If I hadn’t said that thing about her and Ms. G. being welcoming to new people, she wouldn’t have been my eyeball partner, and I never would have said I wanted to be a Safety, and she wouldn’t have told Ms. G. to give me a Safety packet, and I never would have tried taking that test.

And even though I’d be one of the leftover kids at the fifth-grade table next year, who even cared? At least I wouldn’t have looked stupid.

“Phew, that’s a relief.” Bertie swiped the back of her hand across her forehead. “Did the medicine work? Was it experimental? Was she in some kind of study? They tried to get my grandmother into one of those things, but I think she was too old or she lived too far away or she didn’t have the right sickness. Anyway, I’m glad your aunt’s better.”

“She’s not,” I said, and I hit the t at the end of not hard. I tried to make it a guarding t, with a rat-a-tat-tat. I tried to put a stop to it.

“She’s not?” Bertie asked, all concerned and confused. “Is she worse?”

“No!” I said for about the millionth time. And I said it loud. I said it like it was the last thing I needed that day. My voice carried across the cafeteria. I swung my legs out from under the table and stood up. “I don’t even have an aunt!” I practically shouted.

I grabbed my backpack and walked out the double doors. The bell hadn’t rung yet, but who cared? If Dee could leave early, so could I. Why should I bother to follow any of the rules at all?

Now Bertie would see who I was really the same as, and she would leave me alone, and everything could go back to normal until it was time to move again.

I kept waiting for a Safety to jog after me. I kept waiting to get in trouble. I kept waiting for someone to notice I was not a Fifth-Grade Safety Squad kind of kid. I was not a golden-sticker kid. I was barely even just a normal kid. But the bell was already ringing.

—

When I got to the classroom, Ms. G. was at the door, as usual. “Twenty-seven mistakes today,” she said, all smiley and happy. “I figure it’s almost the end of the year, so why not?”

I did not smile back. I dumped my stuff in my cubby and sat down at my desk, loud.

Bertie came in after me. Dee came in after her. I didn’t look at either of them.

I stared out the window. Ms. G.’s plant was back inside. Some of its dirt had spilled, and it was leaning in a way it hadn’t been leaning before. She should have left the stupid thing where it was.