Page 40 of Interpreter

Theo: Did you know Bianca isn’t allowed to be within five-hundred yards of a school?

Bianca: I stole cars, asshole, not kids.

Kane: How much longer is this fucking movie? I’m hungry.

Cade: Would y’all leave Tim alone? Watch the movie!

Theo: Shut up, Jameson. You’re always such a goody-goody. Breck was the one who texted me to tell him to scoot closer. Mind your own blanket.

Have mercy. I press the button on the top of my phone to turn it off, but one more text comes through and stops me.

Unknown number: So she’s a mermaid…

My head snaps around to the woman currently occupying the left side of my blanket. I can’t see her face in the dark, but I know it’s her.

Tim: And I’m guessing she likes to sing…

Unknown number: She does.

Tim: How did you get my number?

I keep my face forward and on my phone screen. Fuck the movie.

Unknown number-—aka Milah: It was in your file.

Tim: And Principal Moorehouse left it lying around where you could find it?

Milah: We are allowed to see contact numbers. You know, in case of an emergency.

Tim: When did I have an emergency?

Milah: When I almost stabbed you with my shoe after you called me a stripper.

Tim: I didn’t call you a stripper.

Milah: Not in so many words, but you implied it.

Eh. She might be right there, but I didn’t mean it in a bad way.

Tim: It was a reasonable explanation as to why you were at the strip club.

Milah: It’s not a strip club!

Tim: I thought you were watching the movie.

Is that smile number four without being in the presence of my family? I think it is.

Milah: I am, but I want you to be able to enjoy it. You’re playing on your phone.

I make a noise in my throat. Someone hasn’t been watching the movie.

Tim: Why did that teacher throw her slushy on you?

Distraction is my favorite method of avoiding conversations. And call me curious, but I do want to know what all that was about. After Aspen and I left with our freshly painted owls, we played a few games until Anniston and Theo met us with the blankets. I got it all set up, and with nothing left to do, I watched her.

Tim: Were you arguing with that other teacher?

It didn’t look like they were arguing, per se, but more like having a heated conversation that ended with a drink being sloshed at Milah. But what throws me off is that the teacher laughed and Milah didn’t look mad. Are they friends? If so, why would she throw a drink at her friend?

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