Chapter 4 – Can You Believe?
“Sallie!”
“Jah, Mem?”
“Come help with the pie, please. It’s for your lunch.“
“Jah, Mem.”
Sallie practically flew down the stairs. Today was going to be her first day of high school. Yes, she was home-schooled (but not anymore), and yes, she was FINALLY going to a real school with real students.
“So, Sallie dear, you remember the rules, right honey?” her mother asked while
“Yes, mother. No misbehaving, no friends and keep my religion to myself.”
“Good. We Amish have to follow the Ordnung. I hope you understand.”
” But mother, I’ll be lonely with no friends to talk to. Plus, jah, I know we Amish stick to each other, but what if I can convince one of my friends to become Ami-“
“Enough! Stop, before I reconsider sending you. You know how hard it has been since Dat died. Please just co-operate.”
“Yes, Mem.“
Sallie collected her pie and walked to the bus stop. She wondered what the other students would say when she came in on the second day of school. Not the first, but the second. Ach if only she hadn’t stayed up all night practicing her English. A long yawn escaped her pursed lips.Looking up, she saw another girl coming and calling to her.
Chloe: Hey.
Sallie: …
Chloe: Hey you.
Sallie: …
Chloe: Hello!
Sallie: …
Chloe was embarrassed. Why wouldn’t the girl talk to her? Was she afraid? Or nervous? Or even scared?
Chloe: Uh mm, well I’m Chloe.
Sallie: I’m Sallie.
Chloe: Oh. Hi Sallie. Are you going to the Coral Cove S.D.A. school?
Sallie:Yes.
Chloe: Me too! I hope we can hang out together.
Sallie’s conscience was pricking her. Mem said not to make any friends, yet the good Lord would understand if she at least talked to on e person. she promised to herself that she would only talk to this strange, bangle-filled girl with a queer look in her eyes that somehow looked like her Dat’s. No, she reassured herself, Dat didn’t have any siblings, and even so, it wouldn’t be so bad if she did allow this girl to show her around. Then she’d go back to her normal life with her brothers and Mem and everyone else. Oh, how terrible it was to be different. If only…
Chloe: -and if you want we can go shopping sometime.
Sallie: Okay
Vocab
Mem-Mother
Dat-Father
Ordnung-A set of rules for the Amish
Jah- Yes
Ach- But
