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(XLIV.)

"I can talk to my mom. She knows this place where domestic staff workers are trained and hired from. She could give your mom the contacts."

"That'd be great." She smiled. "Thanks."

"No problem." She picked up a croissant from the tray. "So, how are you preparing for the history test?"

"Reading my åss off. I hate history and I hate the fact that it's a compulsory subject."

Karen frowned. "How can you hate history?" she spoke with her mouth full of pastry. "It's like my favourite."

"What?!" Jess blinked multiple times. "But you major in the sciences."

She rolled her eyes. "Doesn't mean I can't love the non-science subjects. That's why I do archaeology."

"Archaeology is different. I mean, just history. Medieval, Renaissance, ancient history, world history.... Ugh! I hate them all!"

"I'm doing mythology and genealogy for social studies. It's an awesome course, and something you gotta study for three years."

"How do you manage?"

She shrugged. "It's not bad. I guess it's because I have the knack for finding out how things began. What people did in ancient times, how civilization was born, what people believed in past centuries. It's fun and interesting."

"Huh."

"One man's meat is another's poison." She stuffed her mouth with another croissant. After chewing and swallowing it down, she said, "I really want to check out the games room, but I think this is gonna keep me here."

"Don't worry. We can take it along." She reached for the telephone on the stool beside the couch, and pressed a digit. She put the receiver to her ear. "Esme, get a package for the pastries. We're heading to the games room right now." She slammed down the phone. "We don't have a theatre," she told Karen.

"No worries. I need a game console. Can't go a day without playing my video games."

"I never knew you were such a gamer girl." She watched Karen's fingers reach for the seventh croissant.

"That's one of my pastimes. Must do it everyday."

She glanced at the half-empty tray. "If you keep eating this stuff, I swear, you'll be bigger than me."

Karen laughed. "I'd never be bigger than you, Jessica. I work out, you don't."

"Gee, thanks for stating the obvious." She leaned back into the leather and sighed deeply. "Did you see Doudall?"

"After school. His ankle looks bad."

"You saw it?"

"I was there when the nurse was rearranging his bandages. His dad's gonna be pissed." She flicked crumbs off her fingers.

"Why?" Jess picked up one of the remaining croissants. "Does he hate it so much when his son is hurt?"

"Yup. Especially if the injury will keep him from playing football. I'm glad I'm so not in Eric's shoes."

"That boy deserves whatever is coming to him," she muttered, before biting into the pastry.

Karen cocked her head at her. "Why do you dislike him so much? Is it because of the tests?"

"No." She shook her head. "For starters,he's got a barbaric attitude. Can you believe he hit me on the face?"

"What?! He did?" Karen reached out to examine Jess' face. "Where?"

"It's gone. There's no scar. Fortunately for him," she added.

Her hands dropped. A frown marred her forehead. "I can't believe it; it's very wrong. No guy has the right to hit a girl."