You Go First

Ben goes to the attendance office to sign up for student council elections. A woman named Mrs. Carlile tells him the deadline passed yesterday, but Ben wants her to let him sign up anyway. He says he’s never missed a day of school, been late, or left early, and he shares some facts about the importance of recycling. Mrs. Carlile says Ben can get a student council application at the front office in the next room because he’d probably be a quality representative. He hopes the student council race will help him evolve.

Bridget claims to hate art class, which surprises Charlotte because Bridget is a good artist and it is the only class where she turns in assignments. Charlotte isn’t in the class, and Bridget says a girl named Tori Baraldi keeps criticizing her projects and the teacher doesn’t do anything about it. Tori isn’t serious about art, but last year, she made it to nationals for the spelling bee and the students had to listen to her perform every morning during the announcements. Years ago, Bridget and Charlotte were “sort-of friends” with Tori and Magda (65), but not anymore.

Bridget suggests that Charlotte invite Magda over to play Scrabble because she’d probably be good at it.