Through the rapid-fire comebacks, Miri caught her stepfather’s eyes and smiled shyly. He returned the smile, then apparently realizing he was no competition for Benny and Malky, continued eating. Miri sighed. So much for having a civilized conversation.

Devory followed Miri’s gaze and was stunned to see her father share a smile with her, no matter how fleeting it was.

She pierced a piece of meat on her plate with a fork and breathed out through her nose. It was time to put her plan into action.

“So,” Shoshi’s voice came through the phone. “Did you keep to our deal?”

“Yes,” Miri said. “I mean, I started, and it was going pretty okay until Benny and Malky started fighting about who saw the grossest thing ever!”

Shoshi laughed. “You’re kidding!”

“No. I’m serious! What about you?”

“I had a real conversation with my mother.”

“Aaand?”

“And, it was pretty okay too. My mother was, like, all into it and everything.”

“Shoshi! I’m so happy for you.”

“Me too.”

Miri adjusted the phone against her ear. “You know, when Mrs. Klein called me into her office to ask me that question…” Miri’s voice trailed off when she noticed a shadow outside in the hallway. “Just a sec, Shoshi.” She walked to the door and looked out. No one was there.

“Sorry,” she said into the phone. “I thought someone was listening to our conversation, but I guess I’m just paranoid. What were we talking about?”

“You were telling me about when Mrs. Klein called you into her office to ask you if you liked school.”

“Oh, yeah, so, like, while I was in there, she told me that she’s happy we’re friends.”

“No way!”

“Yes. She thinks you’re a nice girl.”

“Wow! Thanks for telling me.”

For a second, Miri considered telling Shoshi about her suspicion that Devory was the culprit, but decided it wasn’t appropriate to share.

“Anyway, Shoshi,” she said. “I’m going to finish the math sheet.”

“Good luck, it’s insane.”

“Thanks for the warning. I’ll see you tomorrow. Bye.”

“Bye.”

“Girls,” Mrs. Klein said the following morning, “It saddens me that no one has come forward to claim responsibility for the missing object.”

The girls looked at each other, hoping to spot the offender. Devory was pleased when she saw Yael crane her neck to catch her gaze.

“As much as it pains me, I will be forced to postpone or even cancel our annual eighth-grade trip.”

A cacophony of protest instantly filled the room.

Mrs. Klein held up her hand. “Girls, I don’t like to punish everyone for the actions of one girl, but at this point, I feel as though my hands are tied. I’m going to ask once more that whoever it was that had a weak moment and gave in to the yetzer hara, call me on my cell before eight o’clock tonight to claim responsibility. Please go to class now.”

Yael ran to catch up with Devory. “So, it wasn’t Miri!”

“What do you mean, it wasn’t Miri?”

“How could it be? You heard what Mrs. Klein said. No one claimed responsibility.”

Devory licked her lips. “I happen to know for a fact that when Mrs. Klein called Miri to her office yesterday, she asked her a very specific question.”

“How do you know that?”

“I overheard Miri on the phone last night talking to Shoshi Abrams. Her exact words were, ‘You know yesterday when Mrs. Klein called me into her office to ask me that question?’ ”

“Yeah, but you don’t know what Mrs. Klein actually asked her.”

“Hello!” Devory said. “You don’t have to be a rocket scientist to figure it out! What else would she ask Miri, privately, in her office, after school, on the same exact day someone took something from a teacher!?”

“But it doesn’t make any sense. If Miri confessed yesterday, then why did Mrs. Klein just say that no one admitted taking it?”

“Yael! Do I have to spell everything out for you? She said that because, for sure, Miri denied taking it!”

“Maybe it’s because she really didn’t take it.”

“Listen, Yael,” Devory tried to sound sincere. “I also want to give her the benefit of the doubt, but think about it, did we ever have a problem like this in school before Miri came?”

“N-no.”

“Exactly!”

“I don’t even care that Miri took it. That’s her problem. I care that we’re all going to be punished for something she did. It’s totally unfair!” Yael folded her arms forcefully in front of her chest, and Devory was happy to see a glint of anger in her eyes.

“I mean,” Devory egged her on, “why do we all have to suffer because of her?”

Yael’s arms dropped. “I don’t know. I still think we need more proof. Accusing her is like, major.”

“More proof?!”

“Yes.” Yael looked past Devory. “Hey, there’s Chanie. Let me ask her what she thinks about it.”

Devory watched her run off, glad that her plan was now in motion, more proof or not.

to be continued…

(Originally featured in Mishpacha Jr., Issue 815)