“You’re not serious,” I said, glaring at the door like I could mentally punch Tanner in his throat. I glanced at Dean, my eyes narrowing at his complete lack of shock.

“Wait,” Dean said finally. “Why hasn’t something been done?”

Ms. Howard swallowed hard, her voice almost a whisper. “I took the firsthand account to the board myself. The student, naturally, was too afraid to speak for himself. With the way Wilmont students are awarded scholarships and grants…” She sighed. “There is so much at stake if they make the wrong move here.” She shook her head. “The board said I didn’t have enough evidence to merit disciplinary action toward their highest-ranking school official.”

“That’s bullshit,” Dean snapped, then raised his hands. “Sorry.”

She waved him off. “It certainly is.”

“I thought the board was pushing for change? Pushing for Tanner’s removal.”

Her eyes widened. “I’m not sure how you know that, Amber, but…” She straightened. “There are pieces moving. It’s not as easy as snapping our fingers. We have to have a collective vote, and the state board gets involved, too.” She glanced between us both. “Trust me, I’m trying…several of us are trying to create a change. If I had more proof of the recent transgressions,” she said, “something that his word wouldn’t crush? I would use it.” She shrugged. “But I don’t.”

I huffed, crossing my arms. “So he just gets to keep doing this to students? All in the name of keeping his job?”

Ms. Howard tensed, as if contemplating if she should say anything or not. “Wilmont is one of the top private schools in the nation. A majority of its students go on to get full-ride scholarships to top-five colleges. The better Wilmont’s students perform, the more grants, funds, awards, and raises its principal receives.” She eyed us, the point clearly, terribly sinking in. “That, plus his family’s lineage with Wilmont… It gives him a very big platform from which to dictate his own personal views.”

I ground my jaw. “Selfish bastard.” I glanced at her. “Sorry not sorry.”

She tugged at the bottom of her pink sweater. “I’ve been trying my best to counteract this behavior. Being here for students to talk to without judgment is a start, but I’ve also tried to go out of my way to be there for the students he…collects.”

“Collects?” Dean asked.

She tilted her head back and forth. “The ones he takes a particular interest in. Ones who have something to offer him. Or those he wants to keep an eye on.” She motioned to Dean. “An incredibly skilled hacker whose brother assisted him years ago. A student whose mother makes generous donations to the school but has a profession Tanner deems unacceptable.”

I ground my teeth, and Dean crossed his arms over his chest but didn’t say a word.