Page 93 of Unspoken Truths

“Dr. Ferris pulled me aside just after class to tell me I’m also failing Civics,” Rachelle explains. “I’m doing the rounds to see if this is happening in any other classes.”

Her teacher turns to gaze at her, pity now filling her eyes.

“I don’t think I’ll be able to fix this after all,” she says slowly. “I’m so sorry, Rachelle.”

There are several teachers here who are very aware of the target on my girl’s back. I can’t believe Miss Eileen is refusing to fix a glitch like this because she just figured out what’s happening.

“Rachelle, give me a second, okay?” I ask, reaching out to touch her hand.

Taking a shuddering breath, she nods, turning and walking out.

“What the hell is this about?” I ask the teacher. “You know the grades aren’t correct.”

“I also saw what the Kings did to a previous teacher,” she says in a hushed voice. “Miss Hailey couldn’t leave fast enough!”

“No,” I bark. “Miss Hailey didn’t leave because of them, she ran out of here because my father visited her due to dragging my name through the mud with the newspaper. The icing on the cake for my father was that she used Rachelle to do it with. He’s willing to scare the fuck out of a teacher, what do you think he’ll do for my girlfriend, huh?”

Miss Eileen pales, realizing what she’s done, and I huff out a breath. My father is a very scary man, which is why he works so closely with Mr. Emil. I’m pretty sure Rachelle’s stepfather is the only one Dad listens to. There’s going to be so much hell to pay for this.

“I don’t care what you have to do, fix this,” I hiss. “She keeps all of her papers on her computer. Assuming nothing has happened to it, she’ll easily be able to prove it. The Kings aren’t the only people who have pull at this school.”

Turning, I leave to walk into the hall to hug Rachelle.

“Let’s go see your next teacher,” I cajole. “We’ll figure this out.”

Shaking, Rachelle manages to keep it together as we track down all of her teachers. Most of them are attempting to finish their grading before they go home for the weekend, which works out well for us. I leave her statistics professor for last, knowing we may have a chance with him.

He likes having Rachelle in his class, and has come to her defense before.

Unfortunately, several of her teachers are ancient and obstinate, insisting that their books are correct and that it’s not their fault she’s failing. They all look confused about it though, vaguely remembering how well Rachelle was doing.

This is what happens when some of the teachers are older than dirt. The school needs an overhaul of its professors.

“Dr. Richardson?” Rachelle asks, standing at his door. She’s trying to hold her head up, but I understand why she’s finding it difficult to.

Every single one of her teachers has said that she’s failing their classes.

“Hey, Rachelle, what’s wrong?” he asks, curious as he gazes at her.

Is it possible this is the only class she’s not failing?

“I have a really insane question,” she says, stepping into the room. “Have you checked your digital grade book recently?”

“I don’t use one,” he says. “I fucking hate them, and no one can convince me to change my mind. Why?”

Sagging in relief, Rachelle tries to say something but starts to sob instead.

“What the hell?” he asks, glancing at me. “It appears she’s unable to speak to me. What’s going on?”

“She’s somehow failing every class except yours,” I explain. “The grades are all showing incomplete assignments and failing grades in the digital grade books.”

“Well, what are her professors doing about this?” Mr. Richardson asks, frowning before he shakes his head. “She’s the only one this is happening to, isn’t she?”

“Yes,” I sigh. “Most are insisting that the grades are correct, or that there’s nothing they can do.”

“Grades are locked in tomorrow,” he says. “The only things we can add are things after that for exams and the end of year projects since school is over next week.”

Carlysle Prep believes in working their students down to the last day of school. Some of us have exams then too. June is a grueling month, whereas other schools have a week to fuck off, we don’t.

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