It was Monday, so when Danny reported to the library for study hall, they sent him to Mr. Crenshaw’s office.

Danny dreaded it, but he was in no position to skip a session or do anything else outside the lines. He knocked, then entered.

Mr. C looked up from his computer and stopped typing. “Hi, Danny.”

Danny stopped just inside the door. “I can go back to the library if you don’t want me. They said you just have to write me a pass.”

Mr. C frowned. “Why would I not want you?”

“Seriously?” Danny searched his face.

Mr. C shrugged. “This weekend has nothing to do with what we do here. I thought you’d know that by now.”

Danny narrowed his eyes. “I guess.”

Mr. C pointed at the couch. “Sit. Make yourself comfortable. Do you want to talk?”

Danny slowly crossed the floor and sat, keeping his eyes on Mr. C all the while. “I don’t know. Do you?”

“Sure. We can talk, or you can study.”

Danny didn’t care if he sounded bitter. “It’s too late for that.”

“Really? I heard you were so close.”

“From who? Ms. Rait?” Danny wrinkled his face.

“Yes. She has confidence in you.” Mr. C pointed a pen at him.

“That makes no sense. She told me it didn’t look good.”

“She’s challenging you, Danny, like a coach. She asked me how I thought she should approach you with all this and I told her back in the beginning that you’d respond best if she approached it like a coach. You’re used to that. You’ve responded well to that all your life.” Mr. C held up both hands like it was a simple fact.

Danny didn’t know what to say.

“I told her she’d have to be careful to mix in praise and encouragement, too. I hope she did that. Did she?” Mr. C asked.

Danny had to nod because she had done that. It was he who’d focused on the negative and allowed it to overshadow her kindnesses and encouragement. He looked up and blinked. “So she wants me to pass?”

Mr. Crenshaw wore a sad smile. “So very much.”

“And she thinks I can?”

“No, Danny.” Mr. C shook his head. “She thinks you will.”