From Her Mouth to My Ears
| September 7, 2016
Photo: Shutterstock
I
was sitting on my bed studying for an exam. Layla was sitting on hers I presumed just beyond the partition meant to give us a semblance of privacy.
It was quiet on her side and I wasn’t paying much attention to anything around me struggling as I was to focus on my work.
Suddenly a loud voice jarred me from my deep concentration. It wasn’t Layla but it was coming from her side of the divide. Interestingly it sounded like someone on the other end of a Skype conversation but if it was that it was a one-sided exchange because I didn’t hear Layla. I suddenly became aware of a steady typing sound. Click click click.
“Is she obnoxious?” asked the voice.
Layla typed.
“How is she mean?”
Layla typed again.
What was going on?
It took a couple of seconds for me to process what was going on but my brain finally registered that Layla was typing to the girl and the girl was talking back.
“She’s sitting in the room with you?”
And they were talking about me.
A Little Background
I’m from a random city in Americathat has a very small Jewish community. Since we don’t have a frum girls’ high school there my siblings and I leave home for high school and board with a family in the city where we go to school.
I was at the Friedmans for the third year in a row having just begun 11th grade. I had developed a warm relationship with them and felt secure in my position in their family. I loved school and I was doing well.
Then came Layla.
“Rikki can I make you a cup of hot chocolate?”
That was Mrs. Friedman. Of course I wanted a cup of hot chocolate. What could be better than sitting with her and schmoozing over a warm drink?
“I wanted to talk to you about something.”
Uh-oh.
“There’s a new girl coming to town to join the school. We met her and she is a wonderful girl. Rabbi Fogel asked if we had space for another boarder and we agreed to take her in.”
Double uh-oh.
“Here?” I squeaked. “Like live with us with me?”
“We have space for another girl and we’re excited to help another girl who will be living far away from home.”
“But why?” I wailed. “I’m so happy. I like my room. I like my space and my privacy. I love your family. I don’t want to share my space with a stranger. And I like being the only boarder” I finished lamely.
“She won’t take away from our relationship and you might actually enjoy having someone your age in the house.”
My age?! She was in 11th grade too?! How much worse was this going to get?
My hot chocolate sat cold and sad looking just like my mood.
Oops! We could not locate your form.
