Kin Read Online Free

going to be a long year.
    Miss Coombs called Lila up to the front of the room. Lila got up reluctantly from her desk and did what she was told.
    â€œStudents, we have a new student this year, Lila Phillips, coming to us from Ross’s Ferry, is that right?”
    Lila nodded.
    â€œSpeak up, girl.”
    â€œYes.”
    â€œAre you a good student?”
    Lila looked terrified. She nodded again.
    â€œIn this class, Miss Phillips, we speak when we are spoken to.”
    â€œYes,” Lila whispered.
    â€œI can’t hear you.”
    Lila trembled and bit her lip before bowing her head in disgrace.
    â€œDon’t stand there whimpering….”
    â€œShe said yes!”
    Miss Coombs turned to face the class. “Who said that? Stand up this minute.”
    Annie rose from her desk.
    â€œDid I ask for your opinion, Miss Macdonald?”
    â€œNo.”
    â€œThen do not speak unless you are spoken to.”
    â€œBut you just said to speak when you are spoken to.”
    â€œEnough! You will stay after class today and write a hundred times, I am a rude little girl . I’m sure your parents will be proud to know you have detention on the very first day of school.”
    Annie’s heart sank.
    But David and Lila were waiting for her on the steps when she emerged from the school doors thirty minutes after school ended. Lila’s eyes brimmed with tears. “I’m sorry I got you in trouble.”
    â€œThat’s okay. It wasn’t your fault. I used two pencils at the same time so it would go faster.”
    â€œI’m going to make you a gift,” Lila said. “It’s a surprise, so don’t ask me what it is.”
    The three of them walked back home. Annie knew her parents would be disappointed that she was in hot water already.
    The truth came out at the kitchen table over platefuls of salt cod, pork scraps, white sauce with sautéed onion, and boiled potatoes. Annie’s dad asked them how the first day of school went. He looked confused when neither of them answered. Then he put down his utensils, clasped his big hands in front of him, and looked at Annie. “What happened?”
    David spoke first. “She didn’t do anything wrong. Lila told me Annie was sticking up for her.”
    â€œI’m asking Annie.”
    â€œMiss Coombs was frightening Lila so I spoke up. I had to stay in detention and write I am a rude little girl one hundred times. I’m really not, Dad. I didn’t understand what the teacher meant about speaking when spoken to and I did speak when she spoke but then she changed her mind and said I shouldn’t speak. It was very confusing.”
    Her parents looked at each other from across the table. Mom held up her napkin to hide her mouth. Dad nodded his head as if thinking deeply about the situation.
    â€œWell, it’s true that in school you only speak when the teacher asks you a question, so I can see why she thought you overstepped the boundaries of classroom etiquette. On the other hand, if you were sticking up for an injustice being done to a friend, I’m proud of you. But you must also realize that it is rude to talk back to an adult, however misguided they may be. Your best course of action is to keep quiet and then come and tell us if you think a friend is being abused.”
    Her dad always talked like this. It made Annie feel important. And she couldn’t believe that she didn’t get into trouble.
    â€œI think you should stay in after supper and go to bed early. It sounds like you’ve had a tiring day. What do you think, Abbie?
    â€œI think so too. Now, who would like some lemon meringue pie?”
    That night after supper Lila knocked on their back door.
    â€œHere Annie, I made this for you. And I made something for David too so he wouldn’t be left out.”
    She handed over two small pieces of paper. Annie’s was a picture of herself standing in the classroom in defiance of