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My head is spinning. How could she hate me so much that she would go to all these lengths to devise such an evil plot? What have I ever done to her?
Mr. Dickson glances between my parents.
They remain like hardened statues. Embarrassment is not something these proud people take lightly. Finally, the stone around my father’s mouth begins to crack.
“Isn’t part of an advisor’s job to make sure things like this don’t happen?” he asks. “I don’t understand how those videos even made it onto the screen. This whole situation was incredibly embarrassing for us and I will not stand for it.”
Oh no, Dad, don’t worry about me. I’m sorry this was so hard foryou. I have to close my eyes to prevent my emotions from spilling out.
Dad finally turns his fiery eyes on Mrs. Pope. She looks like she might cry. “There is no excuse for what happened.”
Mr. Dickson gets to his feet, reaching eye level with Dad. “Now Dan, while I recognize that those obviously personal videos being shared count as bullying. Something you know I absolutely do not stand for. But there is a bigger issue here. Did you and Linda submit your own daughter’s name as the teacher nominations? Because nepotism is also something I do not stand for.”
Dad grunts and Mom sighs dramatically. She points a manicured fingernail at Mr. Dickson. “What about that boy? What is being done about him?” she asks, her voice trembling. I can’t tell if she’s on the verge of screaming or crying.”
“Aiden has been removed from the stage crew, and he has been suspended for two weeks. Part of that suspension includes him being banned from attending prom.”
My mouth falls open. I can’t believe Aiden is being punished so harshly, especially when I don’t even know who this kid is. And I suspect Taylor is the true criminal mastermind.
Mom nods her head. “And what else?”
I turn and stare at her. That’s not enough?
Mr. Dickson looks surprised by her question as well. “Linda, I believe we’ve been more than fair in the discipline used against Aiden Cole.”
“Fair?” Mom’s voice squeaks. Uh-oh, her voice only reaches that decibel when she’s really fuming. “I’ll tell you what’snot fair. Having my entire reputation ruined in front of all my co-workers, peers, and students, who are supposed to respect me.Thatis not fair. Having my husband and my integrity called into question,” she says, “Thatis not fair. We have both worked incredibly hard to build our careers and our reputations in this community.” Mom lets out an angry huff and crosses her arms over her chest. “Don’t talk to me about fair.”
“What about Emma?”
Mom’s eyes narrow as she glances over at Mrs. Pope. “What aboutmyEmma?” her words come out ice cold.
“I understand those videos put you and Dan in the spotlight in a negative way, but I don’t think either of you suffered as much as she did. I can’t imagine the embarrassment and trauma this poor girl has been through. I don’t know how she will face her peers again after this.”
Thanks for bringingthatup. I bury my face in my hands. I glance up again when Mrs. Pope places a hand on my arm. I know it’s meant to be comforting, but the way Mom is staring hate-eyes at her, it just makes me feel more uncomfortable. Mrs. Pope quickly removes her hand in response to Mom’s death gaze.
Mom reaches her hand over my shoulder to embrace me, though it feels more like a choke hold. She pats my arm with her other hand. “Of course, I know my Emma has suffered embarrassment. That is a given. How dare you insinuate I wasn’t thinking about my daughter. We just want to see justice served for her and our family. What that boy put us through was unforgivable.” Mom pulls my head down against her bosom and strokes the side of my face. She might not be the most understanding mom in the world, but when she feels threatened, she’s the mama bearest of them all.
Dad jumps in again. “If you’re worried about Emma, then why did you let those videos be played in the first place?” he demands.
Mrs. Pope squirms in her chair. “I try my best to teach the students the skills they need to have for stage crew, and then I let them do most of the work. I sit back and observe, and remain available for questions.”
“Then why didn’t you ‘observe’ which videos your stage crew were showing in front of the entire school today?” Dad asks, using air quotes.
Mrs. Pope takes a deep breath. “When Aiden said he submitted the video for Emma, I assumed he had received it directly from her. You are right. I should have made sure we had Emma’s consent. I genuinely didn’t think any of my students were capable of this level of bullying.” She wipes under her eyes with a tissue from the principal’s desk. “I am very sorry,” she adds, blowing her nose.
Mr. Dickson cuts through the tension with his loud baritone. “We have handled the bullying aspect of this situation,” he says with finality. “Now, where did these videos come from in the first place? Emma, we haven’t heard from you yet. Did you make those videos as a joke? Did you share them with Aiden or anyone else? And who is Steve, maybe we need to get him in here, too.”
I clear my throat. Not because I have anything important to say, but because my throat is full of emotions. All eyes are on me now. I can feel my cheeks burning.
“If I may?” Mrs. Reyes’ voice is shaking slightly. She turns and addresses me directly. “Emma, dear, were those your journal entries I asked you to make?”
I watch as all the eyes in the room turn on the school counselor, as if in slow motion.
I nod slowly.
Mrs. Reyes nods once in return. “That’s what I thought,” she says. She looks back at the principal and explains. “I asked Ms. Carpenter to start a journal as a healthy way to cope with her overwhelming emotions. Those were her very own, very personal thoughts. She definitely did not make the videos to put her parents or any of her peers on blast. No one else should have seen them.”
I can feel the tears begin to leak from my eyes. Finally! I feel like I have a true ally in this room.
