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I clear my throat and pout my lips. “It’s all my fault.”

She raises an eyebrow and looks between the three of us before landing on me again. “Really?”

I nod. “They were fighting over me.”

Tyler chokes.

I kick him. “It was a misunderstanding. They both want to take me to homecoming, and I told them I couldn’t—”

Principal Lopez holds her hand up, palm facing out. “Margo, I don’t have time for one of your stories right now.”

I sit up, and my head starts to feel light. I need this to work. “You know what? You’re right. Like you said, school hasn’t even officially started. It’s only seven forty-five. Wouldn’t you rather let this go and pretend it didn’t happen?”

“I’d love to, but you know I can’t,” she says.

“Tyler is really sorry. Aren’t you, Tyler?” I ask, gesturing to him.

He nods.

“And it won’t happen again, will it?”

He nods again.

“See?”

Principal Lopez takes a sip of her coffee. “I wish it were that simple.”

The room is starting to spin, but I clutch the chair and focus. “You and I both know you have a hard time finding volunteers for monthly food drives. What if Tyler were to agree to volunteer at one of those?”

“I don’t know.”

I lean forward. “Look at them. They’re strong. They can lift boxes or something.”

She takes another sip of her coffee. “It’s too early for this, but you got me.” She looks over at Tyler. “If you volunteer at the next three food drives, I’ll let this go.”

He smiles. “You got it.”

Principal Lopez turns to the new kid. “Will you volunteer too?”

He scoffs. “I’d rather have detention for a week.”

What’s with his attitude? Did he wake up on the wrong side of the bed or was he born like this?

Principal Lopez forces a grin. “Well, fortunately for you, that can be arranged.” She waves us off. “Now, head to your first period before I change my mind, and if this happens again, I’ll be calling all of your parents.”

“What about me?” I ask.

She sighs, locking eyes with me. “Just do me a favor and try not to cause too much trouble this year.”

“I’ll try,” I say. My nose tickles like I’m about to sneeze and starts to run.

She frowns. “Margo, wait.” She takes a tissue and hands it to me.

I take it and blow my nose, but I freeze when I bring it away from my face. There’s blood left on the tissue.

The next thing I know, I’m being sent to the nurse’s office.

CHAPTER THREE