Be Gay, Do Crimes: Ros Vs Everything, Apparently

ros vs everything (no really she's got crazy beef in this chapter)

The next day, Amelie sat in front of a panel of governors and teachers, with her classmates behind her, and tried not to cry.

Last night, Chinhae had come to her to tell her the student vote; 57 to 59 in favour of expelling her, unless someone changed their mind at the last minute and made it a tie. The votes on Colette, Rupert, and Leif had already been and gone, and they were far harsher ratios, with most voting to expel them without so much of a thought. Amelie was slightly grateful for such a small margin, out of the 116...

116.

"I'm so sorry– may I ask a question?" she blurted out, cutting into the head governor's spiel. He looked annoyed.

"The protocol–"

"Oh, why not?" said Agatha impatiently. "Go on."

"Er– well, I only wondered, will you replace us?"

"What?" said Anemone.

"Well, I know there's a lot of applicants every year, and I'm sure some of them really wanted to get in, and would have been more deserving– will some of them get to go, in our places? I know arriving a term late is a little difficult, but I'm sure they could... manage..."

She trailed off as everyone stared at her. From the corner of her eye, she saw Marcus lean back slightly, tapping his pen on his palm.

"The matter of restoring student numbers will be considered once the panel has concurred and the verdict has been decided," said one of the governors.

"Of course," said Amelie weakly. The leader went on;

"Evers, please submit your ballots in the boxes you have been given..."

There was a rustle of paper behind her as her classmates submitted their votes. At the high table, the governors adjusted the box the students' were linked to, watching the glowing numbers on the side increase. Amelie, too far away to read them, worried her skirts in her hand...

"The student vote is tied." said Anemone. "58 to 58."

"What?" spluttered Amelie, then put her hand over her mouth. Everyone ignored her, but she twisted around in her seat, wondering who had changed their mind. Had Chinhae been wrong? Or had–

She made eye contact with Marcus, who put the pen in his hand down, and raised his eyebrows the tiniest bit. Amelie's heart was slamming against her ribcage. He'd changed his ballot? He'd been the equalling vote? Last night, he'd been saying she should be expelled, but right at the last second, he'd changed his mind? Barely two minutes ago...

"But in the case of such a narrow margin, we have to come to the governor's votes." continued Anemone, not looking exactly thrilled about that. "In the absence of the School Master..."

"But she's not absent," said Agatha. The head governor adjusted his spectacles aggressively.

"Your Highness, your position is merely symbolic and does not give you the right to interrupt–"

"Honourable Gentleman, I must persist." insisted Agatha. "The School Master isn't absent. She's just arrived."

Everyone turned.

"I have spoken with Dean Anemone and the staff," said the School Master, from the pews to their right. The two guards near the door looked nervous. It wasn't often she left her tower, and no one had noticed her come in, which was scary in its own right. "My students, I left to make their own judgements. But I believe I have my own vote, which is worth double what the governors decide."

"That's... quite right..." said the lead governor reluctantly. "But firstly, we should declare our own votes..."

"Feel free," said the School Master, with an unnerving confidence. "Dean Anemone?"