58

k" charms, finally started moving towards t

han led the

doors, pulled them o

e

, was still. The check-in tables were there, but the lines were gone. O

n an easel: "SAT CHECK-IN CLO

sting Rooms: Proceed to Audi

wave, rippled th

looked at his watch, then at the sign, his earlier c

e proctors said, her voice firm, unsympathetic. "And even if you had made it

lets. Jessi' s

asp went throu

cele

they were

ed instantly, a furi

u said we

you give us thes

shifting into victim mode. H

ly approached, Ms. Evans trailing nervously behind. "It's Ms. Miller! She wante

ror, latched onto her words. "Yeah! Ms. Miller!

a scapegoat, chimed in, their voic

ates J

trying to get

pulled out her phone. Her fi

trembling with feigned outrage. "Everyone

camera focused on her tear-st

r phone. "She deliberately let us miss our SATs! She has a person

g in on her live stream, vis

re h

s horr

r Jes

part I dreaded, yet anticipated. The public smearing. Las

ion, took a step towards me. "You did this!" he

fury in his eyes, the same fury that, in anot

ced m