Chapter 6 - THE GIRL IN RED SNEAKERS
The next morning, Ava Reynolds was absent.
So was Madison Vale.
Mr. Ortiz noticed immediately.
Custodians noticed things.
Who came early.
Who left crying.
Which teachers stayed late.
Which office doors closed when certain parents arrived.
Most people acted like custodians were furniture with keys.
That made people careless.
At 7:30, Mr. Ortiz entered Principal Danner’s office.
Assistant Principal Webb sat beside him.
A district HR representative named Lori Bell joined by video call.
Danner pushed a paper across the desk.
“Temporary reassignment.”
Mr. Ortiz read it.
“You’re moving me to night shift?”
“Pending review.”
“For recording?”
“For multiple concerns.”
“What concerns?”
“Insubordination. Unauthorized recording. Interference with classroom instruction.”
Mr. Ortiz looked up.
“There was no instruction happening.”
“Your characterization.”
“I have video.”
Danner’s mouth tightened.
“We know.”
“You keep saying that like the video is the problem.”
Lori Bell spoke from the screen.
“Mr. Ortiz, nobody is saying that.”
“Good. Then investigate what’s on it.”
“We are.”
“Have you interviewed the students?”
A glance passed between Danner and Webb.
Mr. Ortiz caught it.
“All of them?”
Danner said, “Relevant students.”
“What does relevant mean?”
“Miguel.”
“Did you talk to Ava Reynolds?”
Silence.
That was answer enough.
Danner leaned back.
“Why Ava?”
“Because she was there.”
“How do you know?”
“She sits in that class.”
Danner watched him carefully.
“Have students been contacting you?”
Mr. Ortiz said nothing.
Now Danner knew.
And Ortiz knew he knew.
The meeting ended twelve minutes later.
As Mr. Ortiz walked into the hallway, his phone vibrated.
Daniel Parker.
Can we talk?
They met in a coffee shop after Mr. Ortiz’s shift.
Daniel looked exhausted.
“Maisie didn’t sleep.”
“I’m sorry.”
“She keeps asking if she did something wrong.”
Mr. Ortiz clenched his jaw.
Daniel slid his phone across the table.
“Look.”
An email from the school.
It claimed preliminary interviews had found “no evidence of intentional bullying.”
Mr. Ortiz laughed under his breath.
“What?”
“They didn’t interview Ava.”
“How do you know?”
“I asked.”
Daniel stared at him.
“What aren’t you telling me?”
Mr. Ortiz hesitated.
“She says she saw Madison put the glue in Maisie’s hair.”
Daniel’s face changed.
“She told you that?”
“Yes.”
“Will she say it officially?”
“I don’t know.”
“Anything else?”
Mr. Ortiz paused.
“She says she recorded something.”
Daniel leaned forward.
“What?”
“I haven’t seen it.”
“You need to.”
“She’s twelve. I’m not going to chase a kid around for evidence.”
“No. But her parents need to know.”
Just then, Daniel’s phone rang.
He looked at the screen.
Unknown number.
He answered.
“Hello?”
A woman spoke rapidly.
Daniel’s eyes widened.
“Yes. Yes, I’m Maisie’s father.”
He looked at Ortiz.
Then mouthed:
Ava’s mother.
Daniel put the call on speaker.
Rebecca Reynolds sounded terrified.
“My daughter told me everything.”
Daniel said, “Does she still have the recording?”
“Yes.”
“Can we see it?”
Rebecca breathed in.
“There’s a problem.”
“What problem?”
“Someone from the school called me this morning.”
Mr. Ortiz leaned closer.
“Who?”
“Principal Danner.”
“And what did he say?”
Rebecca’s voice dropped.
May you like
“He told me Ava could face disciplinary action if she shared the video.”
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