Chapter Twenty-Eight

Emily went through the corridors of Madison Middle School the day following the board's preliminary meeting, carrying the weight of doubt on her shoulders. The encounter had left her with more questions than answers, and she could feel a maelstrom of emotions gathering within her. She realized she needed to approach Claire, the root of her problems.

As she went into the teachers' lounge, she saw Claire speaking animatedly with another teacher, a smug smirk on her face. Emily's temper surged, but she pushed herself to be cool. She could not allow Claire to get under her skin.

Emily approached with her pulse beating. The other instructor hastily excused herself as she sensed the tension.

"Claire," Emily stated in a hard voice.

Claire pivoted, her gaze sharpening. "Emily. "What do you want?"

"We need to talk," Emily said. "Somewhere private."

Claire lifted an eyebrow and nodded. "Fine. Let's go to an empty classroom."

They strolled silently to the classroom at the end of the hall. Emily