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    “Huh?” Serena said. Christian held up his hand, examining the tips of his fingers where a blister was beginning to form.

    “Is this some sort of joke?” Christian said. “I’m not sure, what just happened?” Serena said, leaning over his hand. “Um, will you need a bandage for that?”

    Christian frowned slightly. “I just touched your bracelet, and it felt really hot.” He explained, partly to himself. “What happened?” He asked. “I don’t know.” Serena repeated.

    There was a loud cough from behind them.

    “Mr. Prime? Miss Koffler? I’m not interrupting anything… am I?”

    Serena and Christian tilted their heads in unison to face Mr. Guss. Serena swallowed. Her throat had suddenly gone dry. “No, Mr. Guss.” She said. “Because it looked to me like you were very absorbed in your conversation.” Mr. Guss continued, ignoring her.

    Suddenly, he swooped in between Serena and Christian and picked up the box the bracelet was in. “You may have this back by the weekend.” Mr. Guss said. “And let that be a lesson to you!” “Um…” Serena muttered, but by then Mr. Guss was walking away.

    The next few minutes of the class were spent in silence, as Mr. Guss talked to the class and Serena mutely pretended to listen to him.

    When Mr. Guss turned around to face the chalkboard, Christian suddenly muttered. “Sorry about the bracelet.”

    “Huh? What do you mean?” Serena whispered. “If I hadn’t yelled or anything, we probably wouldn’t have been noticed.” Christian explained. “Oh, but…” Serena began warily.

    Someone in the back of the class loudly said, “What’s burning?”

    “MISS VACHON, if you would kindly be qui- where’s all this smoke coming from?”

    Serena looked up, startled, to see that the front of the classroom by the teacher’s desk was surrounded by smoke, which Mr. Guss was trying to wave away with a stack of paper.

    Before the classroom’s astonished eyes, the smoke drifted up into the middle of the room and began to form… a frowny-looking face?

    Beside her, Serena heard Christian clearly say, “What the hell?”

    The smoke lost its form, and began to drift as a shapeless mass out the door.

    And then the fire alarm went off.