“No I don’t.” Chaya closed the book with a snap. “I don’t need new school shoes. I don’t need a new backpack. I don’t need new accessories to match a new uniform.” Her voice was high and wavered dangerously. “Okay?” She jerked the book open again.

Mommy took an uncertain step back. “Chaya” she began. She was using that let’s-have-a-good-talk voice that made Chaya cringe. “I know this is hard for you. It’s hard for all of us. But soon it will all be straightened out. Of course you’ll be accepted by the time school starts!” She was talking too much. “Listen we can get you new school shoes anyway. You’re definitely going to need them!” She ended her little speech on a high cheery note.

Chaya said nothing.

“Daddy and I are looking into different options. Have you ever heard of Machon Rivkah?”

Chaya shook her head stiffly.

“Oh… well it’s a high school not too far from here… maybe 20 minutes from the highway.” She saw Chaya’s face close. “It’s not ‘out-of-town’ she said quickly. “It’s just… it’s about 20 minutes away.”

“None of my friends are going there” Chaya muttered. Her voice was husky.

“I know Chaya but…” Mommy sounded helpless. Well that fit.

“We’ve heard some really nice things about it. We’re just you know looking into it a little more… It’s…” Mommy cast around for the right words. “It’s you know just… different than Bais Yaakov.”

Chaya turned the page.

***

“Where are you going?”

Little brothers could be so annoying. “Nowhere.”

“You are too going somewhere.”

“Okay,” Chaya snapped. “To the library. Happy now?”

“I was happy the whole time,” Shuey said. He had a knack for telling the unvarnished truth. “You’re the one that’s mad.”

I have a right to be mad, Chaya thought bitterly as she entered the library. All the heroes in books had something special. Either a secret weapon or a major talent or a rich uncle or a fairy godmother. And what did she have? There was nothing special about her, as the high school issue proved. No incredible talent. No magic spell. No rich uncle or sympathetic teacher or special someone looking out for her. There wasn’t a single adult she could trust.

She slid the books onto the returns cart as she mentally counted them off. Mommy was helpless, Daddy was angry. And weren’t principals supposed to be altruistic, devoted individuals who care deeply for their students? Well, maybe only for their actual, current, crème-de-la-crème students.

The last book thudded down ominously.

“Quiet!”

Chaya looked around.

The librarian with the green-rimmed glasses pinned her with a grim stare. “This is a library!” she hissed. “Don’t slam the books like that!”

Everyone hated her. “I wasn’t slamming them.” Chaya’s temper flared.

“You be careful,” warned the librarian. Her nametag read Sandy. “I can have you banned from coming here.” She indicated a sign behind her with a long list of rules.

Her pride would not allow her to run. Chaya turned and marched away. So, not only wasn’t she allowed into high school, soon she wouldn’t even be allowed into the library!

Just before the mysteries was the media center. Stacks of DVDs caught Chaya’s eye. One listed a familiar title — it was a movie based on the book she had just returned. The graphics were bright, popping off the cover. A live version of her favorite character stared back at her. Chaya’s heart leapt. That character was practically her best friend, she would love to watch the movie. Her hand reached out, wavered over the jewel case. There was an old laptop lying around in Daddy’s study; it could probably play DVDs. Suddenly, she was sick of reading.

She grabbed the DVD and rifled quickly through the others. Two more DVDs caught her interest. She added them to her stack. This was amazing!

A sudden thought stopped her, and she headed back to the books. Carefully she chose two large, heavy volumes. She sandwiched the DVDs between them. Perfect. She went to check out.

***