Victoria stood behind John, holding her jacket, memories of middle school anxiety creeping back into her adult existence. Hollingsworth Academy appeared to be the junior version of Pembroke: moneyed and lacking in melanin. The small lockers and the cool girls were no longer ghosts of her past, but actual frights that surrounded her. “I’m a friend of the family,” she said, taking a step forward. “I’d like to be present while you talk about a young black girl’s next step in disciplinary matters.”

Her words made the principal take notice. The woman tucked her long blond hair behind her ears and swallowed. “If that’s alright with Mr. Donovan.”

John, clearly growing impatient with the preamble, growled, “Of course she stays. Can I just see my niece please?”

Principal Schmidt walked them into her office, where young Becca sat in a chair off to the side of her desk. The girl was holding herself and bent over at the waist. She stared at the floor, refusing to look up at her uncle who walked through the door.

Two chairs sat before the principal’s desk, Victoria let John sit closer to his niece and watched the scene unfold. Principal Karen Schmidt took a seat behind her desk and tried her best to interact with everyone in the room. “Becca, your uncle is here.”

Becca finally looked up, her large brown eyes watery and red. She looked from John to Victoria and said, “Is she my lawyer?”

John scoffed. “What?”

“I know I’m in trouble, but I didn’t think it was that big of a deal.”

“She’s my friend, honey,” he said with an exasperated tone. “Can someone please explain what’s going on here?”

Victoria and Becca locked eyes and stared at one another for a long time. Victoria saw herself in the girl and her heart broke. She remembered sitting in a principal’s office feeling misunderstood. She also picked up on Becca’s suspicious gaze. The girl wanted to know who she was and what connection she shared with her uncle. Victoria couldn’t believe she was here, but when she’d caught the stricken expression on John’s face, she’d known that she couldn’t leave him alone. Seeing about a child in distress was far more important than a lunch date.

Principal Schmidt cleared her throat and recounted the events. “Becca and her friends were engaged in a conflict with another group of girls. It occurred during the lunch hour and everyone involved has had a visit with me. I’ve called all parents and I’m conducting meetings with everyone to see if we can reach a resolution.”

“Can you tell me what the conflict was about?” John asked impatiently.

“Becca,” Principal Schmidt gestured.