And that’s when Clem pushes past the both of us. “Oh, hell no!” she says, and before any of us can stop her, my sister, who has been known to humanely catch and release spiders—SPIDERS!—winds her arm back and punches Patrick Thomas in the face.

“Hell yeah!” a girl shouts. I follow the voice to see Willowdean, Millie, Ellen, Amanda, and Callie all staring wide-eyed.

Immediately, blood begins to pour down his face and neck. “You—you broke my nose!” He screams, his voice cracking. “You dumb lesbo bitch!”

“What’s going on here?” asks Mr. Higgins. He groans the moment he sees Patrick, and I can’t tell if it’s because of the blood or the fact that it’s Patrick.

“That stupid lesbo broke my nose!” he says, his eyes wild, and if we weren’t in a crowded hallway, I would actually fear for our safety. Still, I put my body between him and my sister just in case. If he’s going to get to her, he’s got to get through me. Well, and then Hannah, who is holding Clementine protectively, and shielding her from Mr. Higgins’s view.

Getting in trouble like this so close to graduation and prom is the kind of thing that really throws a wrench in shit. Clem could easily get banned from prom and graduation for this. Hell, they could expel her and then all her big plans would be totally screwed.

“Enough with the slurs, son. We don’t tolerate that kind of language,” Mr. Higgins says in a firm, even voice. “Someone get this boy to the nurse.”

Patrick uses the hem of his shirt to soak up the blood as Aaron and Bryce part a path for him toward Ms. Laverne’s office.

“Now, who’s responsible for throwing the first punch?” asks Mr. Higgins, his hands on his hips and his keys jingling from his belt loop.

“I don’t want anyone else to get in trouble,” I hear Clem say quietly.

I turn as fast as I can to stop her from coming forward, but she steps past me in the opposite direction.

“It was me.” Her voice is soft. “I punched Patrick Thomas. And I’d do it again.”

Mr. Higgins nods once. “You’ll have to come with me, Ms. Brewer.”

Clem steps in line behind him, her hands gathered in front of her, like she’s marching to her execution.

But then someone steps out in front of Mr. Higgins, stopping him in his tracks. “It was me. I punched Patrick Thomas.”

Mr. Higgins lets out a grumbling sigh. “Move aside, Ms. Dickson,” he says to Willowdean.

She shakes her head furiously. “Clementine was covering for me. You know how much Patrick has taunted me since we were kids. This isn’t our first physical confrontation. I thought I’d give him one last parting gift.”