There hadn’t been a permanent literature teacher in the 10th grade for a while. One went on maternity leave, another quit after just a month. When Anna showed up — young, calm, neat — the students exchanged glances:
“Another one… She won’t last long.”
The first lesson started off as a test.
— Alright, open your notebooks… — the teacher began.
— We didn’t bring any! — someone yelled from the back row. Laughter.
