Aisling sits down right beside me and shoots me a curious glance. “Hey, Ishita. I thought you weren’t in school today?”
I look away, up at my sister, and purse my lips.
“Aisling … can you tell me what a scramble competition is?” Nik asks.
My heart thumps. I remember that question from the test. Aisling glances at Ms. Gallagher, instead of Nik.
“Principal Gallagher, what is this?” she asks.
Principal Gallagher, for once, doesn’t help her out much. She shakes her head and says, “Aisling, please answer the question.”
Aisling glances at me now, like she thinks I’m about to give her the answer. Finally, she holds Nik’s gaze and parts her lips.
“Umm… . scramble competition. When people scramble and compete with each other?”
Nik’s lips twitch and I can tell she’s trying to hold in a triumphant smile. She swiftly turns to me with a raised eyebrow. “Scramble competition?”
“Scramble competition is when organisms are all struggling for a scarce resource.”
“And what’s a saprophyte?” Nik jumps to the next question, her gaze on Aisling once more.
Aisling doesn’t even try this time. She stares down at the carpeted office floor and shakes her head. “I don’t know.”
“A saprophyte is an organism that feeds on dead matter,” I offer.
Nik looks back at Principal Gallagher. “They both answered these questions correctly,” she says. “But Aisling doesn’t seem to know any of the answers.” Handing the test papers back to Ms. Gallagher, she says, “I rest my case.”
Shaking her head, Ms. Gallagher mumbles, “I’m very disappointed.” Though she doesn’t look particularly disappointed as she sighs and shuffles to the other side of the table.
Beside me, Aisling is blinking back tears, though she doesn’t struggle for long before her loud sniffles fill up the room. She wipes at her tears, bending down like she’s trying to hide the very obvious fact that she’s crying.
“I’m s-s-sorry.”
Ms. Gallagher leans forward, passing Aisling the box of tissues on her desk. She even gives her a pat on her hand, like Aisling is a misbehaving pet and not a manipulative bitch.
“Aisling, I think you can go,” she says.
Aisling looks up at Ms. Gallagher with wide eyes, wiping away more tears with the back of her hand. She doesn’t waste any time. Mumbling a soft, “T-thank you,” she darts out the door.
“So I’m assuming there will be an investigation into her conduct?” Nik asks. “I mean, not only was she cheating but she was also harassing Ishita with this false accusation?”
“I don’t think that’ll be necessary,” Principal Gallagher says grimly. “I think we’ve traumatized the poor girl enough. Ishita didn’t cheat on the test, Aisling did. I will accept that and we will move on. Ishita can continue on in the election for Head Girl; she has our endorsement. Thank you for clearing everything up for everyone, Nikhita.”
“So, Ishita had to be scrutinized, embarrassed in front of our parents … and Aisling gets off scot-free? With no consequences?”
“There will be consequences,” Principal Gallagher says unconvincingly. “Detention—”
“Detention.” Nik scoffs. I’m already getting up from my chair. At least my name is cleared, whatever happens—or doesn’t happen—to Aisling.
“We should go, Nik,” I mumble.
“Ishu—”
“Please?”
Nik heaves a sigh of her own, settling Ms. Gallagher with one last glare, before the two of us slip outside.
chapter thirty-eight
ishu
“YOU COULD HAVE TOLD ME YOU WERE GOING TO DO that, you know.” I tell Nik back in the car. I don’t exactly feel relief from the truth finally coming out, but at least some of the overbearing pressure weighing on me seems to have lifted. I feel lighter.
Nik smirks at me from the driver’s seat. “The fun is in the surprise.”
“Not when my school career is at stake …” I say. “Where are we going?”
Nik is turning onto the wrong road, not the one that will lead us home.
“We should celebrate the fact that we’ve bested that fucked-up school, and—whatever that girl’s name is,” Nik says. “Lunch, on me.”
“Aisling.” The feel of her name against my tongue fills me with a kind of dread. “I can’t believe the school won’t even do anything to her …”