Chapter 4

At the start of ninth grade, I went to the counseling office to check my school records. I needed them for high school enrollment.

Claude Reed from the office was super nice. He pulled up my file for me.

"Take a look and see if there's anything wrong."

I opened it up.

Nothing special at the front, just grades, health checks, and basic info.

Then I saw Ella's term comment.

First semester of seventh grade: [Isabella keeps to herself and doesn't really talk to others. Recommend psychological evaluation.]

Second semester of seventh grade: [Isabella doesn't get along with other students, and often stays out of group activities. Recommend psychological counseling.]

First semester of eighth grade: [Isabella has noticeable social difficulties and emotional instability, and has had multiple conflicts with subject teachers. Parents should monitor her emotional well-being and consult a professional when needed.]

Second semester of eighth grade: [Isabella displays severe social difficulties and possible psychological issues. She is not suitable for any student positions and is recommended for close observation.]

I stared at those words, my hands trembling.

When did I ever have a conflict with any teacher?

When did I ever have emotional instability?

All lies.

Every single thing was a lie.

But they were written in my student file.

They would follow me to my high school.

What would the high school teachers think when they saw all this?

She had psychological issues.

Social difficulties.

Emotional instability.

Ella didn't just make the whole class ostracize me. She even wrote me up in my file, painting me as a troubled student.

She was wrecking my future with her words in black and white.

I took photos of every single page in my file.

When I got home, I shut my door, and turned on my computer, and created a new folder named "All Evidence."

Inside, I already had: 47 audio recordings, 31 chat screenshots, 2 security camera request records, 3 witness statements (from Chloe and two older students who had been targeted by Ella and now graduated), 412 diary entries.

And now, I added 4 pictures to my student file.

I sat at my computer, staring at the folders on the screen.

Three years. I'd been waiting for three years.

It wasn't because I was afraid to fight back.

I had to make sure everything was ready.

One shot, one kill.

I opened a blank document and entered the title: [Formal Complaint.]

I placed my fingers on the keyboard, took a deep breath, and began to type.

Before I started writing the letter, Chloe told me something. "Did you know that there was another girl before you?"

"Who?"

"Sophie. She was a year ahead of you."

Chloe spoke in a hushed tone, "Ms. Quinn went after her, too."

"Why?"

"At the parent-teacher conference, her father pointed out that Ms. Quinn ought not to assign pricey mandatory workbooks for the class."

I stared at Chloe. "So... what happened next?"

"Then Ms. Quinn started picking on her, just like she did with you. She got everyone to freeze her out, deliberately never called on her in class, and skipped over her name when announcing the rankings."

"And then?"

Chloe paused for a moment. "Sophie transferred out in eighth grade. By the time she left, she'd lost over twenty pounds. Her mom came to the school to complain, but Ms. Quinn just blamed it on Sophie's personality. The school didn't lift a finger."

"Nobody stepped in?"

"Ms. Quinn is the Grade Level Lead Teacher. She's worked at the school for fifteen years, and even the principal gives her special deference."

I didn't say anything.

Fifteen years. She'd been at this school for fifteen years.

In her fifteen years, how many Isabellas were there?

How many Sophies had she left behind?

Chloe looked at me. "Isabella, what are you going to do?"

I just smiled. "I wrote a letter of complaint."

"To the principal?"

"To the principal." I paused for a second. "As well as the school district office."

Chloe's eyes widened in shock. "The school district office?"

"I sent a copy to the school district's complaint office last week."

"You..."

"Registered mail, with a return receipt."

I handed her my phone.

The screen showed the tracking for the registered mail.

"It's been delivered."

Chloe stared at me. "Isabella, you are so..."

"Three years," I looked at her. "I wasn't friendless. I was just waiting."

"Waiting for what?"

"For the moment, she can't just sweep it under the rug."

I took my phone back from her. "I've already sent the letter to the school district office. As for the principal, I'm planning to give it to him in person."

"When?"

"Next week's parent-teacher conference."