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but I started laughing.
    Morgan joined me. “There, that’s better,” she said.
    “Yeah, I guess so.”
    Cora tapped on my knee. “Our machines are done,” she said, pointing to our washers.
    I nodded to her. “I gotta go. See ya , Morgan.”
     

 
     
    Chapter Six
    Matt
     
    The only reason I wasn’t working at my parent’s store this Saturday wa s because I agreed to run my mom’s errands before I left for the trip. So far this morning I’d been to the dry cleaners, pharmacy, post office and then to the Laundromat where I’ d had an awkward run - in with Zoey .
    I carried everything inside, set my mom’s pills on the counter then pulled open the fridge.  I started blankly inside and thought about the way Zoey looked bent over, cramming a mountain of laundry into a washer. Their washer at home must have been broken, because she was doing enough laundry to last a month. I stood up and let the fridge swing closed.
    I went to my room and organized my papers for the trip one last time. I had my passport, an envelope with important phone numbers and some money , my immunization records and some other stuff my mom stuffed in. O u r trip itinerary sat folded on the top of the pile.
    My phone chirped from the other room and I jogged to grab it. It was Justin. “Hey man, what’s up?”
    “You have time for a B- ball game later? We’re meeting up at Bryant Park,” Justin said.
    I glanced at the clock. “Yeah, what time?”
    “Three.”
    “Cool — see y ou there.” I clicked the phone off and headed out to pick up my mom for the pre - trip meeting.
     
    E veryone else had one parent with them, but I was flanked by both my mom and dad in the front row of the classroom . Mr. Rhinehart passed out a sheet of paper to each parent with the phone number to his international cell, his email address , and a detailed day- by - day itinerary. He stopped in front of Zoey ’s desk and pressed his lips together. “Where’s your parent?” he asked.
    She shrugged. “They couldn’t make it,” she said.
    “ Zoey .” He released a deep sigh, that hissed through his teeth and all heads in the room turned to watch their exchange. “S omehow this doesn’t surprise me. Did you even tell them?” he asked.
    She pushed her shoulders back and looked straight up at him. “ Of course I told them. They. Couldn’t. Come,” she said, enunciating each word.
    He gripped the papers tighter in his hands. “Well, no parents, no trip.” He stepped passed her desk and handed a flyer to Jared’ s mom, seated behind her.
    Zoey stood up suddenly, bumping against the top of the desk. “What the hell? You can’t do that!” She took the papers from his hands. “Just give me one. I’ll give it to my dad when I get home.”
    He pulled the papers back from her. “It’s not that easy. I always talk with the parents before this trip, calm their worries and explain the itinerary.”
    Zoey continued looking straight at Mr. Rhinehart. “Well, trust me, my parents won’t be worried and they’d probably instantly lose the paper you gave them.”
    Mr. Rhinehart shifted his weight. “ Zoey , this isn’t up for discussion. Go home, get a parent and come back.” All eyes were on them now and he knew it. He continue d past Zoey , pass ing out the papers . Zoey seemed i ndifferent. She stood watching him hand out the papers, then hurried to keep up with him.
    “ This is bullshit. Y ou can’t do this–you can’t take this away from me. I did all the fundraising, I paid for everything. ” She actuall y looked nervous, something I’d never seen on her. She took a deep breath. “ I don’t think you understand– my parents aren’t going to come.”
    He studied her for a minute and nodded. “Sit down, Zoey . We’ll talk after.”
    She returned to her desk and sat down, looking bored.
    The hour passed with Mr. Rhinehart droning on about travel tips. I couldn’t help glancing back at Zoey , trying to figure out why she said her