It Wasn't Me Read online

  Also by Dana Alison Levy

  The Misadventures of the Family Fletcher

  The Family Fletcher Takes Rock Island

  This Would Make a Good Story Someday

  This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents either are the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, events, or locales is entirely coincidental.

  Text copyright © 2018 by Dana Levy

  Cover art copyright © 2018 by Bobby McKenna

  All rights reserved. Published in the United States by Delacorte Press, an imprint of Random House Children’s Books, a division of Penguin Random House LLC, New York.

  Delacorte Press is a registered trademark and the colophon is a trademark of Penguin Random House LLC.

  Visit us on the Web! rhcbooks.com

  Educators and librarians, for a variety of teaching tools, visit us at RHTeachersLibrarians.com

  Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data is available upon request.

  ISBN 9781524766436 (hc)

  Ebook ISBN 9781524766450

  Random House Children’s Books supports the First Amendment and celebrates the right to read.

  v5.4

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  Contents

  Cover

  Also by Dana Alison Levy

  Title Page

  Copyright

  Dedication

  Chapter 1: Day One Assessments

  Chapter 2: Let Us Consider Gnawing Off Our Limbs and Escaping

  Chapter 3: Not to Be a Jerk, but I Did My Part by Showing Up, Right?

  Chapter 4: Bird Trauma and Farts Are Questionable Elements of a Justice Circle

  Chapter 5: Lunchtime Is Interesting Only for How My Stomach Tries to Eat Itself

  Chapter 6: A Brief and Depressing Trip Down Memory Lane

  Chapter 7: Day Two Assessments

  Chapter 8: Present-Day Theo Would Like to Go Back and Slap Past Theo Across the Face. Hard.

  Chapter 9: A Spoonful of High-Fructose Corn Syrup Helps the Lies Come Out

  Chapter 10: Discussing Stories, Which Sounds Chill but Totally Isn’t Once Sock Puppets Are Involved

  Chapter 11: I Think Death Metal Is the Huge Revelation of the Day, Until I Get to Death

  Chapter 12: Ms. Davis Manages to Be So Awful That Even Justice Circle Seems Attractive

  Chapter 13: Day Three Assessments

  Chapter 14: Oh, the Places We’ll Go (and the Bad Decisions We’ll Make)!

  Chapter 15: Let’s Hope the Olympic Committee Hasn’t Finalized the 2020 Summer Games

  Chapter 16: People Start to Freak Out, but Don’t Worry, I’ll Just Start Maniacally Talking About Pinhole Cameras

  Chapter 17: I Nerd Out on Photography, but Everyone’s Cool with That, or at Least Pretends to Be

  Chapter 18: It’s Possible We’ll Create Moving Works of Art but Also Possible They Will Be Epically Awful. as Usual.

  Chapter 19: Well, That Sucks More Than I Expected It To

  Chapter 20: Day Four Assessments

  Chapter 21: Ugly-Crying by the Urinals Is Exactly as Fun as It Sounds

  Chapter 22: Well, That Escalated Quickly

  Chapter 23: People Say Lots of Things but None of Them Answers the Question

  Chapter 24: When Davis Wins, the Smell of Burning Sulfur and Children’s Tears Fill the Air….Fun Times.

  Chapter 25: And the Worst Part Is That I Can’t Even Feel Sorry for Myself Anymore, but at Least I Drove Away My Last Ally

  Chapter 26: How Does It Feel to Get a Lesson in Truth from a Five-Year-Old? Let Me Tell You All About It.

  Chapter 27: Once More into the Breach I Go, This Time with a Plan. (Sort of. Ish.)

  Chapter 28: The Truth, the Whole Truth, and Nothing but the Truth? Maybe.

  Chapter 29: Sometimes I Laugh Hysterically Like a Weirdo in the Face of Truth and Justice

  Chapter 30: Day Five Assessments

  Chapter 31: Mr. Saunders Deserves Some Kind of Special Prize for His Efforts in Davis-Thwarting, but We Still Need Justice, Whatever That Looks Like

  Chapter 32: The Justice Club Gets Its Photo Shoot, and It Is Legit Awesome

  Chapter 33: I Doubt Ms. Davis Will Like It, but This Is the Ending

  Epilogue

  Acknowledgments

  Author’s Note

  About the Author

  To the teachers and educators who do the hard work of helping our kids find their way. And especially to the ones in my family: Steve, Mary, Tracey, Pat, Paul, Peggy, Erica, and Gen…Ms. Lewistons, all.

  SHIPTON MIDDLE SCHOOL

  Please fill out the following questions as honestly and completely as you can. There are no wrong answers.

  Date: Feb. 18

  Name: Molly Claremont

  What happened and what were you thinking at the time of the incident?

  I have LITERALLY NO IDEA. I was waiting to be picked up and I wandered into the student gallery, which isn’t a crime, last I checked. And the photos were totally ruined, which was really surprising and, you know, upsetting. Because of course our school is no place for vandalism and bullying.

