Trafika Europe 9/10 - UK in Europe

two crimestories

disappearing into the girls’ bathroom, coming out only a couple of minutes before the next class began. How was she supposed to take it, if her friends all turned their backs on her? It was clear that the other kids’ parents were the reason why Silvana suddenly had nobody. Since it was now official, so to speak, the adults were openly talking about Herr Schneider and Silvana’s mother. They said that Silvana would be a bad influence on decent children. That Herr Schneider should not be allowed anywhere close to young people. That they had always seen it in Silvana’s mother. “What did you see?” I wanted to know.

“She’s much younger than her husband,” my mother remarked, raising her eyebrows expressively. “And?” “She’s only thirty,” she said, her eyebrows now trying to touch her hairline. “Somebody said she’s thirty-three,” Papa cut in, as he rustled his newspaper. “No one knows for sure,” Mama replied, as she energetically smeared margarine on a roll. “And?” I asked again. “You can do the math. Thirty minus fourteen?” “Come on. What if she’s thirty-three?” “Nobody knows. Or has

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