Raegan could feel the shift in the atmosphere as soon as she walked into the classroom.

In the past, her classmates’ gazes were always filled with either disdain or wariness. But today, there was something different, a calmness, almost respect, in the way they looked at her.

Taking her seat, she pulled out her textbooks. She had missed half a year of classes, and even though she was smart, she couldn’t afford to slack off.

“Raegan, get out here.”

James’s ...