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The part of me that hated conflict died alongside my trust in Nora.

Friday passed by without Luke retracting his article on Petunia Lemon, and the nerves I thought I’d feel were nowhere to be found.

In fact, as the seconds ticked by, the anticipation of seeing how Nora would react made me downright giddy.

And when she called me down to her office the following Wednesday with the union rep sitting beside her, I couldn’t even pretend to be upset by the news.

Nora might’ve gone low, but unfortunately for her, I was prepared to go to hell.

“Are you sure you want to do this?” Luke tightens his hand around mine as we stand outside of the doors to the school board hearing I requested. “We can still figure out another way to make this happen.”

I touch my lips to his, and my red lipstick stains his mouth just so. “I’m positive. This is the way it has to be done.”

Nora didn’t realize it, but when she moved to get me terminated from my job, she put the final nail in her own coffin.

I was on paid leave. I had nothing to do other than spend my days preparing for this meeting, and in doing so, I dug up so much dirt on Nora that you could call me an archaeologist.

“You’ve got this.” Luke repeats the words he’s told me hundreds, if not thousands, of times. “Now go kick her ass.”

I let go of his hand and pull open the door to the conference room.

The school board sits at the front, the innocuous group all sitting behind a long desk with their nameplates in front of them.

This is the last meeting before winter vacation, and it’s not hard to see they’re ready for a break.

Most are wearing respectable suits in an array of neutral hues, but one member, Flora, is decked out in a bedazzled sweater, big dangly earrings that look like presents with a matching necklace, and a rhinestone-encrusted headband.

I know there’s a chance she might vote to end my career tonight, but I appreciate her festive accessories anyways.

An aisle with a podium in the middle separates two sections filled with folding chairs. It’s larger than I expected and pretty empty…for now. Thoughts of people crowding the room make me want to turn and run.

“What am I doing?” I’m used to talking in front of tiny humans who think fart jokes are the pinnacle of humor; I don’t know what I was thinking when I decided to do this. “How can I call this off?”

“Relax,” Luke whispers into my ear. “You have statements and witnesses. You’re prepared and she has nothing on you. She won’t be able to prove a thing because none of the allegations she’s bringing against you are true.”

I pull my shoulders back, still not feeling totally confident, but with Luke by my side, I know I can at least fake it until I make it. “Thank you.”

We take our seats in the second row, and even though the meeting isn’t supposed to start for another twenty minutes, a steady stream of people is already arriving.

I try not to watch the door, my breath catching every time it opens and I brace to see Nora, but I can’t help it. I haven’t seen or heard from her since I walked out of the school, and I think I would’ve been happy to never be in the same room as her ever again.

Once the article came out and I didn’t have anything to hide anymore, I made sure Keisha and Anna knew that I wanted them to give my number to anyone who needed it.

I’ve spent hours reaching out to teachers who left Nester Fox before I even arrived, and all of us have similar stories.

Nora befriended us, making us feel safe and close to her, before swooping in and introducing Petunia Lemon.

The teachers like me, who went for it, got to stay on her good side while the teachers who said no were met with instant retaliation.

Even when she wasn’t the principal yet, she would figure out how to weaponize the power she did have, like uninviting them from lunch or organizing teacher get-togethers and excluding them from the group.

Every time the door opens and a familiar face steps inside, my nerves settle a little more.

I know my name is the one up for discussion tonight, but I’m not alone.

Even some of the teachers I talked to that I haven’t met show up, coming to give me a hug before finding their seats in the back of the room.

By the time Keisha and Anna come in and join Luke and I, I’m feeling more confident than I have since this entire ordeal began.

“Can I just say one more time that I’m so fucking proud of you.” Keisha takes the hand Luke’s not holding in hers. “I’ve had the hardest time biting my tongue at school and I can’t wait to watch Nora’s sorry ass go down.”

“Me either.” Anna’s cheeks flush under the harsh fluorescent lights. “I can’t believe how many people she’s done this to.”

