Page 127 of Apparently, I’m Trouble

I looked at Amber squarely, and I think she knew then that I wasn’t just talking about the teasing she’d just instigated. It was everything: the bullying in class, the rumors she spread, the photo she shared. I wanted her to apologize for all of it, and I wanted that apology now.

“Apologize,” I demanded. “Now.”

She lowered her eyes and muttered, “Sorry.”

“Yeah, sorry,” the other two echoed.

I shook my head. “Not good enough. Louder.”

Amber’s gaze snapped up; her mouth open, about to argue. But before I could repeat myself, the on-duty teacher, a math guy named Mark, appeared behind Kira’s three bullies.

“Is there a problem, Miss Walker?” he asked.

“These three get detention for harassing a student,” I told him. Then I dropped the edge from my voice as the girls started complaining. “Could you arrange that, please?”

Mark looked from Kira to me to the girls and nodded. “I’ll need to hear what happened.”

“I’ll come by later, then.”

He nodded, told the three girls to follow him, and left Kira and me alone.

I looked up at her and asked, “Are you all right?”

She bit her bottom lip and nodded. “Thanks. You didn’t have to do that.”

“Yes, I did. From now on, I want you to write down the names of anyone who treats you like that. If they won’t stop on their own, I’ll make them stop.”

She looked at me then, opening her mouth like she was about to say something, but then her eyes drifted over the students already lining up outside of my classroom door.

So instead, she nodded, turned away, and left.

Chapter 48

Theo

SOUTH BRONX CLASSICAL

Monday Afternoon

If Rochelle were still here, I probably could have roped her into coming to this meeting with me. But she was already gone.

And that was fine. My sister had to live her life. I just had to figure out a way to start living mine again.

I ran my hand over my face. My stubble felt rough against my palm, but it was a good enough distraction from having to look at Principal Rutton’s disapproving face. The woman sat behind her too-big desk, almost glaring at Miss Fares, who was standing in the corner, nervously going over possible solutions to Kira’s bullying problem.

I sat back in my chair and let out an irritated sigh.

“I don’t care how it gets done. I just want it to stop. If Miss Walker is the only one stepping in to keep my daughter from getting harassed, then clearly there’s a problem with the way this school is run.”

I had no reason to play nice. Not with Rutton.

Miss Fares sputtered to a stop as the principal spread her hands on her desk.

“What would you have us do, Mr Hudson?” she asked, and I could hear it in her tone. The implied, your daughter wouldn’t be in this mess if it weren’t for you. So fucking condescending.

“Expel them,” I barked.

Rutton let out a disappointed sigh, as if she knew I’d go there. “There are steps we have to follow before something like this leads to expulsion.”