Girl Takes Up Her Sword by Jacques Antoine Page B

directly.
    Sitting on the bench outside the office, she found Teddy Wilchuk and Steve Bristow. This was certainly an odd pairing, if they were here on the same errand she was. Just Teddy and she’d think it was about the video he showed her at the prom. But what could Steve have to do with that?
    Once they were inside, Mrs. Fredericks gave them all the good news.
    “Usually, the valedictorian is chosen based on cumulative GPA. But this year, we have a three-way tie.”
    “So, what do we do now, wrestle for it?” Steve asked merrily.
    Emily laughed, Teddy cringed.
    “I don’t want it that bad,” he said. “You guys should have it.”
    “Don’t be silly, Teddy,” Emily said. “Steve’s just joking. We’re all gonna share it.”
    “Of course, you’ll all be co-valedictorians,” Mrs. Fredericks said. “Assuming you maintain your grades over the next few weeks. But I hardly expect any surprises in that area. The only question is how you want to handle the valedictory address at graduation.”
    “I really don’t want to do that,” said Teddy, now deadly serious.
    Emily looked Steve up and down for a moment. He would definitely be comfortable giving the speech all by himself. That’s obviously the scenario Amanda would prefer. And she certainly had no great desire to speak in front of her class.
    “Why don’t we write the speech together, the three of us,” she suggested. “We can decide the rest later.”
    Mrs. Frederick thought this was a great idea. Teddy assented warily, perhaps suspecting some scheme to get him to speak in public. Steve was all in favor, even enthusiastic. “He’s not at all like Amanda,” Emily thought. “But she is definitely not going to like the idea of Steve sharing this with me.”
    Out in the hall, the mood was convivial, all the tensions created by their mysterious summons now dispelled. As far as anyone else might know, they belonged to a secret society. The notion tickled Teddy most of all, who would not otherwise find himself in their company. Euphoria led him to think any topic of conversation was now permitted. He may have been mistaken.
    “Hey, Emily, that video I showed you at the prom—it’s no longer available online. Someone must have taken it down.”
    She was relieved to hear it. Maybe Luther had persuaded the gang to take her advice.
    “Don’t worry, though,” he continued. “One of the guys in A/V managed to save the source file, and we may be able to set up a new website for all of your videos.”
    “Whoa,” said Steve. “Is this the video Amanda showed me the other day of a girl fighting a bunch of bikers? She said it was you, but I didn’t believe it. It’s not really you, is it?”
    Emily looked at them both darkly. Teddy already had his smart-phone out and was playing the video to confirm it for Steve.
    “Teddy, put that away. Do you think this is just a game? That video is dangerous. People were seriously injured that night, and worse things might happen if you post it again.”
    Teddy paused it and Emily grabbed his wrist. When she twisted it towards her, he squealed a little. She looked at the frozen image on the phone and noticed Luther looming in the background.
    “So it is you, then?” Steve asked.
    “Teddy, please don’t post that video online again. I went to see the bikers to get them to take it down.”
    “Holy crap,” Steve said. “You actually went to see those guys?”
    “Yes. To protect them. But I can’t protect you and your friends if you put it online again. Please, just leave it alone.”
    “What do you mean, protect them?”
    “I’d rather not go into that. Those guys made a mistake that night by the lake, and it cost them, dearly. But they don’t deserve to die for it. And your friends don’t want the same sort of trouble. Please, Teddy, just don’t.”
    The urgency of her plea shocked both boys. Teddy was shaken, and his wrist hurt. He pulled out of her grasp and scurried down the hall. Steve just stared at