While Nova was cracking, Mary-Beth was looking for a pot holder, for later. She found one and pulled it off the counter between the two workstations, not realizing the other girls’ carton of eggs was resting on its corner. The carton crashed to the floor, spilling egg yolk.

“Oh, great!” said Carrot Krystle. “Look what you did!”

“It wath an accthident,” whispered Mary-Beth. Her whole face went Carnation Pink as her eyes filled with tears. Mary-Beth cried easily, even more easily than Nova.

“Be more careful, then!” snapped Carrot Krystle. She knelt on the floor to clean up. Miss Chambers insisted that Mary-Beth help, then reminded Carrot Krystle to be nice before hurrying away to get more paper towels from the dispenser by the door.

Carrot Krystle wrinkled her nose as if the eggs smelled bad.

“It’s not fair, Denise! Why are they even in our class? One’s a spaz”—she glared at Mary-Beth—“one’s a creep”—she shot a look at Mallory—“and the new girl makes weird noises.”

“Don’t worry, Nova.” Mallory’s voice was so low Nova almost didn’t hear her even though they were standing shoulder to shoulder. “We’ll get them back good.”

Nova did not understand what that meant.

“I actually feel bad for the new girl.” Polka Dot Denise was staring sympathetically at Nova. “I mean, it’s not her fault she makes weird noises. She’s probably retarded.”

Carrot Krystle nodded as she tossed the sopping paper towels in the trash. “Yup. Can’t even talk. Definitely a retard.”

Nova’s cheeks burned. She wished Bridget was here to say “My sister’s not dumb. She’s a thinker, not a talker.”

Except Bridget was gone.

And Nova was “probably retarded.”

“Soon,” whispered Mallory. “So soon…”

Nova rubbed her hands up and down her arms. Mallory’s growled words had given her goose bumps.

Miss Chambers returned. She helped Krystle and Mary-Beth get the last of the gooey egg off the floor.

“Mallory, how about you put the cookies in the oven?” asked Miss Chambers. Mallory did. “Excellent! Now we wait!”

Beside them, Carrot Krystle was putting her cookie sheet in the oven she shared with Polka Dot Denise.

“Miss Chambers, Mary-Beth has to go to the bathroom.” Mallory elbowed Mary-Beth hard in the ribs. “Don’t you?”

“Yeth,” Mary-Beth agreed. She crossed her legs at the knee.

“Looks like she’s gotta go bad,” said Mallory. “Better hurry!”

“Come on.” Miss Chambers took Mary-Beth’s hand. “Girls, do not touch this stove while we’re gone. Very important. Safety first, right?”

Mallory smiled. “We won’t touch this stove.”

“Or the oven.”

Mallory smiled bigger. “Or this oven.”

As soon as they were out of the room, Mallory whispered in Nova’s ear again.

“It’s time.”

Nova screwed up her face, confused. Time for what?

“You distract them.”

Nova did not react.

“That means you do something to make them look at you.”