“What if I do and I’m hungry?”
Maggie replaced the Sylvia Plath book. “Anna wants to join the Poetry Club at school, like I was telling you. The Misfit Toys.”
“Don’t sweat it. Teenagers choose their friends. You can’t help it.”
“What if they choose the wrong ones?”
“Then you’ll deal.” Kathy slid one of the textbooks off the shelf. “You say she gets good grades?”
“Yes.” Maggie had been so proud to see Anna’s transcript from Congreve, emailed by James. “Even in math.”
“Oh look at this.” Kathy thumbed through an algebra textbook and plucked a piece of paper from the pages, chuckling. “They pass notes in class, like we did.”
“Really?” Maggie leaned over to see the note. “I recognize Anna’s handwriting from the Harry Potter book. It’s the second line.”
“The one with smaller print.” Kathy nodded, and they read together:
Please God make it stop
It won’t be on the midterm anyway
She’s the worst teacher in the history of teachers
Boogie alert—check her left nostril
OMG too funny
She’s literally wearing mucus
What a hag! She could be a Wiccan
LOL guaranteed
Maggie smiled. “I remember when we used to make fun of teachers.”
“Now I’m the teacher, and kids are making fun of me. Meanwhile, do I have a boogie in my left nostril?”
Maggie laughed, returning her attention to the note. “I wonder if this is between Anna and her friend Jamie, who left school.”
“Left school? That’s too bad for Anna.” Kathy replaced the note, flipped through the other pages, and pulled out another note. “Oh look, here’s a second.”
Maggie looked over. “This time, the first line is Anna.”
She spits when she talks
That’s part of her charm
I bet she chews with her mouth open
I know she does
How
High tea on parents weekend, remember? She ate a raspberry scone. You can’t unsee that.
I wasn’t there
Oh right sry
