Page 15 (2/2)

"Well, Raymond, would you like to tell her or shall I?" Mrs Carpenter, never one to beat around the bush, asked hileaotten when I beat the school’s fifty-yard dash record "Dave Whitlock and Mike Williari to school for the rest of the week"

"What about Danni?" I asked,

"Danni’s not suspended," Coach said I opened my mouth to protest but Coach held up his hand "She’s been expelled If she wants to graduate, she has to find a new school to attend She planned the attack on you, Maggie Mae Got Mike and Dave to help her"

A chill shivered down my spine

Ollie cleared his throat "Danni caht and asked about you, but I wouldn’t tell her any details of your case She must have snuck into my office and stolen your file I’er? What part did he play?" I thought of his bloody nose and wondered who’d given it to him I wished it had been net to you, but Dave fought hiot me," Coach said "Dave hit hi"

I bitup into add, Raymond?" Mrs Carpenter asked

I looked at the principal He didn’t need to add anything--I could see it in his eyes He was cursing the day I came to his school If I hadn’t come, none of this would have happened

"I’m sorry for the unfortunate events that have surrounded you, Ms Mortensen," he said "We have done everything in our power to maintain proper behavior at this school No one else will harass you, but if they do, they will suffer consequences You had better get to class"

" ’Kay," I said, and stood

Mrs Carpenter and I left the office "Do you want me to walk you back to the truck?" I asked

"No, thank you, Maggie Mae I’ll see you after school" She wrapped"I’m proud of you," she whispered And then she strode away

The bell rang and the halls filled with students, though there was such a subdued air about them, you’d think they were on their way to a funeral, not second period I swung h the crowd But when I saw glossy black hair above square shoulders, I stopped

Bridgerinto the back of his head He turned around and his eyes met mine I looked away and took a deep breath, and walked past hier hovering behind me "I just wanted to tell you how sorry I am about what happened"

"Thanks," I said, stunned

"Yeah" She smiled and hurried away

I took two steps when a hand came down on my shoulder

"You survived" Yana fell into step besideon a purple bruise on my forehead

"I suppose I did," I said

"I wanted to thank you"

"For what?"

Yana grinned "Getting Danni’s ass kicked out of school"

I couldn’t help but sht?"

"Seriously?"

"Seriously The motocross is in town and I have tickets Naalyehe said if you’d cover for o"

"Sure What tih the basics"

" ’Kay"

"Awesome I’ll see you at lunch"

I walked the rest of the way to math alone If I had been invisible for ht as well have been in a cage with Warning! Keep your distance! Dangerous creature! signs on it Because I was now Silver High’s main attraction

I looked at myself in the mirror and winced, and not because the bruise on my forehead had turned ten shades darker The Navajo Mexican had a dress code: black shirt and jeans without any holes, and long hair had to be in a ponytail or hairnet Like that was a hard choice Pretty easy dress code to follow, except the only black shirt I owned had a giant scarlet A painted on the front of it