Before she even reached Ms. Kelley, who manned the doors in the early hours to let in the athletes and breakfast kids, Mr. Garcia strode up to the entrance holding a helmet. He must have biked to school.

Even though she was there to talk to him, she hoped he wouldn’t spot her.

But there was no escape. He saw her.

“Mr. Garcia!” she said.

He took out the headphone in his ear, pocketing it.

They stood a few feet from the doorway.

“Watcha listening to?” she stalled. It was so weird talking to him like she hadn’t defied him so epically that she’d ruined her year and embarrassed him only a few days before.

He held up his phone as he said, “True crime podcast.”

“Oh! Dark!” Marianne heard the surprise come out.

“I like to … I don’t know. Solve things,” he said. He laughed awkwardly, which surprised her. Was he embarrassed?

The world filled with a little more light as the sun slowly rose.

Mr. Garcia leaned the helmet against his hip and waited for her to speak. They both knew she had to say something.

Marianne took a huge breath. “About last week…”

“Yes. About that.”

She thought maybe he’d say more, but he didn’t.

“I’m really sorry,” she said, too softly, she knew, and without enough of an explanation. She could hear the words of her mom after a big fight with her sister. “Sorry for what, Marianne?” she’d always say. “It helps to specify.”

Marianne heard the gum pop over and over again in an awful mental soundtrack to her shame.

“I’m sorry for disrespecting you,” she added.

A couple of kids walked toward the doors and waved at Mr. Garcia. He nodded back.

“If it makes you feel any better,” Marianne went on, “I’m in a lot of trouble.”

Mr. Garcia took off his glasses and cleaned them with the ends of his shirt. “Thank you for the apology.”

Was that it?

Maybe he was used to this.

Marianne thought of all the other times kids had acted out in his class. A boy named Liam had cursed at him once. One girl who didn’t go there anymore had stolen money from the shared snack bin, breaking the honor system they all shared.

Mr. Garcia nodded toward some other kids leaving the building who yelled a “hello” his way.

“It’s…” He started to speak and then stopped. “It’s not the disrespect that…” He seemed to be stumbling to find the right thing to say. “That bothers me.” He paused and then said, “I thought we were making…” He paused again, sighing. “Some headway.” He put his glasses back on and shook his head.

And his disappointment overwhelmed her. She saw it all over his face. It reminded her of her dad.

He couldn’t seem to look her right in the eye. He swayed back and forth from toe to heel.

A few cars started to pull up by the school. The sun sat in the sky, ready for the day.