Héctor and Sal darted out of the room first. Personally, Héctor did not want to spend one more moment in that office. Juliana came out holding her mother’s hand, and the door shut behind them quickly. Héctor wasn’t sure, but he thought he heard Mr. Stafford swearing softly on the other side.

“Do you want to invite your friends to come along?” Mrs. Chin asked Juliana. “As long as we call their parents first and see if they can be signed out.”

Panic spread through Héctor. While Mrs. Chin wasn’t looking, he shook his head at Juliana.

“Oh, I don’t think that’s a good idea,” she said. “Just not today.”

Héctor’s eyes went wide.

“Or ever.”

He heard Sal suck a breath in quickly.

“Ever?” Mrs. Chin turned to Héctor and Sal, a perplexed look on her face. “Well, I appreciate the two of you sticking up for my daughter. It seems she trusts you both if she wanted you there for that. You are welcome over to our house any time you want.”

“Thank you, Mrs. Chin,” said Héctor, all smiles. (Inside, he was all terror.)

“Give me a moment, Mama?” Juliana said. “Just to say goodbye to them.”

Mrs. Chin waved joyously at them all. “Meet me out front,” she said, and then she was gone.

The second she was out of sight, Héctor loudly let out a breath. “‘Ever’?” he said. “What was that?”

“I don’t know!” she said. “It was the only thing I could think of!”

“It’s okay,” said Sal. “We’re safe. And you did it!”

Juliana burst into joyous laughter. “Oh, that was too good! Did you see Principal Stafford’s face?”

“I honestly thought he was gonna fill the room with his sweat,” said Sal.

That sent the three of them into a round of laughter. “Could you imagine?” said Héctor. “We’d have to put floaties on our arms just to survive Principal Stafford’s sweat.”

“You’re so gross!” said Juliana. “Though, to be honest? I kinda thought he was gonna let out a little fart because he was so nervous.”

Héctor laughed so hard that he thought his lungs were going to explode.

“Thank you,” said Juliana after she recovered. “For being there for me.”

“Of course!” said Héctor.

“We wouldn’t let you down,” said Sal.

Juliana raised an eyebrow, and a terrible silence fell between the two of them.

Sal hung their head. “Juliana, I’m so sorry for what I said.” They looked up. “I didn’t even think about how bad it sounded. I thought I was actually being caring, but the truth is that I hurt you really bad. I never should have used that word, especially not like that. I’m sorry.”