  But I just walked in there. And the next day, when someone opened the darkroom door and ruined Theo’s stuff again? That was horrible, and I feel so bad for him. Our community definitely needs to come together and make this a Bully-Free Zone. I should bring it up with student council. Maybe we can do a bake sale for Theo. Anyway, I realize I don’t have an alibi, but why would I touch his stuff?

  I can’t see how it has anything to do with me.

  What have you thought about since?

  Well, to be totally honest (because we’re supposed to be honest here, right?), I’m mostly thinking how RIDICULOUS it is that I’m being blamed for ruining Theo’s photos. I’m sure it feels terrible for him, having his work destroyed like that, with people writing such horrible, embarrassing stuff. The whole school can’t stop talking about it. But still. It’s NOT MY FAULT.

  What about this has been hardest for you?

  Again, if I’m being honest, I CANNOT BELIEVE I HAVE TO SPEND AN ENTIRE WEEK HERE IN THIS DETENTION ROOM (or Justice Circle room, or whatever). I get that this is a big deal, but it wasn’t me.

  What do you think needs to be done to make things as right as possible?

  We’ll obviously need to establish a better Say No to Bullying campaign. I’ll definitely be bringing it up with the student council. We don’t want vandals and criminals in the school. But it has nothing to do with me. NOTHING.

  Is there anything at all you’d like to share confidentially with Ms. Lewiston?

  No.

  Name: Andre Hall

  What happened and what were you thinking at the time of the incident?

  I dropped my bag off in the student gallery and went to the bathroom before going home. I didn’t want to bring my bag in with me because that bathroom floor is nasty. So I left my bag, then on the way back realized I had forgotten my lab notebook. It was fifteen minutes before I got back to the gallery, and by then Theo’s photos were totally ruined. Whoever it was, they weren’t playing. It was bad. But like I keep saying, I wasn’t even there. When I walked back to get my bag, there were a ton of people in the gallery, all freaking out.

  What have you thought about since?

  It was pretty intense. I’ve never seen anythi
ng like it at our school before. I mean, that was some severe destruction. And some rude stuff written on the photos of Theo. I’d want to transfer schools if that happened to me. And then the very next day someone messed with his stuff in the darkroom? It seems like someone’s got it in for him.

  But I don’t know…does he have enemies or something? I barely know the guy. It’s not like he talks to me. And like I keep saying, I wasn’t even there until after.

  What about this has been hardest for you?

  It’s a bummer that no one even noticed that I wasn’t there, and that it was only my bag sitting on the bench. Though maybe whoever did it figured it would be better to have more suspects or something. I was planning on spending vacation week practicing a ton with my band, and now I’m stuck here. And since my bandmates go to a different school, it’s hard to get rehearsal time. We have some big stuff coming up, and we were counting on this week. But it’s obviously worse for Theo. I mean, he must be freaking out. I know I would be.

  What do you think needs to be done to make things as right as possible?

  I guess catch the guy who did it and make him apologize? Not really sure since I didn’t have anything to do with it.

  Is there anything at all you’d like to share confidentially with Ms. Lewiston?

  Just…how could nobody notice that I wasn’t there?

  Name: Erik Estrale

  What happened and what were you thinking at the time of the incident?

  I don’t really remember. I had a huge game against Greenfield that night, and I was mostly thinking about whether I’d be starting point guard. (I was. I scored 19 points. It was a totally sick game. Coach gave me the Golden Jockstrap.)

  What have you thought about since?

  I don’t know. I didn’t do it, so I just want to get out of here.

  What about this has been hardest for you?

  I was supposed to do a full-day basketball camp this week with the whole team, and Coach was seriously mad when he heard I can’t make it. He said I shouldn’t expect to start if I get in trouble at school.

  What do you think needs to be done to make things as right as possible?

  I don’t know. I mean, I figure Theo must have made someone really mad. Like, is he in a fight with anyone? I feel really sorry for the guy. But I don’t know what to do for him.

  Is there anything at all you’d like to share confidentially with Ms. Lewiston?

  What happens if no one confesses at the end of this whole thing? Will it all go away?

  Name: Alice Shu

  What happened and what were you thinking at the time of the incident?

  Actually, I remember EXACTLY what I was thinking, because I was trying to figure out if it would be possible to do a knife wound on a zombie, or if, since there’s no blood, there’s not much point. (This is special effects for my movies, obvs.) Anyway, I had been pondering this and I walked into the wall by the water fountain near the student gallery and smacked my shoulder hard enough to drop my books. By the time I picked everything up I had missed the bus. I had to wait for a ride and I knew it would be a while, so I decided to walk over to the gallery. When I got there Molly Claremont was FREAKING OUT. I’ve never seen anyone turn that color red. Maybe she had never read any of those words before…they were pretty bad. Poor Theo. Then the very next day his stuff was ruined again in the darkroom! Someone must be out to get him. Maybe there’s a secret stalker. Maybe that person is in this room right now….

  What have you thought about since?

