Chapter Sixteen – The Consequences The principal’s office felt like a pressure cooker — the ticking clock on the wall only making the silence heavier. Yn sat stiffly in one chair, Lila slouched in the other, both refusing to look at each other. Principal Harris stood behind his desk, arms crossed. “Two public fights in three days. Do you have any idea how bad this looks for the school?” Yn kept her gaze on the floor. Lila, of course, spoke first. “I was just defending myself.” Yn’s head snapped up. “That’s a lie—” “Enough,” Harris cut in, his voice sharp. “I don’t care who threw the first punch. What I care about is that this ends. Now.” He walked around the desk, his tone dropping lower. “The school board has already seen the videos. They’re considering pulling the cheer team from all games until this is resolved.” Yn’s stomach twisted. No games meant no performances, no competitions — months of work gone in an instant. Lila’s smirk faltered. “That’s not fair.” “Neither is turning the cafeteria into a boxing ring,” Harris shot back. Then he added, almost as an afterthought, “And Malachi came to see me this morning. He said he’s done being dragged into this mess. He’s requested to be left out of any school activities involving either of you.” Yn blinked, the words hitting harder than she expected. Malachi had actually gone to the principal? Lila glanced sideways at her, something flickering in her expression — not triumph, but something closer to unease. “You have one week,” Harris said firmly. “Prove you can work together, or you’re both off the team. No exceptions.” The walk out of the office was tense, the hallway buzzing faintly with whispers. Yn didn’t need to hear the words to know the rumors were already mutating. And deep down, she could feel it — this wasn’t just about cheer anymore. The game had changed.
