landscape of Vatnajökull Park in Iceland, feel the icy wind, not another soul in sight. Exhale, then open my eyes. One thing at a time. I ve been working with Dr. Bechdel on it for months.

 

Sup, Anna? I hear at my three o clock.

 

I turn just in time to see Dylan Johnson whiz by me. Then, as Dylan passes, another word comes out of his mouth. The word I spent all of Christmas break dreading, the word I ve heard six times already today. That I can t stand hearing anymore.

 

Sorry, he says without

JILLIAN BLAKE grew up in New England, where she kept her deepest, darkest secrets password-protected. Antisocial is her first novel. 

 "This debut novel is timely, cautionary, and compelling."  VOYA, starred review

"In an age of adult anxieties over digital privacy, this book is #relevant." Kirkus Reviews

"A compelling read...readers will be double-checking their own passwords." Booklist

"Antisocial is nothing short of an eye-opening wakeup call...a fast-paced, intriguing and emotional story...and a heartfelt look at true friendship and love." Justine magazine

Antisocial stands somewhere between a warning and a wake-up call, reminding readers that unlikely victims and villains are everywhere, but more importantly, that it is never too late to lend a helping hand." TheYoungFolks.com