with her。
？I don？t get it。 Why are we doing this again？？ Elise asked。 She？d already finished all her
homework and was staring out the window over Jenny？s shoulder； bored nearly to tears。
？I told you。 I left my favorite hat on the bus this morning and if I ride enough buses； I？m sure I？ll
see it；？ Jenny lied。
？Someone probably took it；？ Elise argued。 ？Your cute fuzzy red hat？ I？m sure someone took it。？
A swollen…ankled middle…aged woman wearing a dowdy trench coat and reading theWall Street
Journal glared at them the way people are always glaring at teenagers when they？re talking in
public。 Like； could you please just press the mute button？ Well；excuse me。
？Just this last bus and then we can go home；？ Jenny promised； even though she？d promised that
two buses ago。
Elise put her hand on Jenny？s black…stockinged knee and left it there。 ？I don？t really mind。 It？s
not like I have anything better to do。？
Jenny waited for Elise to remove her hand。 ？What are you doing？？ she whispered loudly。
？With what？？
？With yourhand 。？
？The book says to express your affection with gentle caresses；？ Elise declared。
？But I don？t want you to。 Besides； we？re on abus ；？ Jenny hissed； pushing Elise？s hand away。
The last thing she wanted was for L to see her and Elisecaressing each other。God。 How
embarrassing。
？What？s wrong with it？？ Elise cried； shoving Jenny in the leg just as the bus lurched over a
bump。 Jenny slipped off the seat and onto the floor； her butt landing hard on her neighbor？s shoes。
Jenny closed her eyes； too mortified to open them。 If her secret admirer were watching now； he
wouldn？t be writing her any more love notes。 The