staring at a glossy black braid swinging against a tiny girl?s back as
it vanished into a classroom.
Helen?s whole body shook with an emotion that took her a moment
to recognize. It was rage.
?Jesusmaryandjoseph, Len! Are you gonna faint?? Claire asked
anxiously.
Helen made her eyes focus on Claire, and she took a wobbly
breath. She realized that she was drenched in cold sweat and shivering.
She opened her mouth but nothing came out.
?I?m taking you to the nurse,? Claire said. She grabbed Helen?s
hand and started to tug on it, trying to get her to move. ?Matt,? she
called out over Helen?s shoulder. ?Can you help me with Lennie? I
think she?s going to faint.?
?I?m not going to faint,? Helen snapped, suddenly alert and aware
of how strange she was acting.
She smiled bashfully at them both to try to take the sting out of
her words. Matt had put his arm around her waist and she patted
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his hand softly to let him know he could release her. He gave her a
doubtful look.
?You?re really pale, and you?ve got circles under your eyes,? he
said.
?I got a little overheated riding my bike,? she started to explain.
?Don?t tell me you?re fine,? Claire warned. Her eyes were flush
with frustrated tears, and Matt didn?t look much happier. Helen
knew she couldn?t brush this off. Even if she was going crazy, she
didn?t have to take it out on her friends.
?No, you?re right. I think I might have heatstroke.?
Matt nodded, accepting this excuse as the only logical one.
?Claire, you take her to the girls? room. I?ll tell Hergie what