Interference by Michelle Berry Page A

stands and walks over to her bedroom window and looks out she will see the guy. He will be standing there, staring at her house. And even though it’s only mid-afternoon, his face will be in darkness. She doesn’t even have to get up to know this. She can feel him there. She can also feel her tooth. Her tongue. Becky wonders if the chip will eventually be worn down by her tongue, worn to a soft surface. Maybe, if she waits long enough, she will fix her own tooth with her tongue. When she looks in the mirror she can’t see anything wrong with her tooth. But when she touches it with her tongue it feels like a huge, sharp, spiky, pointy thing. It feels enormous in her mouth.
    The front door slams. Becky jumps. Her mother is home.
    The principal has called Becky’s parents into her office. She has called Becky in as well.
    â€œWe seem to be having a teensy bit of a problem with old Becky in the schoolyard,” the principal starts. Becky hates how she talks. Like everything is just peachy keen. Okey-dokey. “Becky, do you want to tell your parents what’s going on?”
    Becky shakes her head.
    â€œBeck,” her father says, “is something bothering you? What’s up, kiddo?”
    â€œHe is,” Becky says. “The guy out there. He’s bothering me.”
    â€œShe seems to think that there is a person watching the schoolyard,” the principal says. She shakes her head. She cackles. “But no one else sees him. He’s invisible.”
    â€œYou don’t look in time,” Becky shouts. “You never look in time to see him.”
    â€œCalm down, sweetie.”
    â€œInside voices,” the principal says. “Okey-dokey?”
    â€œBut you never look in time. No one looks in time and then he’s gone.”
    â€œShe had a fever a few days ago,” Becky’s mother starts. “It could be after-effects —”
    â€œMaria,” Becky’s father says. “I’m not sure that’s possible.”
    â€œNo, this has been going on since we had the police in to talk to the grade seven kids about Stranger Danger. I think,” the principal says, “she’s overreacting just an eensy-teensy bit to the messages the police delivered. It’s nothing new. Several other kids have been having similar problems. We think we might have to rethink these police visits.”
    â€œI’m not overreacting.”
    â€œBecky, keep your voice down,” her mother says.
    â€œIt’s the same guy who raked our yard,” Becky whispers, but her mother is talking over her. “I know it is.”
    â€œWe’ll talk about this at home,” her mother says. “Thank you so much for your concern, Mrs. Tanner.”
    â€œOh, no problem at all.” The principal rises and shakes Becky’s parents’ hands. “You can go back to your class now,” she tells Becky. She puts her hand on Becky’s head and there is a spark.
    You stole my electrons, Becky thinks.
    â€œIn the meantime, Mrs. Shutter, can I interest you in another wreath? I know you purchased one, but wouldn’t another one look lovely on your side door?”
    At home Becky can hear them talking. She crouches on the stairs and listens. Her dog tries to lick her face but she pushes him away.
    â€œThere’s something wrong with her,” Becky’s mother says. “I mean, seriously, Tom, someone watching her? And her cleaning. Have you noticed how much she cleans?”
    â€œThat guy who raked our yard in the fall scared me too,” Becky’s father says. “I don’t blame her for being a bit worried. And you clean all the time, Maria.”
    â€œDon’t be silly.”
    â€œYou’re too hard on her.”
    â€œShe wants a freaking DustBuster for Christmas. A DustBuster.”
    â€œSo what? She’s just a little different. There’s nothing wrong with being clean.”
    â€œRachel wants a docking