-Hope- “Say that again,” Harper requested. “You heard me the first time.” “No, I don’t think I did, because if you said something so foolish, I might just think you needed someone to spank some sense into you,” she remarked, though there was clearly a joking tone to her voice. “What is a spank?” I inquired. She opened her mouth to respond. It was evident she hadn’t meant it seriously but had hoped I would grasp why she had said it. However, when she realized I had no clue what she meant, the joke fell flat, and she appeared embarrassed instead. “Um... never mind,” she said. “Is it something negative?” I asked. Her face flushed an odd shade of red, and I couldn’t quite discern the expression on her face, but she quickly composed herself, masking her embarrassment. “No, it depends,”

