Country Mouse Chapter 6

"Hurry up, Maleen!" Threbus is banging on the door.

Maleen is sitting in front of the mirror, a bored look on her face. "We're coming. Tamar is deciding what to wear," she yells back.

"Tamar's coming?!" Threbus yelps, and then we hear a scittering of feet as he bolts away.

"Well, that took care of him. Let me do your hair, dear," Maleen picks up the brush and starts pulling my hair back.

Maleen and Threbus have to start school, but since I'm going home in three days, they've invited me to come with them. According to them, the teachers will neither notice nor care. I have trouble believing this, but I think it will be fun to go.

"There," Maleen says, tying a bow to the back of my head with a flourish.

I look in the mirror shyly. Maleen has made my hair look very nice: it's pulled back in a Dutch braid along the top and tied at the base of my neck with a dark blue ribbon that perfectly matches my dress. It feels strange to be wearing ankle-length dresses, but it's a little fun, too. I know I'll be wearing knee-length when I get back home, but it's fun to pretend I'm grownup and beautiful, like Judith.

I shake myself out of my reverie and jump up. I don't want to make Maleen and Threbus late. Maleen is still fixing her hair, but she tells me to go out and see what trouble Threbus is getting himself into.

Outside the door, Threbus is waiting. I notice he's wearing different clothes when I saw him earlier, and his hair is combed now. He looks a little funny, but nice. As soon as I come out the door, he jumps up and turns red. "H-hi Tamar," he stutters, before bolting down the stairs. I look after him and sigh, wishing I could understand why he's always acting so strangely.

Maleen comes down and Cook gives us all some food for lunch. As we leave, Threbus bows to me and offers me his arm. I hesitate for a moment, then take it. Maleen watches us, smirking.

Their school is so big! It's a large marble building with elaborate columns and ornate decorations. There's a huge dome and even stained glass windows. It looks more like a cathedral than a school.

Inside, it is just as awe-inspiring. A huge atrium, and many hallways leading away to the classrooms, all of it marble. There are so many students there, most of them, more than I thought possible, even in the city. The girls run and hug Maleen and the boys come and shake hands with Threbus. Some of them look curiously at me, and Maleen explains that I'm a friend visiting them and I'll be there for the first few days. Just then, the bell rings, so we all go into class, Threbus on the boys' side of the building and Maleen and I on the girls'.

The morning passes pleasantly. The teachers really don't notice me very much; they just sit there and lecture in a dull monotone. It makes me miss my cheerful lessons at home. I'm surprised to find that I'm well ahead of the students, even though they're a year older than I. I thought surely they would be ahead, going to a fancy school and all, but they're just learning things that even Jerusalem and Ninevah have moved on beyond. I think it would be rude to mention this, though, so I sit quietly and try to keep my mind from wandering.

At lunch, Threbus grabs my hand and pulls me along towards the door.

"Where are we going?" I ask, bewildered.

"Forget what Cook packed, I'm taking you out for ice cream," he replies, smiling down at me.

We go to a small shop down the street and Threbus tells me to get whatever ice cream I want. I've never had ice cream before, so it takes me a while to decide. Finally, I get mint chocolate chip. Threbus gets something called a chocolate swirl Sunday and we go sit down at a table outside.

He's nervous, I can tell. He keeps looking at me when he thinks I'm not looking, and then when he sees I see him looking he takes a big bite out of his chocolate swirl Sunday and nearly chokes. I'm starting to think that Maleen is right about him being sweet on me.

"That's a nice dress," Threbus finally whispers, staring down at the ground.

"Thank you," I reply, smiling a little shyly.

Threbus gulps and stuffs the rest of his chocolate swirl Sunday into his mouth. "We'd better get back," he mumbles, taking my hand and heading back to school.

The rest of the afternoon passes in a blur. I keep seeing Threbus's eyes staring into mine, and I can't help but wish I knew exactly what's happening, if only so I could stop it.