“Sorry. But.” He whistles again.
Principal Wasserman’s face has fallen, and I can imagine her sitting down with her husband tonight, telling him how kids have changed, how we break her heart, how it’s a good thing she’s almost retired because she doesn’t know that she can do this much longer.
My dad says, “Why, Libby?”
And maybe it’s the way he says “Libby” instead of “Libbs,” but for some stupid reason, I’m about to cry. “Because someone was going to write it.”
And suddenly I feel naked, like I might as well be laid out on a dissecting table, insides exposed to the world. There’s no way I can ever explain to anyone other than my dad the importance of being prepared, of always being one step ahead of everyone and everything.
“Better to be the hunter than the hunted. Even if you’re hunting yourself.”
My eyes meet Jack’s. “Something like that.”
“And then I come along to prove your point.”
He holds my gaze for a few seconds, and then we both look away. We sit there, the five of us, in the most awkward silence of my life, until the principal says, “There are several different punishments I could give you. Suspension. Expulsion. In some cases, schools in Rushville and New Castle have even called in local police to make arrests.”
Jack goes, “How about we let my punishment be that the entire school saw a girl kick my ass.”
“Or we can prosecute you for bullying,” she says to him.
Jack’s mother, the attorney, nearly falls off her chair. “Before we talk about prosecuting—”
Principal Wasserman speaks over her. “And you, Libby, for fighting.”
“It was self-defense!” My voice booms out, too loud and high. “When I punched him, I mean.” Although the bathroom was about self-defense too.
The principal nods at Jack. “Had he let go of you by the time you hit him?”
“Only because I pulled him off me.”
She shakes her head and sighs for three days. “I’m not going to make my decision right now. I want to talk to witnesses. I need to look at your records, weigh the options. But I want to make it clear that I have a zero-tolerance policy when it comes to violence, bullying, or anything that even hints at sexual harassment.” She narrows her eyes at Jack, then at me. “I’m not too crazy about vandalism either.”
We’re told to wait outside Wasserman’s office. The security guard and the bearded teacher go in as we come out, along with a couple of kids, God knows who, maybe my own brother. Libby and I sit side by side on a bench. I watch the door leading out of here, into the main hall, and all I can think is Don’t let Monica Chapman walk in, not with my mom in there.
Libby looks at me. “Why did you do it?”
I want to say Read the letter, but right about now that letter seems like the second-worst idea I’ve ever had.
“Haven’t you ever done something mean or stupid without thinking it through? Something you instantly regretted as soon as you did it?” She doesn’t answer. So I say, “Sometimes people are just shitty. Sometimes they’re shitty because they’re afraid. Sometimes they choose to be shitty to others before others can be shitty to them. Like self-defensive shittiness.”
Because my brain is damaged. Because I’m damaged.
“Why me? Or should I ask?”
“You shouldn’t ask.” There’s no way in hell I’m saying the words “Fat Girl Rodeo” to her.
She rolls her eyes and looks away. “You don’t think they’ll suspend us. Or expel us?” She says this toward the other side of the room.
“No. This isn’t my first …” I almost say “rodeo” but stop myself. “We’ll be okay.” Although honestly, I’m not so sure.
Her eyes meet mine again and I smile at her, even as I’m hating myself, and my lip starts bleeding.
“Does it hurt?”
“Yeah.”
“Good.”
An hour or so later, the door to the principal’s office opens, and Principal Wasserman (short gray hair, glasses) waves us back in. Two men lean against the windowsill—one of them is a giant and the other is pretty skinny. Libby’s dad fixes me with a look. He is broad-shouldered, like Charles Bronson, and I feel the need to say, “I’m sorry, sir.”
Libby and I drop into our usual chairs. I catch my mom’s eye, and she shakes her head (she wears her hair one of two ways, and today she is Mom-with-Hair-Up). I may not be able to recognize faces, but I can tell when someone is disappointed and furious, and my mom is both. I think of all the times Mom has told me to stay out of trouble, that people will be harder on me because of the way I look. I know I’ve let her down, and she will say I’ve let myself down.
The gray-headed woman props her elbows on the desk and leans forward. “I’m not going to suspend you or expel you. Not this time. Instead the two of you will perform community service together, only instead of doing this for the community, it will be community-type service for the school. We’re putting you in charge of painting the bleachers and the locker rooms. Mr. Sweeney will supervise.” The giant nods at us.
“The two of you will also meet with a counselor every day after school for the next few weeks. The Conversation Circle is being used effectively at more and more schools across the country, and I believe it will also be effective here. It’s important that you learn from the experience and each other. Mr. Levine”—the skinny guy waves—“specializes in some of the most prevalent issues affecting teens today, including bullying, prejudice, and sexual harassment.”
I clear my throat, which still feels raw. “I don’t think it’s fair to punish her for something I instigated. I’d rather serve the time for both of us.”
Libby goes, “You are unbelievable.”
“What?”
“You don’t get to be the villain and the hero.”
Principal Wasserman says, “Thank you, Jack, but Libby broke the rules as well.”
As we leave, I try to say “I’m sorry” again, but Libby’s father wraps his arm around her shoulders and steers her away.
In the parking lot, my mom says, “We’ll discuss this at home, Jack Henry.” My full name. Something she hasn’t called me in years. She drives off without another word.
I go directly to Masselin’s, hoping to slink in and bypass everyone—namely my dad. I’m barely settled behind the office desk when he comes walking in. “I heard what happened today. What the hell were you thinking?”
I tell him I don’t know, that it was meant to be a prank, but it ended up being a really stupid idea, and I wish I hadn’t done it, and all the other things I’ve spent the past few hours saying over and over.
“Your mother and I are disappointed in you.”
As if he needs to tell me this. I want to say I’m disappointed in you too. But instead I say, “I know. I’m sorry.”
When I’m finally alone, I turn on my phone. It immediately blows up with voicemails and texts. There’s Caroline, Seth, Bailey Bishop, Kam, and about a hundred other people, including Marcus, who know all about what happened.
Bailey Bishop is crying because she can’t believe I would do something so hurtful to another human being. Caroline talks mostly about herself, but my brother actually wants to know if I’m okay and what happened with the principal.
Kam’s message says, Congrats, princess. You win. Choose the place so we can take your sorry ass out for a victory meal. But hey, do me a favor and don’t get your ass kicked by any other girls before then. Followed by an entire minute of laughter.
The radio is playing, but the volume is low, and my dad is talking on and on. When he brings up homeschooling again, I say, “You don’t need to worry about me. I can take care of myself.”
“You really punched him?”
“Right in the mouth.”
And then he laughs.
“Are you laughing?”
“I think I am.”
“You’re not supposed to laugh. You’re supposed to tell me violence never solves anything and take away my phone or something.”