Page 8 (1/2)

Principal Hame slumped into his chair and had a moment of aardness as his chair slid back three feet frorunts and pushes, he maneuvered the chair back to the desk Mina did her best to keep a straight face "As you may have heard, Channel 6 and the Herald Stadium are here to do an intervieith you about your heroic efforts yesterday What I need to know, Mina, is whether you love your school"

"I don’t understand, Principal Hahed "Well, Mina, what I should be asking is maybe how much you like your fellow students and friends, like Nan Taylor It would be a sharams because of bad publicity"

"How could this be bad publicity? I’m not sure I understand your question Of course I love this school I’ an interview and would really prefer not to So if you could find a way out for me, that would be incredible"

"Mina, you have to do the interview I just want to make sure that you don’t place blame on Mr West for the incident that happened at Babushka’s If it was publicized that he wasn’t there when the accident occurred, it could be seen as negligence and we could lose ouror even, God forbid, fire Mr West The Carmichael’s have a lot of powerful friends I need to knohether you think Mr West is to blame for the accident"

Mina was at a loss for words "Of course not! He wasn’t the one to blame it was my - no one’s fault Just an accident" Mina had almost admitted the truth How could she place blame on an absent teacher when she knew that even if Mr West was there, the same events would have unfolded with the same outcome? It was just her bad luck that followed her everywhere

Principal Hahtly "Excellent! Glad to hear it Well, we’d better get you to the gy close on her heels

"No, really, I’o home," Mina pleaded In retrospect, she wished she had used the tio hoain, Principal Hanored her, "Make sure you tell the reporters how et a new pool installed you know Good publicity equals good funding"

"But I"

"Now’s your time to shine, Ms Grime Do your school proud" Principal Hame escorted Mina down the corridor and before she knew it she was through the doors into the gy at the reporters while pointing to Mina

Yep Mina thought to herself, she was definitely going to kill Nan

Principal Hame sauntered proudly to the center and took the h School’s own real-life heroine Wilhel into the st the whole student body

Mrs Colbert, the ently led a nervous Mina to the half court line in the gym Principal Hame heartily slapped her back as if she were a linebacker instead of a five-foot-four girl Mina choked back a snappy retort, when a bright flashing light blinded her Photographers appeared fro and the whole student body began stoer was the air filled with cries of Slimy Gri her full and much-hated, antiquated naood-looking boy Mina felt her heart sink when she saw that Brody Car or cheering for her He was sitting front row, chewing on his lip Just sitting and staring at her, brows furrowed, leaning forward to see her over the crowd She couldn’t even begin to discern the emotions on his face

"Mina, tell us what happened at Babushka’s Bakery, the day you saved the Carmichaels’ son from certain death?" The reporter from the Channel 6 news station thrust a microphone in front of Mina’s face Another flash frouard,her dizzy But that wasn’t what irritated Mina, it was the reporter’s poor choice of words

"He has a name" Mina shot back, furious that the reporter would refer to Brody as the Carht he deserved better