The whole class burst out laughing, the tension in the room dissolving in an instant.
The homeroom teacher's face went dark as a thundercloud. She slammed her palm on the podium.
"Loretta Fox! Absolutely not! Rules are rules. The written-response section only accepts black ink! This is not a joke!"
"Come on, Miss, don't be so uptight about it."
Henry was on his feet immediately, pulling Loretta behind him like a shield.
"Think of it as our class tradition. Besides, technology's come a long way. You really think the scanner can't read color? Don't bring that old-school thinking in here."
"Yeah, Miss, we all switched to pink pens! They're good-luck charms from Loretta!"
"All for one! If we're doing it, we're all doing it!"
Voices piled on from every direction. The classroom erupted into chaos, and the homeroom teacher, outnumbered and overpowered, stood there with her lips trembling.
I stayed silent through all of it, until Henry's gaze drifted over to me, casual and contemptuous.
I knew. It was my turn.
I took a deep breath and stood up.
My voice came out steady, almost flat.