I opened the door and stepped out into the hall, closing it behind me. It took some conversation to convince the three teachers waiting that there had been an accident, that they were not going to be allowed into the cafeteria, that I was not going to tell them anything about the nature of the accident, and that I was not going to bring them their lunch.
Finally, when they had gone away, I went back in and heard David say, "She has a crush on him."
"I do not!" Carol insisted.
Jan held up her hand. "It really doesn't matter. People don't murder each other because of a crush. After all, a crush is based on hope. It's if and when that hope is dashed, when we've been rejected, either in reality or in our imaginations, that murder can happen."
I had obviously missed some things, but I didn't mind, since I could tell that she was just marking time. She was waiting for something, and this discussion of adolescent infatuation was not occupying much of her attention.
I wondered what she was waiting for. Probably for the arrival of the nurse, but it was difficult to be sure.
previous || about || home || next
