Howie's mother hadn't expected me to hold this firm. She froze for a second.
But the principal came completely undone.
The Director's inspection was a serious matter. It decided whether he'd get his promotion next year.
If this blew up in front of the Director, his days as principal were over.
He wiped the cold sweat off his forehead and turned to glare at me, eyes full of venom.
"Rosalind Whitney! You won't rest until you've dragged this whole school down, will you!"
"Apologize to Howie's mother, now! Do exactly what she says!"
"Hurry up!"
I stood where I was and didn't move.
"I did nothing wrong. I will not apologize."
Seeing that nothing got through to me, the principal stamped his feet in a panic.
"Fine. You've got nerve!"
"Security! Hold her down! Make her bow to Howie's mother!"
The two guards heard the order and moved in at once, seizing my arms, one on each side.
They were strong. They shoved down hard on my shoulders.
I struggled with everything I had, but I was no match for two grown men.
The instant they forced me to bend, Howie's mother rushed forward.
Crack! Crack!
Two sharp slaps landed hard across my face.
My cheeks burned in an instant, and my ears rang.
"Worthless piece of trash! You had your chance to do this the easy way!"
Howie's mother shook out her stinging hand and jabbed a finger in my face, screaming.
"You teachers draw a salary from the state, so you should be serving us parents and our kids twenty-four hours a day!"
"Coming whenever we call is your job!"
"Letting you pick up my son was me doing you a favor, and you dare give me attitude!"
Pinned by the guards, humiliation and fury churned violently in my chest.
A sharp, stabbing pain shot through my lower belly.
Then came a heavy, dragging downward pull.
I felt something warm run down the inside of my thigh.
The guards saw the blood on my leg and let go in fright.
"My stomach… it hurts so much…"
I dropped to the floor, clutching my belly, and with a shaking hand fished the phone out of my pocket to call 911.
But Howie's mother snatched it away.
"Keep it up! Keep putting on the act!"
"Bouncing around fine a second ago, and now one little touch and you're playing dead on the floor?"
"Let me tell you, even if you die right here today, you're paying me first! Otherwise you're not walking out that door!"
The pain left me no strength to argue. All I could do was beg the people around me.
"Help me… call 911… I'm bleeding…"
I looked toward the teachers in the doorway who had come to watch.
But every one of them looked away, some even stepping back.
Seeing this, Howie's mother grew even bolder and shouted.
"I'd like to see who dares!"
"Anyone who calls that number for her today can pay her sixty thousand for her!"
The moment those words were out, the few teachers who had looked uneasy pulled their heads back in.
Just then, an authoritative voice came from the hallway outside the office.
"What's going on here? Why is there such a crowd?"
At the sound of it, the principal's whole body jerked.
He instantly put on a fawning smile and shoved through the crowd to rush out.
"Oh, Director! You're here early!"
"It's nothing, nothing, just a small dispute between a teacher and a parent."
"But don't worry, it's all been settled now."
"This way, please. Let's head to the auditorium first, they've got the welcome ceremony ready for you over there…"
The principal was doing everything he could to steer him away.
I lay against the cold floor tiles, the searing pain in my abdomen sending waves of black across my vision.
Summoning the last shred of strength in my body, I shouted toward the door.
"Dad! Don't go, I'm here!"
