Not What A Friend Does

This is the Only Chapter

The bell rang, signalling that if you were not in class already, you were late. Sofia Everton leaned over to Veria Long and asked, "Hey, do you think Mrs. O'Carrick really is retiring?"

Veria glanced at the teacher's desk. Since no one was seated there, she shrugged and replied, "I hope not! She may be super sarcastic, but she's one of the best teachers here."

"You like her!?" Sofia demanded in surprise. "But she's so strict! And she assigns so much homework."

Veria shrugged again. In truth, she liked Mrs. O'Carrick so much partly because she was strict. In Grade 6, she'd had a teacher completely incapable of disciplining her class, and as a result, barely anyone had learned anything. But that had happened at Alan Turing Elementary, while Sofia had gone to Marie Curie. Now, of course, they were both in Grade 8 and both attended Rosalind Franklin Junior High, though they had met in Grade 7.

"She could be worse," she pointed out. "She could be Mrs. Stilthmiss."

Sofia winced. "Ouch. That's true."

Just then, Ms. Blythe walked into the room.

"Hello, everyone!" she announced, walking to the front of the room and waiting for quiet. The hubbub took forever to die down and Veria and one of her other friends, Emily Carsston, exchanged glances from across the room. As two of the quietest people in class when it came to talking out of turn, they had fallen into the habit of judging all the loud people.

"As you know," Ms. Blythe continued, "we've been studying explorers, and I think it's time for a project on them, don't you?"

And there went the silence. People started protesting loudly, and Veria and Emily managed an eye roll in perfect unison.

"Quiet! Quiet down, everyone." Ms. Blythe raised her hand. "I'm not done yet. Each one of you, no partner work, will have to write me an informative paper and make a Google Slides presentation on an explorer of your choice. This will be due in a week, to be handed in on Classroom."

"Wonderful," Sofia mumbled sarcastically. Veria nudged her.

"Could be worse," she whispered, repeating what she had said a few minutes ago.

"This will be for around 30% of your final grade, so make sure it's good!"

Outcries of shock and dismay burst out all around the room. Even Veria was surprised, though she didn't say anything, HEM-HEM.

After class, as Veria took out her backpack, Sofia approached her. She seemed nervous.

"What's wrong?" Veria asked. Sofia bit her lip.

"Um, listen, V, I'm, like, super busy with soccer this week, and I really don't have the time to do... Anything. So, I was wondering if, maybe, you could maybe do my project for me?"

Veria paused to consider, then nodded. "Sure! Just tell me which explorer you want me to do for you."

Sofia broke out into a grin. "Thanks, V. Jacques Cartier, please. I'll give you my password so you can hand it in yourself."

"We have a deal! I'm doing Samuel de Champlain for myself, and those two are the two I know the most about, so this'll be easy."

The two girls shook hands professionally, then ruined it by giggling.

At the house of Veria Long, one day later

Veria slammed a sheet of lined paper on her desk and started writing important points on Samuel de Champlain. He was French, had angered the Haudenosaunee people for... 150 years, right? Just as she was about to check online, she remembered Sofia and added another paper to her desk.