“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.”
“Well, I guess you can come to the office too and we’ll let Principal Armstrong sort it out.”
“I punched Patrick Thomas!” says Ellen, stepping out in front of Willowdean.
Whispers begin to circulate through the crowd.
“I punched Patrick Thomas,” says Millie, her hands fixed on her hips.
“I punched Patrick Thomas,” Hannah calls from beside me.
“I punched Patrick Thomas.”
“I punched Patrick Thomas.”
Tucker steps forward, and I feel a tingle in my chest.
“I punched Patrick Thomas.”
“I punched Patrick Thomas.”
So many people are coming forward that I can barely keep up.
“Oh, hell,” I hear Mr. Higgins say.
“I punched Patrick Thomas.”
“I punched Patrick Thomas.”
“I punched Patrick Thomas.”
It feels like a chant. A rallying cry. Not only againstPatrick Thomas. But against anyone who would dare stifle us or silence us. I’ve never felt a part of this school. For so long, this place was something to just survive, and everyone I went to school with was one more thing to endure. But it turns out that all that’s divided us is what unites us in the end.
“I punched Patrick Thomas.” My voice rings loud and clear.
Thirty-Three
That night, Clem takes the truck like she said she would. I stand in the driveway and watch her drive away like a nervous mother. “Don’t forget to use your blinker and check your mirrors!” I shout.
When Hannah shows up to pick me up, though, Millie is behind the wheel with Amanda in the passenger seat. The side door slides open and Willowdean pats the seat beside her. “Your chariot awaits.”
If I didn’t feel the intense claws of peer pressure sinking into my flesh, I would backpedal right into the safety of my house.
