Ashes Learned Human Names novel · Chapter 21 of 24
Chapter 21: Elvira's Ultimatum
The hearing room on the third floor was full this time, down to the windowsills.
Lucia sat at the end of the oak table with Marta on her left and an empty chair on her right.
She had not asked anyone to sit in it.
The dean stood to read the panel's finding, and her paper shook slightly in her hand.
"On the matter of Lucia Sandoval," she said, "the university finds that every charge against her was false."
Nobody in the room made a sound.
"Her suspension is void and her record is cleared. Her scholarship is restored in full, with the semester she missed."
A girl on a windowsill started to cry, and her friend put an arm around her.
"Gabriel Castellanos is expelled, permanently, and barred from every university property. Paulina Ibarra is expelled, pending the outcome of her case."
The dean laid the paper down.
"I would like to say something that is not in the finding," she said. "This university posted your suspension on every channel it owns, within one day."
"Yes," Lucia said.
"It did not wait for the evidence. It did not call you. It did not send a single person to the hospital."
Her voice stopped, and started again.
"I was part of that. I am sorry, Ms. Sandoval."
The oldest panelist, who had picked up his pen at the first hearing, stood from his chair and said the same thing, in fewer words.
Then the second panelist stood, and the third.
In two lifetimes she had imagined this room, and it had never once been this quiet.
A hundred people did not know where to look.
"I have one request," Lucia said.
"Anything."
"Post the apology where you posted the suspension. Same channels, same size, and leave it up."
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