I turned back to Ethan.
“Is that true?”
“They’re a bunch of crybabies, and that Valerie is a psycho. They should lock her up.”
His tone was flat, arrogant, not a trace of shame. He spoke of the other girls as if they were insects.
“Be quiet.”
The command came out dry, without raising my voice, but with an authority that made even Mr. Davies flinch slightly. Ethan pressed his lips together, but his gaze remained defiant.
“And the other girl, the one who intervened. Is she all right?”
“A few scrapes and bruises, but nothing serious. Her counselor already came to pick her up. She was very vehement in her defense of the younger girl.”
Mr. Davies straightened.
“Mrs. Hayes, Ethan is suspended for one week. This, combined with the behavioral reports we’ve been observing, means we need an urgent meeting with both parents when your husband returns. This cannot continue.”
