Change

by Nikki Loftin

"Vari woke up and did the first thing she always did, the thing she hated most: she looked down.

A second later, she felt to make sure. Thank God. No extra bits today.

It was a good day to be a girl. Smooth legs, soft skin, long brown hair. Excellent. If she got lucky, she would stay a girl all day long, and the kids at her new high school wouldn’t notice anything strange about her."

3 pages, ebook

First published May 26, 2011

About the author

Nikki Loftin is the author of The Sinister Sweetness of Splendid Academy, which Publishers Weekly called "mesmerizing," and Kirkus called "irresistible," and Nightingale's Nest, which received a starred review from Kirkus. She lives with her Scottish photographer husband just outside Austin, Texas, surrounded by dogs, goats, and small, loud boys.

Nikki is a graduate of the University of Texas at Austin graduate writing program (MA, '98). She has been a popcorn seller, waitress, bookstore employee, Music and Gifted/Talented teacher, and a Director of Family Ministries.

Nikki teaches Zumba dance/aerobics in a mostly vain attempt to combat the ever-threatening Writer's Butt. When under extreme stress, or on submission with a novel, she bakes obsessively as a coping technique. Her favorite food/obsession is ice cream, preferably Blue Bell Moo-llenium Crunch. On very good days, she prefers writing even to ice cream.
Nikki is represented by Suzie Townsend of New Leaf Literary Agency.

Reviews

[Danyel · Rating 3 out of 5]

A sweet story about a teenage girls first day of high school. This flash fiction story explores the difficulty of being a the new kid with a touch of the fantastical. I liked it.

[Janie G · Rating 4 out of 5]

A fun little short about a young girl's worries on the first day of high school. While I'm sure every person experienced the same sort of anxieties in high school, Vari's concerns aren't imaginary and they are completely out of her control.