Chapter 56

Since she was already here, she deserved a fair shot.
When Eleanor glanced over, Charlotte lifted her chin and met her gaze with cool confidence. There wasn’t a hint of fear in her eyes.
Shirley was practically holding her breath, terrified that Charlotte’s homeroom teacher might also want her gone.
Everyone seemed on edge, waiting for the next blow, when Eleanor finally spoke up.
“We need to know what really happened. She should at least get the chance to explain herself. If she did something wrong, she’ll be punished, but if she didn’t, it’s not right to blame her.”
As soon as Charlotte heard that, a subtle smile played at the corners of her mouth. There’s no point explaining yourself if nobody cares what you have to say. But if someone actually listens, maybe it’s worth it.
“Ms. Adams!” Bald Lee, used to getting his way, couldn’t believe a new teacher would stand up to him like this. His face went dark. “Do you even know what you’re doing?”
The threat hung there, unspoken. Did she want to keep her job at this school, or not?
Eleanor understood exactly what he meant. She knew he’d make things hard for her. But she wouldn’t just stand by and let a student get expelled for something she might not have done.
“Charlotte, can you tell us what happened with the snake?” Eleanor’s voice was gentle as she turned to her. “Just tell the truth. If you weren’t involved, I’ll take care of it.”
Charlotte straightened her back and answered calmly, “When I came back from lunch, the snake was already in my desk. I was worried it would bite someone, so I put it in a bag and threw it in the trash. I didn’t think it would get out and bite someone.”
“That’s not true!” Winnie shot up, her anger barely contained. “If it wasn’t you, then why was the snake in your desk? And why did it bite me and not you?”
No matter if Charlotte brought the snake herself or if someone else put it there, Winnie was convinced it was her, faut Mr. Lee had already told her to leave. How could a girl like her go after Olivia? She must be out of her mind.
Charlotte just laughed, a hint of sarcasm in her smile. “If you want to know why the snake was in my desk, maybe you should ask the sna she said, totally unfazed. And as for why it bit you and not me… maybe that’s something you should be asking yourself.”
Winnie froze, clearly thrown off. “What’s that supposed to mean?”
“There are so many people in this class. Why did the snake only go after you?” Charlotte raised an eyebrow, her cool, pretty face lighting up with a confident smile.
The whole class turned to look at Winnie. She’d been the farthest from the trash can, yet somehow the snake had come straight for her.
“I heard snakes are super intuitive. They don’t hurt people unless they feel threatened,” someone whispered.
“Maybe Winnie has some weird energy that set it off? Why else would it only bite her?”
“Have you been reading too many fantasy novels? That’s creepy.” A couple of kids shuffled away from Winnie, leaving a gap around her like she was contagious.
Eleanor took it all in, then glanced around the room. “Did anyone see anyone near Charlotte’s desk today?”
Everyone shook their heads. It had been lunchtime and the classroom was empty.
There was no evidence proving
Charlotte didn’t bring the snake, but
nobody could explain why the snake
ha Ditten her either. Eleanor*·
found herself lost in thought.