Chapter 5: Naomi's Name
Marcus forgot about the audience.
Forgot about the microphone.
Forgot about Dr. Whitmore.
All he could see was his sister's name glowing twenty feet tall behind the stage.
NAOMI REED.
Angela pushed past the end of the aisle.
“What does my daughter's name have to do with this?””
Naomi remained beside her grandmother, staring at the screen.
She was eleven years old.
She had applied to Eastbrook's middle-school scholarship program three months earlier.
Marcus remembered helping her with the essay.
She had written about wanting to become an aerospace engineer.
The screenshot contained a message from William Vance.
Reed's younger sibling is applying next cycle. We should avoid creating another long-term expectation with that family.
Angela climbed the stage stairs.
“What does that mean?””
Vance said nothing.
Angela moved closer.
“My daughter took your entrance exam.””
Still nothing.
“She interviewed here.””
“Mrs. Reed,” Vance finally said, “admissions decisions involve many factors.””
“She's eleven.””
“I understand.””
“No, you don't.””
Angela pointed toward the screen.
“She studied every Saturday for six months because she wanted to come here like her brother.””
Marcus saw tears forming in Naomi's eyes.
He stepped away from the podium.
“Mom.””
Angela looked at him.
Marcus nodded toward Naomi.
That was enough.
Angela immediately went back down the stairs and wrapped her arms around her daughter.
Naomi whispered something Marcus couldn't hear.
Then Angela's face crumpled.
“What did she say?”” Marcus asked.
Angela looked up.
“She asked if she did something wrong.””
Marcus felt anger rise so quickly it frightened him.
He turned toward Vance.
“My sister thinks this is her fault.””
Vance raised his hands.
“No admissions decision has been made.””
Claire shook her head.
“There's another message.””
Dr. Hayes approached the AV desk.
“Read it to me first.””
Claire leaned toward her.
Marcus watched Dr. Hayes's expression change.
“What does it say?”” Caldwell asked.
Dr. Hayes straightened.
“It discusses limiting scholarship admissions from particular feeder schools.””
The crowd erupted.
Vance shouted over them.
“Those are fragments of conversations without context!””
Caldwell stepped toward him.
“Then provide the context.””
“I don't answer to you individually.””
“You answer to the board.””
“I chair the board.””
“Not forever.””
That landed.
Vance stared at him.
Caldwell removed his phone.
“I am calling an emergency board meeting.””
“You cannot convene one unilaterally.””
“No. But three members can request it.””
Caldwell looked into the audience.
Two people wearing board badges stood.
“I request it,” said one.
“So do I,” said the other.
Vance's face tightened.
Dr. Whitmore stepped toward him.
“William, you told me this was approved.””
He turned sharply.
“Be quiet.””
“No.””
Everyone stared at her.
Something had changed.
Whitmore looked at the security officers, the phones recording her, and the evidence on the screen.
Then she looked at Vance.
“You told me the board wanted Marcus removed.””
Vance's face went still.
“I said nothing of the kind.””
“You said the donors were furious.””
“I told you concerns had been raised.””
“You gave me Blake's name.””
Blake looked between them.
Vance lowered his voice.
“Evelyn, you are confused.””
Dr. Whitmore laughed.
It was a strange, brittle sound.
“No.””
She pointed toward him.
“You don't get to do that.””
“Do what?””
“Make me the entire story.””
Marcus stared at her.
Minutes earlier, she had been humiliating him.
Now she looked like someone realizing the person beside her had already decided to sacrifice her.
Dr. Hayes stepped closer.
“Dr. Whitmore, did Mr. Vance instruct you to remove Marcus?””
Whitmore hesitated.
“Answer carefully,” Vance warned.
Dr. Hayes turned toward him.
“Do not threaten a district employee.””
“I am advising her.””
Whitmore looked at the live microphone.
Then at Marcus.
Her face twisted with shame.
“He called me last night.””
The room went silent.
“What did he say?”” Dr. Hayes asked.
“He said Marcus could not give the speech.””
Marcus's fingers curled into fists.
“Why?””
Whitmore looked at him.
“Because donors had complained.””
“About my speech?””
“No.””
The answer hurt more than Marcus expected.
“What, then?””
Whitmore closed her eyes.
“About you.””
Angela stood.
“Say exactly what they complained about.””
Whitmore couldn't look at her.
“They said Eastbrook's public image had changed too much.””
Marcus waited.
“That doesn't answer her question.””
Whitmore swallowed.
“They complained about scholarship students being featured too prominently.””
A furious noise rolled through the auditorium.
Marcus stepped closer.
“And you agreed?””
Whitmore's eyes filled with tears.
“I agreed to replace you.””
“That wasn't my question.””
She looked at him.
Marcus repeated it.
“Did you agree with them?””
For several seconds, she said nothing.
Then she whispered, “I told myself I was protecting the school.””
Marcus shook his head.
“No. You were protecting yourself.””
Whitmore looked away.
Vance scoffed.
“This confession theater is absurd.””
Claire suddenly spoke.
“I found something else.””
Dr. Hayes turned.
“What?””
“When I preserved the folder, I restored one of the deleted files.””
Vance's face changed.
“What file?””
Claire stared at the screen.
“A spreadsheet.””
She opened it.
Rows appeared.
Student names.
Financial-aid percentages.
Home ZIP codes.
Parent occupations.
Race and ethnicity fields.
Beside several students were comments.
Marcus walked toward the screen.
He found his name.
MARCUS REED.
Scholarship: 100%.
Parent occupation: Hospital receptionist.
Then the final column.
Visibility recommendation.
LIMIT.
Sofia Alvarez: LIMIT.
Jamal Brooks: LIMIT.
Several others: LIMIT.
Beside Blake Harrison:
PRIORITIZE.
Marcus heard Blake whisper, “Oh my God.””
Vance moved toward the exit.
Security blocked him.
“I am leaving.””
Dr. Hayes shook her head.
“You may leave after district counsel and IT have documented the equipment in your possession.””
“This is unlawful.””
“You're free to call your attorney.””
Vance pulled out his phone.
But Claire suddenly pointed at the spreadsheet.
“Wait.””
Marcus looked at her.
“What?””
“The file has version history.””
Vance stopped.
Claire clicked.
A list of editors appeared.
Dr. Whitmore.
William Vance.
Two admissions administrators.
And one name Marcus didn't recognize.
Dr. Hayes did.
Her face went completely still.
“Claire, stop.””
Too late.
The name filled the screen.
DAVID REED.
Marcus stared.
His last name.
His father's first name.
A man he hadn't seen in nine years.
Angela slowly stood.
Her face looked as though all the blood had vanished from it.
Marcus turned toward her.
“Mom?””
She didn't answer.
“Who is David Reed?””
Angela's eyes filled with tears.
May you like
And before she could speak, a deep voice came from the rear of the auditorium.
“I am.””
