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Jake places a hand to his chest like he’s reading off the Pledge of Allegiance. “To call the dean himself an idiot is outrageous.”

“Objection!” I demand. “Mr. Hudson never made such a claim; to pull something like that out of vague comments he made is ridiculous.”

“Perhaps,” the dean says, “but his disdain for the statue is true, is it not, Mr. Hudson?”

“Yes,” Theo says, of course taking my advice to answer yes or no during the most inappropriate of times.

I pull out a couple of articles I found, already accepted into the trial, and bring them to the dean—some I found on my own, some Jamie helped me discover when he pulled me for a conversation this past week. “The founder was quoted on record spewing hateful rhetoric about the LBGTQ-plus community, stating not only that they did they not deserve rights but should either be forced to have lobotomies or killed for their sins.” I whip my head toward Chloe. “Ms. Miller. Do you agree with the founder’s beliefs?”

Her face pales, and in this lighting it’s almost translucent. “Of course not.”

“Oh, you don’t? So do you think we should have the founder’s statue up?”

“Well, no—”

“Objection,” Jake says shakily. “This case is not about whether or not the statue should remain, but about what was already done to it.”

“If that’s so, then I motion to strike Ms. Miller’s testimony from the case.” I jump on the opportunity, digging my claws into it. “Ms. Miller herself agrees with Mr. Hudson’s belief that the statue shouldn’t exist, and yet the opposing council is attempting to criminalize Mr. Hudson when she, and I, and I’m sure most the people in this room disagree with the founder’s statements.”

The dean shifts in his seat. Usually he’s quick to choose a stance, but this one is tricky. He clearly has an attachment to the statue with his relationship with the founder, but to disregard the founder’s beliefs wouldn’t be a good look for him either, especially with the court reporter noting every statement said. A lose-lose.

His gaze lands on me for a beat longer than before, narrowed and conceding, and my chest tightens.

Suddenly I’m hyperaware of where I’m standing, of who I am compared to every single person in this room. The scholarship kid, the one with little influence and no expectations.

“Do you have any questions for the witness?” the dean asks me.

“I don’t, Your Honor.” I square my shoulders, forcing all those feelings down and reminding myself those feelings, those beliefs, even when they come from my own head, are wrong.

I started behind everyone else’s starting point and I’m still standing here with them all. No, I’m not like them. I’m better, and I can win this. I can do anything.

“Then Ms. Miller’s testimony is to be stricken from the record. We will now take a brief recess.” He slams down his gavel.

That’s a win for me. Now we’re tied.

It’s a pretty even playing field, but when I catch sight of Chloe’s disappointment it feels like I’m closer to winning than before.

I head behind the curtain to take a breath. Sometimes I hate recess because I just want to power through and use the adrenaline as momentum. In this case, I welcome the intake of breath.

It’s getting intense out there.

“Hey.” Theo follows me behind the curtain, his face shrouded in darkness. “What are you doing?”

“Winning you your case.”

He grabs my arm. “What if they go to the dean with what you did?

“That’d be my problem,” I say, moving away from the curtain, “and shouldn’t you be happy if I keep you on the team?”

“Yes,” he says, “but no. Not if it gets you in trouble. What if you get kicked out of the Law Society?”

“Again, my problem.”

He places his hands on my shoulders. “Ours.”

My throat goes dry. “Aren’t you too mad at me to refer to us as a unit?”

“I’m still mad,” he admits, “but I understand you, and, you know, I’m regretful for some of the things I said and did too.”