"I hope we get our reports back today," Annie said as she, Laura, and Yvette walked to school together on a chilly February morning.
"So do I," said Laura. "I worked really hard on mine. It took me the whole weekend to finish it. That was all I did, besides going to church."
The sixth grade teacher, Miss Sharpe, had given her students assignments to write reports on various animals. Laura's had been on the lion.
The three girls entered the classroom to see Miss Sharpe sitting at her desk, her dark brown hair pulled back into a severe knot which seemed to tug at the corners of her eyes. She wore her typical frown as she briefly glanced up when the girls entered the room, and Laura felt a chill go down her spine.
At exactly seven o'clock, the teacher rose from her seat and addressed the class.
"I assume you all arrived well-rested and ready to begin a productive school day." Her sharp eyes darted back and forth, letting all the students know she was watching every move they made.
Just then the door opened, and a hesitant Roy Blackburn stepped inside.
"I'm sorry I'm late, Miss Sharpe. My Mom's alarm clock didn't go off - "
Miss Sharpe's eyes narrowed. "Do you have a late pass from the principal?" she snapped.
Roy handed the pass to the teacher. She gave him a curt nod, and he slunk to his seat in front of Laura's. She felt sorry for him but knew she dare not say a word.
Miss Sharpe gave one of her rare smiles. "And now, students, I'm happy to say I have read and graded your animal reports, and I'm amazed at how well you all did." Her smile vanished. "Except for one student. Laura Brimmer, I'm surprised you failed to hand in a report. You're usually one of my most conscientious and reliable students."
"But Miss Sharpe, I did hand in a report!" Laura was so shocked she forgot to raise her hand before speaking.
Miss Sharpe merely glared at her. "I'm waiting."
Laura remembered and raised her hand.
"Yes, Laura," said Miss Sharpe.
"I did turn in a report!" Laura told her.
"I looked through all the reports several times but didn't see one with your name on it," Miss Sharpe replied. "You may hand one in late, but you know, of course, there's a one letter grade penalty."
Laura was so upset she could barely concentrate for the rest of the morning. At lunch she sat with Annie, Yvette, and Jo, as she always did.
"I can't believe this," said Yvette. "I know you did a report. I remember seeing you hand it in."
"One evening she even came over to our house to use our encyclopedias," added Annie.
"Something like that happened to me in third grade in Boston," said Jo. "We were all supposed to write down our times tables. I forgot to put my name on mine, and the teacher made me write them all on the blackboard. Everybody laughed at me. I hated that teacher."
"I don't blame you," said Yvette.
After lunch, the students were working on math problems when Laura heard the teacher's voice.
"Annie White. Yvette Zimmerman. Come to the front at once. Annie, bring that slip of paper you're holding."
Laura watched as her friends walked to the front with terrified looks on their faces.
"Now, Annie, read the slip of paper I saw Yvette hand you."
Annie looked at the slip, then blushed a deep red.
"Read it!" Miss Sharpe barked.
"Miss Sharpe is a real meanie, isn't she?" Annie mumbled.
"Return to your seats, both of you," Miss Sharpe snapped, after confiscating the slip of paper. "Letters will be sent home to both your mothers."
Laura watched as the girls trudged back to their seats, feeling guilty that they were in trouble because of her.
Not much was said on the walk home. Laura knew Annie and Yvette were dreading giving the letters to their mothers.
As Laura entered the house, Amon ran up to her and grinned.
"Hey, Amon." She said and signed it at the same time, then ruffled his hair.
"Hi, Laura." Elizabeth walked out of the kitchen and frowned when she saw her daughter's face. "Is something wrong?"
"I hate school!" Laura shouted, then burst into tears. Elizabeth hurried to embrace her.
"Oh, honey, what happened?"
"Miss Sharpe said I didn't hand my report in!" Laura cried. "I worked hard on that report, and I handed it in when everybody else handed theirs in!"
"I know you did, sweetheart. I remember watching you work on it." Elizabeth patted Laura's back. "I'm sure there's just some mix-up, and it'll all be straightened out soon. Everything will be all right, sweetheart."
The missing report was the main topic of conversation at the dinner table that night.
"I will not have my daughter accused of something she didn't do," said Paul. "If necessary, I'll speak to the principal about it."
"Oh, Daddy, then she'll be even meaner to me!" said Laura.
Elizabeth sighed. "Oh, honey, if you can just make it through the rest of this year, maybe next year will be different."
"Next year I'll be in junior high," Laura pointed out. "I guess I may as well get started on the second report after dinner. Miss Sharpe said I could turn it in late with a letter grade penalty."
The following afternoon, Miss Sharpe told Laura to stay for a minute after class.
"I owe you an apology," she said. "I was grading the reports at home when yours slipped behind a counter. I found it later, when I was dusting." She pulled the report from a drawer in her desk. Laura saw the red 'A+' on the front and beamed.
"I'm truly sorry this happened," Miss Sharpe continued.
"That's all right." Laura was too happy and relieved to be angry as she went to meet up with Annie and Yvette, who were waiting for her in the hallway.
Miss Sharpe told the class about her mistake the following day, but by that time, most of the students besides Laura and her friends had forgotten the incident.
