I walked straight to the principal’s office and froze.
Five men stood in a line outside in military uniforms. Still. Focused. Serious and composed, as if they were waiting for something important.
Harris stepped out of her office and leaned toward me the second she saw me.
“They’ve been here for 20 minutes,” she whispered. “They say it’s connected to what Leo did for Sam.”
My throat went dry.
“Where is my son?”
Before she could answer, the tallest man turned toward me.
“They’ve been here for 20 minutes.”
“Ma’am, I’m Lieutenant Carlson, and these are my colleagues. Do you mind if we talk inside the office?”
I nodded and entered, only to find Dunn standing and scowling in the corner.
The room was already packed, with Carlson and one of the military men inside, when the former nodded toward the door.
“Bring him in.”
The door opened again, and Leo stepped inside.
The moment I saw his face, I went pale.
My son looked terrified!
“Bring him in.”
Leo’s eyes moved from the men… to me… and back again.
“Mom?” he said, his voice already shaking.
I rushed toward him. “Hey, hey, it’s okay. I’m here.”
But he didn’t relax.
“I didn’t mean to cause trouble,” my son said quickly. “I know I wasn’t supposed to do that. I won’t do it again, I swear.”
My heart broke hearing that.
I rushed toward him.
“You should’ve thought about all that beforehand,” Dunn quipped.
Harris frowned. But before I could respond to Dunn, Leo cut me off, his voice rising, panic spilling out.
“I’m sorry! I won’t ever disobey orders like that again. I promise! Mom! Please don’t let them take me away. I just wanted my best friend to be included in normal things!”
