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The Name She Says Again

Chapter 1The new girl

On Monday, a new girl sits at the desk beside Devorah.

She has a long braid and a lunch bag with a purple zipper. Morah Gila writes her name on the board in big letters: SHULAMIS.

"Class, please say hello to Shulamis," says Morah Gila.

"Hello, Shula-MIST," says Devorah, and a few girls giggle.

The new girl's smile wobbles.

Chapter 2Hot cheeks

Devorah's cheeks turn hot.

She did not mean it as a joke. She sounded out the letters, and the word came out like something you spray on a window.

Now three girls are whispering "Shula-mist, Shula-mist," and laughing behind their hands.

Devorah looks at her desk. She does not know whether to laugh with them or say something else.

Chapter 3The quiet question

At lunch, Devorah sits across from Shulamis and holds her sandwich with both hands.

She could say nothing. She could say, "Sorry," quickly and look away. She could keep saying "Shula-mist" and hope nobody minds.

None of those feel right.

"Can I ask you something?" she says.

Shulamis looks up. "Okay."

"How do you say your name? I think I said it wrong."

Chapter 4The right way

Shulamis puts down her fork.

"Shu-LAH-mis," she says slowly. "The middle is loud."

"Shu-LAH-mis?"

"Yes. You said the end like a window spray."

Devorah blinks. Then she laughs, and Shulamis laughs too, a small real laugh.

"I'm sorry," Devorah says. "I didn't mean the joke part. I only sounded it out."

"I know. It happens. I have to say it a lot of times."

Chapter 5Practice

On the walk back to class, Devorah practices under her breath.

"Shu-LAH-mis. Shu-LAH-mis."

Some of the sounds get stuck. Once she says Shu-la-MEES, and she stops, takes a breath and starts again.

Shulamis does not mind. She says it with her again, slowly, like a song with a loud middle.

A bell rings somewhere down the hall. Neither of them hurries. The name needs a few more tries, and there is time for that.

"Better," she says.

"Still wobbly," says Devorah.

"Wobbly is okay."

Chapter 6The whispering

At the hallway door, two of the girls begin again. "Shula-mist!"

Devorah feels her stomach tighten.

She turns around. "Her name is Shu-LAH-mis. The middle is loud. I got it wrong too, but I asked her."

One girl shrugs. "We were only playing."

"It sounded like teasing," Devorah says. Her voice is small but steady. "Could you say it her way?"

The girl glances at Shulamis, then at her shoes.

"Shu-LAH-mis," she says, a little quickly.

"Thank you," says Shulamis.

Chapter 7Her name

All week, Devorah practices. She says it in the lunch line and while she hangs up her coat. By Thursday, the name comes out right most of the time.

Once, on Wednesday, it comes out wrong again. Devorah stops, says "Sorry, let me try again," and gets it right. Shulamis only nods.

On Friday, Devorah gives Shulamis a small card. She wrote the name in purple letters, with a dot over the A to show the loud part.

Shulamis tapes it inside her desk.

"Now I don't have to say it so many times," she says.

"I'll say it with you," says Devorah. "Shu-LAH-mis."

"Shu-LAH-mis," says the whole row, together, a little off the beat.

The name rolls down the row like a song, and this time nobody laughs at it.