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“Yes, us too.” Lauren’s mother already had her checkbook in hand. “Is now a good time?”
Sister Gloria looked beyond the parents desperately tap-dancing for her attention in hopes of sparing their daughters from punishment. Lauren did her best to look genuinely sorry and hoped Sylvie could try to look more like Anne of Green Gables and less like The Terminator.
Shaking her head, Sister Gloria relented. “If either one of you so much as raises your voice you’ll be suspended. There will be no discussion. Action will be swift and severe. Am I clear?”
Unable to speak under the intensity of Sister Gloria’s gaze, Lauren nodded emphatically. Next to her, Sylvie managed a squeak that sounded something like yes, ma’am.
“You may go, but report back here after the final bell. You will be staying an hour after school each day to help in the administrative office. You will be prompt and assist with enthusiasm.”
Lauren almost asked how long they were expected to stay after school before thinking better of it and turning on her heels. She reached for the backpack next to where she’d been sitting.
“Lou,” her father called before she could get more than two steps away. “Your keys.” He held out his hand expectantly.
Cursing under her breath, Lauren unzipped the small front pocket of her bag and handed over her freedom.
“Your grandmother will pick you up later,” he explained, his tone uncharacteristically stern.
The only comfort in her loss was watching Sylvie hand over an identical set of keys to her mother. As they walked toward the door at the end of the hall, Lauren resisted the desire to poke at her.
“Good thing Patty has a car,” Sylvie muttered triumphantly the moment they were out of Sister Gloria’s earshot.
Unable to swim past the bait, Lauren forced a smile. “I always knew Patty was a sweetheart. It’s great that she also believes in doing acts of charity,” she said before they turned down the corridor that led to a stairwell.
Sylvie’s fists balled up at her sides. “You’re so pathetic.”
“I’m not the one going out with somebody just to spite someone else. You’re obsessed with me. It would be kind of funny if it weren’t so sad.” Lauren took the steps two at a time once they reached them.
A few inches shorter than her, Sylvie had to work harder to keep up as Lauren glided up the stairs.
“Obsessed with you?” Sylvie laughed dryly when they reached the top. “Please, you’re delusional.” She elbowed her to get ahead. “I hate you.”
Lauren glared at her as she darted out to reach the door of their science class first, pushing Sylvie out of the way with her hips. “Not more than I hate you.”
