Because Rachel had felt something was wrong anyway.
She hated herself for that last part.
“What about the second time?” she asked.
Mara uncrossed her arms. “That’s the time I really started paying attention.”
Rachel’s mouth had gone dry. “Tell me.”
Mara looked toward the classroom door again. “I need to dismiss these girls in about twelve minutes. Come with me.”
She started down the hallway before Rachel could object.
Rachel followed her past framed photographs of former students frozen in impossible positions, their bodies turned into clean geometry under stage lights. Audrey had stopped in front of those photos on her first day and stared so long that Rachel had eventually touched her shoulder and said, You know class actually happens in the other room, right? Audrey had laughed and whispered, I’m looking at where I’m going.
Now Rachel found herself looking at every photo as if Audrey might have hidden some message inside one.
