Chapter 4

Principal Parker called me to the school.

"Martha," he said, his office too warm, too plush. He didn't use "Mrs. King" anymore.

"This situation is... unfortunate. For everyone."

His eyes didn't meet mine. They scanned some papers on his expensive desk.

"The Jennings family is very influential. Very supportive of this school."

"My daughter is dead, Mr. Parker. Because of their son."

He sighed. A theatrical, put-upon sound.

"Kevin is a good boy. A star athlete. He made a mistake. Emily... she was known to be a bit... fiery."

"Fiery? She stood up for a classmate Kevin was tormenting. Is that fiery?"

He steepled his fingers. "There are always two sides, Martha. The police are handling it. The school considers the matter closed from our end. We need to move on, for the sake of the other students."

"Move on?" My voice rose. "My daughter doesn't get to move on!"

"Look," he said, leaning forward, his voice dropping to a confidential, greasy tone. "You're still a young woman, attractive. Life goes on. You could... start over. Have other children."

Something inside me snapped.

I stood up so fast my chair scraped back.

"How dare you?" I was shouting now. "My child is dead because your school didn't protect her! Because you protect bullies like Kevin Jennings!"

He flinched, then his face hardened.

"I have your outburst on my office security camera, Mrs. King. Making threats. It's clear where Emily got her aggressive tendencies."

He stood. "I suggest you accept the Jennings' generous offer and put this behind you. Before you make things worse for yourself."

The threat hung in the air.

He was one of them. Protecting the powerful. Blaming the victim.

My hands were shaking. I wanted to hit him.

Instead, I walked out. The medal felt heavy in my pocket.

James earned this for bravery, for sacrifice.

Now it was a symbol of how little that meant to people like Parker, like the Jennings.

But it was also a reminder. James never backed down.

Neither would I.