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I suppose if I’d been a responsible adult, I’d have told hiet drunk to be self-actualized or whatever But I was bored and generally irresponsible by nature or by choice, so I told hiet it for you"

"What?"

"Beer, Paul Focus That’s what you want, right? Alcohol?"

Paul’s eyes becalasses "Are you serious? How--"

"Shh, don’t bother your head about my mysterious methods That’s what makes me me Have you had beer before?" I wrote beer on the side of er, since I’d run out of roohed "Ha Ha Ha My parents say beer defiles the soul"

I grinned at hi Things were looking up

"What are you grinning at, James?" Sullivan, a few seats ahead of us, had turned around and was peering at uely sinister"

I sealedat hi Not that it o on with or without his knowledge

Sullivan observed my closed-lipped smile with a raised eyebrow He had to speak loudly to be heard over the sound of the bus "Better, but still o only inally ethical, like the takeover of a sain Of all the teachers, Sullivan spoke rial"

Paul blinked rapidly, but I shrugged, indifferent "In most countries"

Sullivan’s crooked mouth made a rueful smile "This country?" He read me better than anyone I knew, a fact that was both inconvenient and co

"My dear professor, your skills are wasted on such deductive reasoning Don’t you have so?"

He looked like he wanted to continue with the previous line of questioning, but instead just pointed a finger at er to my scribbled-on hands and said, "Make a note of that" He turned back around in his seat

But there was no room left on ot louder with excite lot

"What are we going to see again?" Megan asked froh-Botts Ensearded it as an insidious sign I was keeping an eye open for rains of blood and locusts next Sullivan added, "Aa wide range of pieces that I’ you on later this year"

"I will be!" Mrs Thieves called froram!"

The bus pulled into a spot and Sullivan and Mrs Thieves shepherded the busful of students into the parking lot and toward the theater I saw Sullivan’s lipsstudents

"Forty-six Thirty-four," I said to him, without much enthusiasm

"Shut up, Ja"

Through considerable ic on Sullivan and Mrs Thieves’ part, weIt was freezing cold, sreens, and was carpeted froundy carpet All of the as stark white and covered with carved scrolls There was another group of students already filing down the hall College students We looked like babies beside theled heee heee heee, two years closer to irls from my bus I wished I hadn’t come

"Hi," said Dee She sher than the other, clutching her notebook to her chest Study in red, black, and white: the carpet, her hair, her face "Want to be my friend?"

"No, I find you quite unlikable," I said

Dee grinned and linked her arm in mine She leaned her head on my arm "Good Sit next to me Is that allowed?"

Sullivan wasn’t nearby to tell roup, toward the darkened theater Nobody would knoas who once ere inside; froe was lit at the front of the roo and independent Aht" Dee laughed and pinched the loose skin on my elbow I sed at her touch