Chapter 8: Someone Was Watching
I didn't sleep that night.
Nova slept beside me because she'd had a nightmare.
She didn't tell me what it was about.
She simply climbed into my bed at 2:17 a.m., carrying the cardboard rocket Sky had made.
“Can I stay here?””
“Of course.””
She curled against the blankets.
For twenty minutes, I listened to her breathing.
Then she whispered,
“Mom?””
“Yeah?””
“Do you think Sky will still be my friend?””
I turned toward her.
“Yes.””
“Even if everyone else isn't?””
“Yes.””
She was quiet.
“Good.””
A few minutes later, she fell asleep.
I stayed awake.
At 6:11, Denise called.
“Do not send Nova to school.””
“I wasn't planning to.””
“There was an access attempt on her student record at 11:48 last night.””
“Who accessed it?””
“We're tracing it.””
“Was it Mrs. Carter?””
“We don't know.””
“Then why are you telling me to keep Nova home?””
“Because someone tried to alter her records.””
I sat up.
“Alter them how?””
“One disciplinary entry was changed.””
“What did it say before?””
Denise hesitated.
“Nova had allegedly threatened another student.””
My blood ran cold.
“Did she?””
“No.””
“Then what happened?””
“The original report says she told another student to stop insulting her.””
“And now?””
“The revised entry says she threatened physical harm.””
I looked across the room at Nova.
She was still asleep.
“Someone is creating a record that makes my daughter look dangerous.””
“Yes.””
“Why?””
Denise was silent.
Then she said,
“I think they're preparing a case.””
“For what?””
“Transfer.””
I gripped the phone.
“You mean removing her from the school.””
“Yes.””
“Why?””
Another pause.
“I think someone believes your daughter's presence is creating liability.””
The word made my stomach turn.
Liability.
Not child.
Not student.
Not friend.
Liability.
At 8:30, Elena arrived with Sky.
Sky brought her backpack.
“I asked my mom if I could stay with Nova today.””
Nova smiled.
“Want to build the rocket?””
Sky nodded.
“Obviously.””
While the girls played in the living room, Elena and I sat at the kitchen table.
“She told me something else,” Elena said.
“What?””
“Sky says there was a meeting before the school year started.””
“About Nova?””
“Yes.””
“Who attended?””
“The principal. Mrs. Carter.
Mr. Bell.””
“Anyone else?””
“Elena,” she said, “Sky remembers seeing a man she didn't recognize.””
“What man?””
“She says he wore a district badge.””
I felt a chill.
“Did she hear his name?””
“No.””
“Anything else?””
Elena nodded.
“He asked Mrs. Carter, ‘How quickly can we get the mother to agree to a transfer?’”
I stared at her.
“Did Sky hear that?””
“She says she did.””
My phone buzzed.
A text from an unknown number.
*Stop digging.*
I showed Elena.
Her face changed.
“That's not good.””
Another message appeared.
*You don't know what you're risking.*
Then:
*Ask your daughter what happened last October.*
I looked toward the living room.
Nova was laughing.
“Mom!”” she called.
“Look!””
I forced myself to smile.
“That's amazing.””
She rolled toward me.
“What?””
I locked my phone.
“Nothing.””
She tilted her head.
“You're doing the face again.””
I sat beside her.
“Nova, can I ask you something?””
“Okay.””
“Do you remember last October?””
She stopped moving.
Her smile disappeared.
“Why?””
“Something happened at school.””
Nova looked at Sky.
Sky immediately stood.
“Do you want me to leave?””
Nova shook her head.
“No.””
I lowered my voice.
“Someone told me to ask about October.””
Nova's fingers tightened around the cardboard rocket.
“I don't want to talk about it.””
“That's okay.””
She looked at me.
“But you need to know.””
I waited.
Nova swallowed.
“Last October, Mrs. Carter took me to the nurse.””
“Why?””
“She said I had to sign something.””
“Sign what?””
“I don't know.””
“Didn't you read it?””
“She put the paper on the desk and told me where to write.””
My heart began pounding.
“What did you sign?””
Nova looked down.
“A form.””
“What kind?””
“I don't know.””
“Did anyone else see it?””
She nodded.
“Mr. Bell.””
I froze.
“What did he do?””
“He told Mrs. Carter she couldn't make me sign it.””
Elena leaned forward.
“What happened next?””
Nova whispered,
“She told him it wasn't his decision.””
Then Nova looked at me.
“She said if I signed it, I could stay at the school.””
My mouth went dry.
“What was on the form?””
Nova shook her head.
“I don't know.””
Sky suddenly spoke.
“I know.””
Everyone turned.
Sky opened her backpack.
She pulled out a small plastic folder.
“I found this in the art room yesterday.””
Inside was a photocopy.
A school form.
At the top:
*PARENTAL CONSENT FOR VOLUNTARY TRANSFER*
But the signature at the bottom wasn't mine.
It was Nova's.
And beside it was a date from October.
I stared at the signature.
Then I noticed something else.
The handwriting wasn't Nova's.
May you like
It only looked like it.
Someone had copied her name.
