Jenny　looked　up　and　decided　to　erase　the　last　line　and　replace　it　with　something　else。　Ms。　Crumb

might　get　offended；　since　she　obviously　had　some　kind　of　ear…cleaning　fetish。

But　instead　of　writing　something　else　to　replace　the　ear…cleaning　line；　Jenny？s　mind　wandered

back　to　her　e…mail。　She？d　been　checking　it　regularly；　just　like　Blair　had　told　her　to；　however；　the

only　messages　she？d　gotten　had　been　jokey　ones　from　Elise　and　her　brother；　telling　her　to　stop

checking　her　e…mail　and　get　back　to　her　homework。　She　glanced　at　Elise；　who　was　scribbling　away；

already　on　her　second　page。　Jenny　wished　she　had　Dan？s　knack　for　the　written　word。　She　was

better　at　detailed　drawings　and　painting　and　calligraphy。

At　the　top　of　the　page　she　drew　an　elaborate　drawing　of　Elise？s　ear　and　the　side　of　her　face；

hoping　she？d　score　points　for　being　artistic；　even　if　her　essay　sucked。　Her　mind　wandered　again；

to　the　blond　boy　she？d　spotted　in　Bendel？s。　Was　he　artistic；　too？

The　bell　rang　to　mark　the　end　of　last　period　and　Ms。　Crumb　stood　up　and　brushed　chalk　dust

from　her　dark　gray　wool　pinafore　dress　that　looked　like　it　had　been　made　by　nuns　somewhere　cold

and　fashionless；　like　Greenland。

？Time？s　up；　ladies。　Pencils　down。　You　can　hand　in　your　papers　as　you　leave。？　She　tucked　her

maroon…stockinged　feet　into　a　pair　of　black　felt　L。L。　Bean　clogs。　？Happy　Thursday　afternoon！？

？So　what？d　you　write　about？？　Jenny　asked　Elise　after　they　had　packed　up　their　book　bags　and

were　on　their　way　out　the　school　doors。

？None　of　your　business；？　Elise　answered；　blushing。

？Don？t　think　I？m　never　going　to　find　out。　You？ll　probably　have　to　read　it　out　loud　on　Monday；？

Jenny