It was a shock when I heard someone speak up who should not be speaking at all. “Oh, Mr. Perch that was a misunderstanding.”

I jerked Rachel’s arm roughly as warning for her to shut up. It did not work.

“What did you say Ms….?” Mr. Fish did not even know her name, as he looked at her a bit confused as if just noticing she was standing there. Maybe because she called him a type of fresh water fish and I was not sure if she was trying to be funny or if Rachel was just confused.

“Dansby, sir.” Rachel informed him repeating her previous statement, “I said it was just a misunderstanding.” I gripped her arm a little tighter behind our backs.

“Ms. Dansby would you care explain how it was a misunderstanding that Mr. Hepner found all of you running out of the library?” Principal Donnie asked her.

“Ah, Mr. Trout it was awesome.” I tugged her arm again and hissed in her ear ‘Fish’. “Mr. Fish,” she corrected quickly, “Kyla came out of nowhere and knocked me to the ground. She was chasing after that half naked guy and so I followed them and Kyla was stalking us and she is kind of scary so we hid in the library.”

There was a long moment of silence that followed before the principal asked, “Young lady, are you mocking me?”

Rachel shook her head no.

Principal Fish only shook his head in confusion and said, “I’ve heard enough. It seems Aiden said that it was he who shoved you all in the library. He said it was his and Ms. Woods’ fault, but still you followed so I recommend that Ms. Dansby and Ms. Lewis are to serve three days after school detention with Mr. Hepner effective Monday.” Sighed in relief a bit when he said that even though I was innocent through this whole thing but it could have been worse.

“Cool. Thanks Mr. Salmon.” Rachel muttered with her stoner look completely oblivious to what she was actually calling the principal, and this time I jabbed her in the ribs.

“What was that?”

I came to our defense and said, “Nothing Mr. Fish. She is really not feeling well.”

Mr. Fish sighed, shaking his head again, and turned attention to Davies and Carlin. “As for the both of you, I am very disappointed. Not shocked, but disappointed. For you actions you are not allowed to cheer at the game tonight and you both are not allowed to go to the dance tomorrow.”

Cheerleader was vocal as always, “Mr. Fish this is not fair! I had nothing to do with it.”

The principal raised his hand to quiet her and added, “If you interrupt me again you will get more. Now the both of you will have a two week after school detention effective Monday. Ms. Davies, I believe you already know where the room is.” Mr. Fish smiled smugly at her.

“What do you mean after school? I thought I was going to be suspended?” Ashley asked indignant.

“Ms. Davies, I really hope you don’t take me for a fool. After school detention, no arguments.” Mr. Fish turned his chair away from us and added, “You are all dismissed.”

We all filed out together, standing in the small waiting room facing each other like before only this time it was a lot more tense. Rachel’s forearm was wrapped up in my own still, and she was clueless just masked with a goofy smile. Ashley was stoic like always. I knew she must be upset about her verdict, but if she was more sad, scared or angry I could not tell. All I could guess was Ashley’s plan did not go exactly as how she expected, and now she was going to have to suffer two weeks with the blonde demon who was not happy at all about being punished for nothing. I had a bad feeling that Ms. Sally Cheerer was going to get her revenge in some way, somehow and sometime soon, and that made me my stomach tie back into a Windsor knot.

As I said before…Guilt by association, and the way Carlin was giving us all the dead eye I knew that it was going to be more than just a three-day detention to atone for this day.