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she explains.
    “I don’t know,” I say, shaking my head. “He said leggings are strictly forbidden.
He didn’t mention anything about tunic tops or the fingers test.”
    Daisy shrugs. “If Germinato thinks leggings are too revealing, he shouldn’t object
to an outfit that covers our butts and thighs. Rowena says it doesn’t make any sen—”
Daisy stops herself.
    So Rowena is behind this!
    Which is why, when Rowena meets up with us, I am surprised that she is not wearing
leggings. She gets prickly when I ask her about it. “The Germinator and I have a
complicated relationship,” is all she’ll say.
    When we get to school, Miss Aubin is standing by the painting of Marie Gérin-Lajoie.
“Good morning,” she says to us. She raises an eyebrow at Daisy’s leggings.
    “Miss Aubin, can I see you in here for a moment?” Germinato’s voice booms from his
office.
    “I’ll be right there, sir.” Miss Aubin waves us away with the back of her hand. “Keep
out of his way,” she whispers to Daisy.
    But Germinato must have heard her whispering, because he comes lumbering out of his office like a bear whose hibernation has been disturbed.
    “What’s going on out here?” he asks.
    The three of us are already rushing down the hall. “Rowena!” Germinato calls after
us. “Do you have something to do with this?”
    Rowena pretends not to hear him, but her face is flushed.
    “Daisy!” Germinato’s voice bellows behind us. “Get back here this instant!”
    For a split second Daisy freezes. Then she turns around and starts walking back toward
Germinato. I hear her take a deep breath.
    “You go with her,” Rowena hisses.
    I could tell Rowena that she’s being bossy. But I don’t. Instead, I follow Daisy
down the hall. I need to hurry, because she is picking up speed.
    Germinato has a wild look in his eyes.
    “You can’t even see my leggings, sir,” Daisy says.
    Germinato laughs, but it’s not a happy laugh. It’s a diabolical laugh—the kind you’d
expect from a madman, not a school principal. “I certainly can see them!” he says.
“Once again you have violated the Lajoie High School dress code. And since this is
your third offense, Daisy Fung, I have no choice but to suspend you for three days.
Wait here while I phone your parents.”
    “My parents?” Daisy’s voice quivers. “Please don’t do that, sir.”
    Daisy’s plea makes Germinato laugh even harder.
    I have to do something. Even if it means getting in trouble. “Mr. Germinato. Sir,”
I say. “You made that rule up yesterday. Isn’t that kind of”—I suck in my breath
before I say the next word, since I know it will tick him off—“arbitrary?”
    I was right about ticking him off.
    “ Arbitrary ?” Germinato shouts. “For your information, all rules are arbitrary, young
man! Now go to your class this instant, or I’ll suspend you too!”
    Daisy turns to me. “You should go,” she whispers. Her eyes are watery, like she is
fighting back tears.
    I am sitting by the window in math class when a navy-blue car pulls up in front of
the school. A couple gets out, and I know they must be Daisy’s parents. They walk
quickly into the building without speaking to each other.
    I can’t concentrate on fractions. I keep checking to see whether the car is still
there.
    Daisy’s parents must be talking to Germinato.
    The next time I check, Daisy’s parents are walking in single file toward the car.
Daisy trails behind them, her shoulders hunched and her head bowed.
    Since the temperature dropped, the heat has been on full-blast at school, and the
windows are tightly sealed. It feels like I’m watching a pantomime.
    Daisy’s dad waits at the curb while her mom gets into the passenger seat. Just before
Daisy steps into the backseat, she looks back at the school. This time, she is not
able to hold back the tears.

Chapter Thirteen
    It’s day two of Daisy’s suspension, and no one has heard from her. Not even Rowena.
Daisy has not answered