Someone sucked in a sharp breath. Someone else shouted that she'd gone too far.
The instant the marker tip nearly grazed my cheek, I drove my foot into her midsection and sent her crashing to the ground.
Delia shrieked in pain, her face draining of all color.
My other hand was already pulling my credentials from my pocket. I held them in front of her eyes.
"Read it. Carefully."
She squinted, leaning closer. Then her eyes went wide.
Printed in bold black letters: City Board of Education, Deputy Director — Judy Fox.
"You... you..." Her lips shook. Every drop of color vanished from her face.
I let go.
Her legs gave out, and she crumpled to the ground.
I turned to face the two thousand students below, held my credentials high above my head, and let my voice ring out clear and strong.
"I am Judy Fox, Deputy Director of the City Board of Education."
The entire assembly went dead silent.
William stood frozen for three seconds. Then he laughed.
"Do you think we're toddlers?"
Delia's confidence surged back in an instant. "Exactly! That ID badge is obviously a fake!"
William sneered, looking me up and down. "Deputy Director of the City Board of Education? How old are you, even? You're clearly some teenager. Who are you trying to fool?"
Delia leaned in close to examine my badge, clicking her tongue and shaking her head. "The counterfeiting technology these days is really something. Almost looks real! If I hadn't seen the genuine article, you might've actually had me fooled!"
William shouted toward the crowd below the stage. "Academic Affairs! Look up which class this 'Judy Fox' belongs to!"
The head of Academic Affairs pulled out the student roster and flipped through it. He looked up. "Principal, I've checked. There's no one by that name."
Delia jabbed a finger at my face, her voice shrill enough to cut glass.
"I knew it! You're some delinquent who snuck in from off campus!"
She was on a roll now, her voice climbing higher with every word.
"Probably from one of those vocational schools nearby! Sneaking into our academy to seduce boys! I've seen plenty of street trash like you!"
The students below began to stir. Some whispered to each other. Some craned their necks to get a better look at me. A few furrowed their brows.
But Delia didn't care.