“I—I don’t know,” I reply, confused by what I am seeing.

Some of the kids whisper and snicker, and then Bailey turns around again with this crooked, mischievous smirk like a dash across her face, and says, “Sadie was scribbling all over the desk. I saw her do it.”

I don’t remember doing that, but as I look down, sure enough, there are blue pen marks all over the desk—lines and circles, more dots, the two blobs, and a circle around the smudge mark that spiraled bigger and bigger and bigger, like the dog running toward us, about to jump right off the desk.

“Principal’s office,” Ms. Avery says.

“But I didn’t mean to—”

“Now!” Ms. Avery interrupts. I hang my head and start walking toward the door, when Ms. Avery calls out after me and says, “Wait—take your books and your backpack with you. We will find a later time for you to clean up the mess you made; you’ve disrupted the class enough for one day.”

Chapter 6

DOODIE DUTY

Mom picks me up from school, and she is mad. This is the third time this school year that Mom has to come get me. The first two times were because I went to the nurse’s office and pretended to be sick so I could leave school early—which, combined with my terrible grades last year, was one of the things that led to my moms having me tested for an LD in the first place.

Mom is quiet as we walk across the school parking lot toward her car. It isn’t until we’ve left the school and are driving that she finally speaks.

“Do you want to tell me what happened?”

“I’m not even sure, Mom,” I begin. “It wasn’t my fault; it was like I was under a spell or someth—”

“No stories,” Mom says, cutting me off. “Just tell me what actually happened.”

“I fell asleep at my desk, and I was dreaming of the lost dog I told you about. And it was like a movie playing in my mind. The dog was getting chased. I didn’t know I was drawing on the desk either, Mom. I swear. Not until I fell out of my chair onto the floor.”

Mom breathes in deeply and then lets out a long sigh. “What am I supposed to do with you?” She shakes her head and tightens her hands around the steering wheel.

“I didn’t mean to—”

“Honey,” she begins, but stops. “Let’s just have some quiet time until we get to my work, all right?”

“Can’t I stay home with Gramps?” I ask.

“No, you cannot,” she says. “Grandpa needs his rest today.”