Higher Education by Lisa Pliscou Read Free Book Online Page B

later.”
    â€œYeah, ciao. ” Discreetly I remain behind, whiling away the proper interval by trying to picture him and Jenny without their clothes on.
    â€œCorn flakes, darling.” Jackson speaks softly into my ear, and I jump. “Ever seen them before?”
    â€œChrist.” My heart is pounding. “You scared me.”
    He’s smiling down at me. “Did I?”
    â€œNo, I was only faking it.” I draw an unsteady breath. “I suppose you’ve just been waiting to creep up on me?”
    â€œWouldn’t you like to know.”
    â€œNot really.”
    â€œWhy? Is there something you’d like to hide?”
    â€œWhy would I have anything to hide?”
    â€œJust trying to keep you on your toes, Randa.”
    â€œI still wouldn’t be tall enough, would I?”
    His smile fades a little. “What’s that supposed to mean?”
    â€œNothing.”
    â€œChrist, I hate it when you’re cryptic.”
    â€œMaybe you should have been an archeology major.” Swiftly I turn away.
    John shoots me a look as I sit down. “Just window-shopping?”
    â€œShut up.” Jessica points her fork at him. “I’m about to tell a joke.”
    â€œOh, no,” moans Clark. “Please don’t.”
    â€œShut up.” Jessica thrusts her fork in his direction. “I know I have problems with my delivery—”
    â€œDelivery?” I say.
    â€œOh, Christ. I’m sorry.” She lowers the fork.
    â€œI couldn’t resist.”
    Clark looks back and forth between us. “Am I missing something, girls?”
    â€œDidn’t I just tell you to shut up?” This time Jessica reaches for her butter knife.
    He leans back in his chair. “How about that joke, eh?”
    Jessica rolls her eyes. “The only reason I’m going to tell this joke is because it’s really too good to keep to myself.”
    â€œI know that one.” Roald waves his arms. “There’s a Jew, a Catholic, and a black guy, see—”
    â€œRoald, will you be quiet, please?” Jessica fingers her butter knife.
    â€œSure.”
    â€œGood. Is everyone ready?”
    No one says a word. I hear a cup dropping in the kitchen.
    â€œOkay. Why did the elephant fall out of the tree?”
    The silence drags out for a few more seconds.
    â€œTo get to the other side.”
    â€œNinety-three.”
    Roald is waving his arms again. “Oh, about ten inches.”
    Jessica looks triumphantly around the table. “Because he was dead.”
    â€œDead!” I give an appreciative yelp of laughter.
    The others, however, are quiet. Roald slurps his coffee, frowning into his cup.
    I laugh again. “Dead.”
    John raises his hand. “Jessica?”
    â€œWhat?”
    â€œI’ll be brief.” He lowers his hand. “I wish you’d kept your joke to yourself.”
    â€œWho asked you?” she snaps.
    â€œCome on, gang. Just a minute here,” I intervene. “What Jessica told is a riddle, not a joke. So let’s have some cooler heads prevail, okay?”
    â€œRiddles, jokes,” John says impatiently. “Don’t be so damn technical, Miranda. It’s still stupid.”
    â€œYou think so?” I notice that he’s got little glutinous particles of cereal stuck between his teeth.
    â€œIt doesn’t make sense,” complains Roald. “How did the elephant get up in the tree in the first place?”
    I blink at him. “He was born there.”
    â€œOh, I see.” He nods.
    â€œMiranda?” Stephanie Kandel is standing by the table with her tray. “Hi, sorry to bother you—”
    â€œNo bother,” John interrupts. “Have a seat.”
    â€œNo, I really can’t.” She glances at him and then back at me. “Uh, I missed English C this week and I was wondering if you got the assignment?”
    I watch her flip her long, rather lank