His Jealousy Sent Me Straight to the Ivy League novel · Chapter 8 of 24

Chapter 8: Forty-One Names

The hearing was at 7:45 on Monday morning, in the principal's office.

My mom came straight from her shift in her wrinkled scrubs and sat down without being asked.

Tate's father sat across from us in his camel coat.

Tate sat beside him, with his hands pressed between his knees.

The school counselor stood against the wall with her arms folded.

The principal was a tired man with a gray mustache who had clearly slept badly.

"Let's be brief," he said. "Tate's father has lodged a complaint that Ms. Frost has harassed his son online and made a false statement about him."

"Allegedly false," my mom said.

"Alleged," he said. "I've also been informed that Ms. Frost intends to publish her version in the school paper. I've asked the faculty advisor to pull that issue."

"On what grounds?" I asked.

"Pending review."

"By whom?"

"By me."

My phone buzzed in my lap.

It was Hallie: I swear I didn't say anything to Tate about the Ledger. Please believe me.

I thought, of course she would worry.

I typed back: I do. I turned the phone over.

"The issue's already printed, sir," a voice said from the doorway.

Everyone turned.

Eliot Hendricks stood there in his black peacoat, snow melting on his shoulders, holding a cardboard box under one arm.

His glasses were fogged.

"Mr. Hendricks," the principal said. "You're not part of this meeting."

"I'm the editor-in-chief. You asked the advisor to pull the issue. The advisor said she'd need it in writing, and then she went to get coffee." He set the box on the desk. "I printed it Sunday night on my dad's office printer. Two hundred and twelve copies. They're in the front hall, the cafeteria and every first-period door."

"You did what?"

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