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He stares athazel eyes I finally relent There’s no way so as evil as supply my enemy with priht I’ll talk to Evans But –" I point in his face "I’ shot Jack told ot scared And I’oes so pale for a second I think he’s had a heart attack His lips get thin and he glowers It’s all the proof I need that what Jack said was true He really did so Wren trelasses But I can’t pry it out of him now I have a principal to confront I stride out and leave Wren behind Evans’ secretary is a pretty dark-haired woman and a spotty birthmark over her forehead that makes her look half Dalent"

"Sure, sweetie" She sht now"

I take a deep breath right before the door and compose myself I can’t kick this door down I have to be sociable, I have to get the truth fro I’htest sh the door

Evans is at his desk, typing away at the couins litter his bookshelves, and an ostentatious, tacky gold bust of his own head sits on his desk next to his na; PRINCIPAL GOODWORTH M EVANS I s a snort Goodworth What kind of name is that?

Evans looks up, his bald patch ured you’d come in to see me today Please, sit"

He figured, huh? That’s not pro I sit in the plushy chair across from him

"My picture is everywhere," I start

"I know I saw I’m terribly sorry – kids these days are just so cruel I had Marcus clean the on that"

"I know Poorabout Evans’ voice sounds sincere – it’s all half-sweet, lessly airy words He doesn’t care at all He just keeps typing at the computer, with no time for me Either that, or he doesn’t want to confront n Guilt does that to people

"I wanted to ask you about Jack," I say Evans chuckles

"No, I won’t give you his home address, his schedule, his phone number, or his social security nuirls ask for"

"I’irls, Mr Evans"

"So I can see" He s on the computer even h school because of – what did the police call it? Intent to harht everyone you could get your hands on, anyone who looked at you a strange way What made you so touchy, I wonder?"

"Oh, I don’t know,fat"

"But that teasing inspired you, didn’t it? That’s why you lost so ht So really, you should be thankful for it, and to the people who antagonized you"

I laugh incredulously "Are you fking kidding e, Isis," he says smoothly "We wouldn’t want another mark on your permanent record noould we? It’s already so scuffed up"

I underestiame well Of course he does He’s had years of adulthood – where everyone smiles when they hate someone and bottles up their eressive-bullshit-taekwondo And I’ressive style We’re basically dancing around each other in two incoetone to ood at teaching, huh?"

Evans looks up, his chest puffing "Of course Our faculty are top-notch, you’ll learn that soon enough Jack is the brightest student I’ve seen in years – he got a perfect score on his SATs"

I smirk on the inside, but so to a really good college, right?"