The accusation is a blow straight to the chest, but it’s still right. More right than he knows, in all likelihood. My mother might have chosen to give birth to me, despite her pregnancy happening when she was sixteen, but she played no part, and has never had an interest in raising me. My father has never been in the picture. But even if they’d both “done the right thing”—as was seen at the time, though how can it be right for two kids to try to raise a baby neither of them wants, I’ll never understand—they would still very much be nobodies. In this town. In the world.

“And when no one’s daughter chooses to become problematic, we don’t tend to have much patience for it,” the man concludes.

I bite my lower lip, desperately preventing myself from telling him all the reasons why he should find time, have the patience.

“That said, people who are of consequence to the board have intervened, so here we both are. On a Sunday evening.”

He makes it plain he would rather be anywhere else, and he resents me for dragging him into his office.

I lower my eyes.

“Do you understand what you’ve done?”

I swallow. “I talked to the cop. I was…tipsy.” Thank god for Lily coaching me on that specific question. “I’ve never drunk much alcohol, so it went straight to my head. Even then, it was obvious to me they were trying to incriminate people—get me to say someone gave me something. I lied. I said I took the drinks myself. I told the officer I stole it. But Lily and Keller have made it clear I shouldn’t have said anything. I am sorry. So sorry. Please, sir. I'll do anything,” I assure him, meaning each word.

"Would you indeed?” The man marks a pause, those eyes fixed on mine. “Well, the board has made its decision to protect the privacy of the student body based on your actions.”

My stomach drops.

“But everyone makes mistakes. If you can prove to the student council that this was indeed a mistake, the board can reconsider. Note that several students on the council were directly affected by your actions, and it will take some convincing to rectify this. I will inform them that you'll discuss it at length with them tonight at ten, in the Vesper Tower. The council will email back their assessment and you will have our final decision Monday.”

That’s it? All I have to do is plead my case to some students, and I’ll know tomorrow?