“One of our students has brought a serious matter before me, involving Ishita,” Ms. Gallagher says, looking from Ammu to Abbu but not glancing at me at all. She reaches under her desk and pulls out two sets of papers and sets them down side by side. The top of both say: Fifth Year Biology, Ms. Taylor.
The names at the top of the tests have been covered up with sticky notes, but I recognize my own messy handwriting on one, and Aisling’s loopy writing on the other.
“The student told Ms. Taylor, Ishita’s biology teacher, that she suspected Ishita had cheated off of her test. She didn’t want to say anything at the time because she was afraid of what Ishita might do, but … well, the evidence is right here.”
I can only blink at the tests in front of me, as the realization slowly dawns on me. How could I have been so ignorant? How could I have let Aisling manipulate me like this?
“I didn’t cheat,” I say, finally looking up and right at Ms. Gallagher. “I wouldn’t do that. Aisling is the one who cheated. She was looking at my test and copying off of it. You can look at my other results; I always get similar marks, because I study. Not because I cheat.”
“Well.” Ms. Gallagher sighs, like I’ve not consistently been the top student in all of my classes ever since I started school here. “You have had excellent results in all of your classes in the past, but we’ll have to open an investigation. We’re going to be conducting interviews with some of your peers—”
“That’s bullshit!” I stand so quickly that my chair almost topples over. “I have never cheated. I’ve never needed to. I study—”
“Ishita Dey, that’s enough.” Ms. Gallagher’s voice doesn’t rise. She just eyes me with an almost bored expression on her face. “We have to investigate this matter, as it’s been brought to our attention. That’s just the normal procedure when—”
“Is Aisling being investigated too?”
“The student who brought this case to our attention hasn’t—”
“You just have to look at her other results to know that this is unusual for her. That she’s the one who—”
“—been accused by anyone of cheating. For the time being, I’m afraid we can’t consider you for the position of Head Girl, as I’m sure you understand, Mr. and Mrs. Dey.” Ms. Gallagher looks at Ammu and Abbu like I’m not even there. Like they’re the ones who have spent five years working their asses off.
“This is fucking bullshit.” I clench my hands into fists. It’s all I can do to not reach over and break something on Ms. Gallagher’s desk.
“Ishita, we can’t tolerate outbursts like this in—”
“But you can tolerate false accusations and lies and—”
“Ishu.” I feel Ammu’s hand around mine. “Raga ragi kore kono lab nai, Ishu. Ekhon amra bashai choli.”
“Pore amra discuss korbo.” Abbu adds with a grim nod. “Thank you, Principal Gallagher.”
Ms. Gallagher gives Ammu and Abbu her tight smile and looks at me with pity written across her face.
The lump in my throat has returned, and it’s swiftly rising up. But I can’t say or do anything. It’s not like my words matter at this point. It’s not like everything I’ve been working for matters at this point.
Even though I still have an entire day of classes left, Ammu and Abbu tell me to grab my stuff so we can get home. It’s break time so everybody is milling around, and I don’t look like the odd one out—as long as I can keep my anger and tears at bay. When I get to my locker to pick up my bag and books, I catch sight of Hani. She’s standing by her own locker with Aisling and Dee. Crowded together and whispering. She doesn’t even see me watching them.
For a moment, I wonder if this has all been an act. Our fake dating, our friendship, all of those moments we’ve spent together where I was sure that we felt the exact same way about each other. I know the way she makes me feel is real. More real than I want it to be.
Can Hani be that good of an actor?
I shake the thought away, grab my bag, and leave the school.
With the way everything is going, now is not the time to mull over Hani and our relationship. My life is off-kilter and I have to get it back on track somehow. I have to prove that I haven’t been cheating, that Aisling is lying.
“What happened?” Abbu asks as soon as our car is on the road home. He catches my eye in the mirror for a moment, and Ammu wrings her fingers together on her lap.