
The classroom door swung open with an unexpected creak, interrupting the teacher’s tirade. Standing there was the principal, Mr. Thompson, accompanied by the woman the boy had just encountered on the street. Her eyes were still red from crying, but now they shone with gratitude.
“Excuse me, Mrs. Carter,” Mr. Thompson said, a serious but gentle tone in his voice. “I need to speak to your class for a moment.”
Mrs. Carter, taken aback by the interruption, nodded and stepped aside. The boy’s heart pounded in his chest. Was he in more trouble now?
