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“My name’s not Norma. Ellie, what are you doing?”
“Mrs. Hingle’s brother just died. She had to leave for Delaware, and Mrs. Hathaway has no one to assign. She was here an hour ago to tell us we had better behave and follow all the rules until Mrs. Hingle returns or she finds someone qualified. So . . .” She held out her arms. “We’re behaving.”
They all laughed.
“Are you crazy? Someone will tell Mrs. Hathaway what’s going on. Why are you doing this in my room?”
“It’s my room, too. If you don’t want a joint, I’ve got some other good stuff,” she said showing me the two bottles of tequila. “It wasn’t difficult to get, if you know what I mean. How was your day with Ethan? You’re back early, aren’t you? Are you going out again? You’re Mrs. Hathaway’s new darling, so you’re on the honor system. Just sign the clipboard on the desk out front,” she said. “I’m still confined to the barracks but making the best of it.” They all laughed.
“No. I’m not going out again, but I was hoping to do some studying. We have two finals on Monday, Ellie.”
“What?”
“Turn down the music.”
“What did she say?” Pam asked Ellie, pretending not to hear me. “Something about Monday?”
“Take off my hat!” I shouted at her. She shrugged and tossed it like a Frisbee at the closet. “I want my room back.”
“Chill out,” Natalie said. “Or we’ll have to commit you. Where is the nearest psycho ward?” she asked Pam.
“Ask her. She probably’s been there.”
They all laughed again.
“Get out!” I screamed.
“Relax, Semantha,” Ellie said. “It’s the end of the year. We’re entitled to some fun.”
I turned and started away.
“You better not squeal on us, Semantha!” Ellie shouted after me.
I had no intention of doing that, even though I was fuming. After I marched out of the dorm, I kept walking. Ethan’s reaction to my deep secret and now this wild party in my dorm room were too much. I felt like walking back to Kentucky. I didn’t realize I was crying, too, until I heard someone call my name and turned to see Mrs. Hathaway standing with Mr. Kasofsky, our history teacher. They were talking by his car. I had wandered all the way to the main building.
Oh no, I thought as Mrs. Hathaway started toward me. I looked back at the dormitory.
“What’s wrong, Semantha?”
“Nothing,” I said, wiping my cheeks quickly.
“Why are you crying?”
“I’m not. Something got into my eye,” I said.
She stood there looking at me. “Didn’t you sign out earlier?”
“Yes, ma’am.”
She looked at Mr. Kasofsky and then back at the dormitory. “Is something going on that I should know about back there?” she asked.
“No,” I said, too vehemently.
She tightened her lips and walked back to Mr. Kasofsky. My heart began thumping. They got into his car and drove toward the dorms. They’re surely going to blame me, I thought. I started back slowly. By the time I arrived, Mrs. Hathaway and Mr. Kasofsky had obviously been to Ellie’s and my room. The hallway was dead quiet. I heard Mrs. Hingle’s office door open and Ellie and Natalie Roberts came out, both, as my father might say, looking like death warmed over. I could see the other girls were still in the office.
“I didn’t tell her anything,” I told them.
“Right,” Natalie said. “She just happened to come rushing back here after you left.”
