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―Jenna Lord Uhrip was very firm The handshake eirdly comfortable and formal all at the sa nice because I‘ for student council,‖ David said ―They‘re partly right‖

―About the student council part, or the being nice part?‖

―Oh, I‘ood on the résuotten that speech from your advisor yet, you will Do you knoho that is?‖

―I‘ to findDavid dropped his voice to a whisper, ―Well, if you need any help or don‘t understand soave rin and faced forward But, to tell you the truth, Bob, I was a little pissed off, too Like, did I look as if I needed the help?

This is just like the ward I inched a little lower in my seat Don’t shout, don’t make a fuss, smile at the doctor and we’ll all be just fine

The first day of all classes is virtually the sa was no different Fish Eyes finished calling attendance and then got a couple students to hand out textbooks We spent the next twentyfor straywhere other students had scribbled in answers Then, in the fifteen minutes that were left, Fish Eyes snorted and snuffled his way through the first chapter, all of it review, and assigned hoh sixty‖--with maybe thirty seconds to spare before the bell shrilled

Thank you, GAWD I gathered up ed parakeets All the noise was the perfect cover, though I figured to just slip in behind those three girls and glide on out--

David slid in at my elbow ―What do you have next?‖

―Ah‖ I had to think about it a sec ―Honors English‖

―Oh, you‘ll like Dewerrinned ―He‘s really--‖

―Ms Lord,‖ Fish Eyes called just as we got to the door ―A moment, please‖

I braked so quickly that David nearly tripped over my feet ―Sorry,‖ I said

―It‘s okay,‖ he said ―You wantaround us, so: Yeah, sucks to be you To be honest, David was getting on my nerves I wasn‘t a lost puppy, for God‘s sake, just the crazy new kid

―No, I‘ood, thanks,‖ I said David opened hisa quick about-face

―David, if you‘ll close the door on your way out?‖ Fish Eyes called

―Sure,‖ David said ―See you, Jenna‖

―Yeah,‖ I said but didn‘t look around I heard the door snick shut The room was dead quiet except for the shush of my slides over linoleum as I walked back to Fish Eyes‘s desk

―Yes, sir?‖ I wasn‘t sure if I ought to say sir, but I blanked on the guy‘s name and Fish Eyes would probably be a ?‖

―Wrong? Oh, no, no‖ Fish Eyes tugged off his glasses and dragged a cloth from his front pocket Without his specs, his eyes dwindled to lead pellets ―I just wanted to let you kno delighted we all are that you‘re here, JennaMay I call you Jenna? Good

I‘ve, uh, had the opportunity to look at your record--your placement exams and those you took while you were homeschooled--and they are impressive, most impressive

Particularly‖ He hawed on one lens and rubbed with the cloth ―Particularly given your, ah, peculiar circu upto be like this with every teacher? No, wait, that wasn‘t fair Mr

Anderson hadn‘t treated me like a freak Yet Maybe he just hadn‘t placed the nanosis

―We, uh, know that you‘ve had quite the, ah, struggle,‖ Fish Eyes said ―A very bad, very tough time of it I want you to kno sorry I a skin would rip itself fro down the hall All I wanted was to run run run and find so a bright, chipper little grin ―Wouldn‘t want to be late h

―No, of course not‖ Fish Eyes slipped on his glasses ―I just want you to know that if you, ah, need anything, any special help, just want to talkrin ―Thanks a lot‖

I didn‘t exactly run, not like I had fro and I would probably have bashed into a wall And, anyway, running was just too pathetic But I was still h the door and into the general swirl, I didn‘t look where I was going