away. She couldn’t imagine why she’d dreamed such a thing. Sure, Emma had seemed upset the day before at lunch. She’d probably just been in a bad mood, Anna reasoned. Anna would talk to her today and get it all straightened out.
But she didn’t see Emma at all that morning. She didn’t come by Anna’s locker, and Anna didn’t see her anywhere in the halls. Anna worried all through her morning classes, wondering if Emma was still mad at her.
When it was time for science class, Anna’s spirits lifted. At least she’d see Benny! She hurried to class and was the first one to take her seat.
Anna watched the rest of the students file in. Dory was back at school. She walked in with her chin held high, never once looking in Anna’s direction.
Fine,
Anna thought angrily,
two can play at that game.
By the time the bell rang, Benny still hadn’t showed up. Anna stared at his empty seat, crestfallen. Where was he? she wondered. Sick? He’d seemed fine the day before.
“Did you hear what happened to Benny?” said a voice behind her. It was Krystal, gossiping with her lab partner as usual.
Anna whipped around in her seat. “What about him?”
“He had a big accident last night.” Krystal widened her eyes in phony alarm, clearly relishing the attention.
Anna’s mouth felt dry. “What kind of accident?”
Krystal shrugged. “Nobody knows. But I heard he’ll be out of school for weeks. At least, that’s what his mother told the school secretary. I was in the office when she called,” she added importantly.
“Girls?” Mr. Cooper said sharply from the front of the room, giving them a warning look.
Anna turned back around in her seat, trying to process this information. What Krystal said couldn’tbe true — could it? Krystal often got her facts wrong. But then again, she said she’d heard it from the school secretary.
Finally, Anna decided there was only one thing to do — she would go to his house and see for herself.
As soon as school was over that afternoon, she walked the few blocks to Benny’s house. Her heart pounded as she rang the bell.
After a long moment, a petite dark-haired woman opened the door. “Yes?”
Anna introduced herself. “I have class with Benny,” she explained. “I heard he was sick, so I, um, brought his homework.” Anna had worked out that excuse in class that afternoon. “Is he, um, okay?”
“He’ll be okay eventually, although I don’t think he’s ready for any homework yet,” the woman said. She looked tired and worried. “But you can go see him, if you like. He’s in his room.” She moved aside and held the door open.
As Anna stepped inside, right away she noticed the hush, an unnatural quiet, as if the wholehouse was holding its breath. She knew then that Krystal had been right — something really bad
had
happened.
“It’s the first door at the top of stairs,” Benny’s mother told Anna.
Anna climbed the stairs slowly, a little afraid of what she would find. When she reached the door, she took a deep breath, then gently pushed it open.
Benny was lying in bed, a blanket pulled over half his body. One leg was in a plaster cast, and a bandage was wrapped around his head. His closed eyes looked sunken in his face.
“Benny?” Anna murmured.
His eyes fluttered open. Anna smiled and started to step toward him, but the look on his face stopped her. “What are you doing here?” he said sharply.
“I brought your science homework, and, um …” Anna’s voice faltered. Why did he keep looking at her like that … like he was afraid of her?
Benny was struggling to sit up. “Who let you in here?”
“Your mom,” Anna said. “I heard at school that you got hurt. I just wanted to see how you were doing.”
“You wanted to see how I was
doing?”
Benny blinked, as if he couldn’t believe what he was hearing. “How did you think I’d be doing?”
Was this one of his weird jokes? “I don’t get it, Benny,” she said. “What happened to
But she didn’t see Emma at all that morning. She didn’t come by Anna’s locker, and Anna didn’t see her anywhere in the halls. Anna worried all through her morning classes, wondering if Emma was still mad at her.
When it was time for science class, Anna’s spirits lifted. At least she’d see Benny! She hurried to class and was the first one to take her seat.
Anna watched the rest of the students file in. Dory was back at school. She walked in with her chin held high, never once looking in Anna’s direction.
Fine,
Anna thought angrily,
two can play at that game.
By the time the bell rang, Benny still hadn’t showed up. Anna stared at his empty seat, crestfallen. Where was he? she wondered. Sick? He’d seemed fine the day before.
“Did you hear what happened to Benny?” said a voice behind her. It was Krystal, gossiping with her lab partner as usual.
Anna whipped around in her seat. “What about him?”
“He had a big accident last night.” Krystal widened her eyes in phony alarm, clearly relishing the attention.
Anna’s mouth felt dry. “What kind of accident?”
Krystal shrugged. “Nobody knows. But I heard he’ll be out of school for weeks. At least, that’s what his mother told the school secretary. I was in the office when she called,” she added importantly.
“Girls?” Mr. Cooper said sharply from the front of the room, giving them a warning look.
Anna turned back around in her seat, trying to process this information. What Krystal said couldn’tbe true — could it? Krystal often got her facts wrong. But then again, she said she’d heard it from the school secretary.
Finally, Anna decided there was only one thing to do — she would go to his house and see for herself.
As soon as school was over that afternoon, she walked the few blocks to Benny’s house. Her heart pounded as she rang the bell.
After a long moment, a petite dark-haired woman opened the door. “Yes?”
Anna introduced herself. “I have class with Benny,” she explained. “I heard he was sick, so I, um, brought his homework.” Anna had worked out that excuse in class that afternoon. “Is he, um, okay?”
“He’ll be okay eventually, although I don’t think he’s ready for any homework yet,” the woman said. She looked tired and worried. “But you can go see him, if you like. He’s in his room.” She moved aside and held the door open.
As Anna stepped inside, right away she noticed the hush, an unnatural quiet, as if the wholehouse was holding its breath. She knew then that Krystal had been right — something really bad
had
happened.
“It’s the first door at the top of stairs,” Benny’s mother told Anna.
Anna climbed the stairs slowly, a little afraid of what she would find. When she reached the door, she took a deep breath, then gently pushed it open.
Benny was lying in bed, a blanket pulled over half his body. One leg was in a plaster cast, and a bandage was wrapped around his head. His closed eyes looked sunken in his face.
“Benny?” Anna murmured.
His eyes fluttered open. Anna smiled and started to step toward him, but the look on his face stopped her. “What are you doing here?” he said sharply.
“I brought your science homework, and, um …” Anna’s voice faltered. Why did he keep looking at her like that … like he was afraid of her?
Benny was struggling to sit up. “Who let you in here?”
“Your mom,” Anna said. “I heard at school that you got hurt. I just wanted to see how you were doing.”
“You wanted to see how I was
doing?”
Benny blinked, as if he couldn’t believe what he was hearing. “How did you think I’d be doing?”
Was this one of his weird jokes? “I don’t get it, Benny,” she said. “What happened to
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