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Nodding, Thicket hauled her backpack across her shoulder and maneuvered her way past the desks to the Principal’s office. She knocked lightly.

“Come in!”

Thicket stepped inside. The office was the same as before, not a single piece out of place. “You wanted to see me?”

“Thicket!” Mrs. Kline greeted warmly. “Take a seat.”

Tentatively, she did. “So, about my assignments…”

“Yes.” Mrs. Kline stacked some papers together and rested them neatly in front of her. “I have them here.”

“Great, thank you so much,” Thicket said, leaning forward to receive them.

“However, you won’t be needing them.”

Thicket’s hands hesitated before dropping back into her lap. “What do you mean?”

Had Mrs. Kline changed her mind about letting Thicket finish her senior year at home? Was she going to fully expel her? Being a shut in was bad enough, yet there was still a glimmer of hope for a better life. She could get a college degree online and find a job that allowed her to work without leaving her town. But a shut in who didn’t even graduate high school? Her life would effectively be over.

Thicket wracked her mind for anything she could say to convince Mrs. Kline to let her graduate. It was the only thing she had left and she would fight for it.

“I’m sorry,” she blurted. “For the other day when I questioned your decision to finish the school year at home. I understand now and completely agree that it is best for everyone. I’m just truly so grateful that you’re still letting me graduate and promise I’ll work really hard not to disappoint you.”

Mrs. Kline didn’t respond for a long moment. She folded her hands in her lap, eyes not quite meeting Thicket’s. Her heart shriveled. No. No… This couldn’t be it.

“Mrs. Kline, please, I—”

“I need to formally apologize to you, Miss Vogeli.”

Thicket’s mouth hung open, her pleas vanishing on the tip of her tongue. “What?”

Mrs. Kline steepled her hands together. “A student came to see me not long ago and informed me that Miss Waters had been the one harassing you, taking advantage of your past records as ammunition to purposefully remove you from this school.”

Thicket couldn’t think. Couldn’t even breathe.

“As an educator, I have failed you. I should have dug into the story more before making assumptions. I understand if you no longer wish to continue your education here, however if you would be willing to forgive me for this transgression, I would like to officially welcome you back to finish out the remainder of your senior year in person.”

“I—” Thicket didn’t know what to say. Of all the things she had been expecting, this was the very last thing. No… It hadn’t even been a possibility.

“I know this is a lot to digest,” Mrs. Kline said. “Please, take the remainder of the day to think it over. I will call your mother tomorrow morning to get your response. If you decide to continue with us, we will see you back on Monday! And do not worry about your classes. I will speak to each of your teachers and ensure you are not penalized for any missed assignments.”

Thicket nodded more from habit than true understanding. “T-thank you.” She picked up her bag and walked out of the office, feet and mind completely numb.

She was being welcomed back to school? Not only that, Mrs. Kline had apologized? When was the last time anyone had ever apologized to her?

She glanced at the clock hanging above the row of lockers. She had about twenty minutes before classes ended. She had to hurry. Picking up her pace, she sped through the halls. Thicket froze. At the end, a locker door was swung open, decorated with stickers that were all too familiar. Deep, red hair rippled down the owner’s back.

“Linda?” Thicket hadn’t been aware she said the name aloud until the girl glanced up at her. Linda, who always put up a perfect exterior, was a mess. The hair framing her face was frizzy, sticking to the thick makeup coating her skin. Even that wasn’t enough to cover the flush spreading across her cheeks, burning hot beneath the disturbed powder. She swiped at her eyes, but she couldn’t hide the red rimming the edges.

“What do you want?” Linda snapped, her tears doing nothing to soften the bite of her words.

“What’s wrong?” Thicket didn’t know why she bothered asking. They had stopped being friends long ago. Still, she had never seen Linda in such a state.

Linda shook her hair from her face and sniffed. “Are you happy now?”

“What?”

“You’re the crazy girl. The good for nothing freak who can’t even tell what’s real. Yet somehow you always get what you want, don’t you? Stealing Jett from me wasn’t enough, was it? You just had to get me suspended, too.”