“What are you saying?” Teacher yanked Nova roughly to her feet. “We don’t allow curse words in this classroom, young lady. Last chance. Tell me your name or it’s straight to the principal’s office with you!”

She was holding Nova’s arm too hard. Nova could feel skin against her skin and she hated skin on her skin. Where were they going? She hated the not knowing even more than she hated skin on her skin. Frightened, she hit Teacher over and over, wanting her to let go, but Teacher did not.

“Students, sit on the rug,” said Teacher. “I will be right back.”

She dragged Nova down the hall still screaming and hitting.

“Bidge! Bidge!” Nova could not remember which room her sister was in. She started to cry. She could not move her feet. It was as if she’d forgotten how to walk. Her cloth sneakers were dragging on the carpet. Nova did not know where they were going. Nova did not understand why she was in trouble. Nova wanted Bridget to save her, to bring her home. Not to the foster home, but to Mama’s home. Their real home. That was where their rocket ship was.

“Walk!” Teacher yelled.

“Help!” Nova tried to say, but only noises come out, noises that didn’t sound anything like “help.” She cried harder, so hard she began to cough. She couldn’t see through her tears.

Suddenly, Bridget came tearing out of a classroom. Bridget yanked her sister roughly away from the teacher and wrapped her in a tight hug.

“What are you doing?” Bridget shouted. “Don’t touch her!”

“Bidge!” cried Nova, but it was even harder to speak now than before, because she couldn’t stop coughing and crying. She hoped Bridget would tell Teacher what she’d been trying to say.

“I’m taking her to the office!” said Teacher, her round face purpling. “She was cursing and hitting me. She wouldn’t tell me her name.”

“My sister doesn’t know how to curse,” Bridget said. She used her sleeve to wipe Nova’s runny nose. “And she was only hitting you because you scared her!” Then Bridget said a bad word.

“You’re both going to the office!” Teacher pulled Nova by her right arm and Bridget by her left. Nova dragged her feet the whole way. Bridget unleashed every curse word she knew at top volume. That was how Nova knew how mad she was.

“Deal with this,” ordered Teacher when they reached the principal’s office.

Principal was not happy. He called their foster family. Their foster family was not happy.

Bridget and Nova did not live with them for long.

“Nova, everything all right?” asked Francine, tapping Nova’s shoulder lightly. Nova jumped. She had forgotten that she was in the Jefferson Middle School special education room. She looked at Francine, then at the window by the desk that was going to be hers.