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on the newspaper staff in high school," Erin said in an offhand tone as she stared intently at the screen. "I don't really want to ask Mark for anything right now. Besides, he designs buildings, not logos."
    "How are things with Hilary and Mark, anyway?"
    Erin rolled her eyes. "Same as always, I guess. The wedding's still on. Hilary's been driving me absolutely crazy with her search for the most perfect dress in the Metroplex."
    "You're too nice to her." Sherri paused and scratched her arm. She looked down at herself and frowned. "Speaking of dresses, I'm going to look stupid in mine tonight. I'm covered in mosquito bites from that match Thursday night."
    Sherri had a date tonight with TJ—a guy she'd met at the gym she'd joined to meet guys. TJ played in a men's soccer league that had games twice a week in the spring, before the Texas heat became too oppressive. She'd only been out with him two or three times, but already she'd installed herself at the sidelines of every game, and NBC Sports Network had become the background noise in the apartment. Sherri had a habit of adopting the hobbies of whatever guy she was going out with.
    Erin smiled indulgently at her friend and peered at her, squinting to make out the faint pink spot on her tanned arm.
    "Trust me, they're not noticeable."
    Sherri shifted her weight from one foot to the other, looking anxious. "Are you sure? Maybe I should buy a long-sleeved dress for tonight. Or wear pants." She looked at her watch. "I have time to pop over to the Galleria if you want to come."
    Erin shuddered. Shopping was something she viewed as a necessary evil, and even a quick trip to the three-story retail monstrosity wasn't on her list of ideal ways to spend an afternoon.
    "I would, Hon, even though you know how much it pains me." She glanced back down at her computer screen. "But I really want to get this blog set up before I have to start grading that gigantic pile of tests over there." She nodded in the direction of the coffee table.
    Sherri glanced at the stack of color-coded folders and shot Erin a sympathetic look. "I'm sorry you have to work on a Saturday night. I bet TJ has a friend I could hook you up with. There are some other cute guys on the team."
    Erin shook her head firmly. "Save the setups for when I get the blog going. Soon I'm going to need all the help I can get." She grimaced. "For now I just want to enjoy my solitude. I'm already starting to rethink this brilliant idea of mine."
    "Well, I think it is brilliant," Sherri said. "A great motivator, if nothing else." Her eyes took on a dreamy cast. "Just think, in a few months, your blog might lead you to your dream guy. You could be shopping for your own wedding dress."
    Erin gave her a wry smile.
    "Nothing like having goals."
     
    *  *  *
     
    Hours later, Erin leaned back into the sofa cushion and rubbed her eyes. If she made one more red X on a sheet of paper, she might go mad, she thought. This school year was the worst she'd faced so far in four years of teaching. The school where she taught, Northside High School, was one of Dallas Independent School District's lowest-performing outposts. The student population was largely economically disadvantaged, with a high percentage of minority students and a higher-than-average percentage of non-English-speaking students. Discipline problems were rampant, and keeping the classroom focused on academics was one of the biggest challenges she and her colleagues faced. When she'd finished her degree at UT and left Texas to get her master's in mathematics at the University of Oklahoma, her goal was to teach at the college level. But so far she hadn't felt motivated to move beyond NHS. She liked having the opportunity to reach out to kids whose futures were at risk and helping them turn their chances around. It didn't happen every day. It didn't happen every year, even, and she had this year to prove it.
    The challenge of that was what thrilled her—and usually it made her want to