Billy sat on the front step of his house with Flip, his cat, minding his own business when Elmira Kane ran up to him.

She pointed her finger, still sticky from sucking taffy. “I know your secret, Billy Collins!” she declared.

Billy gulped.

Her chunky grin exposing the blackness between her missing teeth, she announced, “You're in love with the teacher!”

His ears burned red beneath his baseball cap.

“I knew it!” Elmira skipped away, singing, “I know Billy's secret! I know Billy's secret!”

The boy looked at Flip.

“I didn't know you loved the teacher,” the cat said.