“I won’t pretend we’re friends or anything, since I know you don’t have any, so how about we say I’m a chesed case, ’kay?”

Rusi was — big surprise — having a tearful phone conversation when ZeeZee walked into their room after dinner. (“But I have no friends! And all they have to eat here is gross soy schnitzel!”)

ZeeZee smirked as she nodded at Shani, who rolled her eyes. She sat down cross-legged on her bed and took out her List. She frowned. Could she still mark off the airport Shabbos invite as done, if she wasn’t allowed to go? Her pen hovered over the check mark.

And if she’d already been a week in seminary and hadn’t yet managed to accomplish a single thing on her list, how pathetic did that make her?

Her eyes scanned the page. Why, she hadn’t even managed to even meet a single Knesset member, let alone give one a birthday card.

“I heard you got in, like, major trouble with Mrs. Edelman?”

ZeeZee looked up. Apparently, the emotional phone call was over. At least Rusi’s cryfests didn’t last long.

“Nooo. Who said that?”

“Come on, it was all over school. She asked you to stay after class to talk about your Shabbos plans.” Rusi sat down on the edge of ZeeZee’s bed. Shani was watching, too. “Nu, what’d she do to you?”

ZeeZee quickly folded up her list. “Nothing crazy. She was just like, ‘I’m sure you realize that you’re not allowed to go to the Shomron without special permission.’ And then she made me cancel my plans. Like, actually call the lady in front of her! I felt, legit, like I was back in third grade.”

“Ouch.” Rusi scrunched her nose sympathetically. “Wanna come with me for Shabbos? I’m going to my sister-in-law’s sister on Sorotzkin. I’m sure she wouldn’t mind.”

“Nah, I already have plans.” ZeeZee scowled at her list.

“That was quick. Where’re you going?”

“Mrs. Edelman.”

Rusi burst out laughing. “No, seriously? She made you cancel your plans, and then she invited you?” She stopped laughing. “Davka, that’s kinda nice.”