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It was working.
In Algebra I that morning, Halli could see she understood. The equations Ms. Gonzales wrote up on the board actually made sense to her. Halli nodded as one of the girls in the front row called out the right answer.
Ms. Gonzales saw that.
After she wrote the next equation, she called on Halli.
“Audie? Want to give it a try?”
If it had been me, I would have been all tongue-tied, sweating. Even if I thought I knew the answer. Algebra brings out a kind of panic in me.
But Halli was calm and cool.
She gave the correct answer.
Winslow Henry twisted in his seat and gave her a bitter smirk. “Great,” he muttered, like she’d just turned traitor, like one of the inmates had suddenly become friendly with the guards.
“It’s easy,” Halli whispered when he turned around again.
