The situation recalled a French phrase my grandmother once used:
La piège se refermait sur celle qui l'avait tendu - the trap closing on the one who had set it.

As I got to the end of the table, I turned to sweep a level gaze at the board members and the principal. My gaze caught with Alessandro's, and he gave me an encouraging nod. I turned to look at Cassia, next to him, who was smiling proudly at me.

Although I didn't need their approval, their reassurance flooded me with warmth and strength. I steeled my resolve, steady in my belief that I was doing something necessary and right.

Then, finally, my gaze landed on Mr Sydney, who had, rather, against his wishes, became the focal point of attention.

His eyes bulged out of its sockets, and when he spoke, spittle flew unbidden out of his mouth.

"What do you mean by that?!"

I levelled him with a cool gaze. "I mean that after thorough investigation into your conduct as a board member, the board can re-evaluate your position as a board member."

There was a moment of silence, where everyone seemed to be absorbing what I said. Then, almost immediately, an incessant buzz of conversation erupted.

What most board members seemed to be more concerned about was not the fact that Mr. Sydney has, on multiple occasions, proved to be an unworthy member of the board, but that a student no matter their background could call for an investigation into a board member and ultimately lead to their expulsion from the board.

"Who do you think you are? I am an esteemed member of the board!" Mr Sydney spat out venomously.

"You have on multiple counts breached the code of conduct set by the founders for every board member." I continued cooly, "Every incident of a breach has been carefully documented by me, and I would present this to the investigative committee as soon as possible."

The exact moment the board knew that I was going to pursue this did not escape my notice as a wave of understanding seemed to pass from a board member to another as they caught each others eye.

I wasn't surprised they didn't foolishly believe I was bluffing because it would be detrimental yo them to underestimate me.

I have always kept a record of every incident, mostly out of habit, with evidence from the press and issues brought up by the student and board.

However, while going through arguments to destabilise Mr Sydney when he decides to go back on his word, I decided to organise his breaches. That was when I first decided that an investigation on Mr. Sydney had to happen.

The most important aspect of the investigation wasn't to expell him from the board of governors but to signal a warning that his misdemeanours would no longer be tolerated.

"This is not France, where you would believe you have real authority. In what history of this school as a student proposed the expulsion of a board member." Mr Sydney said, his gaze doing little to conceal repressed anger.

Mr  Sydney,  realising that he was almost in a perilous situation, decided that anger would get him nowhere; changing tactics, appealing to the board members,  more often that not, oversized ego.

" It is quite humiliating to even imagine that students now have the imperative to determine who should and shouldn't be on the board." He said to the approving nod from several board members.

Already suspecting this, I countered calmly, "No student has the imperative to decide members of the board, but what students can do is report misdemeanours of any stakeholder in Ellesmere-Régnier International Academy to the investigative committe. So, I am not imperative, I am just exercising that right of mine, which has been provided to every student of ERIA by the founding members as listed under section thirteen of Charta Valmontis"

Its name alone was enough to still the room.