Page 139 - EarthAngelsMatos

NICHOLAS BOOTHMAN
dozen people around him got up and joined in. Soon
the whole place was up applauding Ben.
Principal Cox stepped back to the podium
clapping, smiling and proud.
Ben grinned at the man in the fourth row who
started the ovation. It was his gym teacher Mr. Dodd.
Ben went back to his seat.
“And now, representing the Shut Up side, please
welcome Naomi Parkes.”
A thin, serious girl in a loose-fitting dark green
dress with sunken grey eyes and shoulder-length hair
drifted up to the podium. She began slowly, pausing
between each sentence—without notes.
“My friend Lauren's sister got trafficked when she
was literally my age. She thought she knew what to
expect, like she'd get kidnapped and locked in a
basement or something. But nope. It started with some
dude on Insta who was all sweet and stuff. He was
like, two years older and made her feel special. He'd
send her money and gifts, and she thought he was her
boyfriend or whatever.
“But then, he started asking for help with some
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