The next morning came. Lela had held back during the big break. Arm in arm with Jeanne Amos, she walked around the playground, peacefully chewing her bread as if nothing had happened and as if nothing should happen. She watched Eva secretly. Eva—with an apple in one hand and a book she was reading in the other—had stepped out of the door slowly. Now she was leaning her back against the wall, standing on one foot, one knee bent, leaning against the wall. Eva was reading and saw and heard nothing. From time to time she bit into the apple. Every time Lela passed by, she had palpitations. When children ran past and obstructed her view of Eva, she became reluctant. Eva had a red dress on with a short pleated skirt and a white boy's collar. Her soft blonde hair fell over her face as she read. Her hands were white and her fingers were pointed. Lela knew Eva's way home. When the bell rang at twelve o'clock, she was the first to run out of school, having prepared everything well. Not home; because she turned the corner to the right and ran a couple more houses, where she knew about a wide house entrance. There she tore the hair bow from her braid and loosened her hair as if it had come undone while running. She hated her hairstyle. She threw her school bag to the ground and grabbed her hair with both hands. Then she shook herself like a dog fixing their fur after a caress and put her sailor's cap on again.
Now she was peering out for Eva, who was really coming along alone, swinging the briefcase. Lela's heart was pounding in her throat. But she approached Eva bravely and asked modestly, "May I carry the briefcase for you?" She blushed and was hot. Without looking at Eva, she grabbed her briefcase and walked beside her.
Eva laughed.
"Where did you come from? Have you been waiting for me?" She said, obviously flattered.
Lela could only nod. The briefcase was heavy.
"You see," Eva said, "that's what you get out of it! Why do you have a crush on me too? You'll get yourself in trouble now."
"I don't have a crush on you at all," Lela said defiantly.
"So, well, let's see!" Eva made a move, so that Lela got between her and the wall of the house, she pushed her up to the wall, so that Lela couldn't get out of the way. Eva's hands were on her shoulder and she steered them backwards until they touched the wall of the house.
Lela had a schoolbag in each hand and was completely helpless. Slowly, Eva let her hands go up Lela's neck and play with ears. Lela had never fainted. Tears of fear stood in her eyes.
"Look at me! Right in the eyes!"
Lela didn't; in the most insane shame she threw the books to the ground and grabbed Eve's arms.
"Well, you want to defend yourself?" laughed Eva. "That would be the very last!" And she gave her a light slap. "You Indian girl!"
Lela felt her knees wobble. Then Eva let go of her." Well, all right, if you don't want to, then don't! I can live without you, my child."
She picked up her briefcase from the ground and prepared to leave. "Adieu," she said, but Lela could not return the not at all friendly greeting; because she was choking on something in her throat.
So, now everything was spoiled! Now Eva would never, ever talk to her again! Why had she been so stupid? Brooding, head hanging, eyes on the ground, she slowly trotted homewards.
Of course Berti was already waiting for her. Berti was tall for his fourteen years. Although Lela was also the tallest in the class, she always felt small compared to Bert.
"Well, have you talked to her? What happened?" he asked quickly and quietly and went into her room after her.
Manuela got rid of her clothes calmly. "Do you really have a crush on her?"
Bert was outraged.
"Crush, that's what girls have; I admire her."
Lela said calmly, "So?" And remained silent. He couldn't get any more out of her for today also and ended the discussion by saying that she was just a unobliging and stupid person who didn't understand anything, and that was the last time he had confided in her.
The door was shut with a bang. Lela remained strangely unmoved. Usually, when Berti quarreled with her, she had regularly cried heart-wrenchingly. But something had changed today. Almost cheerfully, she went in to the table.