A thought struck her–could Alaricka’s calm mean something was wrong with the statement? Alaricka was still waiting for her response. Reyna glanced at the densely typed statement in Alarieka’s hand. “May I see it?” she asked softly. Alarieka casually lifted the thin sheet. “This?” She handed it over. “Go ahead.” Reyna took it. After just a few lines, her face paled. Her professional composure shattered. “What is this?! WHAT IS THIS?!”
Eyes wide and red-rimmed with fury, she glared at the principal, the Dean, and others. “This statement… it’s outrageous!” she spat through clenched teeth. Crushing the paper in her fist, she shouted hoarsely, “Absolutely not! How dare you bully a child like this? Have you no shame? Are you even fit to be called teachers?! Do you deserve the honor of molding young minds?!” “You’re not even human!”
The principal and Dean’s expressions turned stony. The principal fixed Reyna with an icy stare. “Reyna Wright,” he said with a cold laugh, “watch your tone. Do you want to keep your job?” Reyna’s jaw tightened. “Principal, is this what a group of educators produced? You’re trying to destroy Alarieka! You’re ruining her life!” The principal snorted, slamming his palm on the desk. “Reyna Wright, I haven’t even addressed the damage Alarieka’s caused this school’s reputation! All we asked was for her to issue a statement. How is that ‘ruining‘ her? I won’t tolerate such accusations.” A teacher lurking in the corner chuckled darkly, voice dripping with sarcasm. “Did Reyna Wright forget she nearly got fired not long ago? Eager for round two? Ah… perhaps she wants to be expelled alongside Alarieka?” After she finished speaking, the principal snorted coldly. Reyna’s eyes turned even redder, her body trembling with rage: “You… are going too far!”
The principal said in a low voice: “Reyna, I think you should go home and rest for a while. With your emotions so unstable, I can’t trust you to teach. What if you lead the students astray? How would I explain that to their parents? Don’t you agree?” Reyna was about to explode with fury. These people were obviously targeting Alarieka. She could hardly believe the school would actually force Alarieka to publicly post that statement online. She had originally wanted Alarieka Huston to compromise for her studies and academic standing, to apologize to Roschelle Whitaker as the school demanded. But now it seemed completely unnecessary–the school hadn’t treated Alarieka Huston as human at all. “You-” She’d barely spoken when someone cut her off. “Reyna Wright.” It was Alarieka Huston’s steady, calm voice–cool and serene, like a splash of clear pond water washing over her heart, slowly soothing her fiery temper until the anger simmered down beneath that voice. She took a deep breath, forcing herself to steady: “Alarieka, let’s go.” As the words fell, the Dean stepped forward, glaring: “Who said you could leave?” Seeing Reyna Wright’s fury flare again, Alarieka Huston swiftly moved, grasping her wrist, pulling her behind, and smoothly taking the statement from her hand. Alarieka Huston tilted her head, whispering: “Reyna Wright, let me handle this. Just relax.” Reyna Wright frowned: “Alarieka, you-” Alarieka Huston smiled softly: “Teacher, trust me, okay?” Worry, tension, and anger flickered in Reyna Wright’s eyes before fading under that calm gaze: “Fine. I trust you.” Watching Alarieka Huston’s now-taller frame, Reyna Wright thought: Damn it. I’m the teacher, yet I’m putting all my faith in a student. Feels like she’s more reliable than I am.
The Dean narrowed his eyes, sizing up Alaricka Huston: “Alarieka Huston, what’s your game now?” Instead of answering, Alaricka Huston glanced at the statement: