Night and I sit at desks in the second row, third and fourth columns. Other students sit chatting around us. A new girl, also with a bunny avatar, stands nervously at the front of the class. Spring comes in a few minutes later with the boy she was talking to, and puts her bag down in the desk next the boy. She smiles at him, then goes to stand up by the other new girl. 

Out teacher, Mr. Penum, comes into the classroom. His avatar is a penguin. He stands behind his desk as quiet descends upon the class. "Class, these are our new students. This is Spring," he indicates Spring, "And this is Ivy." Springs smiles at us and then the boy, nervously but excited. Ivy looks petrified but gives a tight smile to the class. Spring goes to sit by the boy in the front row. Ivy opts for a lone seat at the back of the class.

"Pull your math books out, class, and turn to page 321," Mr. Penum tells us. I groan. I hate math. Night and I pull our math books out. Algebra. Mr. Penum tells us to work with our partners. I work with Night. Spring works with the boy she likes so much. 

People talk, and don't do their work. I take one glace at my book. None of it makes any sense to me. I stare off into space. "Math is lame," I grumble to Night. 

Mr. Penum, seeing our disorder, stands and starts firing off random problems. "What's 500 minus 79? What's 33 times 9? What's 44 divided by 19?"

A girl in the front row answers politely. "421, 297, and... 2.31578947368."

He nods. "Prize for you after school, Shelly." Then he fires off another round. "What's 250 plus 31?" 

Everyone ignores him. "Something," I mutter to Night. It comes out louder than I meant. The rest of the class looks at me.

"Prize for you after school too, Flora," he says. I look at Night, who's trying not to laugh. "Now, what's the difference between addition and subtraction?"

More for Night's sake than anyone else, I say, loudly, "Something." 

Mr. Penum looks at me. "Another prize, Flora." Night and I laugh, loudly. 

                    ---------------

I leave class with a stuffed rhino in one hand and a stuffed bunny in the other. I hand Night the bunny. "What Mr. Penum will do to get participation..." Night says, and we laugh.