Richard Williams placed a hand on his son's shoulder. "The slideshow is scheduled for 8:30, right before the donation announcements. It will be quite illuminating for everyone."
What neither of them noticed was the slight figure of Sammy slipping through a side door, a tablet clutched to his chest.
At precisely 8:30, Principal Weston took the stage, tapping a microphone for attention. "Ladies and gentlemen, before we proceed with our donation announcements, the Williams family has prepared a special presentation highlighting the importance of honesty and integrity in our academic community."
The lights dimmed. Chase's smile widened as he glanced toward Amara's table. The large screen behind the principal flickered to life.
For a moment, the image seemed to freeze, digital artifacts distorting the display. Then, instead of the carefully edited slideshow Chase had prepared, the screen showed security footage of the school hallway.
Chase appeared on screen, huddled with Logan and Brent. "The blind girl won't know what hit her," his recorded voice announced. "I've got the fake Braille cards ready. She'll make a complete fool of herself."
The footage changed to another clip: Chase hacking into the school system, pulling up Amara's personal records. "Her dad's a security guard," he laughed. "They can barely afford the application fee, let alone tuition."
Gasps rippled through the crowd. Elizabeth Williams clutched her husband's arm, whispering fiercely. Richard's face had gone deathly pale.
The footage continued: more clips, more damning evidence. Chase placing tacks on Amara's chair. Chase instructing Logan to throw the ball at Amara in gym class. Chase planning the mugging in the park.
Finally, the most devastating clip appeared: Chase on the phone with someone, laughing. "Yeah, we trashed the dojo. Left a nice message, too. Let's see how the blind ninja handles that."
The screen went black.
The silence in the room was absolute, broken only by the sound of a chair scraping back as Chase bolted to his feet. "That's... that's fake!" he shouted. "They edited that footage!"
Principal Weston stood frozen on stage, microphone clutched in a white-knuckled grip. Board members exchanged shocked glances; parents murmured in horrified disbelief.
Richard Williams recovered first, striding toward the stage with practiced authority. "This is an outrageous violation of privacy!" he announced. "Clearly fabricated to discredit my son! I demand this presentation be stopped immediately!"
But the crowd's attention had shifted. Amara had risen from her seat and was making her way toward the stage, her cane tapping a steady rhythm against the floor. As she reached the steps, she removed her dark glasses, revealing her unseeing eyes to the audience. Then, with deliberate movements, she unbuttoned her blazer and let it slide from her shoulders, revealing the black gi and belt beneath her formal attire.