A door slams and familiar, carefree laughter turns everyone’s attention to the back of the room. Nora struts into the room, her head thrown back, laughing at something Jacqueline or one of the other Petunia Lemon girls surrounding her said.

It’s strange. I thought when I laid eyes on her that I would feel a rush of anger, that the resentment I’ve been harboring would run to the surface and I’d have to hold myself back so I didn’t scratch her eyes out. But instead, I feel nothing.

Her red hair falls down her back in loose waves and her eyeliner is drawn on so sharp, she must’ve gone to a makeup artist. She’s never looked better.

From her pale skin that glows in these winter months to the smart suit and power heels she’s donning, she looks like she’s ready to take over the world.

But it’s all fake. Nothing about her is real and what’s not real can’t hurt me.

The small group walks down the aisle, scanning each row for a place to sit.

When they finally reach mine, I watch as Nora’s eyes go blank and the smile falls off of her face.

She turns around and whispers something to the group, and when they break apart, five matching sets of glares turn toward me.

But when Jacqueline catches a glance at who’s sitting beside me, she flinches, and her delicate features twist in pain.

She’s not my favorite person in the world, and even I can’t help but feel for her.

If I threw the man next to me away for a night cream and an average, overpriced serum, I’d cry myself to sleep every night for the rest of my life.

“Do you think Jacqueline is going to speak against me?”

“Probably.” Apologies linger in Luke’s solemn voice. “But it doesn’t matter. Not only did we meet before the school year, even if we didn’t, your union rep said there are no rules against it. You have more than enough evidence to prove Nora is only acting out of revenge.”

“What he said,” Keisha says. “Nora’s such a bitch and it’s about time someone brings her down. And I know Jacqueline’s the mother of your child and all, but she’s awful and it won’t hurt her to be knocked down a peg or two.”

“You’re not wrong.” Luke drapes his arm over the back of my chair, and Jacqueline’s face goes white before she looks away. “She’s been even more terrible lately. I swear she didn’t used to be like this.”

“I’m not sure I believe you.” Keisha speaks for all of us. “But considering you’ve shown great taste in your current girlfriend, I’ll give you a pass. But only on this. Don’t think I’ll ease up on you in spades just because you’re with my girl.”

“You better not, because when I beat you, I want to be sure I got you at full strength.”

Keisha and Luke both came over the night I was put on leave.

They tried to cheer me up with games, junk TV, and junkier food.

Over the course of the night, they started talking about the neighborhood, and Luke told Keisha he’s been working on a series to help with preservation and prevent new businesses from taking over the legacy shops. They’ve been best friends ever since.

Before Keisha can take the trash talk any further, the side door at the back of the room opens. The final board member comes in and takes her seat in the middle of the table and gets the meeting started.

It’s my first time at a school board meeting and I don’t know what to expect.

They start by calling the meeting to order and reciting the mission and vision of the board.

They recognize students and teachers and then go into the community portion of the night.

They call speakers to the podium one by one, each person taking their time to express themselves and their needs.

I thought it was going to be boring, but the more people that speak, the more invested I’m becoming.

It’s inspiring to see community members care so deeply about the schools and our children’s education.

I’m so distracted by it that I forget why I’m here.

Until they call my name from the front of the room.

“Next is the matter of Emerson Pierce.” Levi Roberts’s deep voice echoes off of the bare walls.

“Principal Stone has cited allegations of inappropriate behavior and forming disruptive and disturbing connections with the fathers in Miss Pierce’s classroom.

She claims that Miss Pierce’s personal relationship with one father in particular has caused disruption inside of the classroom by showing favoritism to one student over others, creating an unsafe and unstable environment for the kindergartners in Miss Pierce’s class. ”

I’ve read her complaints and allegations against me too many times to count. I can see the words when I close my eyes. Nothing he said is new, but hearing it coming from this man’s mouth in front of a crowd is more devastating than I prepared myself for.

“First we will hear from Principal Stone, then we will move to Miss Pierce, before ending with witness statements. Principal Stone”—he gestures to the podium in between the aisles—“we’ve read your statement, is there anything you’d like to add?”