I brought Mia inside and called her mother before asking another question. When her mom arrived ten minutes later, pale and shaking, Mia finally told us everything.
Randy had seen something behind the gym.
Not an accident.
Not a game.
A teacher and the assistant principal arguing with an older student beside the storage room. Randy had picked up a phone that didn’t belong to him, thinking someone had lost it. On it, he saw messages and photos that proved school staff had been hiding dangerous bullying incidents.
Randy told his teacher, Mrs. Harper.
Mia said Mrs. Harper took the phone from him and told him he was “making trouble.”
The next day, Randy told Mia he had copied something onto a small memory card and hidden it inside his Spider-Man pencil case.
“He said grown-ups lie better than kids,” Mia cried. “He said his mom would believe him.”
I covered my mouth.
Because he was right.
I would have believed him.
And that was why someone had made sure I never heard his voice again.
