Candy licked her lips, nodding. Not to second the sentiment. No, that nod was to second my command to plead forgiveness. She was too riveted by the sight of Isa slinking to the floor to see the look of shock on my face. In a tense voice that nevertheless inflected a modicum of contrition, she obeyed. "I'm very, very sorry." She took a deep, tremulous breath, eyes squinting shut. "Sir."

I hesitated, though. They had faked me out with shenanigans of this very sort before, right here in my classroom. "How do I know you're not just fucking with me again? You could just be telling me what I want...