Tell Me If the Lovers Are Losers by Cynthia Voigt Read Free Book Online

breakfast.”
    â€œNice, hunh? Doesn’t sound like much. I mean, you’re nice. How long have I got?”
    â€œFive minutes, maybe ten.”
    Niki leaped out of bed. Ann turned to the window, so as not to seem to be staring. “Makes you nervous, nakedness,” Niki observed. Ann didn’t answer She was watching Hildy stride up the road. Hildy did not take the path to the dorm. Instead she walked across the lawn, to approach through a stand of trees. Her face looked up, but when Ann waved she did not respond.
    Breakfast was served buffet style. Flanked by two bowls of eggs, a hotplate held a pan of bubbling water Further down the sideboard stood boxes of cereal, two pitchers of milk, one of canned orange juice, and a mound of discouraged-looking toast on a china platter. Jam, butter and water were at each plate. Hildy had taken a plate and was eating alone. When they had cooked their eggs and selected toast, Ann led Niki over.
    Hildy peered at Ann and smiled. Her face turned to Niki. “Hello. You’re Niki.”
    â€œHi,” Niki answered. “Don’t talk to me until I’ve finished breakfast, OK? Where the hell’s the coffee?”
    Ann pointed to a side table. She sat next to Hildy and cracked her eggs open. “How was church?” she asked.
    â€œOh well, it was fine,” Hildy answered.
    Hildy did not use that word, fine, the way others did, Ann decided. If Ann said something was fine, that meant it was only OK, unexceptionable. Hildy said church was fine in the same way people remarked that it was a fine morning.
    Niki sat down and hunched over her plate, eating silently.
    â€œWhich church did you go to?”
    â€œI don’t know. It was white and small.” Hildy chewed. “The preacher spoke about the fall of the year and the fall of man. It was not clever, although he wanted to be thought clever. But there was much time for silent prayer, and the choir sang beautifully. I am going to get myself coffee. May I get you a cup?”
    â€œNo thanks, I don’t drink it.”
    â€œShe went to church?” Niki asked, in her dramatic whisper.
    â€œYes,” Ann said. Defensive.
    Niki returned to her coffee.
    Ann, whose spirits were lifting, asked, “What are you going to do today?”
    Niki shook her head, whether to decline conversation or to deny plans, Ann could not tell.
    Hildy sat down. She looked toward Niki, then spoke to Ann. “You have gotten all my books?”
    â€œThey’re all upstairs, on your desk. Why are you taking two sciences?”
    â€œI want to. We had a correspondence about it, and the Dean decided that I could try it. She would have liked to refuse, I think. But I explained that at my school there was little in the way of equipment, microscopes and slides, so I know much less than I should. Here, they have good equipment. And the observatory is close enough to use as part of the astronomy course. I didn’t want to miss such an opportunity.”
    Niki left to refill her coffee cup.
    â€œAre you good at science?” Ann asked.
    â€œNo. But I am very interested.”
    â€œTwo sciences will be awfully hard, unless you’ve got a real aptitude.”
    â€œSo the Dean said. Miss Dennis. Have you met her?”
    â€œShe spoke at the assembly yesterday,” Ann said.
    â€œYou’re talking about the Munchkin.” Niki’s voice interrupted their quiet talk. “I’m awake now. Hello, Hildy.”
    â€œHello, Niki.” Hildy held out her hand. Niki took it.
    â€œThe Munchkin is OK in my book,” Niki announced.
    â€œI don’t understand,” Hildy said. “Who is the Munchkin?”
    â€œMiss Dennis is, because she’s small, miniature,” Ann explained. The question did not disappear from Hildy’s face. “It’s in The Wizard of Oz,” Ann said, “the Land of the Munchkins, a sort of merry midget race.”
    â€œIn her letters she