51. Justice
JUSTICE
“You can leave, Noya,” Principal Rahman says. Her fiery, leering eyes glare at Sarah as she cowers, trembling in her seat.
“Okay,” I murmur.
When I leave, the bell for the end of lunch rings.
Once he notices me, Conner rises from his chair, and I smile.
I explain what happened—leaving out the recording—and he is happy that Principal Rahman believes my story and told me to leave.
We both expect Sarah Jane to be suspended for the rest of the year and only allowed to come back for her exams.
“Come on. I’ll take you to class and then see you after school.”
In my next class, I explain to Sammy what happened.
She’s cheerful among a fair few others in the class.
Julien and Mark praise Sammy and admit that what Aaron said was hilarious.
I feel a little more comfortable talking to them and the other people in the class.
Julien and Mark still repulse me, and I have to push down thoughts of their hands on my picture.
The rest of the school day flies by, and I’m happy to see Conner waiting by his car.
We speak briefly before heading to my work. There’s a heated kiss between us that leaves me wanting more. I’m not sure if it’s from today’s rush, but the thought of kissing Conner for hours appeals to me.
As I head into work, I smile. I feel this immense pressure lifting from my chest. The thought of justice—a victory. It’s something I never thought I’d be capable of doing. Even knowing she’s nothing but a school bully, the thought of standing up for myself makes me feel stronger.
Strong enough to take on your dad?
I grimace.
I already know the answer to that.