backdrop in time to see a figure step into the auditorium.
We cried out in surprise when we saw who it was.
16
She stood gaping up at us. She blinked her eyes several times, as if she didn’t believe what she was seeing.
“I — I am really shocked,” Ms. Walker said finally.
I swallowed hard. I struggled to say something, but no sound would come out.
Zeke and Brian stood frozen like me.
“I am so disappointed in all three of you,” Ms. Walker said, stepping closer. “Breaking and entering is a serious crime. And the three of you have no business —”
She stopped short and let out a little gurgle as her eyes fell on the backdrop. She had been so surprised to find Zeke, Brian, and me onstage, she hadn’t seen it — until now.
“Oh, no! Oh, good heavens!” she cried, raising both hands to her face. She tilted. Sort of toppled from side to side. I thought she was about to fall over!
“How
could
you?” she gasped. She hurried across the stage, her eyes on the paint-splotched backdrop. “How could you ruin it? All the students worked for so many days to get it right. How could you ruin it for everyone?”
“We didn’t,” Zeke said quietly.
“We didn’t do it,” I repeated.
She shook her head hard, as if trying to shake us away. “I’m afraid I’ve caught you red-handed,” she said quietly, almost sadly. I saw tears brim in her eyes.
“Ms. Walker, really —” I started.
She raised a hand to stop me. “Was it so important to you three to have your little joke?” she asked, her voice trembling.
“Ms. Walker —”
“Was it so important to make everyone believe there is a phantom? So important that you broke into the school — committed a serious crime — and then completely destroyed the scenery for our play? Was your joke so important?”
“We really didn’t do it,” I insisted, my voice trembling, too.
Ms. Walker stepped forward and rubbed a finger over a red paint splotch on the backdrop. When she pulled the finger away, it was smeared with red paint.
“The paint is still wet,” she said, her eyes burning accusingly into mine. “There’s no one else here. Are you going to keep lying to me all night?”
“If you’d just give us a chance —” Zeke started.
“I’m especially disappointed in you, Brian,” Ms. Walker said, shaking her head, a frown tightening her features. “You just started at this school a week or so ago. You should be on your best behavior.”
Brian blushed redder than I’ve ever seen a human blush. He lowered his eyes, as if he were guilty.
I took a deep breath. “Ms. Walker, you
have
to let us explain!” I cried shrilly. “We really didn’t do this! We found it like this! Really!”
Ms. Walker opened her mouth to speak, but changed her mind. “Okay.” She crossed her arms over her skinny chest. “Go ahead. But I want the
truth.”
“The truth,” I said. I raised my right hand, as if swearing an oath. “Brian, Zeke, and I
did
sneak into the school. We didn’t really break in. We climbed in through a window.”
“Why?” Ms. Walker demanded sternly. “What are you doing here? Why aren’t you home where you should be?”
“We came to look for the Phantom,” Zeke broke in. He swept his blond hair back with one hand. He always did that to his hair when he was really tense.
“We told you about the Phantom this morning, but you didn’t believe us.”
“Of course I didn’t believe you!” Ms. Walker declared. “It’s an old legend. Just a story.” She frowned at Zeke.
Zeke let out a frustrated sigh. “We saw the Phantom, Ms. Walker. Brooke and I. We saw him. He’s the one who painted all over the backdrop. Not us. He’s the one who swung down from the catwalk. And grabbed Brooke at rehearsal.”
“Why should I believe that?” Ms. Walker demanded, her arms still tightly crossed in front her.
“Because it’s true,” I said. “Zeke, Brian, and I — we came to the auditorium to look for the Phantom.”
“Where
We cried out in surprise when we saw who it was.
16
She stood gaping up at us. She blinked her eyes several times, as if she didn’t believe what she was seeing.
“I — I am really shocked,” Ms. Walker said finally.
I swallowed hard. I struggled to say something, but no sound would come out.
Zeke and Brian stood frozen like me.
“I am so disappointed in all three of you,” Ms. Walker said, stepping closer. “Breaking and entering is a serious crime. And the three of you have no business —”
She stopped short and let out a little gurgle as her eyes fell on the backdrop. She had been so surprised to find Zeke, Brian, and me onstage, she hadn’t seen it — until now.
“Oh, no! Oh, good heavens!” she cried, raising both hands to her face. She tilted. Sort of toppled from side to side. I thought she was about to fall over!
“How
could
you?” she gasped. She hurried across the stage, her eyes on the paint-splotched backdrop. “How could you ruin it? All the students worked for so many days to get it right. How could you ruin it for everyone?”
“We didn’t,” Zeke said quietly.
“We didn’t do it,” I repeated.
She shook her head hard, as if trying to shake us away. “I’m afraid I’ve caught you red-handed,” she said quietly, almost sadly. I saw tears brim in her eyes.
“Ms. Walker, really —” I started.
She raised a hand to stop me. “Was it so important to you three to have your little joke?” she asked, her voice trembling.
“Ms. Walker —”
“Was it so important to make everyone believe there is a phantom? So important that you broke into the school — committed a serious crime — and then completely destroyed the scenery for our play? Was your joke so important?”
“We really didn’t do it,” I insisted, my voice trembling, too.
Ms. Walker stepped forward and rubbed a finger over a red paint splotch on the backdrop. When she pulled the finger away, it was smeared with red paint.
“The paint is still wet,” she said, her eyes burning accusingly into mine. “There’s no one else here. Are you going to keep lying to me all night?”
“If you’d just give us a chance —” Zeke started.
“I’m especially disappointed in you, Brian,” Ms. Walker said, shaking her head, a frown tightening her features. “You just started at this school a week or so ago. You should be on your best behavior.”
Brian blushed redder than I’ve ever seen a human blush. He lowered his eyes, as if he were guilty.
I took a deep breath. “Ms. Walker, you
have
to let us explain!” I cried shrilly. “We really didn’t do this! We found it like this! Really!”
Ms. Walker opened her mouth to speak, but changed her mind. “Okay.” She crossed her arms over her skinny chest. “Go ahead. But I want the
truth.”
“The truth,” I said. I raised my right hand, as if swearing an oath. “Brian, Zeke, and I
did
sneak into the school. We didn’t really break in. We climbed in through a window.”
“Why?” Ms. Walker demanded sternly. “What are you doing here? Why aren’t you home where you should be?”
“We came to look for the Phantom,” Zeke broke in. He swept his blond hair back with one hand. He always did that to his hair when he was really tense.
“We told you about the Phantom this morning, but you didn’t believe us.”
“Of course I didn’t believe you!” Ms. Walker declared. “It’s an old legend. Just a story.” She frowned at Zeke.
Zeke let out a frustrated sigh. “We saw the Phantom, Ms. Walker. Brooke and I. We saw him. He’s the one who painted all over the backdrop. Not us. He’s the one who swung down from the catwalk. And grabbed Brooke at rehearsal.”
“Why should I believe that?” Ms. Walker demanded, her arms still tightly crossed in front her.
“Because it’s true,” I said. “Zeke, Brian, and I — we came to the auditorium to look for the Phantom.”
“Where
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