Double Dutch

Delia, Charlene, and Yolanda shiver outside school. Delia gives Randy a Twinkie, which he gratefully eats. They wonder if the Tolliver twins are ever going to make good on their threat. Randy compliments Delia’s jumping. Delia expresses her admiration for Randy, and how he takes care of himself while his dad is on the road as a long-haul trucker. During class, Delia answers a math question correctly. Math comes easily to her, and she wonders why reading is so hard. She notices that Titan and Tabu make good grades.

In social studies, Mrs. Parks encourages the kids to discuss the television interview with the Tollivers. She connects their aggressive, fear-inducing demeanor to moments in history when fear and aggression led to violence. Jesse wonders aloud if anyone had tried to befriend the Tollivers when they transferred. Mrs. Parks asks the students to consider why they seem to like being afraid of the twins. With all the discussion of the Tollivers, Delia doesn’t get a chance to absorb enough of the lesson to fake it on the next test.