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Ms Malone stepped behind her desk again and flipped through her calendar She looked up at me "Is this period okay?"

I nodded dumbly

She wrote my appointment time down on a card

"And can she also have an excuse that says she was here talking to you?" Sawyer asked "She’s late for history"

Ms Malone gave Sawyer the briefest look that let hih her book of preprinted excuses and filled one out for ht, dear You come see me sooner if you need to" She turned to Sawyer "And you, here, tomorrow"

"Yes, ma’am" Sawyer put his arm around my shoulders and steered me out the door

"Thank you," I breathed as alked down the hall

"You’re welcohed and felt better, even though I had a horrible five hours in front of me, and my face was still ith tears "Did Ms Malone help you? What did she say?"

"Don’t think about that right now Until one o’clock when you e-hts are Dostoyevsky, Raskolnikov--"

"Okay" I stopped in the hallway He stopped too, in surprise His eyes were full of concern

I wanted to kiss hiet us both in hot water, though I only kissed er and placed it on his lips