Rogelio hesitated, his eyes flicking between Lucía and the principal, clearly weighing his options. “Fine,” he finally conceded, though his voice carried an edge of frustration. “But I’m not leaving without her.”

As Rogelio reluctantly followed Principal Carmen towards the office, Lucía exhaled a breath she didn’t realize she was holding. She turned to Mariana, who was visibly trembling. “You’re very brave, Mariana,” Lucía said softly, gently brushing a stray hair from the girl’s face. “You did the right thing by telling me.”