Crosby stared past her at a big yellow sign on the bulletin board urging students to think about what they saw and read on the internet: Is it True? Helpful? Inspiring? Necessary? Kind? He didn’t know what Ms. B was going to do next, but he really didn’t want Principal Summers to get involved. If this incident got back to his mother and Aunt Mary, they might take him off screens for good.

Crosby knew he had to come up with an excuse, so he told Ms. B that he’d met someone online who said he could help the Axis win. “When he said he could help, I thought he meant giving us a secret weapon or something. I swear I had no idea he meant a malware attack that would blow up the whole match.”

Ms. B’s face was expressionless. As if she was trying to decide whether to believe him or not. Crosby felt himself growing more anxious. “I mean, every gamer knows what malware is,” Crosby went on. “But I had no idea that was what the guy planned to do.”

Ms. B still didn’t react. Crosby began to feel desperate. If this got back to his mom and Aunt Mary, he was toast. It was time for the last resort—waterworks. He sniffed and wiped the tears away and swore again that he’d truly had no idea the attack was coming.

Ms. B’s face softened. She pulled a tissue from a box and handed it to him. The tears had done the trick. Crosby had used them before to get out of tight situations. The great thing about tears with teachers was that you knew the story wouldn’t get out. He didn’t have to worry about anyone else learning that he cried.

Of course, Ms. B couldn’t let him go without a lecture about the dangers of the internet and how he had to be super careful when it came to who he communicated with. And of course, Crosby pretended to agree with everything she said. He figured the final step would be some stupid assignment like the one she’d given Nathan. But instead she stood up and said she had to get back to the computer lab.

And just like that, Crosby was free to go.

Except for the incessant tapping of Zach’s feet, it was quiet in the computer lab. Caleb had gone to a yearbook meeting. Gavin, Mackenzie, and Tyler sat with their arms crossed. Emma glanced toward Zach. He’d turned his chair away and pulled his hoodie down over his forehead so that his face was mostly hidden. His knees were pumping like pistons. Each time Emma replayed in her head what had happened, she thought of how Zach had been the first to try to break up the fight. This was a kid who’d been picked on for years and never fought back. And who had Zach protected? Crosby, the kid who’d probably picked on him more than anyone else.