Sammy Keyes and the Kiss Goodbye by Wendelin Van Draanen Page B

going to learn to give things over to God?” Sister Mary Margaret chided him.
    “When she wakes up,” Brother Phil muttered.
    “Better get to your prayers, then,” Sister Josephine said with a frown.
    “Well,” Sister Mary Margaret said to the others, “we’ve had more than our fair share of time with Samantha. Shall we?” Then the three of them bid Holly farewell and left the room.
    “Wow,” Holly said aloud as she took the seat next to Sammy’s bed, “they haven’t changed a bit, huh?” And although she was trying to sound upbeat, seeing the two sisters and Brother Phil reminded her of a past that wasn’t at all cheery. A past when she had been hungry and alone, stealing to survive, and living in a cardboard box down by the riverbed.
    And, flashing back to that time, Holly suddenly broke down and sobbed, “I don’t know where I’d be if you hadn’t dragged me over to Meg and Vera’s. My whole life has changed because of you. If you hadn’t followed me home from the soup kitchen, if you hadn’t stopped that guy from … from probably
killing
me … if you hadn’t helped me fit in at school … if you hadn’t … Sammy,
please
. You’ve got to wake up!”
    But Sammy just lay there.
    Which made Holly cry even harder.
    And the harder Holly cried, the worse she felt. She was back to being helpless and hopeless and fearful and vulnerable—all things she’d rallied so hard against.
    And then a hand stroked her back and a soothing voice said, “Hey … hey …” When she turned around, she found herself face to face with Sarah Rothhammer, the school’s sometimes fierce (but always fair) science teacher.
    Holly’s immediate reaction was that she was in trouble.
    She had, after all, ditched school.
    “What time is it?” she asked, wondering if school had already let out.
    “Almost one o’clock. And don’t worry,” Ms. Rothhammer said (clearly reading her mind). “I found people to cover my last two classes, but if you ask me, school should have just been canceled today.” Then she studied Sammy a minute and addressed her directly. “No homework tonight, Sammy. I gave everyone the night off in your honor. But tomorrow? Tomorrow you need to be back with us, okay? I can’t have you falling behind after all the progress you’ve made catching up.” And then dropping her voice to speak to Holly again, she asked, “Have they given any indication when she might wake up?”
    Holly shook her head. “It’s all wait-and-see. But I know the longer this goes on, the worse it is.”
    Sarah Rothhammer gave a knowing nod. She didn’t mean to, but scientific sensibilities controlled her head, and her head was closer to her neck than it was to her heart. So the nod confirmed Holly’s statement before she could consider its emotional impact. But then, seeing her normallystoic student’s new wave of tears, she quickly added, “But it’s early still—give her a chance.” And then, in an effort to turn the mood around, she addressed Sammy again with “You wouldn’t believe what a commotion you’ve caused. The waiting room’s a zoo! I’ve never seen anything like it!”
    “Yeah,” Holly said, catching on. “Madame Nashira’s out there. And so is Slammin’ Dave. And André. And Justice Jack! Jack says he’s ready to give whoever did this to you a tour of Stomp City!”
    “And all your friends are out there, too,” Sarah added. “Including the miraculously converted Heather Acosta.” She shook her head. “You have to tell me what you did to that girl. I thought she was a goner, but what a turnaround.” Then she eyed Holly and said, “I hope.”
    “Yeah,” Holly said with a frown. “I’m not a true believer yet.”
    The science teacher laughed. “It’ll take all of us a while, I think.” Then she shifted gears, saying, “I was surprised I could even get up here to the room, but nobody stopped me, or even questioned me. Maybe because of all the commotion?”
    But security