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Her smile faded “Is it your dad’s weekend?”

“Yeah,” I said, pulling my thick binder from my locker

“That sucks Well, maybe he’ll feel bad about last time and take you someplace fun”

“Doubtful Seven will likely be around”

Chloe’s face screwed into disgust “They have numbers now?”

“Might as well” I exhaled, walking with her to homeroom

When Chloe and I sat in our seats, I i the page of problems I had to finish Just ten minutes and four problems later, I folded my work in half and stuck it in my textbook

Mr Hilterbran was tapping on his cell phone while resting his chin on the heel of his other hand I frowned, and motioned to Chloe It was unlike him—or any teacher—to have a phone in view of the students Seeing Mr Hilterbran breaking the rules by ignoring us for whatever was on his phone was strangely unsettling

Chloe leaned over “He’s been like that since he sat down”

Five , Mr Hilterbran seemed to snap out of his trance, and he blinked “Have you heard about this epidemic in Europe?” he asked “It’s all over the news”

The twenty or so of us looked at each other and then stared blankly at our teacher He simply looked back down at his phone and then shook his head in disbelief

“What kind of epidemic?” I asked

Mr Hilterbran began to speak, but the bell rang I gathered s and waited while Chloe ebra

Chloe and I had all but one class together Last hour, she had choir, and I had volleyball

As we clirimaced “Have you ever noticed all the smells in the stairway?”

Chloe’s bright red highlights peeked out from her chestnut hair We used to look more alike, but her mom was a hairstylist, and since we’d startedthan mine

I waited for her always-thoughtful opinion Herand wonderful hich was one of theabout her She was quiet unless she had so philosophical to say

“Like perfuher we cliets”

“It’s the humidity,” I said

She shook her head “Maybe it’s the stairway telling us what to expect—like, every year, we’ll all be et stronger each year until we graduate”