I lift my head and scrub the tears out of my eyes. Nevaeh is glowing, and Katherine looks so happy she’s going to cry. I’ll find a way to get the rest of the money for Angles. I have enough for the deposit. I have to talk to Carly—we have to make sure I still have my Angles spot, despite getting into this trouble. I have to still have my spot. I press my palm against my chest like I can stop it from breaking through my rib cage.

“Thank you, Dean Pembrooke,” I say. “We are—”

“I’m not done,” he says.

“What?” And then my heart stops, midpound.

“You’ll forfeit the money you collected from your illicit endeavor.” He smiles a dry little smile. “I’m sure you understand why it would be improper and frankly unethical for you to keep any of those funds.”

I hear Katherine gasp. Nevaeh’s hand grips mine. “Dean—” she says.

“You’re dismissed,” he says. He stands up, and he’s gone from the room.

I don’t move. They are safe, but …

It was all for nothing.

Ms. Warren smiles at me sympathetically, and Mr. Banerjee is frowning as he wraps his wide scarf around his neck. Ellory pauses by our chairs but doesn’t say anything to me, though I hear Katherine say something to her, to the other two students on the honor board.

I can’t move. Katherine puts her hand on my shoulder, shakes it a tiny bit. Nevaeh says, “Hon?”

“I’m fine,” I say. “We did it.”

Should this feel so terrible? We won. I know there’s more in life than Angles, right? I know it was all worth it. It wasn’t all for nothing. I shake myself, follow them out.

Outside, Katherine rushes to hug me. “I’m sorry,” she says, and Nevaeh puts her face in my hair, her arms around me.

Jack and Taylor look at each other.

“No,” Taylor says. “Do not say he charged you—”

“We won,” I say. I’ll keep saying it. “We won.”

“Then what is it?” Jack asks.

“Maybe it’s just not meant to be,” I say, shrug, smile. “Angles,” I explain. “The money’s gone.” We earned it, every dollar. We watched the balance grow, every single day, because we were putting on a hell of a show, and people wanted to see us. We worked hard and we were amazing.

Jack’s face changes and he puts his arms around me, and I press my face into his shoulder for just a second, let myself wallow deep in self-pity. Then I push away.

“It’s fine,” I say. I’ll keep saying that too. We won; it’s fine.

My mother texts me, instead of calling back, and I look at it for a long time. Just one line.

are you coming home in May