Speak Up Chapter 14
My mother shot her a look.
“She’s only in eleventh grade.”
“I just said he has guts.” Kate held up her hands. “I didn’t say anything else.”
My father’s expression remained unreadable.
After we ate, I went home and lay on my bed.
My phone vibrated.
It was a text from Wade.
“Bianca, you get home okay?”
“I did.”
“Good. I told my mom what happened. She said she’s gonna bake you a huge Sicilian pizza to thank you for not letting the school execute me.”
“…Not necessary.”
“She also said your parents are amazing and asked if your family has some kind of serious background. I told her I didn’t know.”
I stared at the screen, pausing for a moment before typing back.
“My dad works for the state board of education. My mom’s a lawyer. Kate is a journalist.”
“When I enrolled, my dad told the school not to mention it. I never told anyone, either.”
After I sent it, he was quiet for a long time.
A minute later, he replied with one word.
“Oh.”
Then another message came through.
“So when people used to call you the Ice Queen and leave you out, why didn’t you say anything?”
My fingers hovered over the screen.
Why hadn’t I?
Because my father had told me not to use our family’s status at school.
Because I’d always believed that my grades were enough to prove my worth.
Because…