The final bell rang. There was a commotion as some of the students rushed past Héctor and Ms. Heath. On Ms. Heath’s left side, Frank and Mike remained; on her right, Aishah and Jackson stood clutching hands; and just behind them all, Carlos’s face drooped.

All of them said nothing. No one came to his defense, either, but could he blame them? Who dared to contradict Ms. Heath?

“Three minutes,” she said, but this time, she sounded disappointed. “Three days, Mr. Muñoz.”

It was like Héctor stood on center stage, a bright spotlight burning him away. He could feel every set of eyes on him, judging him, pitying him. Sweat ran down his neck, and he just wanted this to be over.

He couldn’t stand it anymore.

“The janitor’s closet,” he said, the defeat creeping into his voice. “I hide in the janitor’s closet.”

Ms. Heath let her left arm fall to her side. “Thank you for telling me,” she said.

Héctor sighed, relieved that at least this was over.

“Now take me there.”

His breath stopped.

What?

He shot a look at Aishah and Jackson, his own cry of help.

But Ms. Heath snapped her fingers. “To class,” she said. “All of you.”

Aishah placed a hand on Héctor’s shoulder, a gesture of sympathy.

Jackson said, “Sorry, bro. Come see us at lunch, okay?”

Then the two of them scurried off, and he watched Carlos disappear down the hallway behind Ms. Heath. Mike and Frank said nothing as they went the opposite way, and soon, it was just him and the head of security.

Where was he supposed to go? The Room was rarely in one place, and he wasn’t even sure it would appear for him now. What if Juliana and Sal were inside it when he opened the door?

If it doesn’t show up, she’s going to think I’m lying again, he thought.

Héctor’s heart raced as he guided Ms. Heath down the hallway, and he decided to take her to the spot in the hallway near the front entrance. That’s where he’d first found the Room, so maybe that’s where it would be.

Ms. Heath’s sneakers squeaked on the tile, and they echoed in the empty hallways. He was certain his heart was beating so fiercely that she could hear it, too.

It was there, just steps from the front entrance, tucked into the wall on their left side.

JANITOR.

Héctor stood next to it and said nothing. Hopefully, all she wanted was to see it.

“Open it,” she said calmly.

So much for that, he thought.

He gripped the metal handle. It was now or never.

“I’m waiting,” said Ms. Heath.

He took a deep breath.

I need you to be a regular closet.

He turned the handle, pulled on the door, and swung it open toward himself.