Letters from the Heart Read Free

you’ve learned more, choose three objects that represent that history to share with the rest of us.” The bell rang, and Ms. O’Reilly gave them a parting wave as she gathered up her materials and left the room.
    Anna snapped her notebook shut, rolled her eyes, and gave Joline “the look.” Anna ALWAYS looked scornful. Maeve couldn’t remember the last assignment Anna hadn’t groaned about. And talk about acting as though she didn’t have any history! Anna and Joline were way too cool to acknowledge anything that had happened more than five minutes ago. They acted like they’d always been in seventh grade. The mere mention of being younger seemed to humiliate them. Maeve had a sudden recollection of Anna years earlier, in first grade. She hadn’t always been super-cool. As Maeve grinned at the memory of Anna, front teeth missing, lopsided grin, Anna looked at her as if to say, “What’s so funny, not-cool person?” Maeve still had a snapshot of Anna from that grade, back when they used to trade class photos. She had one of Joline, too. She bet neither of them would be eager for anyone to see those photos now. Maybe she should bring the pictures to school, Maeve mused. But her better self won out. Even if it was Anna and Joline, it would be so mean to embarrass them that way.
    â€œDon’t worry, Anna,” Dillon said with a grin. “Just bring in a few shopping bags from the mall. That ought to cover it. Anna and Joline’s history—in the bag!” Maeve giggled. So funny. Dillon was definitely one cool guy.
    Anna flipped her hair back with a scowl. “What a lame assignment,” she retorted. “Who cares about the past? Hasn’t Ms. O’Reilly ever heard the phrase ‘that’s history’? It means over. Done with. THROUGH.”
    â€œI think the assignment sounds awesome,” Avery piped up. Avery, who’d been adopted from Korea when she was a baby, loved the idea of finding out more about her own history, and she wasn’t going to keep quiet just because Anna and Joline were trying to act too cool for words. “Are you actually afraid you might learn something new, Anna?” she asked. One of the few people in their class who was not intimidated by the Queens of Mean, Avery just grinned broadly when Anna glared at her.
    â€œI know what I’m bringing in,” Pete Wexler announced. “A football, a baseball, and a hockey stick.”
    â€œI think this is actually supposed to be about your family , dude,” Dillon said, grabbing his books. “And not just about YOU. Plus it’s supposed to be about the past, not about the present.”
    â€œWhat about an OLD football?” Pete asked.
    Everyone was talking about the assignment as they gathered up their things. “I don’t even know where my dad’s family comes from,” Abby Ross was saying to Katani as the girls headed out the door.
    â€œI think this assignment could be really interesting,” Isabel said, her dark eyes shining. “I would really like to learn more about my grandparents’ life in Mexico. I mean, I love to visit them and eat my abuelita’s cooking, but I never reallyasked them a lot of questions about their past. My grandfather loves to tell stories, so I know he’ll really like this assignment. I might even draw some cartoons or something,” Isabel enthused.
    Katani nodded. “I bet you could do a really great project, Isabel. You are such a good artist, your display will be fantastic. There’s a lot of stuff I’ve wanted to know about my family background too, but you know how it is…you just never get around to asking. I think I’ll interview my grandmother.”
    Katani’s grandmother, Mrs. Fields, was the principal of Abigail Adams Junior High. Everybody in Brookline thought she was the greatest. All the kids liked her because she was so calm, nice, and fair.