The student council room felt like a gilded cage, all mahogany paneling and oil portraits of distinguished alumni who looked down at us with expressions of mild disapproval. I sat at the massive conference table, the flash drive from last night burning a hole in my backpack like radioactive material. Every few minutes, I caught myself glancing around the room, wondering if whoever had planted it was watching me right now.
“Miss Virelli, are you paying attention?” Headmaster Sterling’s voice cut through my paranoid thoughts like a blade.
“Yes, sir. Charity fundraising week.”
“Indeed.” He adjusted his wire-rimmed glasses and consulted the leather-bound planner in front of him. “As I was explaining, this year’s event requires a more... collaborative approach.”
The way he said ‘collaborati
