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"That was really good," she says "You know, I think there’s a lot more hope for you than you think there is"

I roll my eyes

"Thanks, Ms G"

Becky accostsa sheet of paper in my face

"Here," she says, as I take it "I copied down homework for you Lerner had a headache so he told us to read `The Yellow Wallpaper’ again--"

"We read it before?"

"Yeah, in ninth grade Anyway, he wants us to write a thousand words on hoe relate to the story now, as seniors, compared to hoe related to it as freshmen It’s pretty half-assed, but like I said, he had a headache"

"`The Yellow Wallpaper’ is the one where the chick goes insane and starts huht wanna reread it again to be safe"

Pfft "We’ll see Ready for your date tonight?"

"Yeah, got ," she says, and then she puts on her fake- interested face "How’d your ht? The date?" I ask She nods "Look, I’ve got to go I don’t want totheir date Chris will take Becky soh he could take her Du and she’d be happy because she’s wanted hi desperately hard not to stare at her breasts, because that G-spot stuff is all bravado, but by the end of the night he’ll be feeling her up, telling her she’s pretty, the prettiest, and she’ll blush and say, Oh, Chris, and they’ll make another date and they’ll fall in love and she’ll be a cheerleading coach and he’ll be an heir and they’ll have two-point-five kids and, and, and

"I think we should get a dog"

It’s one of my better entrances Dad lowers the paper and Mo over the sink and they look at me like I’m certifiable, but I’d rather be certifiable than perpetually boring, which iseither one of them, it’d be my dad We both have brown hair and sharp features Mo?" Mo?"

"That’s what I said"

Dad returns to the paper "I’ve alanted a dog"

"Well, a puppy actually," I say

"I’ve alanted a puppy," he a to hi a puppy, just like that?"

"No, not just like that We’d have to talk about it lances at Mo?"

She turns to me

"Where did this co" "Yes, I do! Ms Grey said it would be good forfaces that obviously indicate I’ I do that Lie "She said it would be a good learning experience forI could in turn learn to nurture ain! And I did all my homework this week, so I’d say I’ve earned it"

"You couldn’t start out with a goldfish?"

"Goldfish die at the drop of a hat, Mom It could die of coht think it was so I did and I wouldn’t be able to live withto take care of and I’e a long look

"We’ll have to talk about it," Dad says, which

"Great You two do that and call me when dinner’s ready I’ll be in my room"

"But don’t you want to tell us about the rest of your--"

I’ back in the hall and listen Mooes, "Did you find that as oddly encouraging as I did?"

And Dad goes, "Yeah She hasn’t really talked to us in a long tiuidance counselor really thinks she should get a dog?"

"It could be a lie"

"And if it is?"

"We can check But look, if she is lying it’s because she wants a dog It’s not like she’s lying about where she’s been and who she’s been with"

My dad, the softie

"And thatcould foster soe her recklessness"