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tightened into fists. Malini grabbed
his arm again, her delicate fingers on his wrist draining all
aggression out of him. For some reason, he didn't want to make a
scene in front of her. He was afraid if something happened, a
fight, she might get hurt. Plus, she seemed above all this, and he
wanted to be too. He turned back towards her.
    "Are they for real?" he asked Malini.
    "Hmm. I'm afraid so."
    "I guess, where I'm from…in Hawaii, no one
would ever use that word."
    "I know. Not where I'm from either."
    "Where are you from?"
    "All over really, but London last. I was
born in India."
    "I don't get it, Malini," Jacob said. "I
mean these people act like it's 1950. They don't even know me."
    "Most of these people have been here since
well before that."
    He laughed but then realized she wasn't
joking. "What do you mean?"
    "Well, take Dane Michaels, for example. His
family settled here around 1900. His family has lived on the same
land for over a hundred years. And, Amy Barger, her family has
lived in the same house for four generations. This town is like an
island; all they know is each other. They grow up in the same
house, doing the same thing as their parents."
    "You've got to be kidding."
    "No. Think about it. Who would move to
Paris? I mean besides us, and we didn't have a choice. There's not
much here. Logically, if you grow up here and you are open minded,
you go to college and never come back. If you like it here, which
means that you are happy living in the same house, with the same
people, with the same thoughts and ideas as the generation before,
then you stay. If you stay, you marry someone just like you. It's
like inbreeding."
    "How do you know all of this, Malini? I mean
about the town history."
    "My dad. He's the only insurance agent in
town. Houses, cars, life insurance policies, you can learn a lot
about people by what they insure. That's why we're here. State
Benefit decided to embrace diversity and hello Paris, Illinois. You
know, he took over because the last State Benefit agent died."
    "He died?"
    "Yeah. He was ninety-six years old and still
working. Died in his office. Weird huh?"
    "Weird."
    "But good for us. There's no competition so,
whatever these people think, if you want insurance in this town you
see Jim Gupta."
    Jacob opened his mouth to respond but was
drowned out by the sound of the bell and the subsequent clatter of
trays and chairs.
    "Do you want to study later then?" Malini
asked.
    "Definitely. Bring your notes," he said,
"please."
    She gave the proud smile again, lifting her
tray and carrying it to the conveyor belt near the kitchen. Jacob
collected his things and turned to follow. He was halfway there
when something hard pegged him in the back, knocking him forward.
On the floor near his feet, pieces of hard-boiled egg lay broken.
He whipped his head around and met Dane's cold grey eyes. A red
tide of anger washed over him.
    Jacob glared at Dane with wordless hate and
as he locked eyes with the guy, he thought of ten different ways he
could attack him. The fork on his tray had promise. He could do it;
tear off the lid to this thing coiled inside of him and loose it on
Dane. He might even enjoy it. He may not be as big as Dane but he
was fast and he knew how to fight. More importantly, he had nothing
to lose.
    Then he thought of Malini. She lingered by
the door, watching the drama unfold with her books clutched against
her chest like a shield. What would she think of him if he started
something?
    No one moved. The cafeteria was so quiet he
could hear the ice machine running. Time seemed to slow as Jacob
stared unblinking at Dane. Finally, one of the lunch ladies cleared
her throat, breaking the silent tension and Jacob backed down. The
thing in his stomach coiled tighter like an unsatisfied hunger as
he made for the door.
    No sooner was Jacob's back turned than the
cafeteria burst into laughter.
    He had to find a way home. If he didn't,
this might be the longest year of his life.

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