I could have asked Cammie why the Headmistress had called her. I could have been sure that Mom and Octavia had handled everything. But when suddenly, the rest of us, including Jacques, were asked to present ourselves at the office, I didn't know what to expect. So we just walked silently with our feet echoed on the cold floor of the hall.

As soon as we reached the Headmistress's office, I could hear that their conversation was still going on. And I heard their last sentence before we reached the door.

"I'm sorry, we can't do that."

I felt my chest tightened, and I sort of dreaded walking inside when...