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CHAPTERTEN
I don’t bother goingto my locker. Sure, it would be nice to drop off some of the bricks I’m carrying around with me, but it isn’t worth running into Sadie. I’m not ready to face her . . . not after what happened in the cafeteria.
I head straight for my first period class, but before I sit down at my desk, Ms. Smith says, “Mrs. Williams asked to see you again this morning.”
“Great,” I mumble and drag my legs back out the door.
I navigate the hallway of high schoolers, avoiding as many looks as possible by keeping my eyes on my feet. I only glance up when turning the corner to make sure there’s a clear path to the stairs.
Mrs. Williams’ door is wide open, just like the day before. When I step into her office, she pushes her glasses up, smiling. “Hello, Becca.”
I linger near the doorway, not wanting to give the impression that I’m willing to stay more than a few minutes. “You wanted to see me?”
She leans forward, resting her elbows on the table and lacing her fingers together. “Yes.” She smiles.
My frown deepens.
“We’ve come to an agreement for your graduation requirements.”
My foot taps, already anticipating the moment I can leave. I fold my arms in front of me. “Well?”
She flips open the binder on her desk and skims one of the pages. “Each of your teachers have agreed to create a test that would cover all the information from last semester. Your grades from that semester would be wiped out and replaced by your score on each of these tests.”
My mouth twists in thought, calculating how many hours I’ll have to study to learn it all. “I guess it could be worse.”
“There’s one more thing we need to discuss.” She takes her glasses off, setting them next to the binder. Then, she looks back up at me, pausing too long. “Your tutoring.”
I gulp. “And?”
She takes a deep breath, clearly preparing to tell me something she knows I won’t like. I brace myself. “You aren’t the only one who missed the majority of last semester.”
Who else could she be talking about? And what does it have to do with me?
She clears her throat before continuing. “You’ll be tutoring Sadie James in math. She’s having a hard time catching up with the class, and I think it would be good for you both.”
Her words don’t register in my brain.
Sadie?
My legs turn to jello, wobbling.
I grab onto the edge of Mrs. Williams’ desk to steady myself. “You can’t be serious?”
She tilts her head. “I thought you’d be thrilled? You used to be inseparable. I remember seeing you in the halls together all the time.”
Punishment. That’s what the school is giving me under the false pretense of “helping me graduate.”
I cross my arms and lean toward the door. “Well, we aren’t like that anymore.”
“I’ve already talked with Sadie.”
She probably thinks this will result in us moving on and laughing like old times, but that’s not what’s going to happen. I don’t want that. I don’t want to see her at all. “What if I say no?”
“Without the volunteer hours, you won’t graduate, but you’re more than welcome to try and complete the one hundred hours if you feel that would be a better option for you.”
It’s not fair that every single choice lately has been between two evils.
I could argue, but I have no leverage and no counterpoints. My head aches, and heat rushes to my face. The room is starting to get smaller, and smaller. All I want to do is get out of here and hide somewhere that no one will find me.