  Zombies look dumb with knives sticking out of them. Without blood, or at least a festering wound, there’s really nothing happening, and since they’re undead, it just sticks out looking stupid. OH! You mean Theo’s photos? Well, I guess someone really hates him. Or the idea of him. A lot of people say they can’t stand me but they don’t even know me. They just assume.

  What about this has been hardest for you?

  I don’t really care. I didn’t have plans this week, other than working on some special effects. But I can do them after detention. Or Justice Circle, or whatever we’re calling this.

  What do you think needs to be done to make things as right as possible?

  Well, it’d be great if there was a huge zombie revenge scene, where Theo is commanding the undead to get back at whoever trashed his stuff. But in real life, there’s not much we can do when jerks mess with us. I’m sure Theo’s really embarrassed, but he shouldn’t worry. It will all die down and people will forget about it. I would know.

  Is there anything at all you’d like to share confidentially with Ms. Lewiston?

  Do you really think people will tell the truth here?

  Name: Jax Fletcher

  What happened and what were you thinking at the time of the incident?

  Nothing. I don’t remember anything about that day. It was another stupid school day.

  What have you thought about since?

  No one knows who did it, so I don’t really know why we have to be here. Without proof isn’t this against the law or something? My parents okayed it because they’re always down for some new age talk-it-out-and-everyone-will-feel-better stuff. But give me a break.

  What about this has been hardest for you?

  I’ll probably get in more trouble for saying this, but I HATE SCHOOL. And now I have to spend vacation week here.

  What do you think needs to be done to make things as right as possible?

  Theo needs to get over it. There’s no point in this.

  Is there anything at all you’d like to share confidentially with Ms. Lewiston?

  What do we have to do to get out of here???????

  I remember ages ago reading about how some animals, if caught in a trap, will gnaw off the captured limb to attempt to escape. It stuck with me, because (1) it’s sort of awesome yet disgusting to imagine actually chewing off your own paw, and (2) I wondered if the animal would just die after, what with blood loss and infection and the fact it would now be totally slow and easy dinner for any predator hanging around. Is that really a good survival strategy? I’m skeptical.

  But I think now I get why the animal might take a chance.

  I’m trying to maintain some chill, but since the biggest, most dramatic act of vandalism in our school’s history happened to my photos and I’m spending vacation week at school, it seems like the kind of scenario where one might be compelled to gnaw off a limb and try to escape, bleeding and limping out the door.

  My mom said I didn’t have to do this. That it was understandable if I was traumatized by it and needed time away from school to process. But I’m not traumatized. I refuse to be traumatized. That would imply that I care what these losers think about my photographs. I mean, yes, it was horrifying and embarrassing to have the entire school talking about what happened, whispering and pointing and repeating the garbage someone wrote all over the pictures. But I need to move on. None of these people will grow up to be art critics, I’m sure. The only thing I find traumatic is the amount of Axe body spray in this classroom.

  As of right now, I have the five tweenbots who might have done it staring everywhere in the room but at me, like my face is some kind of anti-magnet to their eyes.

  But Ms. Lewiston isn’t having it.

  “Please move your chairs. Remember, this is a Justice Circle. Not a Justice Line, or a Justice Blob.” She smiles, but no one smiles back.

  Poor Ms. Lewiston. It’s going to be a long week.

  People shuffle their chairs around, and like one of those “Which Time Lord Are You?” Doctor Who quizzes online, I swear I can tell everything about these clowns by the way they get into position.

  First: Molly Claremont, Overachiever Extraordinaire, hops up like she sat on a tack and moves her chair so that it’s directly opposite mine. Great. I’m now all deer-in-the-headlights with her staring right at me. I preferred the anti-magn
et thing.

  Second: Next to her, Andre Hall gets up and repositions his chair by lifting it and putting it back down so that it doesn’t make a sound. I barely even saw him move; he just went from one spot to another. I doubt anyone noticed him, kind of like how he gets through school.

  Third: Erik Estrale lifts his chair too, but one-handed, bringing it up and down a few times like he’s doing reps with a weight, then lets it drop with a clatter. Then, when he finally sits, he immediately gets up, cracks his neck a few times, and sits back down. Dude is such a jockstrap.

  Fourth: Jax Fletcher, of course, drags his chair across the floor, making it scrape as loud as possible, which makes Molly put her hands over her ears and shriek. For the record, it wasn’t that loud. Then Jax flips the chair backward, straddles it, and hangs his arms over the back. He taptaptaps his foot like he can’t wait to get out of here. Get comfortable, buddy. We have six more hours before any of us go anywhere.

  Fifth: Ms. Lewiston is trying to be patient, I think, but if I were taking bets, I’d put money on her losing it with Alice Shu, the last of our little club, before the week is up. Alice isn’t like Jax, who’s basically a black belt at bugging people until they lose it. But she’s So. Freaking. Out of it. Like now, while we’re supposed to be getting into this circle, she’s sitting as far away as possible, staring out the window and whispering to herself. Also it should be noted that she has a massive and nasty-looking black eye.