Dana had said Shanley didn''t like celebrating his birthday, usually letting it pass quietly without telling anyone. This year was supposed to be the same. If Dana hadn''t mentioned it, Juniper wouldn''t have known at all.


    "I ran into Flint on the street today," J answered honestly. "He mentioned it in passing."


    "That''s right, it''s Mr. Schwartz''s birthday next week!" Queenie chimed in. "What a coincidence, I saw Felton, and he told me too."


    "I knew it too!" Qadir finally got a word in. "My dad said the investor for one of his agricultural projects has a birthday next week, and he''s nning to send him some local specialties."


    And that investor was, of course, Mr. Schwartz.


    After hearing from all three of them, Juniper''s eyes narrowed slightly. She instantly saw through the man''s little scheme.


    "Juniper, what''s your gift for Mr. Schwartz?" Qadir asked curiously.


    "A gift?" An image of the bracelet she was making shed in her mind. A small smile yed on her lips, but her tone was cool. "Ordinary friends get ordinary gifts, I suppose."


    "Ordinary friends?" they all eximed in unison.


    Shanley hadn''t confessed his feelings yet, so weren''t they just ordinary friends? Still, she had already carved their initials, ''J & S,'' onto the bracelet. She''d just have to see how Shanley behaved.


    The next day, Juniper slept in until she woke up naturally. After a leisurely lunch, she hopped on her motorcycle and headed to the school.


    Overnight, the situation had escted dramatically. Many people were specting that the masterminds behind the cheating scandal couldn''t handle the public pressure and were nning to throw Juniper under the bus. Others thought the press conference was for her to confess her crimes. Either way, they concluded, Juniper''s life was ruined.


    When Juniper arrived at Aurora High School, there was still an hour before the press conference was set to begin.


    The school''s Sports field was


    already packed wall-to-wall with


    reporters and onlookers. There were


    over a hundred different ounts


    the event, each with a


    massive audience. Everyone was waiting to see how this farce would end.


    Juniper had hopped the back fence to get into the school, and the head of discipline immediately pulled her into an office. The principal and all the subject teachers were gathered inside, their faces grim.


    "Juniper, what exactly is your n?" the math teacher asked nervously. "Proving


    your innocence is simple. We just need to request a score verification and a review of your test papers."


    "Too much trouble," Juniper said,


    leaning back in a chair and sipping a


    ss of lemonade. The whole process of applying waiting for a review, and getting the results would take at least a week. She didn''t have time for that.


    "She''s right," the literature teacher agreed. "We have a clear conscience. The burden of proof is on the users. We shouldn''t have to fall into the trap of proving our own innocence."


    "It''s annoying," Juniper said with a frown. "The constant noise is getting on my nerves."


    Besides, Aurora High School and its teachers were suffering even more than she was. She''d heard that some teachers had their personal information leaked online. She couldn''t just let it go.


    "So, what are you going to do?" Salma asked, stepping closer, her face etched with worry.


    "Put them in their ce, of course." Juniper tossed her empty cup into the trash and stood up, looking rxed. "Oh, and could you help me move a veryrge ckboard out to the field?"


    "A ckboard?" Salma and teachers stared at her,pletely baffled.


    "Let''s go, it''s almost time." Juniper''s gaze swept over them, and she spoke each word with cold precision. "I''d like to see who still has a problem after this."


    She, Juniper, specialized in dealing with dissent.