Branna raised an eyebrow at Mikey, who, in turn, slumped lower in his seat. “He’s playing hooky.”
“Why’d you tell him that?” Mikey demanded.
“Because it is wrong to lie, Michael, and the sooner you understand that, the easier your life will be.” Branna felt Jake’s eyes on her as she spoke.
“So, it’s true, you are a teacher.” Jake changed down a gear as they turned a corner, then pushed his foot down on the gas once more, sending them forward in an exhilarating rush.
“Were,” she corrected.
“You’re a teacher?” the boy moaned. “But, you’re kind of cool.”
“Surely one of the few teachers you’ve had in your short school career must have been cool?” Branna said.
There was a short silence while Mikey thought about that before answering.
“No, not that I can think of. But Mr. Hope was okay, I guess, but he’s retired now. He used to throw equations at me for fun whenever we passed each other in the halls. Some of them were real hard. He had me IQ tested.”
“God save us, another one,” Jake whispered.
Shooting a nasty look at him, Branna said. “I had Mr. Hope for a year, and he had me IQ tested too, but that was in high school. Surely you’re not there already?”
“He helped out here at Howling Elementary for a few years when he left the high school,” Jake said, answering her question.
“What did you score?” Branna held her breath as she waited for the answer.
“One hundred twenty-eight.”
“Me too.” She couldn’t breathe as the memories of those early days filled her head. She’d been a freak, her classmates had said, when someone found out her results. Was Mikey suffering like she had?
“Take a breath, Rosebud. He’s doing okay.” Jake’s words were gentle.
She gave a jerky nod and filled her lungs with air.
“You like mathematical equations, Mikey?” Branna asked the boy.
“Sure, who doesn’t?”
“Normal people.”
“Shut up, McBride. Why the hell you think you’re normal is beyond me. I remember you in the science lab doing all those weird things with test tubes.”
Branna couldn’t stop the laugh as he waggled his eyebrows at her.
“So, getting back to you taking a day off, just because,” Jake re-entered the conversation. “Your gran know about it?”
“No.”
“How about Connor?”
“Connor’s a dickhead.”
“Lady present, bud, mind the language.”
“Sorry,” Mikey mumbled after Jake’s rebuke.
Branna waved her hand about to indicate she’d accepted his apology, but stayed silent as Jake talked to Mikey. Her head felt fuzzy, and her stomach ached. It was like she was back there during those early days when she’d found out her IQ was above average. It had just added to her difficulties, especially as she’d already been different, and it had given her yet another reason to withdraw into herself.
“So, how often are you taking these unscheduled days off and why?”
