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Libby’s voice, so calm and methodical moments ago, was now high and tinged with something he refused to call anxiety

We share a snickerdoodle in silence; Libby makes no comment about fats and sugars, she just chews thoughtfully

Akiva blinked. Was that the end of his pitch? He had cards in his pocket; he’d been practicing the whole flight here

I turn around slowly. This is not happening. Teachers are not using lunchtime to have PTA with my mother, are they?

I’m 16, not six. I can control myself, right? Pretend to be a nice person even if inside I know I’m a snob

My new goal for Ma’s class is to cover an entire loose-leaf page with tiny rosebuds. I begin in the left-hand corner. By the time the bell rings, I’ve done two whole lines