Page 7 of Friends with Benefits

He’s atownie.

Somewhere in the multiverse, Theo Cohen is an activist, working with a New York City nonprofit to reform curriculums nationwide. He takes his plans to Washington. Fights for accessibility to technology, for free breakfasts and lunches, for the quality of one’s education not to depend on the zip code in which one lives.

In that universe, he isn’t in the classroom.

Theo kind of loves his classroom—the bright-colored drawings tacked onto walls, the beanbag corner he set up so the kids can be comfortable during movies, the library he curated with books he loved as a kid and books he loves as an adult who teaches kids. He loves Maude, the guinea pig that Evelyn bought for his class during his first year teaching who is somehow still alive. He loves the memories of his mom that are in this room.

In this school.

Lori Cohen was a second-grade teacher at Foothill Elementary for more than thirty-five years. On Theo’s desk are side-by-side first-day-of-school photos. His first day of kindergarten and his first day as Mr. Cohen. One features a toothless grin. Both feature Lori’s arms wrapped around him, so proud. Of course, he sometimes wonders what Multiverse Theo’s life is like—the Theo who works on progressive education reform, the Theo who lives in a closet-size apartment in Manhattan, the Theo who still has a mom…

“Mr. Cohen?”

His name is an inquisitive whisper.

Theo looks up from his computer. “What’s up, Kaia?”

“What doesreverentmean?”

She points to the word in her copy ofThe Lightning Thief. Kaia O’Connell takes silent reading seriously—both the silent and the reading. If she doesn’t understand a word, she will always ask Theo before she moves on to the next chapter. He definesreverentand Kaia returns to her seat to write it down. She has a whole notebook full of new words and Theo’s definitions. Kaia can look it up in the dictionary or on one of the class iPads after silent reading time, but Theo is always encouraging his kids to ask for help.

He wishes more adults encouraged him to ask for help.

Theo’s eyes return to his screen, where there is a new email in his inbox.

Subject: this new math is INCONCEIVABLE

He coughs to cover up his snort at the not-at-all covert subject line from Evelyn, aka [email protected]. She believes it’s a genius way to contact him at work. He keeps his phone locked in his desk while his kids are in the room because if they can’t have devices out, neither can he. What started out as a system for emergencies has devolved into his best friend spamming his inbox with subject lines from the point of view of a disgruntled parent. Subtle, Evelyn Bloom is not.

Theo opens the email.

can we watch at mine tonight? also… you may need to talk me out of committing arson.

just kidding.

OR AM I!!

The more momager the subject line, the more unhinged the message.SurvivorWednesday is on Thursday this week, as Evelyn spent last night attending her first movie premiere—and they never watch without each other. Even in college, they watched together from opposite coasts, Theo from his NYU dorm and Evelyn from her UCLA one. She splurged on a VPN so they could watch together on East Coast time. It was a whole thing.

Theo types a response.

Sure. Warning: I have been spoiled.

p.s. if you’re so worried about my emails being screened, you maybe shouldn’t threaten to commit a felony? (she’s kidding!)

Evelyn answers immediately:

I’M KIDDING.

omg THEODORE. you checked reddit?

Theo replies:

Milo.

Not even a cough can suppress the laugh that escapes at Evelyn’s response—what a butt! deduct ten points from his diorama project. at least.It’s a disruptor. Silent reading time is over, and not only that, but Theo now must explain what’s so funny. These kids don’t let him get away with anything. It’s the start of a chaotic afternoon—Tyler steals Emerson’s favorite marker. Annabelle bursts into tears when she sees acheck markon last night’s homework, not the check plus that she expects out of herself. Kaia asks if Pluto is still a planet. Milo says,Pluto is a dog, Kaia.

By the time it’s a quarter to three, Theo is exhausted.

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