Page 94 of Ancient History

“If you had enough of a vendetta against my client, who knows what you’re capable of.”

The school board members listened to her in rapt silence. My grip on sanity was fraying by the second.

I hopped out of my seat, only seeing red. “I am not the villain here. Your client cheated. Anyone could see that. Look at these papers!” I waved them in her face. Ms. Pike lurched back and let out damsel-in-distress gasp that she’d never do in her regular life.

“That’s enough, Mr. Bright,” Mr. Camp said, his face cold and angry.

Tommy snickered in his seat. His parents had the satisfied grin of believing Ms. Pike was worth every cent.

“Mr. Bright, sit down,” Mr. Camp said again.

“Amos…” Aguilar gently took my arm and sat down beside me. I should’ve had a lawyer, someone from the teacher’s union. I felt ambushed. Who was the one on trial?

“While Mr. Bright has been a dedicated teacher at South Rock High School for the past three years, frankly, I am concerned about his judgment and his fairness,” Ms. Pike said, smoothing out her blazer, all poise. “Especially with his history.”

“What history?” I asked. She spun on her heel, her venomous eyes directed right at me.

“Mr. Bright, you abruptly left your last school, a move that was still mysterious to the people I spoke to over there. Was there another altercation with a student? Another vendetta that you had to run from?”

I tried to answer, but my throat went dry. I tried to match her poise, but the room kept spinning. I looked to Aguilar, but he was as speechless as me.

“I believe Mr. Bright.”

My heart stopped in my chest. Suddenly, all of the drama and mania cleared at the sound of Hutch’s loud voice booming through the office.

“I believe Mr. Bright,” he said again. His chin was up, eyes determined. “Amos is one of the most thoughtful, fair teachers at South Rock. He cares more about his job than every other teacher here combined. He doesn’t have vendettas against his students.

“I recently started the process to study for my teaching certIfication. I want to be a staffed teacher, and it’s because of seeing what Amos brings to his job day in and day out that I’m inspired to do the same. Tommy is one of my best players, but if Mr. Bright said that Tommy plagiarized, then I believe him.”

Hutch gave me a supportive nod that warmed every cockle of my heart. I wanted to run over and wrap him in a hug, but that would not have helped my case.

“Mr. Hawkins, you’re here to support Mr. Alvarez, not Mr. Bright,” Ms. Pike said with a tense smile.

“I won’t sit idly and watch you destroy a good teacher’s reputation. And if that means Tommy is out for the season, then so be it.” Hutch shrugged his shoulders defiantly. “Every player on my team is passing their classes without an issue. Also, Tommy’s part-time job is posting to the Facebook page of his family’s business. He’s boasted in the locker room about doing next to nothing for it.”

“That’s not true!” Tommy’s dad shouted. “Tommy—Thomas is an integral part of our social media marketing.” Not even he could say that with a straight face.

Hutch walked up to the table and grabbed the file before Ms. Pike could stop him. He flipped through the papers.

“Jesus. It’s like night and day. A squirrel could tell that this paper was plagiarized.” He glared at Tommy. “You really thought Mr. Bright wouldn’t notice? You didn’t haveanytime to write this paper?”

Tommy hung his head, no victorious grin in sight.

“That’s enough.” Bergstrom stepped up to grab the paper from Hutch.

“No, it’s not enough!” Hutch’s yell silenced all of us. Even the school board members were scared quiet. “You were our star player! I came here to defend you because I always have my player’s back. I was ready to go to the mat for you, even if it almost ruined...” His gaze landed on me, two electric blue orbs filled with warmth and emotion. He swiped the folder back and then slammed it to the ground. “This is garbage. You didn’t even try. You have such little respect for Mr. Bright that you turn in this joke of a paper? Have you read this paper?”

He pointed at Tommy’s parents, who had trouble meeting his eyes.

Ms. Pike stood up. “Coach Hawkins wasn’t asked to speak. His testimony should be stricken from the record.”

“Is this a courtroom? I’m very confused,” I said.

Hutch ignored us, kept on Tommy’s parents. “If you were in Mr. Bright’s position, would you have suspected the same thing?”

Tommy’s parents hung their heads. He pointed to Tommy, whose entire face turned red. But not as red as Hutch’s.

“And instead of owning up to it, you’re trying to what? Get Mr. Bright fired? Smear his name? One of the best teachers in this school you want to put on the street so you can get your way?”

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