Making the Grade (The Model Spy #2)

Chapter 20 - Failing

            "Until the investigation is completed, St. Margaret's will be closed." A collective gasp. "Indefinitely."

            For several moments, it was as if everyone had breathed so deeply, the air had disappeared from the room. Then, all at once, a roar burst forward. Chairs toppled over. Students were standing up, screaming at Professor Scott, at Fred by her side, at anyone who would listen. The students sitting on the tables were now standing on the tables, attempting to rally their friends in protest. Professor Scott did not try to calm the infuriated crowd. She stood as solid and regal as a statue in the gardens outside Cheshire Hall. So noble under such duress, I could see why Fred fell in love with her.

            Out of the corner of my eye, Professor Lewis whipped past me. By the time I turned around, I saw him trailing Jayden out of the dining hall. Haylee didn't move after either one of them. She was frozen. Her arms were plastered to her sides, her hands balled into tight little fists.

            "Laura, where are you going?" Max asked.

            "Stay with Millie," I called over my shoulder, pushing my way through the crowd of protesting students.

            "We deserve answers if you are just going to throw us out like this!" a boy I had just nudged past shouted angrily.

            A girl was on top of a table, beginning to unite her friends in a chant. "Save our school! Save our school!" Fists pounded on the wooden tabletops.

            Someone elbowed me in the side as the crowd surged forward, pressing themselves together, all of the students attempting to have their words heard.

            Wincing at the sharp pain in my side, I followed Professor Lewis out of the hall. I feared I had already lost him. But he hadn't gone very far at all. I hid myself behind one of the statues lining the corridor.

            Right down the hall, Professor Lewis had ahold of Jayden by the collar of his shirt and was pressing him against the stone wall. He was nose-to-nose with Jayden, his scrunched up face having taken on an awful shade of red.

            "What did you do?" He was speaking through clenched teeth. Out of all of the professors at the school, Professor Lewis had always struck me as the most carefree. That relaxed demeanor had evaporated. He looked just as angry as the students inside the dining hall, maybe even angrier. "Answer me!" he commanded, shaking Jayden so roughly that the chains that adorned his uniform and the jewelry he wore began to jingle like a set of keys.

            "I didn't think they would shut down the bloody school!" Jayden fired back.

            "What did you do, Jayden?" Professor Lewis sputtered again.

            "I just meant to scare them-"

            Professor Lewis was no longer speaking through his teeth. "What did you do?" he shouted so furiously that the suits of armor decorating the manor's hall rattled.

            Jayden started to cry, to whimper like a wounded animal. Under any other circumstance, I may have felt sorry for him.

            "I know what you did, Jayden." Professor Lewis's tone softened. "But I want you to say it out loud."

            Jayden closed his eyes.

            "You attacked Millie the other night." Professor Lewis said it so matter-of-factly, as if he was teaching one of his lessons. I was about to take a step forward. If I could catch Professor Lewis's attention, maybe he would hand Jayden over to me. Then all we would need would be Haylee and the names of any other students. Max, Fred, and I could go finally home and the school wouldn't have to be closed.